Theology

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See (OG, Obie, & the Cereal Bowl)

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I snapped this picture on my phone this morning at the breakfast table.  Uncle OG was finishing off the last drop of his milk in his cereal bowl while my oldest son, Obadiah, learned from the entire spectacle.

Never a dull moment in the Agnew house.

“Oh, be careful little eyes what you see…”

This song was in my head going to work this morning.  You can imagine how Obadiah finished his cereal off after watching his Uncle OG.  Oh, the things my family teaches my boys!

While this episode is simply humorous (and I hope it made your day 😉 ), it was a great reminder that my boys watch my every move.  Would I really be happy as a father if they mimicked my every behavior?

Would I be proud if they copied my:

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College Bible Study – 2 Weeks Left!

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It’s hard to believe that we only have 2 more weeks of our college Bible study at North Side.  I have LOVED pouring into these students this year, and I think I have some great ideas for next year and even something for those around this summer. For the remaining 2 weeks, I have some …

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Should I Tithe While in Debt?

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One of the most frequented asked questions I receive from people concerning giving is: “should I tithe while in debt?”

My short answer is yes.

Now, here is the medium answer concerning why I say, “yes.”

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Praying With Your Eyes Wide Open

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When we were little, adults taught us to pray with our eyes closed.  I suppose it had something to do with eliminating distractions or focusing on the One that we can’t see physically.

My son, Eli, has a different approach.

And I don’t plan on stopping him.

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Anticipating the Arrival

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There’s nothing like going home to me.  I wish you could follow along with me my drive up the driveway after work every day.  The excitement is at different levels at different days, but normally I walk into 3 people jumping around and cheering like I am the best person in the world.  No matter how hard the day had been, this hysteria at 5:10 makes all things right in the world.

The other day, as I noticed Obadiah and Eli’s faces pressed against the window, banging on it with their hands, I thought they had gotten taller.  Turns out, they had climbed up on the window sill anticipating my arrival.  I don’t know why Eli was still peering out the window when I was standing behind him, but regardless, it was a special moment as they climbed up eager to see my truck arrive in the driveway (even if they did disobey by climbing up there).

The reason they get that excited is due to their perception of the person they are anticipating.  I don’t think I’m that spectacular, but in this season of life, they do.  And they show me in how they eagerly wait and celebrate my arrival.

The problem is that we aren’t that eager concerning Jesus’ return.

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Imitation is the Sincerest of Flattery

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“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”  -Ephesians 5:1

Last night in our C-Group, we dug in deep into Ephesians 5 and sought to learn what it meant to imitate God.  One of the guys made a great point at how his son wanted to imitate him because he looked up to him.

I could relate.  It amazes me that these two wonderful boys, Obadiah and Eli, look up to their father.  Over the last few weeks, they have hopped around like they were on crutches  tryinb to be like Daddy.  Obie keeps telling me has a boo boo on his foot like me.  On Christmas morning, when they both got guitars, they stepped up to the microphone, stomped on foot pedals, and said, we are “playing and singing like Daddy.”

If imitation is the sincerest of flatteries, then I am a flattered man.

During group last night, I realized something with massive implications: they imitate me because they want to!  You may be thinking that is obvious, but do you get the spiritual implications?

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What is the Age of Accountability?

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Much debate surrounds the issue of the age of accountability. When the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom (Matt 18:1), he sat a child down before the disciples to answer their question (Matt 18:2). It would have been pointless for Jesus to exalt a child to hold the mantle of who …

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Spoiled Rotten

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13 For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
(Galatians 5:13-15, HCSB)

Spoiled Rotten

As a parent, I have certain rules and stipulations by which I prefer my children to adhere. My wife and I have standards of bed time routines, dietary selections, and level of freedom bestowed upon our children. We want our children to have fun, but we have certain rules we prefer them to live by.

That is, until they go and spend time with their grandparents.

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Stop Church Hopping

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There is a growing epidemic in the United States concerning church hopping. More churches’ membership numbers fluctuate not due to new converts but due to revolving membership doors. When someone becomes upset with music styles, church programs, carpet color, differences with another member, frustration with a staff member, or any other reason, people move their …

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Election, Limited Atonement, and Other Things That Make You Think

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After Jeff’s message on Sunday dealing with election and predestination, I have gotten the chance to have some great followup conversations with church members.  That means, people have had some questions.  So, I thought I would give you a brief summary of some of the conversations.

  1. God is God – If God says that to get into heaven, you have to stand on your head and cluck like a chicken for 475 days straight, you have to.  He’s God.  Get over it.  So the first rule before entering into this conversation is just because something doesn’t feel right or fair doesn’t mean it might not be reality.
  2. Election is in the Bible – Like it or not, the concept of election and predestination are in the Bible.  Are they as thoroughly explained as church discipline, the Great Commission, or Christ’s work on the cross?  No.  But the concept is there even if it isn’t explained in Scripture as thoroughly as we may desire.

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