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PCA General Assembly Worship Services - Worship Service 3

Eric Priest — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:00:20 +0000

The third and final worship service, held on Thursday, June 18, was called “A Renewed World”. Attendance at this service was spotty, due to the Assembly ending early and the service being moved up to 4:30pm from 5:30pm. (This also meant that the cellist for the evening was on his way to the Assembly during most of the music set. It’s a shame that the musicians weren’t warned further in advance that they would be needed earlier so that they would have time to prepare.)

Music was led by Josh Bales and musicians from City Church, Orlando (where my sister-in-law is involved).

The hymns and songs chosen were:

Come Away from Rush and Hurry
- Words: Marva Dawn, Music: NETTLETON
This Is My Father’s World
- Words: Maltbie D. Babcock, Music: TERRA BEATA
Holy, Holy, Holy
- Words: Reginald Heber, Music: NICAEA
Our Great God
- Words and Music: Fernando Orgeta, Mac Powell
‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
- Words: Louisa M. R. Stead, Music: TRUST IN JESUS
A Hymn for All the World
- Words and Music: Josh Bales

Ray Cannata, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New Orleans, gave a testimony of the rebuilding work going on in the people and the city of New Orleans 4 years after Hurricane Katrina.

Martin Ban, pastor of Christ Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico, spoke on “Mission, Risk and Redemptive Feasting” from Luke 14:1-35 and 22:14-27. He had a wonderful communication style, unlike any other preacher I’ve heard, but one that fit him well. (And shouldn’t that be the goal in preaching!) He delivered long, well-constructed sentences and allowed time for them to sink in. It was a great exposition of the text but also a great challenge for the future of our denomination.

Musically, this service was probably the most unified of all the services. A smaller ensemble with no special guests helped to bring everything together. This was the most like a typical church-plant music style – acoustic guitar led, piano, bass, drums, a color instrument (cello, in this case). It was very well played, with a mind to supporting the congregation.

The Investment Banker and his Mentor, a parable

Eric Priest — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:00:11 +0000

Daniel was an investment banker who worked for a national bank in their downtown Houston office. One afternoon while waiting for the bus, he ran into Dr. Clark, his finance professor and mentor from college. Having a few extra minutes, they walked down to the Flying Saucer and caught up over a drink. They talked about their families, their hobbies, and their careers. After a while, Daniel said, “You know Dr. Clark, I’m really glad that I ran into you because the guys at work have told me about this great new opportunity and I just can’t keep quiet about it! You see there’s this guy in New York who has made a ton of money off of this investment plan where people send him money and then he waits and sends the money from the next group of investors to the first group of investors. You just keep that pattern up indefinitely and you can’t lose! My kids are going to be able to go to any college they want!”

Dr. Clark was silent. He had a look of shock tinged with horror on his face. After an uncomfortable 20 seconds, he said, “Danny, what’s wrong with you? I talked about this in the first semester you took one of my courses. It’s called a Ponzi scheme. That guy in New York that you heard about? He was sentenced to 150 years in prison! How could you think this was a good idea? You need to stick to what I taught you: sound investment principles. Don’t get fooled by those guys; if they keep up like this, they’ll end up in prison as well.”

Galatians 3.10-14

Book Review - NT Wright, Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision

Eric Priest — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:43:47 +0000

I have just finished reading and have posted a book review for NT (Tom) Wright’s latest book Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision. Here is the first paragraph:

Reading a book by NT Wright on Justification and then hearing his critics is like listening to a majestic symphony and then hearing someone complain about the parallel fifths.

For more, see the review.

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

Eric Priest — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:24:14 +0000

Michael Spencer has edited his excellent, thought-provoking 3-part series from Internet Monk into a single article at The Christian Science Monitor.

Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. I’m convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close.

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

I Shot the Sheriff But I Did Not Shoot Gustav Holst

Eric Priest — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:19:50 +0000

I just heard a ringtone of Holst’s Jupiter Chorale from The Planets suite set to a reggae beat. I think I’m going to cry.

New address for CyberHymnal

Eric Priest — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:30:05 +0000

The CyberHymnal has moved to a new host. The previous host is unwilling to give up the domain name.

Thanks for your prayers

Eric Priest — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:35:16 +0000

Charlie came home from the hospital last Thursday after 2 weeks in the NICU. We appreciate your prayers.

Charlie leaving the hospital

Charles Marshall Priest

Eric Priest — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:40:56 +0000

Our son, Charles Marshall Priest, was born at 11:00 am on Friday, December 26. He is still in the NICU but is progressing steadily. We are optimistic that he may be able to go home with us this weekend. We appreciate any and all prayers.

Charlie Priest

The End of Advent

Eric Priest — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:00:47 +0000

Joseph Bottum on The End of Advent:

[T]he endless roar of untethered Christmas anticipation is close to drowning out the disciplined anticipation of Advent. And when Christmas itself arrives, it has begun to seem a day not all that different from any other. Oh, yes, church and home to a big dinner. Presents for the children. A set of decorations. But nothing special, really.

A poached egg or the devil

Eric Priest — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:59:00 +0000

From C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity:

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Christianity stands or falls upon who Jesus is. Out of context the above quote may seem a little harsh; I don’t mean to post it as such. What I intend to say is this: read the gospels. Look at the audacious claims that Jesus makes about himself. He can’t be a good teacher if he was a flat-out liar. If Jesus really is who he said he was then we have to live with the idea that he has the right to make claims upon our life. If he really is the resurrected Lord, he is worthy to be worshiped. If he isn’t, if he’s still a tomb in Palestine, then he was one of the most infamous liars in history and should be laughed at as a fraud and a failure.