All 2 God

What's the Greatest Book on Marriage?

2011-03-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

Other than the Bible? Several women I trust told me it was Sacred Marriage. My fiancée and I have been reading it and it is indeed good. Really good. I haven't read any others, so don't know about the whole best thing. But God did use it to mend our engagement.

The Book depository is having a special 29% off. They have free world wide shipping. So I think they're actually cheaper than Amazon. And if you buy it there, I also get 5% :-) But you may also just want to go to Amazon to check it out yourself.

PS. This post exists because I just recommended the book to a friend. I thought I'd share it with you too.

Finding Love In The Best Place

2011-02-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

What is love? If we look to ourselves, we'll never be able to really answer that question. God answers the question in 1 John 4:10. I studied the verse in my Bible Arc course.

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Here is the passage video:

1 John 4:10 from Bible Arc on Vimeo.

A Great Bible-Study Tool

2011-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

Quick post before I head to bed. Just finished studying a passage in Proverbs. The Bible study method I used is called "arcing". You can find out more about it at Bible Arc.

In the meanwhile here is the video of the "trainer". Yup, after you finish studying the passage, you can watch the video to see how you did. PS: the website isn't as old as the video makes it out to be. :-)

Proverbs 2:1-6 from Bible Arc on Vimeo.

Should Jesus remain the "Son of God" in Arabic Bibles?

2011-02-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Last week I spent hours enjoying tea and conversation with a muslim friend. He had many questions. Frankly, I often did not know how to answer. For I could sense how differently my north african friend would respond to the standard "evangelical answers". His most pressing question was clearly: "How can the Bible say that Jesus is the Son of God?" For a muslim, "Son of God" implies God had sex with Mary.

Christianity Today has an article by Collin Hansen, on the "Son of God" controversy among arabic world bible translators. I highly recommend the article. You can find it here.

After reading that 7 page article, you'll be interesting to follow the debate on Ed Stetzer's blog. To wrap it all up, you can than read the excellent article by a man named "Rod".

Tim Keller About The Lord of the Rings

2011-01-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

Just read this quote regarding JRR Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, in a recent interview of Timothy Keller.

Tolkien has helped my imagination. He was a devout Catholic—and I am not. However, because he brought his faith to bear into narrative, fiction, and literature, his Christianity—which was pretty ‘mere Christianity’ (understanding of human sin, need for grace, need for redemption)—fleshed out in fiction, has been an inspiration to me.

What I mean by inspiration is this: he gives me a way of grasping glory that would otherwise be hard for me to appreciate. Glory, weightiness, beauty, excellence, brilliance, virtue—he shows them to you in some of his characters.

When people ask: how often have you read Lord of the Rings?, the answer is: I actually never stop. I’m always in it.

(Via)

Before I pick up my Bible in earnest

2011-01-16T02:49:00.000-08:00

C. S. Lewis:

For my own part, I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await others. I believe that many who find that ‘nothing happens’ when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.

B. B. Warfield:

Sometimes we hear it said that ten minutes on your knees will give you a truer, deeper, more operative knowledge of God than ten hours over your books. What! Than ten hours over your books on your knees?”

HT: JT

A Brilliant Quote on Preaching

2010-11-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

I'm preaching at my church this week. I love this quote. I don't think my manuscript is even good enough to qualify as "pitiful":

“How utterly dependant we are on the Holy Spirit in the work of preaching! All genuine preaching is rooted in a feeling of desperation. You wake up on Sunday morning and you can smell the smoke of hell on one side and feel the crisp breezes of heaven on the other. You go to your study and look down at your pitiful manuscript, and you kneel down and cry, "O God, this is so weak! Who do I think I am? What audacity to think that in three hours my words will be the odor of death to death and the fragrance of life to life (2 Cor 2:16). My God, who is sufficient for these things?"

John Piper in The Supremacy of God in Preaching

Apple is REALLY killing it

2010-11-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would pass on the news. 36% of people planning on buying a laptop in the next 90 days, are planning on a mac.

Is Apple ever going to stop? I must admit, I wish Apple wasn't so popular. I liked the good old day, when owning an iBook was cool. Now it's just "normal".

This Blog Know How to Write

2010-09-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I read the blog 6 Year Med. The woman writes very insightful posts that choke me up.

Here is a recent post about her last year. This is good.

To All My Football Friends…

2010-05-17T10:56:00.001-07:00

In Paris for the Weekend

2010-05-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is getting baptized tomorrow. She became a believer during the summer of 2009. I love baptisms. Its a sign of life: God still saves today. Grace is evident in her life.

For a little piece of French culture, I live two hours away from Paris. For a Frenchman, that means that traveling to Paris is a rare and special occasion. Two hours is a long trip (I'm exaggerating slightly). In anycase, French certainly don't live on the road like Americans.

By the way, I love Paris!

Maybe this blog has a few more breaths in it…

2010-04-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Perhaps by popular demand (thanks Mark for your email) this blog will remain open a while longer. We'll see…
Anyhow, if you're looking for a laugh, a smile or a little bit of French trivia, I invite you to read my little brother's blog: Sarcastic Frenchie. I've been enjoying it!

This Blog is Closed!!!

2010-03-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

This blog is closed (until I change my mind). After several weeks (or was that months?) of not blogging in English, I figured I should just give it up altogether.

If you're a family friend and want to still stay in touch, I invite you to visit the family blog. The most recent post was full of wedding photos!

If you're an ex-OMer, just remember, life is short, eternity is long and we'll be catching up soon.
If you're just a mysterious guest in search of truth and still don't know the blogs of Justin Taylor and Tim Challies, just google them. They have the greatest blogs!

Finally, a little word about what's up on my side of the Atlantic. I'm nearly done with school… praying that my classmates would repent and turn to Jesus… and will resume regular blogging in French at http://tout2dieu.wordpress.com
In the USA, everyone these days is blogging. In fact, I often wonder who is actually meeting people in real life and doing the work of a good evangelist. It's quite the opposite in France. There are very few Christian blogs/sites and I think I can contribute to the growth of the church here in my small way. Recently, I type "inerrancy of the Bible" in google.fr and my blog still came up 5th (more than a year after having written on the subject)!
I'll also try to write 1 or 2 articles a month on the Apologetics blog of some friends: RaisonsdeCroire.

If you just want to write, I would love to hear from you! Just email me at: tout2dieu@gmail.com

In His grace,

Stéphane K

Wedding in the Family… Guess Who?

2010-03-11T02:27:00.000-08:00

Mom has just posted some photos of my grandfather's wedding. I'm sure you'll enjoy them if you know us!

Cool Church in Hot Country: Yeah man…

2010-02-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

World's best team? Jérémie just posted some news and photos on his blog. Last Sunday, he visited a church in Jamaica. But it wasn't just a visit, they were asked to run the whole service. You can read the whole story on his blog.

PS. Staying in the family. Sunday night we had a very enjoyable Sushi-party. Thanks Rachel for all the hard work!

Men Only! Why Porn is So Alluring…

2010-02-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

OK, this is a restricted post. Men only, means men only! We're probably all telling ourselves: "Yeah right, like THAT'S going to happen!" I think virtually every man is tempted by lust and pornography is just one possibility. But why does porn have such a strong influence on us?

Well here is the post. Al Mohler comments on a book he's just read called Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain.

Here is a quote from the book that I found very helpful, because it was very true:

"The simplest explanation for why men view pornography (or solicit prostitutes) is that they are driven to seek out sexual intimacy," he explains. The urge for sexual intimacy is God-given and essential to the male, he acknowledges, but it is easily misdirected. Men are tempted to seek "a shortcut to sexual pleasure via pornography" and now find this shortcut easily accessed.

Here is the whole thing on Al Mohler's blog

Don't Waste Your Cancer… Is it an Option?

2010-02-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

Does God really cripple us with cancer? Many of us know that Matt Chandler has been diagnosed with cancer. Here is a recent article published by Associated Press on Chandler, his family and his cancer. Very moving and astonishing.

Driscoll's Sermon on Haiti

2010-01-26T17:02:00.001-08:00

I'm on French Radio! (Don't You Wish You'd Learned French?)

2010-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

I work for a French Christian Publisher. Recently, one of our books (Manga Messiah), has won a prestigious award. I've been busy informing the media… Well no, they're informed and I spend my time answering their questions.

This morning I was interviewed on a Catholic radio station. If you want to listen to the interview, click here. It was a good time. I made the occasional "blunder", but overall I'm pleased with the outcome. This was my first time on French Radio, so it will also take a bit of time to get used to the language tricks and the new data (BLF and not OM Ships).

Have a great day!

When Science Blasphemes Less Than Religion

2010-01-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

I've come across a terrific video. But before I post it, I thought of this as-terrific quote. How are we doing Christians?

"I do see the design of the universe as essentially a religious question. That is, one should have some kind of respect and awe for the whole business. It's very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he had run across did not have a proper respect for the Author of the universe."

Charles Misner, General relativity theory scientist (as quoted in Let the Nation Be Glad and in this sermon on the Supremacy of God)

Here's the video that brings us from planet Earth, across the entire known Universe and beyond.

Not Too Late To Read Your Bible!

2010-01-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

Today, I posted something in French regarding Bible reading plans. As I'm heading to bed, I saw that Desiring God has also posted something quite useful. So here is a copy/paste:

Not Too Late to Read Through the Bible

Posted: 08 Jan 2010 11:23 PM PST

(Author: David Mathis)
We're now a week and a half into 2010, but it's not too late to start a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan. After all, you have more than 50 weeks to catch up on what you've missed. Or treat your year as January 10, 2010, through January 10, 2011.
Below are several good options.
Discipleship Journal
NavPress's Discipleship Journal plan has been the most used at Bethlehem for years. I'm back at this one again in 2010, and I would highly recommend it. There are four daily readings (the year starts with Genesis, Psalms, Matthew, and Acts), but it's only 25 days each month—which leaves some margin for missing here and there when life gets busy.
For Shirkers and Slackers
If "margin for missing" is what you know you need, then this plan from Ransom Fellowship might be right for you. Maybe you've tried the other plans in the past and stalled out again and again. This plan assigns certain genres to certain days of the week and breaks biblical books up into sections you can read in one sitting—so without reading everyday, you can still make measurable headway. Pace yourself well and do some extra reading, and you might even finish long before 2010 is over.
M'Cheyne
This is the classic plan, designed by Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813—1843), the well-remembered Scottish minister who died before his 30th birthday. The plan has readings for every day of the year and will take you once through the Old Testament and twice through the Psalms and the New Testament. (Don Carson's daily devotionals called For the Love of God are based on the M'Cheyne plan.)
ESV Study Bible
Like the Discipleship Journal plan, the ESV Study Bible plan has you reading in four places: 1) Psalms and wisdom lit, 2) Pentateuch and Israel's history, 3) Chronicles and prophets, and 4) Gospels and epistles.
Chronological
With a reading for each day of the year, this plan from Back to the Bible aims to take you through Scripture in chronological order.
Engage Scripture
This new plan from The Journey in St. Louis looks very good. Also check out The Journey's Engage Scripture page for videos and pdfs giving background info on the biblical books, as Pastor Darrin Patrick takes his congregation through the Bible in 2010.

Little Update On Life in France

2010-01-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

We organized an event for young adults. It was four intense days of preaching, fellowship, and encouragement. If you want to see some of the photos, they're on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=183837&id=690647348&l=8c9e542199

How to Read Books You'll Never Read

2009-12-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

This month's free book on Christianaudio is Fyodor Dostoevsky's classic: The Brothers Karamazov. I forgot to tell you about last months free book (it was a great one) and thought I'd get you to forgive me with this. Simple add the book to your basket, enter the discount code: DEC2009 and check out (create an account). Done! All you then need to do is download the book (divided into 16 mp3 files).

Audiobooks are a great way of listening to something good in all walks of life: driving, jogging, while attending class or spending quality time with family. OK, I know you know what are the right moments for this. Enjoy!

PS. This version is abridged… AHHHHHH!!!! Forgive me!

Cold orthodoxy and Emotionalism

2009-12-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

"Cold orthodoxy is the result of absorbing doctrine without gratitude.
Emotionalism is the result of gratitude without doctrine. We need both.
the former tendency leads to an obsession with intellectual data with-
out expression in love, humility, charity, goodworks, and genuine wor-
ship. The latter is like saying “Thank You“ 142 time without knowing
exactly why."
(Michael Horton)

A Bunch of Nuts Serving the King Nut

2009-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

Jérémie is off serving onboard the Logos Hope (as you may know). And now he's off the ship for an inland team. They'll be dramatizing a lot… the Gospel. You can read all about it on his blog (or hope for more news soon).

A Video for All Us "Frozen Saints"

2009-12-02T00:29:00.000-08:00

I liked this video and knew you'd enjoy it also. Have fun watching George Verwer. He hasn't changed much in 50 years of ministry. Love that guy!

What are we listening to?

2009-11-30T12:54:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd tell you what I've been listening to lately. To stay spiritually "fit" (or not get disqualified) I read my Bible, try to commune with God, listen to people that contagiously make me want to know God more deeply and tell the world about the supreme worth of Jesus.

Here are the people that help me. If you click on their name, you'll be able to listen to and download the most recent sermon I've heard:

John Piper (Excellent sermon on "Going out of the camp"
CJ Mahaney (This man has the gift of encouragement)
Mark Dever (Does God give second-chances? The message of Zachariah)
Francis Chan (Holy Anguish)
Matt Chandler (This is particularly good for anyone that listens to a lot of sermons, attends a lot of conferences and reads a lot of books)
Mark Driscoll (This isn't the most recent I listened to, but the 1st of an excellent series)

Have Fun With 15 Google Interview Questions

2009-11-21T05:20:00.001-08:00

Doulos Ends Its Operations This Year

2009-11-21T03:03:00.000-08:00

Doulos Decommissioning

Questions and Answers

20 November 2009

Please feel free to distribute this information widely. There are no restrictions on its use. It is suitable for all media, including the internet.

What has happened?

While Doulos has been undergoing her annual period of dry dock and maintenance in Singapore, the ship’s classification society (RINA) has been conducting a ‘special survey’ of the ship’s structure, machinery and systems, which takes place every five years. This survey has identified a significant number of additional works to be completed. No extension of time has been given to do this work while the ship continues to operate.

What does this mean?

The additional work would have to start right away, since the surveyors have confirmed that they will not issue new certificates for the ship until this work has been completed. The present certificates run out on Dec 31, 2009.

How much work would have to be done, how long would it take, and how much would it cost?

Quite a number of work projects have been identified, but the primary one is replacing sections of steel on the main deck. An initial quote has been received from the shipyard in Singapore where Doulos has been in dry dock. This, together with other additional costs, would be well over €10 million. The work would take at least five months and, because of other commitments, this yard could not even start the work until September 2010.

Why can you not do the works needed?

The OM Ships executive leadership team and board believes that it is not appropriate to invest resources of this scale into the ship, since Doulos would have a limited ministry future.

Is this a surprise or did you see this coming?

Yes, this is a surprise. We expected that the ship would be able to sail until at least September 2010, with the hope for longer. Out technical team has been working towards this five-year ‘special survey’ for some time. The ship has passed many such inspections, but work to keep the ship compliant with marine regulations is continual. Additionally, a new set of ‘Safety of Life at Sea’ (SOLAS) regulations applying to all passenger ships with more than 36 passengers is due to come into effect in October 2010. Meeting these new requirements would have meant huge investment in the ship to remove all remaining non-fireproof construction materials.

What events led up to this point?

Earlier this year, we reached agreement with the Malta Maritime Authority that we could add our ‘staff’ to the official ‘crew list’, and change the ship’s ‘class’ to that of a passenger ship with fewer than 36 passengers. This would have allowed the ship to continue to sail beyond October 2010. Our technical personnel then commissioned a comprehensive assessment of the ship’s construction to see what work would be needed to sail the ship beyond that date. This revealed significant work needing to be done in a number of areas, including replacement of steel in sections of the ship’s main deck. The surveys in Singapore have confirmed this, and early indications were that the ship would be able to sail until the end of September 2010, as long as conditions would be met. It is only in the last week that it has become clear what these conditions are.

Does OM Ships have a contingency plan for this?

Work had been going on for many months to identify the issues and establish the options for the ship not being able to sail beyond September 2010. Things have moved very quickly now and we are responding to the reality that the ship will need to be decommissioned much sooner than anyone expected. Initial plans are coming together and these will continue to be developed and implemented over the coming days and weeks.

What are the next steps?

The people on board are our top priority and our personnel team is already responding to manage the issues and help people work out their next steps.

We want to communicate as clearly as possible and provide regular communication updates as new information becomes available.

Our technical team is working with the marine authorities and making plans to decommission the vessel.

We are looking at the possibility of chartering a ship in the interim.

What will happen to Doulos now?

The ship will remain in Singapore, alongside and/or at anchor until the end of December. Meanwhile, a group will investigate possible options for the vessel, including discussion with ship preservation groups, since Doulos is unique and registered in the Guinness Book of Records as ‘the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship’.

What will happen to the ship after Dec 31?

Options include changing the vessel class and obtaining a single voyage certificate for a smaller group of essential crew to sail the ship to a port for handover to a new owner.

What about all those on board and how many are they?

There are around 300 people on board at this point, including singles, couples and families. Our Personnel team on board intends to interview every individual on board over the next weeks, and look together with them at the best options for them. We are also appointing pastoral support to deal with the emotional issues that many of them will be facing. At this stage the future options could include a number of different scenarios such as relocating to a chartered vessel as an interim replacement forDoulos, relocating to another OM field, or returning home.

Who should family members and representatives of sending churches be in touch with?

First and foremost with their relative or church member on board directly, but also with the OM office in their country.

What about the future ports on the schedule?

All future ports on the schedule will have to be cancelled. The team responsible for schedule planning and port preparations will be in communication with government authorities and other partners in these ports. Line-up teams already in place will bring their work to a close and leave.

What about friends, family who were planning to visit the ship in one of those ports?

Planned visits to the ship in these ports will no longer be possible and we regret these visits will have to be cancelled. Due to the uncertainty of the ship’s location and whether access for visitors will be possible, we would advise against making plans to travel to the ship in Singapore. Staying on board will not be possible.

Where can I get regular up-dates and information about next steps?

Regular updates will be sent out by e-mail. Additionally, news will be posted to www.omships.org. More detailed information will be available at www.omships.org/doulosupdates and we encourage you to visit this special section of the site frequently. Please also contact your local OM office for help and advice.

How can I/we help you financially?

If you would like to give to help the ministry through these very challenging times, please contact your local OM office, or give online. Visit the OM website in your country or www.omships.org/donate. Please designate your gift as ‘Doulos Project’. Thank you for your generosity and partnership.

Will OM replace Doulos?

The board has expressed their commitment to continuing to operate two ships. Initial work was already under way to consider options for replacing Doulos, believing that the ship would not be able to sail for many more years. The executive leadership team and the board are considering all interim and longer-term options to continue as a two-ship ministry into the future, in close co-operation with our OM partners around the world.

Who should I ask if I have a question?

There are many unanswered questions right now. For parents, crew and staff, home offices, sending churches, partners, supporters etc, we have set up a special email account at: personnelquestions@doulos.om.org for questions and to ask for advice.

Where is our faith in all of this?

Although the sudden end of the Doulos ministry has come as a surprise to us, we know that God is in control. We would ask our partners around the world to pray with us as we seek His plan for the future. We are confident of the Lord’s sovereignty and grace at this time.

OM Ships International – bringing knowledge, help and hope

E-mail: info@omships.org Internet: www.omships.org

Storms in Barbados, Bring Up the Anchor!

2009-11-10T23:47:00.000-08:00

Jérémie posted a report on their time in Barbados, life onboard the Logos Hope, the storm brewing in the Caribbean and tells us how we can be helping him.

Mormons Love Rick Warren? Ha!

2009-11-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've last posted in English. But I thought I had to put this up for whoever is interested. I was looking through different lists of "Top 10 Mission Books" and came upon a Latter Day Saint (thats a Mormon for the non-initiate) web page.

In their top twelve, Rick Warren gets two of his books. Funny! But that doesn't mean Warren is a heretic (at least you won't catch me saying that), it just shows how cults and sects can use decent books to spread false gospels.

Phuket, Thailand: Paradis (lost)?

2009-10-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've just read an email from friends in Phuket, Thailand. I was there in 2006. It is in many ways picture perfect. Everything about the scenery is gorgeous. In fact, near Phuket is James Bond Island, the beautiful island in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974).

But there is another side to life in that lush region. Here is what my friends report as they ask us to pray:

"From the 18^th - 27^th of October, Buddhists and other interested people (incl. Tourists) are celebrating the annual “Vegetarian Festival”, which celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. During the festival participants are praying to the Nine Emperor gods and have to keep themselves ceremonially “clean”. Monks and people in trance are walking on hot coals or sharp blades or piercing themselves with various instruments. It is a gruesome and demonic festival with huge tourism attraction.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US AND THE BELIEVERS IN PHUKET!! "

I'll only add, "and pray for the people that are not yet believers in Phuket." Let's pray.

Does God Exist? Video

2009-10-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

This video has been going around. There is no way of knowing if Einstein ever said these things. The arguments made me think and I hope you also grow from the video. Now let it be said, from gut instinct, I don't agree with "Einstein's" argument, but cannot really provide a reason (yet).

Are Demons For Real? Is Satan A Real Person?

2009-09-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

We discussed this among other things in our Bible study last night. That same evening, I came home and instead of sleeping, I turned on a Mars Hill Church sermon and listened to over an hour of preaching.

I thought I would post the sermon here. I would love feedback. Mark Driscoll talks about some crazy stuff. So if this sermon gives you a bad impression, first go and listen to Christ Died In Our Place, it's a great sermon. Then come back and listen to Christ Died To Crush Our Enemies. It's perplexing and edgy. God is so real, but so is Satan and so are demons. As a post-it on my computer says, "There's a war for your soul: FIGHT!"

My Little Brother Onboard the Logos Hope

2009-09-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I would remind everyone that we still have a Kapi clan member onboard OM Ships. Jérémie joined the Logos Hope in January 2009. He posts regularly on his blog Current News. The photo posted here is the LH drama team (Jérémie among them) performing for the crowds waiting on the quayside.

After 8 months as an Engine Watchkeeper, Jérémie has taken on a new job. He's the Logos Hope plumber! You can read about the recent changes here.

If you want to keep up with life on the Logos Hope. Do think of signing up on Jérémie's blogs for his updates.

What Can The Black Eyed Peas Teach The Church?

2009-09-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

You've probably already seen this great video. I just saw it on Ragumuffinsoul. He says the following:

"I believe this video annihilates the idea that people want to show up to an event (church) and stand in rows and be sung and talked to.
Safety is overrated.
People want to be a part of something big.
What can we, the church, learn from The Black Eyed Peas?"

I also find the video thought provoking. It's a great video. So there you go.

Photos of the Summer on the Family Blog

2009-09-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Mom has put up some nice photos. You can find them and enjoy them on the family blog: La Ferme Kapi.

Do think of signing up for Mom's blog. The updates are irregular, that way you'll be sure to not miss the great photos!

New Recruits On Logos Hope (Video)

2009-09-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this fun little video showing the new PST that arrived onboard the Logos Hope. Please pray that they would have the glory of God at heart. There is so much potential in their work onboard.

Attitudes of a Believer according to Jésus (and Spurgeon)

2009-09-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I last blogged. If you're reading this, I must tell you this very important thing: there are great blogs out there, why are you reading mine? You now understand my lack of blogging.

With that being said, I've just read some vital gospel-verses and HAD to share them with you.

This is what I read (from the mouth of Jesus):

"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the [Pharisee]. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18.13-14)

I don't know if lights are going on in your mind. But tonight, as I read this, something clicked. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" If you are a believer, do you talk to God that way? Frankly, I rarely do. But Jesus' comments are devastating for those of us who do not say: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Why is that? Because, Jesus goes on to say: "this man went down to his house justified (right with God), but not the Pharisee." Do you see how crucial it is that we have this kind of attitude? We must realize that God would be just to punish us with eternal hell for our sins. That is what we deserve. Only when we realize this and cry out to God in anguish: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" can we be washed clean, justified by our merciful Judge.

I pray that Jesus' words alone would convince you. But since I just recently read a sermon by Charles.H. Spurgeon, I thought I would quote him.

"As we read in history of one who was met with a pardon just when the rope was round his neck, just so does God deal with poor souls; when they feel the rope about their necks, acknowledge that God's sentence is just, and confess that if they perish they cannot complain, it is then that sovereign mercy steps in and cries, "I have blotted out like a cloud thine iniquities, and like a thick cloud; thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee."

Total Abandon by Gary Witherall

2009-07-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

I've just finished reading Total Abandon: The Powerful True Story of Life Lived in Radical Devotion to God by Gary Witherall. In order for this review to ever get posted, I must keep it short.

I met Gary a couple of weeks ago and really wanted to read his book (after my best-friend recommended it to me). It hasn't been published in French (yet) and so we may be interested in it.

The story:
Gary and Bonnie Witherall were living among the Lebanese, a war-torn people. Gary discribes how God led both their individual lives to meet one another, led them to Lebanon and finally led Bonnie to pay the ultimate price. While working in a clinic for Palestinian women, she is shot-dead by a gunman.

My review:
I recommend it. I have a few things that pleased me less, but all in all, this is a good book.

I love Jesus because he first loved me. And in the same way Jesus came out of his rightful place in heaven, to live among us, we are called to go to all nations to make Him known to all peoples. So I love mission-stories, because I grow comfortable too easily.
The book is well-written, pleasant (in style) and well put together. The Gospel is clearly there. Gary is portrayed in a very human manner. By that, I would mean that there are times when I'd like to ask him why he did this or that. But that has the advantage of clearly not being polished PR. Gary is the real thing.
In closing I would say that such recent stories (the events take place in 2002) are good for the church, good for the believers and good for the Gospel. I'm sure much good has come of Bonnie's murder. The description of her funeral service in Sidon, Lebanon is very moving. But God continues to use Gary and Bonnie's death for great good, just read the book to find out.

You can buy it on Amazon

Manga Metamorphosis in French!

2009-07-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering what kind of job I have, here's a little something. We're impatiently waiting for the shipment to arrive from Japan with the second volume to Manga Messiah. Here are the first few pages that I'm putting here as a test. We're working on a version with more pages that could be put on all websites.

Manga Metamorphosis in French!

Open publication - Free publishing - More manga

A Word From George Verwer

2009-07-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

A matter of urgency
Logos Hope :: Cork, Ireland

OM Founder George Verwer (USA) sailed on board Logos Hope from London to Cork after the ship's successful visit to the UK's capital city. He shared the need to recognise our limitations: we can't do everything, but we should do what we know how to do best. He stated that OM's gifting is to mobilise the church to share the Gospel, and to help with seven global challenges: children at risk, abused women, extreme poverty, HIV /AIDS, people with impure water, protecting the unborn, and the environment. Stressing the urgency, he said, "We have to redeem time, to prioritise it, not waste it while the world is perishing without hope."

(Taken from the OM Ships Currents)

Crazy Love by Francis Chan for Free!

2009-07-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

I just saw the info on the rebelution. Have you heard of the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan? Its been a big hit in the USA and it actually is a really good book. Francis Chan hits hard and lovingly. It's well written and short. I think it takes about 4 hours to read.

In any case, if you're looking for something good to listen to on your ipod, you can download Crazy Love Audiobook, read by the author. It's completely free on www.christianaudio.com, I downloaded it today. Just click on Free Crazy Love Audio Book, create and account and type JUL2009 when asked if you have a coupon.

Enjoy!

A Few Break Days in Northern Ireland

2009-07-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine is getting married this weekend. I was able to get a great flight to Dublin, followed by the usual bus to Belfast. From there I'll make it to his wedding on Saturday. I also was informed that DA Carson will be in the area. I'll definitely try to drop by and hear him. Its kind of strange how that goes. The Internet, podcasts and live feeds don't really decrease my desire to listen to men of God preach. On the contrary…

If you think of me, please be praying that I can find some time to be quiet before God. I really need time with him. I don't really know where I'm headed and I'm concerned with my attitude towards him. Thanks.

Jérémie and the Logos Hope On the High Seas!

2009-07-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Jérémie is sailing to the Caribbean with the rest of the Logos Hope crew. He gives an update in this post: Caribbean Here We Come!

Before that he was able to come and surprise Mélanie by attending her baptism. You can go on the family blog for some really nice photos.

Walk in Their Shoes (With Open Doors)

2009-07-14T01:11:00.001-07:00

It may look sophisticated, but its still idolatry

2009-07-10T01:09:00.000-07:00

Millions watched MJ's funeral last week. I didn't, but would have certainly watched a bit if I'd thought of it. Tim Challies writes a good post on the topic. He compares Indian religion and the funeral. Thought provoking. His conclusion:

"Yesterday we saw idolatry of a whole different order yet idolatry that is so similar to what I saw in The Story of India. There are some who, in their idolatry, bow low before gods of wood and stone and burnished bronze. There are others who, in their idolatry, live vicariously through celebrities and who bow low before the spirit of the age. Michael Jackson’s funeral, where God’s name was invoked and where Jesus’ name was supposedly held high, was as vivid an expression of idolatry as was the footage of hordes of Indian Hindus dancing with joy and veneration before their statues. One is a base idolatry, the other is sophisticated and proper. Both are the same ancient sin, the same ancient rebellion against the one true God."

Read it all here

The Difference in the Death of Two People

2009-06-26T03:17:00.000-07:00

I was informed of the death of two people today. One is Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop". The other is Christopher Leggett, an American working in Mauritania. The former will be talked about, the latter will remain unknown but to a few. Both are before King Jesus and have to give account for the life they lived in this life.

The BBC gives the report of Leggett's murder by Al Queda Maghreb in this article.

Happy Father's Day! My Gift: A Little Book

2009-06-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Mars Hill Church is offering a free book to all fathers. In their usual manner, they've designed a cool website to distribute the book. It's called Pastor Dad: Scriptural Insight on Fatherhood.

Having Some Laughs at a Convention for Secretaries

2009-06-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

Stéphane and hundreds of women in the same room. Occasionaly I bump into a suited male. I sat through a conference on note-taking and was the only guy sitting in the room. What shall I say? Life is hard, but someone has to live it. No seriously, I'm surprised to see so many secretaries for a convention. Most seem quite old and are looking for all the training they can get. I think the girls from my class are the youngest attendees.

On a side note, I found a great job opportunity. And even if it doesn't turn into a job, it would make a great scam. There was a bald, well-dressed middle-aged man drawing a large crowd around his booth. With a professional camera, an iMac, and photography equipement, he was offering his "coaching" services. He claims that his coaching allows people to project the image they have of themselves to the world. In other words, your self-image meeting what others think of you.
I'm not saying his services are great, but boy was he drawing a crowd! Coaching has a lot of potential. Image the hundreds of women that will meet him today. He takes some photos of them and then takes their email addresses to send more information. You don't need a lot of clients and the future is bright. There's never been such an image-conscious society.

Nathan Talking About Jesus in French-Class

2009-06-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Nathan is one of the staff working at BLF Europe. He shares with us a little glimpse of life in France and the daily morning French-classes. Recently, the topic of religion was brought up and Nathan was asked to explain (in French) Christianity's beliefs.

Recapping the Short-Term Missions Blog Series (by Abraham Piper)

2009-06-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

Posted: 29 May 2009 11:19 PM PDT

(Author: Abraham Piper)
We thought it might be helpful to collect all the posts from this week's short-term missions blog series in one place:

We received a lot of good feedback from readers including this:

I've seen some disturbing trends form…. Volunteers are now dictating to the field what they will and won't be doing on their trip instead of being instructed by the field as to what is needed. We missionaries have allowed this…usually under pressure from sending or supporting agencies for an increase in volunteer activity.
The short-term mission trip has become sort of a spiritual merit badge that churches collect…I've actually had leaders, on several occasions, tell me my projects weren't exciting or flashy enough. On the flip side, the teams that come willing to do whatever and are ready to share their faith blow my socks off in the way they glorify Christ during the span of 5 or 6 days.
I pray that we can put the short-term mission trip back into the proper perspective because they can be such wonderful tools for advancing the Kingdom. I hope a lot of leaders will…be challenged and energized to make their short-term mission trip everything it can be for Christ and the sake of the gospel.

Book Review of Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Bresheare

2009-06-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

This isn't the indepth kind of book review. I don't have the time, nor the desire for that. Instead, I just wanted to mention reading this book and what I liked about it.

A quick review
If you haven't heard of Mark Driscoll, you must live in a log cabin somewhere in Russia (as I've been for the past three years). All I can say is that God is using this guy. He's still a bit young on the job (a church-planter), but he's gifted and he's working on the humility part.

If you haven't heard of Jesus, you really need to. I know, what an original book topic: Jesus. But you know what? Mark and Gerry really pull it off! This is a great book about the greatest and most controversial man who's ever lived. Now for those who like reading religious books, let me warn you, this isn't for you. This is a deep book, but written with everyday words and some of the better parts are occasionally (seemingly) irreverent.

For your information
I would love to see a book like this come out in France. Of course, the media coverage would be a hard thing to get. But what ran through my mind was all other. I haven't heard of a French equivalent of Driscoll. You need someone with charisma, broad shoulders and loads of talent to pull off a book like this. I'm praying for such men in France.

What other books about Jesus have you found remarkable?

Buy the book on Amazon

Books, Where and When I Read Them

2009-06-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

As I was going through the routines common to all men, I had a laugh. I really have books everywhere. It's almost obsessive compulsive. I'm not sure what is the limit, but you can tell me.

Francis Schaeffer's Christian Manifesto in the bathroom. Alcorn's Purity Principle in my school bag. The Deliberate Church, The Power of Mentoring, Mornings and Evenings (Dever/Alexander, Martin Sanders and Charles Spurgeon) at my bedside.
A New Testament in my coat pocket, a cheap Bible (1€50) always at hand and various books by John Piper can be found everywhere (did I mention how much I loved God is the Gospel?). From my bedroom, to the top of the stairs, the door and everywhere in between (almost), you can find books. Then there are the newspapers and magazines.

Most evenings, as I crawl into bed, I'm too tired to even read the growing pile of books. On top of all that, there are many books that BLF asks me to evaluate (and I gladly do). I recently read Vintage Jesus AND Vintage Church by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. Both were good.

The Importance of Doing Missions as Servants (by Mike Stachura)

2009-06-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

To finish our series on short-term missions, we go to “Seven Principles for Highly Effective Short-Term Missions” by Mike Stachura of Operation Mobilization. He points us toward the importance of a Christ-like attitude as we move out to serve those in need.

Nothing is more damaging to cross-cultural missions, short-term or long-term, than a patronizing, paternalistic attitude. Paul came determined not to present himself, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. As for Paul, he wanted to be known as Christ's bondservant. A servant's spirit starts in the home church or group with a willingness to do whatever is asked. It is reflected in the team life where all members are willing to take their share of the workload. It means esteeming others, particularly national Christian workers, as better than ourselves.

As we prepare to go and serve this summer, let’s humble ourselves and ask the Lord to change our hearts as we meditate on his sacrifice for us.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8)

May God grant you fruitful and joyful service in short-term missions!

So Operation Mobilization does have some thinkers after all. No seriously, I love OM, but I often wonder if we've forgotten that people have gone before us and have things to teach us. I really recommend Mike's seven principles. They may appear obvious, but their not. Nope not even for you. Thats right, you.

Teaching as a Short-Term Missions Strategy (by Bill Walsh)

2009-06-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

Day four in our series on short-term missions. David Livermore has written a book on this topic that we highly recommend, Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence.
In "American or American’t: A Critical Analysis of Western Training to the World," he addresses a particular application of the short-term missions strategy: Teaching.
Some say that globally 85% of pastors have had little to no theological training whatsoever. Here at DG International Outreach, we are partnering with an increasing number of ministries using an informal, short-term approach for training pastors in developing nations.
David has some provocative analysis aimed to make us more aware of our cultural blind sides. This longer article is essential reading if you are focused on theological training of church leaders in developing countries.

Indigenous expressions of Christ’s Church exist in every geopolitical nation of the world. The entrepreneurial drive of American culture infiltrates our missions endeavors and therefore spills over into our cross-cultural leadership development initiatives. When we hear about the relentless growth of the global church, we’re inspired to bring our value-added contributions. But while the North American pastors consistently talked about urgency, the nationals consistently talked about the importance of process and of taking time to grow in relationship before developing a strategy for the kinds of collaborative exchanges that are truly needed for mutual benefit.

Absolutely. Teaching AND of course keeping a learning heart as you do so. Just because someone is not theologically trained doesn't mean he's stupid. SPK

We Need Them at Least as Much as They Need Us (By Bill Walsh)

2009-06-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Still following the posts on short-term missions. Everything is already online at Desiring God. But I'll still post it here in the next few days.

On day three of our series on short-term missions, we turn to Andy Crouch, author of Culture Making, for an article with some unique twists, "Unexpected Global Lessons: How Short-term Mission Is Becoming a Two-way Street."

[T]he whole apparatus of preparation for short-term trips assumes that the reason Americans invest their time and treasure is to do something for others—to check off a list of activities that will supposedly help advance the gospel. In fact, it is the rare short-term team (with the notable, partial exception of medical and dental missions) that brings such unique skills and cross-cultural sensitivity that they can make a net contribution in their brief visit. Our counterparts in the developing world are more resourceful than we imagine—and we need them at least as much as they need us.

Church-Planting in France (Part 3)

2009-06-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is the final post of a series of videos by Ed Stetzer. This video is particularly interesting as it is an American giving his impressions of his European church-tour.

John or Joan? The Good News for Transgendered

2009-06-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

I thank God for Justin Taylor's blog. Several times this year I've been led through it to think about deep and important things about God and His Gospel. Yesterday he posted a link to Russell Moore's blog. The topic was assigned in a Christian Ethics examination. Here is the very real scenario I've just copy-pasted from JT's blog.

Here's the "ethics dilemma" Russell Moore presented to his ethics class for them to answer for their final:

Joan is a fifty year-old woman who has been visiting your church for a little over a year. She sits on the third row from the back, and usually exits during the closing hymn, often with tears in her eyes. Joan approaches you after the service on Sunday to tell you that she wants to follow Jesus as her Lord.
You ask Joan a series of diagnostic questions about her faith, and it is clear she understands the gospel. She still seems distressed though. When you ask if she’s repented of her sin, she starts to cry and grit her teeth.
“I don’t know,” she says. “I don’t know how…I don’t know where to start…Can I meet with you privately?”
You, Joan, and a godly Titus 2-type women’s ministry leader in your church meet in your office right away, and Joan tells you her story.
She wasn’t born Joan. She was born John. From early on in John’s life, though, he felt as though he was “a woman trapped in a man’s body.” Joan says, “I don’t mean to repeat that old shopworn cliché, but it really is what I felt like.”
Joan tells you that when she was twenty she began the process of “transitioning” from life as a man to life as a woman. She underwent extensive hormone therapy, followed by extensive plastic surgery—including so-called “gender reassignment surgery.” She has lived for the past thirty years—physically and socially—as a woman.
“I want to do whatever it takes to follow Jesus,” Joan tells you. “I want to repent…I just, I don’t know how to do it.”
“I am surgically now a woman. I’ve taken hormones that give me the appearance and physical makeup of a woman,” she says. “Even if I were to put on a suit and tie right now, I’d just look like a woman with a suit and tie. Not to mention the fact that, well, I am physically…a woman.”
“To complicate matters further,” Joan says through tears, “I adopted my daughter, Clarissa, when she was eight months old and she’s ten years old now. She doesn’t know about my past life as…as a man. She just knows me as her Mom.”
“I know the sex change surgery was wrong. I know that my life is twisted. I’m willing to do whatever Jesus would have me to do to make it right,” she says. “But what would Jesus have me to do?”
Joan asks you, “Am I too messed up to repent and be saved? If not, what does it mean for me to repent and live my life as a follower of Jesus? What is right for me to do?”

For Dr. Moore's insightful answer, see

Here's the conclusion:

You see, the scenario about “Joan” isn’t really all that hypothetical. Chances are in your town right now, there are people in that situation. Why don’t they show up in our churches? Is it because they doubt if our gospel is really addressed to them? Is it because we doubt it too?
If Joan comes to your church this Sunday and hears the gospel, if “she” decides to throw away everything “she” knows and follow Christ, will your church be there to love him, and to show him how to stop pretending and to fight his way toward what he was created to be? Maybe it would take a Joan at the altar call to make us question whether we really believe what we say and what we sing. Is there really power, wonder-working power, in the blood of the Lamb? Is our gospel really good news for prodigal sons, even for sons so lost they once thought they were daughters?

Update: The posts are now collected in one printable PDF.

A Cool Youth Weekend

2009-06-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Mom blogs about it here: La Ferme des Kapi: Weekend at the Farm

I won't add much. I'd just say that we did something cool. We may have found a theme for next 20 years. As I've been really helped (and motivated) by John Piper's book: Don't Waste Your Life, we thought we would translate the concept to French.

Therefore, we can easily have a Don't Waste Your Sexuality, a Don't Waste Your Money, Don't Waste Your Treasure (aka Jesus) etc…

The concept went down really well. God was clearly working in our hearts. You can be praying that God would be glorified by lives lived fully for Him.

The Effect of Short-Term Missions on Poverty

2009-06-06T12:38:00.001-07:00

(Author: Bill Walsh)
For day two in our series on short-term missions, we feature two articles by the Chalmers Center for Economic Development. Their vision is to train the church worldwide to minister holistically to the poor without creating dependency.
The article, "Short-Term Missions Can Create a Long-Term Mess," lays out the challenges and implications of how we serve the poor.
The approach of most short-term mission teams seems to be to do things to the people instead of with the people. This approach exacerbates the feelings of inferiority that already paralyze the poor in my country and the feelings of superiority that often characterize those of us from wealthy countries. This dynamic is particularly problematic here. The government and the church have such a long history of paternalism that the people often believe they cannot do anything without the help of money and resources from others.
"Doing Short-Terms Missions Without Doing Long-Term Harm" reinforces this by showing that to authentically serve the poor we need to examine our mindset.
STM trips can play a positive role in the lives of all those involved, but a different paradigm is needed. Rather than going as "doers," some powerful dynamics can be unleashed if STM teams go as "learners" from the poor or as "co-learners" with the poor.
Deciding what role a short-term team can effectively play is a difficult task. The staff at Chalmers recommends asking questions like these before the team even leaves:
• What is the nature of poverty?
• What does it take to alleviate poverty?
• What is God already doing in this community?
• Who are my brothers and sisters there? What issues are they facing?
• How does this trip fit into the overall picture?

Source: Desiring God

Church-Planting in Marseille (Part 2)

2009-06-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

I didn't get the time to post this second video of church-planting in southern France. The previous video gave a good (though quick) understanding that France has never had a reformation. So we're peculiar. This video is an interview with Julien Bonnel, a young Frenchman church-planting near Marseille. As a teen, he went to the States and met Jesus there. He got married and (praise God) came back to France to plant churches while working a normal job.

This really rings a bell for me. I also feel that the French are just not ready to recognize pastors that don't have jobs. It's just so weird to them.

Church-Planting in Marseille (Part 1)

2009-06-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this video from Ed Stetzer. I've heard Mark Driscoll sing praises of Stetzer so many times, I thought I would check him out. Turns out, he was just completing a quick tour of Europe: Germany, Switzerland, Italy AND France.

Here is a video of an American church-planter:

Rethinking Short-Term Missions

2009-05-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

This post is straight from the Desiring God blog. I don't have the time to comment (I'm busy preparing for this weekend's youth retreat) except to say that this rethinking of short-term missions is vital. I've been with OM for three years and have myself received many short-term teams to France.

I'm not sure where the rethinking will lead, but with Bill Walsh and John Piper, we should do OK.

May 25, 2009 | By: Bill Walsh

Category: International Outreach

This week we are going to do a 5-part series on missions trips.
The last few decades have witnessed explosive growth in short-term missions as a strategy of the Western church for spreading the Gospel and serving the poor. Your church is probably sending teams out this summer.
As we approach this season, we want to direct your attention to articles that will challenge your assumptions about what it means to do short-term missions well. Many of us have made significant mistakes in the past, and some damage has likely been done. Thank God for his patience with us.
Please don’t receive these challenging articles as admonitions to drop short-term missions as a strategy. Rather, use them to think carefully and prayerfully about how your team should approach this task in a way that will honor the Lord and serve the cause of expanding the Kingdom.
Over the next four days, we will feature articles from some leaders who regularly address this topic.
We’ll start with a few key questions answered by John Piper.

How Do You Break Free from an Addiction to Entertainement?

2009-05-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

JT posted this from my good buddy JP:

1. Seek the Lord earnestly. Pray like crazy that God would open your eyes to see wondrous things out of his law.

2. Immerse yourself in the Bible, even when you don't feel like it, pleading with God to open your eyes to see what's really there.

3. Get in a group where you talk about serious things.

4. Begin to share your faith. One of the reasons we are not as moved by our own faith as we are is because we almost never talk about it to any unbeliever. It starts to feel like a kind of hothouse thing, and then it starts to have a feeling of unreality about it. And then the powers of entertainment have more sway in our life.

5. . . . [T]hink about your death. Think about your death a lot. Ask what you'd like to be doing in the season of life, or hours or days, leading up to meeting Christ. I do that a lot these days. I think about the impact of death, and what I would like to be found doing, and how I would prepare to meet him and give an account to him.

Read the whole thing from John Piper

Why Europe?

2009-05-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

When many people think of Europe they picture quaint villages or iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Perhaps you think of the European Union or Europeans living flashy lifestyles. Christians may think of Notre Dame's soaring cathedrals or stories about Martin Luther.

However, the spiritual reality in Europe today is different than you might think. In this section of the website you'll find statistics, information on Islam and postmodernism, and common misconceptions.

In recent years people in the missions world have talked about unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window; many are now focusing on the 821 million people in the 40/70 Window. Europe's influence continues to grow and millions of immigrants are flocking to the continent—imagine what God can do through authentic believers living out their faith among the peoples of Europe!

Discover the 'What Europeans are saying about God" video.

Source: Greater Europe Mission

Who Doesn't Like A Shower?

2009-05-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

Just took my morning shower. I know many people find it a very productive time. We have so many ideas that come to us and we wish we had a notepad close at hand to not forget them. My Dad has his most inspirational thoughts on Bible passages and sermon prep (ok, this isn't totally legit. info) while showering.

I, on the other hand, shower downstairs, and the experience is somewhat like entering a bunker. The farmer that sold us the house must have built it. Big and wide, you'd think that showering in such spacious luxury would be pleasant and uplifting. Not quite. I'd exchange the foot thick concrete walls for a star-lit sky any day.

Bible translation (and copying) is serious work… but here's a joke

2009-05-18T03:14:00.001-07:00

A young monk arrives at the monastery.
He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old
canons and laws of the church by hand.

He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from
copies, not from the original manuscript.
So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this,
pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the
first copy, it would never be picked up!
In fact, that error would be continued in all of the
subsequent copies.

The head monk, says, 'We have been copying from the copies
for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.'

He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery
where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked
vault that hasn't been opened for hundreds of years.
Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot . . ..

So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him.
He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing.
'We missed the R !
We missed the R !
We missed the R !'
His forehead is all bloody and bruised and he is crying  uncontrollably.
The young monk asks the old abbot, 'What's wrong, father?'
With A choking voice, the old abbot replies, 'The word was...

'CELEBRATE !!!'

God is the Gospel, Praise God We Don't Have to Settle For Less!

2009-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 9am.

We're about to go to church. Today is a special service. We'll be split into small groups for discussion, but will start by having everyone give their testimony in 59 seconds.

That would be:
-How my life was before I met Jesus.
-How I met Jesus.
-What has changed since I met Jésus.

I've been studying what the gospel for the past few weeks. I had a hunch what it was, but I wanted to saturate myself with it. I'm not saturated yet, but this morning I'll be giving a short summary of Accepting the Gospel.
The book I've found most helpful (and simple really), are the first three chapters of God is the Gospel , by John Piper. Its brilliant!

Joel Osteen? Isn't He The Sweetest Thing?

2009-05-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Just passing on an article by Michael Horton about Joel Osteen and the prosperity gospel . If I were to summarize the article in one sentence, I think it would be:

Joel Osteen = An example of prosperity gospel gone mainstream

But you don't have to believe me. Check out the article and check your Bibles. Remember that book that Osteen waves about at the start of every service? Yup, thats the Bible.

PS: For more info, watch this Video about the prosperity pseudo-gospel. By the way, let me say again that the prosperity gospel is NOT the gospel.

PPS: After a comment seemed to still not make clear the heresy of the prosperity gospel, here is a short video explaining Joel Osteen's error.

UPDATE: CNN has done a post on Osteen's view of money. He even revises Jesus' view on money!

Tim Keller's Gospel for the Post-Modern

2009-05-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, every church member is going to give their testimony in 59 seconds. It's part of an attempt to think more clearly about the Gospel, our salvation and the meaning of it all. While doing my research on the Acts29 website, I found this interesting quote by Tim Keller. In context, he's just explained his gospel for the religious. Now he explains the Gospel he preaches to the areligious (Post-Modern). Remember that Keller is a New York City pastor :

"However, Manhattan is also filled with ‘post-modern’ listeners who consider all

moral statements to be culturally relative and socially constructed. If you try to

convict them of guilt for sexual lust, they will simply say, “you have your standards

and I have mine.” If you respond with a diatribe on the dangers of relativism,

your listeners will simply feel scolded. Of course, postmodern people

must at some point be challenged about their mushy views of truth, but there is

a way to make a credible and convicting gospel presentation to them even before

you get into such apologetic issues.

I take a page from Kierkegaard’s The Sickness Unto Death and define sin as

building your identity—your self-worth and happiness—on anything other than

God. That is, I use the Biblical definition of sin as idolatry. That puts the emphasis

not as much on ‘doing bad things’ but on ‘making good things into ultimate

things.’ Instead of telling them they are sinning because they are sleeping with

their girlfriends or boyfriends, I tell them that they are sinning because they are

looking to their romances to justify and save them, to give them everything that

they should be looking for from God. This idolatry leads to anxiety, obsessiveness,

envy, and resentment. I have found that when you describe their lives in

terms of idolatry, postmodern people do not give much resistance. Then Christ

and his salvation can be presented not (at this point) so much as their only

hope for forgiveness, but as their only hope for freedom. This is my ‘gospel for

the uncircumcised.’"

You can find the whole PDF manuscript of the Dwell conference here.

Lecrae's Praying For You Music Video

2009-05-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

I discovered Lecrae just a few weeks ago. I find his music great and his lyrics are out of this world. So here goes for Praying for You. Enjoy!

Francis Chan Says: Don't Be Stupid, Live For the Rope

2009-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, that title doesn't make any sense. Unless you do as I did and listen to Francis Chan's recent sermon:
Living a Life That Matters: Living Eternally
The sermon starts from the 4th minute. If you want to download the sermon or listen to others, go to Cornerstone Church Simi.

It was good and I would love to hear what you thought of it. I heard the name of Francis Chan for the first time last month. Since then I've ploughed through his excellent book Crazy Love (it's about lukewarm Christians, such as myself). I recommend it to all of you. It's brilliant!

Love you guys… Let's stick close to Jesus.

Weekend in Ireland

2009-05-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing much being said here. Too busy keeping up with my Bible reading schedule (a brother and I (mostly him) are devouring God's word), working in the publishing world and doing homework.

But this weekend I'll be in N. Ireland, catching up with friends (and hanging out on the Logos Hope again). Enjoy the month of May, its gorgeous!

Making Books in France

2009-04-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I spend my days making books or selling them. I'm split between editorial work and marketing. I like the tension, but wish more people were passionate book-lovers. In any case, since I'm not writing anymore (for the time being), enjoy this video:

Don't Waste Your Life (Lecrae)

2009-04-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is talent. Great lyrics, deep truth from the Bible, and great video. Watch it till the last minute. Brilliant!

The Logos Hope is Leaving the UK for a While…

2009-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Logos Hope is sailing towards the Faeroe Islands and Jérémie is giving us news.

We've come to the end of our stay in Scotland! With over 12 000 visitors and a strong partnership with the Scottish churches, God has…
Continue reading

This Book Looks Good and Unfashionable

2009-04-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Tullian Tchividjian. That sounds like a good name. Almost as great as my own name…

This short video presentation of his book, Unfashionable, makes me want to read it. I suppose its the subtitle that gets me. I mean, I know a lot of unfashionable people (including myself), but just because we don't know how to dress doesn't mean we'll make a difference. Tullian's subtitle is "Making a difference by being different". Yeah!

Jérémie Finally Got His Clothes Dirty On the Logos Hope!

2009-04-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

I'm off for a weekend at the beach… I hope you are all jealous. But relax this is a northern beach. I don't expect to even see the ocean. It's all part of an Easter weekend Church gathering. You can be praying that we would spend quality time together and grow closer to one another through this time.

Take a few seconds to see what Jérémie has been up to onboard the Logos Hope. Click here or on the photo to understand why he's got a mask on.

Celebrating God's Death

2009-04-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

Every year at Easter, we celebrate the death of God. But how few of us know this? Again today, in English class, the teacher asked the students what they did at Easter and what it was about. Notice that I was in class on Good Friday. In France we don't even get a holiday.

These past two weeks I've read through the gospel of Mark with a friend. Our goal was twice each week. There are so many mentions in Mark about the deity of Jesus. I would encourage us all to read through a gospel this weekend and stand amazed at Jesus.

Below is Mark's account of the crucifixion of God.

And the soldiers led him away insidethe palace (that is,the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whol battalion. ¹⁷And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. ¹⁸And they began to salute him,^(X) "Hail, King of the Jews!" ¹⁹And they were striking his head with a reed and^(Y) spitting on him and^(Z) kneeling down in homage to him. ²⁰And when they had^(AA) mocked him, they stripped him of^(AB) the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they^(AC) led him out to crucify him.

²¹^(AD) And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. ²²^(AE) And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). ²³And they offered him wine mixed with^(AF) myrrh, but he did not take it. ²⁴And they crucified him and^(AG) divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. ²⁵And^(AH) it was the third hour^[d] when they crucified him. ²⁶And the inscription of the charge against him read,^(AI) "The King of the Jews."

Ending the Recession is Easy (Child's play)

2009-04-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

My 11 year old brother Nathan came up to me last week with a revelation. "I wish I could talk to the president 'cause I know how to stop the crisis."

Interested in knowing what this would be (admittedly with a bit of condescension) I listened to his miracle plan. "Its simple, money is what caused all this, so we should give up money! People should work hard and work for food"

Indeed that is simple. I'm nearly ALWAYS opinionated, but I'll spare you tonight.

The Red Envelope Project (due the 31st of March)

2009-03-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to write to the president of the United States? Well here is your chance. My mom (how cool is that!) just pointed out a website that I thought worthwhile to send to you.

We live in France, so we cannot participate in the Red Envelope Project, but you can. So use the freedom you have to write to Barack Obama and send your letter before the end of March (tomorrow).

Red Envelope Project FAQ

God's Wonderful Plan for Your Life

2009-03-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Someone just pointed this out to me, so I'm passing it on:

"Many people like to talk about “God’s Wonderful Plan forYour Life.” I think that’s a great thing! Yes! God has a Wonderful Plan for your life! I was recently granted an interview with the Apostle Paul and asked him about just that very thing.
+++
ME: Paul, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this blog interview. I know you have a lot going on so I’ll cut to the chase: Can you tell us about God’s Wonderful Plan for your life so far?"

Continue reading…

Source: Berry

Semantics for a New Ager

2009-03-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

I'm still listening to the Nightline Face-off "Existence of Satan" debate.

I'm getting very frustrated with Deepak Chopra's new age semantics. He tries to use words that we know, but in fact, he does not mean what we think him to mean. When he says "god", he could very well mean "energy force", "evolution" is "good", "entropy" is "evil" and the list of such words goes on.

Friends, lets not argue too quickly with non-believers. If you do feel the need to set someone right, define the terms first. Otherwise, check their motivation. If they are truly seeking the truth, help them. However, if they are just looking for a fight, just move on and go to the hungry. Time is short.

What is the Prosperity Pseudo Gospel?

2009-03-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

This video is a beautiful work to describe an ugly face of "Christianity". Just in case you're wondering, prosperity gospel is NOT the Gospel.

Would We Argue If We Defined the Terms?

2009-03-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

I've just been listening to the Nightline Face-off "Existence of Satan" debate. I get so frustrated listening to the debaters. Deepak Chopra is getting on my nerves right now. He should have no right to say "God is love" because his "god" is not God. I wish someone had asked him to define the term or not use it.

Does Satan Exist? Bonus question: Who is Jesus Christ?

2009-03-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

ABC's Nightline is hosting a debate on the existence of Satan. Nightline Face-Off opposes Mark Driscoll and Jenny Lobert to New Age guru Deepack Chopra and Bishop Carlton Pearson.

You can watch a preview here.

You can watch the whole thing here.

Extreme Shepherding Video

2009-03-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Haha, I thought this video might interest you.

What Does a Trillion Dollars Look Like?

2009-03-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

This is something you've got to see.

Some More Spurgeon Treasures!

2009-03-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Most Spurgeon fans would kill to get the books I just received as a gift. My grandfather is clearing out his attic and found Spurgeon's Autobiography in 4 volumes. I have a hard time believing that they could be as old as the title page says. They are all late 1890's!

You've got to feel sorry for the person who gave the books to my grandfather as a gift. They've collected dust and I may be the first to read them. For such old books, they're in great condition! That is why I'm still dubious on their age.

I like biographies and I like the originals, more so when they're about men like Charles Spurgeon! I just don't know when I'll get around to reading the books. Until I do, you can all be jealous of me…

Can We Pray for Crazy Things?

2009-03-20T02:48:00.000-07:00

Duh! Of course! If we ask God to do things that are just beyond our grasp, he gets ALL the glory for the answered prayer. We don't have to second-guess him and think, "well maybe it would have happened anyways." Like I do when I'm looking for parking or my wallet.

So please pray for the mayor of the town of our church. He and his wife have a good relationship with a couple from the church. This couple therefore invited the mayor to come for dinner at their house and he's accepted the invitation. I just catch myself imagining God working that man's heart and bringing him to know Jesus. Our relationship with the town hall has always been very friendly (unlike many churches in France), but imagine what a witness this man would be!

So join me in asking God to soften the mayors heart, to open his eyes and give him a desire for life and to know Jesus.

Obama on Reducing and Raising Abortions

2009-03-19T05:07:00.000-07:00

Christianity Today has an article on recent statements Obama made regarding abortion. He's also passed some laws that contradict (or do they?) his statements. Read it for yourself here.

HT: JT

The Prodigal Sons a Tim Keller Sermon

2009-03-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

I listened to a sermon by Tim Keller this weekend. Its entitled, The Prodigal Sons. I was on the train returning home from the TV interview. Its really good, simple yet profoundly gospel-centered. I recommend it. I'd never heard of Tim Keller until a few weeks ago but I will be listening to more. He's a pastor of Redeemer Church in New York.

So I suggest you right click here and download the sermon, listen to it and tell me what you think. I'm definitely the Older Brother, how about you?

Blogging The Institutes

2009-03-17T00:44:00.000-07:00

In the English-speaking web there is an abundance of great Christian resources and blogs. One that I've just subscribed to is Blogging The Institutes. A group of Christian leaders are reading John Calvin's Institutes of Christian Religion.

Would you believe that Calvin is no big deal in France? Yes, we're celebrating his 500th birthday, but I don't know if many people actually know anything about the man. I think the Catholic influence here never took kindly to Calvin's strong criticism. He's just known for two clichés: condemning people to be burned to the stake and founding a strict religion where people are predestined to hell.

I don't have the theological savvy of all the English bloggers out there, nor do I have the time. But I'm working my way through The Institutes and enjoying myself. Did you know that The Institutes are the first theological work published in the French language? In Calvin's day, every serious book was published in Latin. In fact his first edition was in Latin, but he then translated his book into French so that it could be read by a larger number. It became one of the greatest books in the French language.

Bernard Madoff: How Are the Mighty Fallen! (by John Piper)

2009-03-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

A few months ago he was worth over $800 million. Now, at age 70, he sits in this prison cell, 7.5 by 8 feet, with a sink, a toilet, and a bunk... (Read more)

Source: Desiring God

Thanks for Praying for the TV Interview

2009-03-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

I hope you guys didn't blink. I left Maubeuge on the 6:45am train and arrived at Belfort 7 hours later (2pm). The TV team was very warm and welcoming. It was good fun. I hope you didn't blink when you were praying, because the interview felt very short. 15 minutes went by in a flash. I didn't get to say everything I'd hoped to say. I didn't mention very clearly the needs of the Logos Hope, nor did the journalist ask a question about OM in general (and I didn't get to tell him).

I don't think I was too camera shy (thanks for praying). But the stress did definitely muddle my mind as I tried to answer the questions! It will be at least a month before the interview is released. I'll keep you informed as soon as I know more. It will appear on TBN Europe at least twice with English subtitles. I'll make sure to tell you what time. The version without subtitles will be on the TV channel's website, but in either case, you'll have to wait at least a month.

If you have any other questions, just post a comment and let everyone profit from the answer.

May God be made to look great (as he truly is) in our lives.

PS: Sorry for not having any photos. I brought my camera and forgot to have someone take photos.

What Did You Think of The Shack by William Young?

2009-03-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Interview with William Young
You can listen to The Shack author William Young giving an interview. In it he flatly denies the substitutionary atonement (which was one of the questions many people had as they read the book).

Tim Challies

Will the Church be the Church for Homosexual Christians?

2009-03-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

This article by Wesley Hill is thought provoking. Wesley is a Christian with same-sex desires and he explains the greatest need of homosexual Christians within our midst. I'm still not sure what to think about it, but I give it to your appreciation.

Source: JT

Things We Don't Know About Our Grandparents

2009-03-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

I just got home from another evening spent with my grandfather, Bill Kapitaniuk. It's amazing to hear some of his stories. He's so quiet about them He's a great storyteller, but very humble of what God has led him to do.

But having a Bible-smuggler for a Grandfather makes me aware of the lack of importance I place on the Bible. Papy was willing to suffer to bring a few Bibles into the communist block, I can hardly get out of bed. I will continue recording his stories and picking his brain to know what made my grandfather tick. I've lived around him for 22 years, but I realize today that I've only begun to make his acquaintance.

New Arrivals on the Kapi Farm

2009-03-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and, as on any farm, great things happen. You can read about the newest inhabitants of the Kapi Farm on the family blog, by clicking here. As you see on the photo, everyone was excited to hear the news...

http://fermekapi.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-arrivals-on-farm.html