Another Great Quote

Here is a quote that made me laugh, and for that, I will add it to my collection. This one is from Steven Wright. Enjoy!

"There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."

Is Socialism bad?

Many are concerned that we appear to be moving towards socialism, but is socialism really all that bad? My examination of socialism will come through a presupposition that is Biblical and rooted in a Christian worldview.

Socialism, according to the dictionary, is "any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy. "

One website calls socialism a healthier form of life. This site actually promotes the following:

"Socialism requires a revolution with three main stages: firstly the emergence of a workers' movement committed to socialist revolution, secondly the achievement of political power and the expropriation of the capitalists and thirdly a period during which workers learn how to be owners and rulers and cast off the psychological and ideological dross of the past. "

It seems no matter where I look all socialists assume that when the worker class rises to power they will some how avoid becoming like the owners and rulers they just forced to abdicate their power. This is the fundamental problem with all of socialism... it assumes that man's nature is good. How many times must we learn the painful lesson... man, if left to his own desires, is desperately wicked.

Whether owned collectively or governed by a central government, socialism, in order to function at all, must have leadership over the people in order to enforce social policies, plan and control the economy and keep the engine of socialism moving. This might work if we actually had a group of people who could handle the power of socialism ... to be given all power and still govern selflessly. Sorry, its not going to happen because we are all the same, without Christ... desperately wicked.

I am not sure I understand the motive for any move towards socialism. In my opinion, there is no other motive for socialism, from a wicked heart, other than complete and unchallenged power, and any heart not soften by the Holy Spirit is a wicked heart.

Pop quiz... name one positive example of successful socialism? I am not sure I can. Socialism or communism standardizes everyone and ends up doing so in an oppressive way; their record in the human rights arena is not good. Nations ascribing to socialism or communism do not produce excellence in any thing; they are forever doomed to mediocrity because that is what is required to remain inside socialism.

Are we creeping towards socialism? I am not ready to offer an opinion, yet... are you? Blessings!

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

Is there a evangelical collapse on the horizon? According to Michael Spencer, there is, and it just might be a good thing. I must admit, my initial reaction to the title was anything but complimentary, but after reading the article, I will say this: Mr. Spencer has some valid points that all of us should ponder.

Mr. Spencer writes,

"We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West."

He goes on to write,

"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."

Why does Mr. Spencer believe this will happen? He gives many reasons, but, in a nutshell, it is this: we have not passed on a solid foundational faith to our children. Instead, we have passed on the warm fuzzes. Mr. Spencer writes,

"We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we've spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures."

He also has some hard things to say to parents and educators alike.

"Despite some very successful developments in the past 25 years, Christian education has not produced a product that can withstand the rising tide of secularism. Evangelicalism has used its educational system primarily to staff its own needs and talk to itself."

I agree, in principal, that many Christian schools have done a poor job of educating children in preparation of standing for Christ in a world hostile to Christ. Instead, Christians have built schools or ministries to serve their own needs... all the while staying out of the way of the world. But, there are many fine examples of schools and ministries that have done the opposite or are doing the opposite. Our school is one of those examples as we seek to be part of Huntsville and engage our community in order to be that city on the hill.

Mr. Spencer closes with several points:

"Will the coming collapse get Evangelicals past the pragmatism and shallowness that has brought about the loss of substance and power? Probably not. The purveyors of the evangelical circus will be in fine form, selling their wares as the promised solution to every church's problems."

"The loss of their political clout may impel many Evangelicals to reconsider the wisdom of trying to create a "godly society." That doesn't mean they'll focus solely on saving souls, but the increasing concern will be how to keep secularism out of church, not stop it altogether. The integrity of the church as a countercultural movement with a message of "empire subversion" will increasingly replace a message of cultural and political entitlement."

"We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born. I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, numbers, and paid staff its drugs for half a century."

"We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says about being His people in the midst of a powerful, idolatrous culture."

"I'm not a prophet. My view of evangelicalism is not authoritative or infallible. I am certainly wrong in some of these predictions. But is there anyone who is observing evangelicalism in these times who does not sense that the future of our movement holds many dangers and much potential?"

I would encourage everyone to read this article twice. You may not agree with everything written, but the words that are written will make you think deeply about some issues that may have been buried for a while. Blessings to all!

Spring Break

Well, that break we take in the spring is, again, over. And, just like all the others, it went by way too quickly.


This year we travelled with another family to Destin, Florida and had a great time. God blessed us with a great place to stay (see the picture above for my front porch view), beautiful weather and wonderful friends who were willing to tolerate us for a week. Our kids did very well together, and the week played out nicely. We consider ourselves blessed beyond what we deserve, but tomorrow we worship, and then, it is back to reality. I believe I am ready; are you? Blessings!

What comes around...

goes around... quickly! Justice, at times, is swift and final.


"NEW YORK, NY. A man was knocked down by a car and got up uninjured, but lay back down in front of the car when a bystander told him to feign injury in order to collect insurance money. The car rolled forward and crushed him to death."- Associated Press, 1977



I found this on a quote page and was drawn to it. For me, it shows that even way back in 1977, when I was a kid, there was still this self-centered "me" mentality. I was very fortunate to grow up in a very small town in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. There were two hundred people in my small mill town, and we all knew each other and... actually liked each other. I had three boys that were my friends, and we got away with... nothing because everyone looked out for everyone else.

As I think back to those days, it was a great way to grow up. Of course, when I was a kid, I thought I was sentenced to the Russian Front (to borrow a phrase from that old TV show, Hogan's Heroes). I grew up in the woods climbing trees, building forts, and swimming until dark without a care in the world. We rarely locked our doors in those days, but Monroe Bridge was a very different place.

Sadly, I wonder if there are any Monroe Bridges left? My little town is virtually gone as the paper mill closed 20+ years ago. I will never forget the day that the mill closed as it was the day the town started to die. It was the first time I considered living in another place other than Monroe Bridge. And here I sit, in Huntsville, Alabama marvelling at how God works his wonders using mill closings and moves to the south to bring someone like me to Him. How amazing He is! Blessings!

The Senior Trip

They look good; do they not?














Some of our seniors getting ready for the water.













Enjoying a little afternoon...















Dinner each night was a true delight.



















Last week we took our seniors on their senior trip. We sailed for five days down into the Bahamas on Carnival's Fascination and had a great time. It was an honor to be a part of such a great class. Here are some pictures from that trip. Enjoy!

Dr. George Grant and Worldview

Dr. George Grant writes about the importance of Christians having Christian worldviews.

"One of the basic demands of Christian discipleship, of following Jesus Christ, is to change our way of thinking. We are to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are "not to be conformed to this world but [are to] be transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:2). In other words, we are commanded to have a Biblical worldview. All our thinking, our perspective on life, and our understanding of the world around us, is to be comprehensively informed by Scripture."

"God's condemnation of Israel came because "their ways were not His ways and their thoughts were not His thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8). They did not have a Biblical worldview. When we begin to think about the law, or bio-medical ethics, or art, or business, or love, or history, or welfare, or anything else apart from God's revelation, we too have made ourselves vulnerable to condemnation. A Biblical worldview is not optional. It is mandatory."

A strong statement on the necessity of a Christian worldview, and the reason children must be educated in an environment where Christ is King and a Christian worldview is foundational. Blessings!

Charles Murray and "Real Education"

Charles Murray is the author of one of the most debated books on social policy, The Bell Curve. In his latest book, Real Education, he, again, does not shy away from controversial topics as he writes that "too many people are going to college." What does he mean?

Murray believes that we, as a country, are taking the easy path by pushing everyone towards college when in reality many of our students may be more suited toward a technical vocation. He highlights the main misconception we sell kids... go to college and all your dreams will come true. When the reality is that many of our students will crash and burn in a college setting. But, Murray does not just make a general point here, he provides statistics to back up his case.

"Purely on the basis of intellectual qualifications, the number of freshman in four-year institutions is roughly 1.8 times the appropriate number if we use the top 20 percent academic ability as the right cut off and 2.1 times the appropriate number if 15 percent is the right cutoff." Here he is using the percentiles of the standard SAT test. If we say that kids who score in the 80th percentile or 85th percentile on the SAT belong in college, according to Murray, there are more kids in college than statistically possible, with all things being normal.

So, what is his answer?

"In summary: Saying "too many people are going to college" is not the same as saying that the average student does not need to know about history, science and the great works of art, music and literature. They do need to know - and to know more than they are currently learning. So let's teach it to them, but let's not wait for college to do it."

Murray's main point is this: our brightest kids need our attention as they are our future leaders, and they belong in college. When we flood colleges with every kid and make college the norm we water down college and our brightest do not receive the training they need in order to lead, invent and create. He shares evidence that even our best colleges no longer educate properly as the true liberal arts curriculum is a thing of the past.

Is he right? He makes some valid points and backs them with analysis. The book is worth a read as it takes a very different look at education. It will make you think! Blessings!