Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Light of the world is Jesus

Click on the picture to enlarge

Sometimes late at night, when everyone is asleep, I just get to thinking about the Lord. I spend some time thinking about what it means to be a Christian man and what a blessed privilege it is to know the Light of the world is leading me in truth and wisdom. I looked at this verse in Psalm 43 and thought it fitting to put a visual reminder for myself on my Facebook page.

I enjoy using images of God's Creation (and often cool buildings) to present a Biblical truth, and it always serves as a reminder of the unique responsibility I have to serve the Lord my God as an ambassador for Christ, a husband who longs to be like Christ in my dealings with my wife, and a father to my children as God is the Father of us all. What a challenge, and one that I could never live up to without His light and truth which lead me to His holy hill and His dwelling. Some day I will be in the presence of God forever!

I challenge those Christians who read this blog to remind yourself today of your right and responsibility to speak boldly about the Light that shines in darkness and the only One who can save a soul from darkness forever. Speak about this beautiful Light and remind yourself often that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We have a blessed hope in Christ Jesus and I just never get tired of talking about Him, my Savior, Redeemer, and King.


Monday, January 23, 2012

What is Biblical Patriarchy?

As we have decided to look at Biblical patriarchy, we might do well to look at what we mean by using this terminology. Since the phrase is not used in the Bible, and also the phrase is not used widely in society, we will share how some major proponents of Biblical patriarchy define it. See the links below for full articles that we suggest you consider.

The Tenets of Biblical patriarchy - Wikipedia
Biblical Patriarchy - Vision Forum Ministries
Patriarchy - Wikipedia

From these sources, you will see that there are many different interpretations of Biblical patriarchy. Some look primarily to the Old Testament, others to the Bible in its entirety. To be sure, there are not many references to how a family functions in the New Testament outside of those referencing the OT. We do have a very diverse history to consider in God's Word, including some good and not-so-good examples. What we don't have is a definition of terms to some extent, and so we will be focusing on profiling men in the Bible along with their families.

For our consideration here, we wish to state up front that our understanding is that God created man, and is often referred to as "Father" in the Bible. This patriarchal picture of God Himself is going to be the richest example we will find of the positive aspects of manhood. We get a picture from some of the names of God. Use the links below for an associated study from Blue Letter Bible online. One should be very careful not to add God's characteristics to man, but we would do well to consider the character of God the Father when we consider God's perfect plan for the family and how we ought to see the father role in families.
  • Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)- Men are called to lead, protect, and care for their family. 
  • Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)- A man is called to integrity, to lead with consistency. 
  • Qanna (Jealous)- As God is jealous when His beloved ones seek after another, so should man be jealous. This is no petty human emotion, but the result of dedication and responsibility. 
  • Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)- Men are commanded to provide for the family. If a man does not work, then he should not eat, and so we ought to be providers for our families. 
A study of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ will also yield great results in the role of the husband. With the picture from God's Word of Christ as the Bridegroom and the church as the bride of Christ, we will learn much more about the role of men as husbands. Some examples we find at first glance:
  • Taking the name of the Bridegroom. The church is the bride of Christ, having its identity through Him.
  • Christ is the Savior and provider for His bride
  • We are commanded to love our wives as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for her. 
  • We are called in James 4 :4-5 says that Christians who love the world are adulteresses. 
The term "Biblical patriarchy" is not a Biblical term, but is based on principles understood from God's Word. In my opinion any word such as "religion" can not be redefined without extreme caution, as it is used in the English Bible translations. With the regular use of terms in the Bible, we must be careful to define them as dictated by context and principles of Biblical translation.

To conclude our look at what Biblical patriarchy is, we consider this to be a good working definition: 
"social organization, as exemplified in Biblical writings, that is marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line" We will add to this thought as we progress and see examples of men who led their families throughout Biblical history. 

In our next article, we plan to profile Adam. We hope you will join us as we explore Biblical patriarchy.


Sunday, January 22, 2012

"Jesus Freaks" book review.... by Virginia

We have owned a copy of "Jesus Freaks: Martyrs- Stories for those who stood for Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks" by Voice of the Martyrs and DC Talk for quite some time. While Sara and I have read the book together and separately, the major use of this book has been by our children. Nathaniel has read most of the stories, but Virginia is usually found in possession of the book. Virginia is going to be 9 years old in May, but starting reading the stories of martyrs for Christ well over a year ago. She loves to read the stories over and over again, and seems to have a good understanding of what the cost of following Jesus Christ is really about.

Here is Virginia's unedited review of the book "Jesus Freaks":

I love the book Jesus Freaks. My favorite story is "Her Last Prayer". It is about a 17 year old girl in China. In an under ground church one time in the middle of the meeting about 10 cops broke in. 1 of the cops went to the pastor and asked for his bible. Amazingly the pastor gave him the bible his prized possession. the cop threw the bible at his feet. and said spit on this book of lies or else you will be shot. The rest of the cops blocked the door. Then the cop called up a man. The man spit only a little but it was enough. Then a woman came up and spit and she was allowed to go. Then a young girl came up and took her dress and wiped off the spit and prayed for them. The cop shot the girl.

I think this review from Virginia says about all that needs to be said. I know many may not like the musical style of DC Talk, while others will be taken on a trip down memory lane watching this video, but we had to include it. The song "Jesus Freak" speaks of the life of John the Baptist who was rejected by men, but was called by God to live a sanctified life, preparing the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, and who would lose his life for speaking boldly of sin, righteousness, and judgement. 

Buy the book from our links in the right column or the direct link below. Your shopping from Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Vision Forum all support our family ministry. Thank you for your support.

200836: Jesus Freaks: Martyrs Jesus Freaks: Martyrs By dc Talk & the Voice of the Martyrs / Bethany House
With life-changing impact, dc Talk's first book, Jesus Freaks, has captured the attention of Christians of all ages with its stories of Christian martyrs who took a stand for Christ against the culture of their day. Re-released as Jesus Freaks: Martyrs, you'll be challenged to examine your own faith and dedication with compelling real-life stories of believers who refused to deny Jesus--even in the face of death.



A voice for Carly

We were so blessed this morning to see a video on Facebook that highlights Carly Fleischmann's story. Carly is a 14 year old girl with autism. She has multiple disabilities, and has never spoken a word in her life. Carly went through the typical routine for the child with autism, with multiple therapies, physical fits and flailing, and more. Though Carly seemed distant to many, inside her mind was a world of communication just waiting to be let out.

I hope you enjoy this video from Youtube. I also hope you go to over to Carly's Voice to see more about the story of how Carly found her voice, and also what she is doing to use her voice to help others get a better picture of those suffering from autism. We have many friends with autism, and I can identify to a small part of what Carly shares about the feelings in her heart and mind when people assume things about this sweet and energetic young lady. 




Saturday, January 21, 2012

Biblical patriarchy and the modern man

I plan to start a series here in the near future on the place of Biblical patriarchy and the modern family. I know there will be some roadblocks to overcome and some things that we might have to disagree with folks on, but I think it is imperative that Christian men step up to the plate and do the job to which they have been called.

The Cowperthwaite Family August 2010
I see the responsibility before God to love my wife as Christ loved the church, and I shudder to think how often I fail at this. By God's grace, I hope to grow in wisdom and practice of those things we are learning from God's Word. Concerning raising children, we know there are many techniques and much to which we do not wish to make mandates where the Bible is silent, but we will bring to light some of the things to which God has made things clear. We know we are to train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to be the example for the younger men, and so much more.

In the process, we will surely find more failures (at least in my own life) but I am confident that these things when powered by the Holy Spirit and the truth of God's Word will bring us into obedience of the fulness of God's plan for men in the family.

Who is with me?


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Lame Poetry, False Dichotomies, and Bad Theology

Here is yet another viewpoint on the "I hate religion" video. We are traveling, sorry for not posting something of our own. I thought this would be a good read for folks, and we are working on a few things to share when we get back to Georgia. We should be there a week before moving to Maine, so bear with us as we transition and get back to work.

Lame Poetry, False Dichotomies, and Bad Theology



Friday, January 13, 2012

Was Jesus abolishing religion?

Would you consider with me tonight what is the difference between religion as people may define it and what God had in mind when He speaks of religion in His inspired Word. All these things should not cause us to grumble and argue with one another, but to be drawn to worship of Christ, for He is worthy! 

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."  ~  Ephesians 2:14-22

This passage does not abolish religion, but rather does away with the enmity between the "circumcision" and "uncircumcision". This does not agree with the thought that Jesus came to abolish religion, either. Rather, Jesus brought down the dividing wall between the Jewish nation and the Gentiles who also came to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

Religion is not the problem here folks. Perversion of the pure and perfect work of Christ, making it useless (abolish) by trusting in our works rather than faith in Christ, that is the problem. On the other end of this, keeping traditions without the proper spirit of humility and grace toward others, can make religion void of God's power.

What then are we to do? Walk in the spirit, following the commands of our Savior, not as a means of salvation or favor with the Lord, but as our hearts are filled with love for Christ we walk in His ways and speak His truth. If we are known for holy lives that are filled with love for the Lord, it will pour out toward others and give an open door for the Gospel to go forth. The Gospel preached will encourage Christians and convict sinners. That is what I see as pure religion, one that walks the talk and does so only for the glory of God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ.



"I hate religion, even though Jesus established religion"

Even the Catholic church has stepped into the fray on the "I hate religion, but love Jesus" video. Though I don't agree with the way Catholics seem to be able to make a tradition out of about anything, you have to agree that they do take seriously the command of Jesus in regard to the Lord's Supper. I qualify this by saying the Bible does not agree with transubstantiation at all, as that was added in much later. Still, the man makes a point with the following article, which is witty and informative.
Read the entire post here, or check this quote below:"It's one thing to ignore Christ's statement to 'eat my body.' It's another to ignore his command to “do this in memory of me.” Christcommanded that we have ritual. The early church followed this ritual, they obeyed his command to “do this in memory of me.” We know this because Paul says: “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?”


I have to clarify again, that I do not believe in the theology of this author or the article, but appreciate some of his insight into the video. The Roman Catholic church has enough problems of its own, but I have not nearly enough time to deal with all that in this post. Maybe some day!

Behind the message: "I hate religion..."


I found this article, which does a good job sharing the good and bad of the video 
Check out the full article here. Here is an excerpt. 
"It’s well and good that he’s making claims from the outside, but when he says he’s not here to judge, that’s simply disingenuous. Also, he begins to hedge even these bold claims by saying he still loves the Church, while hating religion. There are even other videos online of him “preaching” in church. So if we’re going to cast stones, let’s decide which side of the wall we’re aiming for.
But all of this doesn’t get at the heart of my biggest issue with his spoken word piece. What bothers me the most is that, despite stretching out toward a post-religious understanding of Christ, he then falls right back into the same old lexicon of substitutionary atonement language...
So my questions is this: though he seems to be bent on tearing at the fabric of at least the evangelical Christian church, if not organized religion as a whole, why does his central message sound pretty much like every evangelical altar call I’ve ever heard?"

I don't hate religion Nope, but I do love Jesus!

A Facebook friend shared this encouraging message with me. I wanted to share it with you all, as I believe I was not wrong to disagree with the video "I hate religion, but love Jesus" See below for my brother's comments.

"Mark, your review is correct and should get more visibility. Don't feel compelled to slack off.
If the poem said "*false* religion" every time he used the word "religion", he would be saying what the Bible says.

But by neglecting this one word, he creates confusion, further propagating the idea that all religion is bad. This is not good, and is certainly not Biblical. Furthermore, whether he intends to or not, he's also catering to the "iGeneration", where people think they can follow a Christ of their own imagination and ideas, and not be bound by the terms, definitions and practices of Scripture (aka, "religion").

Yet this problem is nothing new: people were doing that in Jesus' day! They didn't want the Messiah as revealed in the Scriptures (which is why He constantly said "Have you not read...?"), and therefore they didn't recognize Him as Messiah when He appeared - yet still claimed to be children of God! Jesus exposed all of them (not just the Pharisees!) for their *false* religion and false faith (John 8) while still telling people that they should emulate the correct practices of the Pharisees:


Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. **These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others**. (Matt 23:23)"

Do you agree with this man, disagree, or are you just tired of talking about this? I appreciate your input, and look forward to sharing some of what the Lord does in our upcoming trip to Tampa area. We will be gone for a week or so, then home for a few days, then moving to Maine. Will try to keep up with blogging in the interim, but I can't promise anything. 

Thursday, January 12, 2012

"I hate religion, but love Jesus" video

I watched a few more of this man's videos, and feel that the reason we find error in his "religion hating" is that his definition of grace is also flawed. A friend shared this comment on Facebook, which I believe sums it up well. I have collected a few things here to try to hit on more of the caution necessary before people embrace this video. Some have said Jesus died so we could sin freely. Others have said that this video reminds them that their church is not good enough. While the content is good to view, I cannot stress enough the need to get back to God's Word instead of just regurgitating the vernacular of the world.

Did Jesus come to abolish Religion? The Bible doesn't say that!
God's Word holds the truth, not any video or even blog post. 
Please read Romans 6-8, 1 John 1,and James 1 & 2 to see more of what God's Word says about religion, grace, and how one should live as a Christian. 
Dont' cheapen grace, and don't defy the holiness of the true and living God.

See comments below
The good, bad, and ugly from Facebook regarding this video


From Todd Caverly- my 2 cents- food for thought, remember to see what the Bible says on these subjects. Paul, referred to himself as a bondservant- not a free man, we are instructed by Luke to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, etc. I think this is catchy because many of us are frustrated by what the "Church" has become- the problem is that WE are all to blame. WE get to busy to be involved in people lives with the Gospel, WE place doing "fun things" or "me time" above carrying out the commands of Christ.

So, yes, I do not want what is sold as American Christianity, but am I going to complain about how it is wrong, or pick up my cross and do what Christ instructs?

This video drastically misrepresents religion. I hear a man telling me that I shouldn't develop the mindset of the New Testament Pharisees. I agree. God commands me not to. But please don't say that all religion is vile because Christianity IS religion. Yes, it's a relationship, but it is also a religion. It has a concrete law, clear-cut guidelines, and very important standards. Follow the Bible that God was gracious enough to provide us with. Not whatever makes your heart feel good.

I totally agree with Brenna...This guy does have it wrong. So here's another viewpoint on this video...

I disagree with his choice of a couple words but I couldn't agree with his message more. Please just give it a listen.

This video reminded me of a verse from Jason Gray's song: "Cause all religion ever made of me was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet. It never set me free. It's gotta be more like falling in love than something to believe in. More like losing my heart than giving my allegiance."

Mark I read your blog and while I do agree from your perspective, as I think so myself. However, what you've gotta realize is that many people that are seeing this video have shrugged off God because of "religious hypocrites". Yes, the term "religion" is defining denominations and not the James/Biblical terminology of it. Frankly, I don't think people who have watched "religious hypocrites" are gonna bother in fact-checking the Bible. I know you may you not like it this way, but this video may show some bitter and jaded viewers that it wasn't all about repetition, rituals and rules. That Jesus is the ONLY way. I'd like to recommend a book called "Hiding God: The Ambition Of World Religion" by Warren Henderson, published by Gospel Folio Press. I think Warren's idea is where the video author was getting at. As sad as it is, this word says: Religion=Denominations=Bible Thumping Hypocrites. I wouldn't be surprized if some viewers open a Bible for the first time because of this...and isn't that what we as a collective church of believers, truly want?

I have read Warren's book, and it does a great job at this. I do suggest watching the video, but caution Christians not to embrace a hatred for religion. It is important when speaking for Christians (as this man seems to) that we are accurately portraying Jesus's own words, which the very first line is contrary to Jesus's message. He pulls a Rob Bell and speaks with authority while asking a question. Neat trick, but deceptive. Thanks for the comments, I appreciate the heart of the thing, and that is why I am also promoting it... with caution attached.

Amen to that Mark, and sharp pickup on the "Rob Bell-type" spot, I didn't quite catch that.

I noticed a lot of my friends are posting this as such a great video, and I know their intentions are right but there's just something wrong with his view that needs to be clarified.

In this video, I think he is using the word "religion" as synonymous with "legalism." So I guess it is all in how you define your terms. :)

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

And I do agree with your point about how he does not emphasize post-conversion works for Christians (which is incredibly important), but I do believe that he is trying to reach a different audience: those people who are putting their faith in their works as opposed to Jesus Christ. These are excellent points, Maggie, and I am not trying to just explain them away. This video is not perfect at all just as the man in it is not perfect. Thanks for posting. ;)

Defining terms is not something we can just do. The Bible uses the word and so we ought to be careful to not redefine it with common vernacular. Thanks for the insight, ladies! Legalism= bad. Pure and undefiled religion= good!

I liked the video a lot! However, a red flag popped into my mind about hating religion so much.
I can't really explain why the video didn't sit right. Guess it is time for a Bible study!

In conclusion (for now) I have to agree, it is all how you define your terms. Unfortunately, the English language isn't up for redefining words overnight. As long as major translations of the Bible use the word "religion" in its proper context, it is well to stick to this definition. 


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Homemakers in Training: Days with Autism blog

Homemakers in Training: Days with Autism blog: We had this story passed on from a friend. We do not know the author personally, though we have hundreds of common friends. This blog chro...



Youtube philosophy- UPDATED

I want to give you the happy ending before the whole story. Check this out, say a loving word to help a brother see more clearly, and the Lord will make it work out for His glory. This video was uploaded 2 days ago and has 177,990 hits and counting. I submitted it to Mashable's Viral Video of the Day.

Jefferson  Bethke has now taken this post off his wall, presumably as it may be seen as bad publicity.

Mark Sara Cowperthwaiteposted toJefferson Bethke
Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate the message on the video, but caution the use of terms improperly. See my blog post at http://cowperthwaitefamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/video-worth-sharing-with-few-cautions.html to see what I meant. No ill intentions, really, I hope you understand my heart and my caution when it comes to speaking for Christ Jesus our Lord.
 ·  · 7 minutes ago · 

    • Mark Sara Cowperthwaite Jesus didn't come to abolish religion. He fulfilled the Mosaic Law and began a true, pure, and undefiled religion as mentioned in James 1:26,27. Sorry if this got you bad press, I think we got you some Youtube visits, LOL.
      5 minutes ago · 

    • Jefferson Bethke agreed brother!!! I'm 100% with ya on that one. just using a word in order to contrast my point
      2 minutes ago · 


This video has been circulating on social media sites, and is popular among my friends. I have a lot to say on this, though I feel many would see my thoughts as skeptical. I am trying to be fair to the writer and also true to the message of God's Word, the Bible. Check it out for yourself.

The title is "Why I hate religion, but love Jesus"


I like the idea of this video, but feel that it needs clarification. I define religion differently than this man does(by using a dictionary instead of common vernacular), and often you could insert the word "flesh" where he uses "religion". Be cautious in interpreting this video, as James 1:26,27 speaks of pure and undefiled religion as something good. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses, not abolish it. While the sacrifice is done(It is finished, praise God!), we are exhorted in God's Word that "If you love Me [the Lord Jesus Christ] you will keep my commandments"

Religion as the man in the video defines it, is man searching for God, but that does not agree with the dictionary, which says, " 1. The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods.2.Details of belief as taught or discussed." With all these things in mind, let the message stir you, but don't throw out anything that God designed just to sound cool. I was considering also the idea that we are to obey God because we love Him. Again, this is Biblical, not man made or religious. Jesus' major objection with "religious people" was those whose self righteousness made religion a sham.

OK,I need to shut up now. I have now watched the video for the 3rd time and I think terminology is the major issue that needs to be defined. This man claims that Jesus hated religion and spoke against it. Jesus spoke against hypocrites, not religion. The religion was what Jesus Himself practiced, but the Pharisees didn't really know God, they just used God as a means to prop themselves up and feel superior. They devoured the widow's houses, while James 1:26,27 tells us to care for the widows and orphans if we want true and undefiled religion. Overall, I like the video, though I wish it was clearer, containing terminology that was more Biblical.

On a more personal note, I resonate a lot with this message of playing church. This was my life for the first 17 years. I was saved by God's grace at 25 years of age, and now see that no faking it or obeying the rules without the relationship will do. Praise God for grace that made a debtor of me, to love and mercy in Christ Jesus my Lord.


Updated- Facebook is blowing up with this video

Some Facebook comments are given below, pardon the choppy nature of the writing here

The book of James says earlier in chapter 1 that we are to be "doers of the Word and not hearers only". He goes on to say that those who hear only "are deluding themselves". See also James chapter 2 with faith and works. Telling someone to be warm and filled, but doing nothing to help them get warm, not feeding them, that is defiled religion. Religion is not bad, empty and vain religion is bad.

We DO encourage folks to watch this video as the message is really challenging. His claim to hate religion and place that hate on Jesus is in error. I believe the desire was right, the terminology was wrong. When using Bible terms, one must be cautious, so as not to be found on the wrong side of God. Pure and undefiled religion is something God seems to promote.

English: Religion
Strong's Reference:G2356
θρησκεία thrēskeia
From a derivative of G2357; ceremonial observance: - religion, worshipping.

This word is used to describe the Pharisees in Acts 23:5 but also is in James 1:26,27 in a positive way. Religion in and of itself is neutral from my understanding. Empty, vain, or say-so religion is useless, as is a faith without works is dead. Still, you cannot say you love Jesus and hate religion without encountering serious interpretive difficulties.

Regarding Jesus's supposed hatred of religion:
Jesus didn't say He hated religion. He chastised hypocrites, but then went to the Temple and never mentioned religion being bad. He scolded them for making the Temple (His Father's house of worship) into a money making place.

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I won't go on forever with this post. I just wanted to remind everyone that if you have not yet purchased your copy of "Courageous" on DVD, they will start shipping January 17. Buy from our Amazon Store or Christian Book Distributors store to support our ministry through your purchases. 

We are excited to see this movie, though we missed it in the theaters. If you have seen it, loved it, and want to share it, consider buying a copy just to loan out. We do this often, and have been blessed to see how the Lord uses such a simple thing to bless others. 


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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A hard word from James MacDonald

While I don't always agree with any brother on everything, I found this word from James MacDonald to be quite appropriate. In a society where everyone is looking to be loved and accepted, it is quite often the case that men called to preach God's Word have gone the way of ease instead of being faithful to God's Word.

This article hits hard, but fairly in my estimation. I suggest reading the whole thing here. To whet your appetite, I offer the following quotes:

"I wish I could tell you that most pastors are preaching the Word. I can’t—some are not. Here are five things we may choose to do instead of preaching the Word..."


"If you don’t want to be the aroma of death to those who are perishing, you can never be the aroma of life to those who are being saved. That’s why preaching is hard work."

Monday, January 9, 2012

Book Review: "Tyndale- the man who gave God an English voice" by David Teems

"Tyndale: The man who gave God an English voice" is a book that gives great historical and biographical insight into the world of Christians during the 16th century in England, weaving facts and quotes into a well crafted tale to bring vibrancy to a life that ended nearly five centuries ago. Well known for his intellect and integrity before God, William Tyndale surely is a great subject for such an in depth book as this is. From the major players to those behind the scenes, each character is developed with great depth and gives more than a sense of knowledge, but adds in the senses of sight, taste, and touch to such characters as Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII, and even the dark strength of Thomas More. Heroes and villains come to life in the pages of David Teems writing.


The author draws you to more than knowledge of the character and life of Tyndale, but makes you feel some of what he must have felt living a life of exile for his beliefs and obedience to God. Abounding with quotes from other works of the period, one could easily become fully immersed in such a tale, even enough to truly feel the fear and trepidation that were the hallmark of William Tyndale's life. 


Though other books have drawn me to feel compassion for the characters and to know more of history, this book digs into the depths of the human soul, to challenge one's perception of long held beliefs that may indeed be more part of church history than the plan God designed the church to be. Taking on issues of power and trust within religious circles, this book is sure to raise a few eyebrows in disgust, and yet the story is evidence that sometimes one must break the mold of what we think we know to find what is truly God's design. A work of art that does true justice to the language of literature lovers, David Teems has left a great impression on this readers to be sure. 


Mark Cowperthwaite


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Remembering Joshua: 99 balloons

Remembering Joshua: 99 balloons: We saw this video diary of baby Eliot a few years ago. It is produced by Igniter Media and reminds us of each day, each hour, and each momen...

The whole Gospel and the whole church

We just got home from the meeting of the Christians at Henry Baptist Church here in McDonough, Georgia. It was good to see some friends from the community, we were greeted with joy and acceptance in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the music was joyful and very well done. These are some of the characteristics many people think about in a local church. Some are looking for fellowship in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, others have other motivations, but for me one thing stood out from this visit: the passion and accuracy of the Gospel message preached.

This month at HBC brother Archie Norman is preaching a series of messages concentrating on the Gospel. His text today was John 3:36. While I would love to dig deeper into this chapter, the summary verse reads as follows, the very words of Jesus Christ our Lord:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God remains on him."

Brother Archie drilled down on one point that, to me, is the essence of what is missing from many false gospel messages. So often, this last phrase is neglected. I have seen this phrase left out entirely, and even had a few explain to me why they leave it out. I was told that God's wrath abiding on a person sounds too heavy, too harsh, even cruel. So, they took God's wrath out and left it that "whoever believes has life, and whoever does not obey the Son misses out on life, but is still a good person generally". This is not at all what God's Word says, even the very Word of Life Himself, our Savior, said that God's wrath abides on every person who does not believe, and that they shall not see life.

In our family ministry, we have had the privilege to meet Christians from all backgrounds, many cultural and denominational convictions and beliefs. Here lies the heart of what we really have to worry about when we discuss with whom we should work: How is one saved, that is, passed from death to life? We see from this passage (and many others that were shared) that it is by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, by truly believing and obeying the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Human reasoning and intellectual belief in God will save no one. Belief in Jesus as a good teacher or prophet is not enough. God's Word says to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. This changing of the mind, turning from sin and self righteousness to agree with God and receive life through the blood of Jesus Christ is the true Gospel,  and this is what gives us fellowship with other believers. 

I have great convictions about many  things that I should obey. There are things in God's Word that we must agree on, and our fellowship in these things is in Christ. On the more practical side, I might not join this or other churches that we have visited, and we differ some on the practical out working of leadership, worship, or even the pattern of the meetings. Still, we have fellowship in Christ. We preach the same Gospel, we serve the same Lord, and we are commanded to have unity within the body of Christ. 

This unity is not the same as uniformity or unanimity. Some may prefer different music, give lengthier messages, or be called to different aspects of ministry. Some will meet in homes, others in rented buildings or large campuses, and yet we are to be unified  in Christ. Those who have been born again, saved, redeemed, bought by the blood of the Lamb, we are all one in Christ and will spend eternity together with Christ and all those who have called on His name  for salvation. Sadly, there are many who have "done church" for years, feel comfortable talking about the Lord, but have never truly come to obey the Gospel and believe on the Son in truth, passing from death to life, and becoming a new creation in Christ. My brother pleaded with such people to give up religion and give their life over to the Lord in truth today. This is the heart cry of every true Christian, that all would be saved. This echoes the heat of God, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Can we Christians unite under the Gospel, or will most continue to divide and refuse fellowship to those who rightfully deserve our love and would be a great asset in reaching the lost for Christ? I pray that we see more unity among Christians, and I know it will take great humility and patience with one another. Eternity is a long time to avoid talking with someone, and I personally don't think God will allow segregation and denominationalism in Heaven.

I just wanted to share this with you all today, as the message, music, and fellowship were a great blessing to our family today, but most of all the Biblical truth of the Gospel was preached and for that we praise God. We know the Lord's people gather in many places, by many names, and in many ways. Some are looking to the pattern of God's Word, some disagree on exactly what that looks like or feel that there is not a specific pattern to obey, some are looking to please the world and draw people in. I don't generally desire to point fingers at any, but rather to encourage those who I believe are true and faithful to what they believe according to God's Word. Let us find fellowship in the person and work of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, and walk in unity, laboring together for His name's sake.

For a list of churches where we have had the privilege to minister and have fellowship in Christ, see the Churches tab

Friday, January 6, 2012

Gospel Tract Friday



This week, I have been considering many aspects of the Gospel message. We have talked about redemption, grace, forgiveness, and mercy just to scratch the surface. I would like to continue to put together some Gospel materials that would be well received and even get people thinking, but I don't want to waste time reinventing the wheel. While I work on another Gospel tract of my own, I continue to enjoy the resources provided by others also. I know it is hard to catch people's attention nowadays, and I do so appreciate what others have labored over to share the Gospel. This week, I would like to highlight some Gospel materials by Living Waters.

The first is these curved illusion tracts. We have used these with kids for years, and they are always well received. Even if you have a hard time speaking to kids about the Gospel or fear what parents might do or say if you talked to their kid, you can share this tract with little interference.

The text on the back shares some trivia about how your eyes are easily deceived and a short Gospel message. We passed these out one Halloween and shortly after a family came back to us to talk. The kid had gotten no candy, as he was too busy showing his friends the trick. They all came back to get these tracts from us, all in all a pretty easy night's work in getting the Gospel out.

Another great tract from Living Waters is this "Ticket to Heaven" which is printed on paper that cannot be torn. It is also water and oil resistant, making for some fun when talking to teenage boys! I have loved watching people show off their strength with this one, get frustrated and humbled, and then often sit and listen to the Gospel message while they recoup their energy from the effort.

One reviewer writes of this tract: "Perfect for giving out after football games when guys are throwing the ball. "Good arm. How's your finger strength."

We hope these tracts get you thinking about sharing the Gospel, who the Lord has placed in your path, and what it is you would share with a lost soul if they were willing to sit and listen and talk with you. Be ready all the time, the Lord uses those who are obedient, prepared, and available.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

"To save a life" review... reviewed

I have watched the trailer for "To save a life" as linked by some friends who have used this film as an outreach for unsaved teens and their youth groups alike. "To save a life" was in theaters 2 years ago, and came out on DVD 16 months ago. I have not seen the whole film, yet I felt inclined to write this post as it concerned me so much.

I find it sickening the lengths to which some people will go to try to "be real". This review from Plugged In online sealed the deal that neither I nor anyone I have guidance over will ever watch "To save a life". Reading the youth pastor/screenwriters comments about how he chose to use certain curse words (and hand them to someone else to quote) is disturbing to me. Plugged In often does a good job with movie reviews, but I feel their discernment is in error as they have ended up promoting some seriously sinful activity in the name of reaching people. Says the writer:

"We never really set out to make a Christian film," he says. "We said we wanted to make a film for teenagers that would never set foot in a church but would go to the movies—something that would reach them. … We wanted to make a movie that really mattered, and that empowered students to be able to reach out to their friends."
The Bible clearly states (Romans 1:16) that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. It is not by being relevant, making friends with the world, "being like the world to win the world" (see James 4:4-8) and promoting sinful activity out of one side of your mouth while decrying that Jesus has a better way out of the other side. This is not the Gospel, it is not true to Scripture, and if we want to reach sinners, we might want to examine God's Word for better tactics before venturing into the arena of "To save a life". I know many will argue this point, and I encourage Biblical discussion of this post.

The review writer found a way to promote this movie, but he had to add an awful lot of qualifiers to do so. The "positive elements" section starts out with: Suicide. Sex. Teen pregnancy. Divorce. Drugs. Cutting. Hypocrisy. That didn't do me in, though, as I have been involved in youth ministry for years and know well the issues that many teens and parents deal with in our society. For me, to see a youth pastor writing a script that has two young folks not married to one another taking off clothes, rolling around on the bed together has gone a bit too far. We all know that this type of thing happens, but we don't need to see it, nor encourage people (in this case, they were paid) to engage in such activity. Whether you call it acting or not, the fact is this activity is sinful.

This movie adds to its credit a laundry list of ways to commit suicide, which at the least could lead some viewers to try out such methods that they might not have considered before. Add in a few drunken, stoned, drug dealing pastor's kids and you have the evidence the world is looking for to say that all Christians really are hypocrites at heart. Be sure the world is watching as this film directs people to curse, play-act sex, and more.

From the PI review: [Youth Pastor] Britts says he felt it was important for the party scenes to feel authentic—to show that there's a reason why teens gravitate to them. But he admits they were hard for him to have filmed. "Two or three times in between takes I had to say, 'I have to remind you that this life leads to sorrow,' because they were looking like they were having a lot of fun," he admits. "It was hard for me as a youth pastor to watch, even though I knew they were acting."

The writer seems oblivious to the fact that many youth group kids have not yet been involved in many of these activities, and in a sense he is actually luring them with these things that "they looked like they were having a lot of fun" with. These same Christians will complain that the public schools promote such things, yet they bring kids to church youth meetings to pollute their minds with more sinful, dangerous ideas in an attempt to prove a point. I have been around a while, and never seen something like this turn out for God's glory.

In my years dealing with teenagers, drugs, alcohol, sexual activity, and suicide, I have never once gone to the levels this film does to supposedly help. God's Word, the truth of the Gospel, and the power of the Holy Spirit to change and make new the old, dead sinful man is what will do the job. We don't need more movies about sex, drugs, and suicide. We need more people willing to invest in the lives of teens, to get in the trenches and do the dirty work. We need people like Jesus who loved the unlovely, but who kept Himself from sin in the process. We need more people to live like Christ, parents to do their job in training and nurturing young people, and to hold each other accountable for such things. Some are trying to do this, and they are using the tools promoted by "Christian ministries" while neglecting God's Word on the matters of evangelism, though their desires are pure they are missing the mark by a mile.

We are so scared as a society to offend someone that we are willing to watch their children die in the world to avoid a little pain for ourselves. I have no idea how after reading this review and seeing the trailer, that the review can end with a positive note:

 "The final product is polished, professional and one of the best Christian films I've seen."

At least the reviewer woke up enough to end well with this comment:

And, more significantly, Christian audiences may be legitimately troubled by some of this film's grittier aspects: The language. The drinking. The dope smoking. The cutting. The suicide. And the scene that shows the lead-up to teen sex.

For those who read this blog for my two cents worth, take the time you would have watched this movie and use it praying for God to open a door to reach a teen in crisis. Then, go out and walk through that door, following the pattern of God's Word for reaching the lost. Don't ask the world, don't ask any ministry that promotes sex in order to condemn sex. Don't follow the trends of the modern church, but go back to God's Word and obey what you read.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

CBD feature Wednesday

This week, our featured CBD product is the Faith Like Potatoes DVD. We have enjoyed this true life story of God's power and the trials endured by a man who fought God for far too long. When Angus Buchan came to the Lord for salvation, God began to use him for His glory. Along the way, Angus's faith was strengthened as he learned to rely on God for even the unimaginable. Click on the link below to purchase this DVD and a portion of your purchase will be given to support our family in ministry. Find other products via our CBD affiliate search engine in the right column of this blog.


292543: Faith Like Potatoes DVD Faith Like Potatoes DVD
By Affirm Films

Where there's love, there's hope. Adapted from the best-selling autobiography Faith like Potatoes, this inspirational film weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith - unseen until the harvest. This powerful DVD includes God's Farmer, a gripping, 54-minute documentary on the real life of Angus Buchan. Rated PG. Approx 116 minutes.

DVD Features:
  • God's Farmer: The Angus Buchan Story (54-Minute Documentary)
  • Making-of Featurette
  • English, French and Spanish Subtitles
  • Widescreen
  • Closed Captions

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Recent pics

January 2, 2012
Here are some recent pics from our place. Included are nights of Bible study, fellowship, Christmas Day, and a recent visit from the Good News on the Move team (GNOM).

Monday, January 2, 2012

GNOM visit to our house

We had a pretty busy weekend, met some new friends and got to see some friends from long ago. Our family spent Friday evening hosting the Love and Respect DVD study and fellowship time. We spent New Year's Eve with some of the Christians here in McDonough, but got home long before the new year arrived in the Eastern time zone.

Sunday, our family went to Gwinnett Bible Chapel just north of here, met some families that were quite welcoming, and we also saw our friends Sam and Elsa Matthai from Dallas. They were visiting for the first time also, so it was providential that the Lord let us see them for a quick visit after the meetings. I was invited to speak during the teaching hour, but due to seizures I was not able. I had a 5 minute long seizure that led a string of other seizures that lasted 1/2 hour or so. Tough morning, but I only had one seizure that night during the meeting at the Scarbrough home. One brother, John Michael Thomas, who we had met at Gwinnett that morning came to visit. This was a blessing, as he shared from God's Word in a lesson that blessed the youngest to the oldest in our group.

Also visiting our meeting in McDonough Sunday evening was the Groover family from Augusta, GA area. One of the ladies Sara meets with regularly from our church was not expecting to see her mother, brothers and sisters all show up at the Scarbrough home, but it was a welcome surprise. We had a blessed time of fellowship and fun, and then came the GNOM team!

The young men from Good News on the Move arrived at 730pm and the fellowship turned up a notch. This lively, fun, godly young men brought lots of energy and joy to our meeting, and we had a blast. Last night, JJ Ferrier, Caleb Harris, and Josh Baker stayed with the Scarbrough family, while Caleb Caeton, Josh Blessman, and Ian Milbrath stayed at our home. This morning the Scarbrough family had to drive to Albany for a funeral, so we hosted the team for breakfast. We then spent the rest of the morning talking, preparing them for Florida, and playing games on the Wii. You can see pictures, along with Mark's tongue-in-cheek commentary on our Picasa album online.

All in all, we had a great time with the guys, especially seeing Caleb Caeton again, with whom Mark had a great talk until about 1am. After the guys left about 1130am, Sara headed for a nap (missed 2 days worth of naps with the chaos of the weekend) and Mark kept the kids under control. That was all fine, well, and good until Mark had another string of seizures that lasted about 15 minutes and was more difficult to recover from than most events like this.

That is our update for the day. Sara is feeling better after a good nap, Mark is recovering and writing this all down as folks have asked for more information. Sara is talking with a friend on the phone while Nathaniel makes supper, and the youngest three are playing princess and prince. Some sort of argument about princesses, ballerinas, and what a servant's job should be. Just another day here at the funny farm.