October 8th, 2008 It's been almost 2 months since an update so here it is. This semester is flying by, but so much is happening and so many things are changing. I feel like my life is finally progressing to the point of where I feel as if I am growing up. I can't wait to graduate. I have almost no free time this semester, so that is stressful. The Lord will provide. I need to rest in His promise and know that the Lord is good. Every weekend I am commuting home to Raleigh for church (Fellowship Raleigh in Downtown). So I have band practices on saturday, church sunday then back to Pembroke for another week where I have a full schedule as well as leading the band again this year at BSU. Also, my suitemate Wes owns a coffee shop across the street from the University. It is a pretty cool and chill enviornment where you can get coffee or refreshments or snacks and chill, surf the internet, stuff like that. On thursday nights we have an open mic type event, live music night. I am in charge of that as well! I sold my camaro :( Big news.. the guy who is buying it is picking it up today. So I am now down to one car, my 99 Audi. Well time to get back to homework. Hopefully more to come soon, like more mp3s and new songs! I added some new books to the misc. section be sure and check them out! November 16th, 2008 I updated the links page with new books again, as well as some photos on my purevolume page. Check them out! November 18th, 2008 For my online sociology class we had to read a painstakingly horrible powerpoint about the changing or religion and churches in our culture and reflect upon the ideas in the powerpoint. Here is my response: I believe that religion, Christianity in particular, has changed drastically and will continue to change into humanism. This is due to a lack of understanding of key theological and biblical concepts. For example, “Religious rituals provide a constructive outlet for social frustration and anxiety”. Yes, but this is not the intent of the rituals. Going to church or being involved in any religious rituals in Christianity is not about us, but the glorification of God. And if that is what is becoming (not about God), it is horribly misaligned with the gospel of Christ. “Intolerance of those who are different: Gays and Lesbians”. The church’s role should not be to teach its congregation intolerance. Acceptance and tolerance are two very different things. A church would be perfectly just in denying membership to a gay or lesbian; however, they should be treated with the same respect and love as any other attendee. Societies, and religions today, have wrongfully placed greater emphasis on certain aspects of sin than others. The Christian church was originally intended to glorify God and Christ above all things. Sadly preachers and “teachers” of the Word today have distorted and skewed the Bible into making it say whatever they chose, and merely use it to springboard into their own sociological agendas. For example, the “health, wealth, and prosperity” gospel is being preached all around the United States and should be considered heresy. Religion’s future is taking a drastic turn for disaster every single day. The Bible is being taken out of context, being taken lightly, and not being taught as the inerrant Word of God. For this reason, the church is no longer central to daily living and is considered “merely one institution among many”. People are regularly “finding and working at jobs, reading and watching the news, attending school, etc” and the church or organized religion has no role in their life whatsoever. This is a sad truth. “An overemphasis on theology can result in faith being undermined”. No! This completely shows a lack of understanding of what true theology is composed of. Good theology teaches faith! Correct theology teaches dependence on the supremacy and omnipotence of God! Good theology should teach us to lean not on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5). The only way that an overemphasis on theology can result in faith being undermined is by placing more importance on head knowledge and human wisdom than a true heart of understanding. “Religiosity decreases as education increases”. Excuse me? What does this even mean? “They want to restore religion, specifically Christianity, to its rightful place in American society”. Yes! The church has taken such a drastic turn for the worse, I do not see it getting any better, but only worsening over time. Regardless of the fact that I am obviously a professing reformed Christian, “religion” and its future is uncertain, but is certainly merely being changed into something other than its original intention. November 20th, 2008 Well November is here. Leaves are falling, christmas is coming along with the end of the semester. I am so ready to graduate! I have taken up frisbee golf as a new hobby of mine courtesy of the Fellowship Raleigh crew. It is a lot of fun. I enjoy it because you are able to take a walk in the woods and occasionaly throw a frisbee and just have a good time of fellowship with people while doing so. I love the outdoors and frisbee and spending time with people, so its a perfect hobby for me! I have recorded a new song, "Jesus I My Cross Haven Taken" with Beth Hoover, and it is up on my purevolume page and ready to be listened to! Beth is a music major like me, she has played a lot of the open mic nights at the coffee house here in Pembroke with me on Thursdays. Matt Schoolfield was able to come down at speak at BSU two tuesdays ago preaching on the Goodness of God, and Pslam 84:11, it was very uplifting and a real joy to have it come down here and see "my world" as he called it, here in Pembroke. November 21st, 2008 Lauren's birthday is only 3 days away, and I am still trying to figure out a good present to get her! I always have 10 things on my list (I'm so greedy), but she is more of the sentimental type, which is good. :) I have been meaning to post up all of the sermon notes from Fellowship Raleigh each week, but times have been so busy this semester that I have not foud the time. Next semester, I am only taking 11 hours so I should have more time to update this page and add those sorts of things. I downloaded and printed off almost 400 songs from the Sovereign Grace hymn/song book this week, wohoo! Also, I have began to compose a notebook for all of my different Bible study materials as well as a notebook with a lot of usefull information about biblical worship leading, with a lot of things from Bob Kauflin, RUF, and Sovereign Grace Ministries, Kevin Twit, as well as John MacArthur, etc. I am really hoping to get a lot done this Thanksgiving break so that I will not be stressed out the last 2 weeks of school. I am also looking to record a few more songs such as a christmas song "Ill be Home for Christmas" and "Im Dreaming of a White Christmas" put together into one, as well as A Mighty Fortress is Our God. My best friend here at school Lars is graduating in December, how sad! I wish him the best luck at seminary and wherever God takes him afterwards. This has been a pretty decent update, so thats all for now. Happy Holidays!