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Ghetto Parenting and its Charismatic Counterpart

Mary Mitchell of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a great article titled “Ghetto Parenting Dooms Kids.”  Here are some of the traits of ghetto parents she listed,

• Ghetto parenting is cursing around, and at, a child.
• Ghetto parenting is brawling with your man or your woman in front of your child.
• Ghetto parenting is letting your child roam the streets until somebody else’s mother has to tell the child to go home.
• Ghetto parenting is putting your child off on friends and relatives because you want to hang out in the street.
• Ghetto parenting is getting so hooked on substances that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has to remove your children and place them with strangers.

Now, you would not think that this would need to be stated but to some it is a surprise that there are varying levels of parenting.  Some people took exception to the article.  They were not mad at “ghetto parents” but mad at the woman who coined such a phrase.  Sometimes things get so ridiculous that they have to be pointed out even at the risk of offending people.  Otherwise, people begin to think that the ridiculous is the accepted norm.

I could follow that thought with a boatload of doctrines at loose in the Charismatic church right now but I will defer for later.  I would, however, like to point out Charismatic Christianity’s version of ghetto parenting.  For the purpose of my typing laziness, I will shorten Charismatic Ghetto Parenting to CGP.

Ok, so you love getting touched by God.  You love laying on the floor enjoying His presence.  You love sitting under anointed preaching.  It makes you feel good to be around people hungry for God.  That’s great.  But if that touch, presence, preaching and hunger does not manifest in the ability to understand that God wants you to raise the children He gave you, then at best you have hardened your heart to the true word of God and at worst you have been deceived by a false spirit.

Newsflash:  You are not your own.  Bring real glory to God.  Get off the ground, prepare a meal at home, and raise godly children.

Sunday’s Prophetic Song

We get prophetic songs all the time at The Mission.  So this Sunday was not that different in that respect.  They normally come during the worship set before the message.  This week we had a few extra folks on stage after the message during the after the message worship set.  I don’t know why more churches don’t do this.  If people want to dip they can feel free to.  I bless the people and let them know that if they want to continue to worship they can stay but if they need/want/have/can’t wait to leave they are blessed to go.  Then we go into more worship.

The funny thing about this worship set is that it is during this time that the most dramatic breakthroughs happen in people’s lives.

In any event, I decided to be less lazy this week and post part of the prophetic song from this week.  enjoy

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The Saga of the Water in Video

First the Problem

The Beginning of the Solution

Overcoming the obstacles

30 Cool Points to Whomever Can Tell Me Where This Came From

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The Mission 4th of July Barbeque

Join The Mission this Sunday for the 4th of July barbecue! $5 for adults. Children 9 and under are free!

Sign up today! Only $5.

Click the button below to pay online.

F.A.Q Message Series – Ask Anything

This Sunday I can promise you that we will be talking about what YOU are interested in because I am going to be taking YOUR questions! I have heard for years that people feel like pastors never speak on tough issues or never fully address the concerns people have…well – this is your chance.

I will give my best shot @ answering your deepest, funniest, craziest, most serious questions about anything related to God, the Bible, Christianity, the Church, or anything in between. Submit your question by clicking the link below (your name is optional) and I will attempt to answer as many of these as possible in both services on Sunday. Ask anything. Don’t worry, I can take it.

Click here to ask away!

Pray for Abby Sunderland!

I have been following the progress of Abby, a 16-year old sailor who is seeking to sail around the world by herself.  She is reportedly lost at sea (in the middle of the Indian Ocean) right now.  Please pray for her, that she is safe and out of harm’s way right now.  Pray that she will not die at sea but live!  Read the news reports below.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Search is on for teen sailor Abby Sunderland (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• Rescuers search for Calif teen on solo world sail (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Solo sailor Abby Sunderland reportedly lost at sea (sports.espn.go.com)

ht: heaven invading washington

William Booth Vision of the Lost

Here is the copy of a vision William Booth had regarding the lost and hurting.  Do not read it unless you are ready to respond to the conviction of the Holy Ghost.

On one of my recent journeys, as I gazed from the coach window, I was led into a train of thought concerning the condition of the multitudes around me. They were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare. As I looked out of the window, I seemed to see them all . . . millions of people all around me given up to their drink and their pleasure, their dancing and their music, their business and their anxieties, their politics and their troubles. Ignorant – willfully ignorant in many cases – and in other instances knowing all about the truth and not caring at all. But all of them, the whole mass of them, sweeping on and up in their blasphemies and devilries to the Throne of God. While my mind was thus engaged, I had a vision.

I saw a dark and stormy ocean. Over it the black clouds hung heavily; through them every now and then vivid lightening flashed and loud thunder rolled, while the winds moaned, and the waves rose and foamed, towered and broke, only to rise and foam, tower and break again.

In that ocean I thought I saw myriads of poor human beings plunging and floating, shouting and shrieking, cursing and struggling and drowning; and as they cursed and screamed they rose and shrieked again, and then some sank to rise no more.

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Why I did not get the HTC Evo on June 4th

I really want(ed) that new HTC Evo.  That thing is pretty!  I did not order it and I did not wait in line for it. Why?  Couple reasons.

Right now I have a window to fix and I still have to finish setting up my home office. If I got this thing I would spend way too much time playing with it. So Evo, maybe later.

Sunday Musings

• Couple quick thoughts about service.
• Worship went long but it was needed.  Is it possible to worship God for too long?
• I really enjoyed preaching the last 2 weeks.
• The more I study how God has moved in the past, the more encouraged that we are on the right path
• Whoever took pics . . . can you put them up?
• At the end of the message, right before I started the prayer, the presence of God fell so hard I thought i might fall and take the podium with me.  the fear of the Lord struck me.
• I am typing this at my new desk and looking at my new monitors.  My old desk was a piece of junk hand me down when I got it 8 years ago.  My old monitors were so bad the colors were never right.
• Took my kids to VBS today.  Church planter summer camp.
• Went to 5 guys somethingoranother and got a burger after church yesterday.  The jalapenos there are hot.
• Went to the birthday party of a friend that is on staff at Calvary Ftl.  Steve Williams is a great guy.  Happy 40th.
• Its 94 today.  Yikes.
• Podcast is up.
• Insert witty, challenging, Googled quote here.
• Onward!