The new ESV Study Bible, published by Crossway, is awesome. It's a fact. Some would say expensive, I would say an investment. Holy Scripture, great features, great concordance, great articles (of which there are many), an all-around wonderful Bible. I am a happy man.
I have added this to the sidebar as well, for easy access. John Piper is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Very bright. Very good preacher. Very quality. He actually preaches the Gospel. Wow, what a novelty. His sermon in the 2009 section about "letting the Word abide in you" is earth-shaking. Do yourself a favor and listen to this man. And despite being baptist (sorry guys, there's nothing magical in the water)...well, there's nothing more to say. I'm speechless.
One of my old high school buddies is directing a project with the Presbytherian Church USA entitled, "The Church is Alive." The idea and belief that shapes this project is that the church is alive and that this notion is evidenced in all of the good works that you see people doing in the Name of God. Sounds good...wrong answer.
Simple answer is this: The Church is alive because Jesus Christ is alive. Good works are not enough. They are, in fact, the overflow of something we believe internally...that Jesus Christ is the reason for all good things. Unfortunately, the Western Church is dead. Yes, the Holy Spirit moves all over the place and could completely make me eat crow in one second. But, right now, with a rising number of professing atheists, who call themselves "free thinkers" (not even knowing that they are actually slaves to their own intellect), the church is overall dead. And, unfortunately, PCUSA is clueless in this case.
Keeping along that cheery thought, then, what is church? Why even do it? Is it worth it? Take a look at this video. Tell me what you think.
