Great Book

Hey everyone,

I haven't done this kind of thing for a while, but I want to share a great book I just finished. I'm really excited about it because it's one of the best books on Christianity I've ever read.

The book is N.T. Wright's Simply Chrisitian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. If you click on the picture you can go to the book on Amazon.com.

Thanks!

Jason Rodenbeck

This Coming Sunday

Hey everyone,

I've already received a couple of questions to go over this Sunday. So far it looks like the line-up is this:

One question regarded violence in the O.T. and harmonizing it with our reading of the non-violence of Jesus. We went over that in our LAST Q & A after the Beatitudes sermons, but it would be good to review.

The second regards the passage that was brought up last week, specifically Luke 22:36. In this passage, Jesus does tell his disciples to buy a sword. We're going to talk about why this Sunday.

I am interested in talking about how Christians must love and serve and honor those who have served in the military. I want to address that this Sunday.

I am also considering a brief look at the notion of "just war" reasoning. We may not get to all of these, but we should get started.

As we did last Sunday, it may occur to us to have an open-forum kind of discussion.

Hope to see you this Sunday!

Jason

Doris Richardson

Got this update about Doris:

Doris is doing okay. They feel like they got all of the cancer, but it was quite deep so she is still finding it hard to sit for long. Here are pictures of their new great grandbaby, Lucien Abraham Morris.

Q & A

This Sunday (the 30th) we began a discussion about the non-violent teaching of Jesus. The message ended with some lively discussion. It was GREAT! And we are going to continue that discussion next week. I already have a couple of questions to formulate answers on and we will most likely have some open-ended discussion again as well.

If you missed on Sunday, you NEED to check out the message on our podcast. Be sure to download the podcast on iTunes OR go HERE to listen from our website. That message was titled "What is the Atonement?"

If you would like to submit a question, please just respond to this emailed post. Or send a message to jason@castlechristian.com!

Thanks, and we'll see you next Sunday!

Jason

Q&A!

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago the topic of a Q&A was brought up. I've been planning on making that happen, but was going to wait another week or so.

However, a particularly candid and sincere conversation I had after church on Sunday revealed that it may be more prudent to address some key issues and concerns sooner than later. Here's what I'd like to do:

This Sunday, I'm going to take a break from Matthew to do a special message on the atonement. This message will be very special and I think will answer a lot of questions about why the messages have taken the direction they have. During that message, I will have Q&A forms that you can write your questions on. After that message, we'll collect those and, over the following week, I'll do my best to develop answers for those questions and bring them back the next Sunday.

A teaser: most of us saw the benefit of saying that Jesus' Kingdom is not a "religion." I was glad for that, because a lot of Christians never come that far. However, we need to explore the implications of that. What is "religion?" What is the purpose of "religion?" Where does it come from? How does Christianity become "religion?" What is the difference between Christianity the "religion" and the kingdom Jesus and John have talked about? Why did Jesus have to die on a cross? How is that a "sacrifice?" What did that accomplish? What does any of that have to do with "violence?"

Please, if you haven't been to church for a while, consider coming back for these two messages. I think they are very important and will answer a lot of questions.

Thanks!

Jason

Abby Holmes Update

Just got a text from Nathan: Abby Holmes' surgery is over and went exactly according to plan. She is a little groggy, but is expected to return home tomorrow.

Nathan said to thank you all for the prayers!

Jason

Doris Richardson

Just got this note from Ben:

Just a note to say I talked to Doris last night around 9:00pm and she reports she is doing better every day. She will find out this week if they got all of the problem area and must keep her stitches until next week.

Let's keep praying for Doris AND Dick.

Jason