Life in Tuscaloosa After the Tornado

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Jay Guin

I’ve gotten a couple of questions about how things are going here in Tuscaloosa after the tornado.

I can’t adequately express how much I appreciate the many, many volunteers who’ve come to help. We’ve had so many relief workers come that we had to cancel Sunday school classes — the rooms were filled with volunteers and air mattresses! At times, we’ve had over 100 people living in our church building — being fed breakfast and supper by our many volunteers, who formed 7 cooking teams to prepare two meals a day for 9 straight weeks. Continue reading →

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Romans: God is Not Fair, Part 3 (Romans 1, An Overview)

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Jay Guin

We now turn to Romans 1, which, like all chapters of Romans, presents a heavy dose of difficulty.

(Rom 1:18-1 ESV)  18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,  23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.  Continue reading →

Posted in All, God Is Not Fair | 30 Comments

Romans 7, According to U2

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Jay Guin

Don’t believe the devil
I don’t believe his book
But the truth is not the same
Without the lies he made up

Don’t believe in excess
Success is to give
Don’t believe in riches
But you should see where I live

I…I believe in love

Don’t believe in forced entry
Don’t believe in rape
But every time she passes by
Wild thoughts escape
I don’t believe in death row
Skid row or the gangs
Don’t believe in the Uzi
It just went off in my hand

I…I believe in love

Don’t believe in cocaine
Got a speed-ball in my head
I could cut and crack you open
Do you hear what I said

Don’t believe them when they tell me
There ain’t no cure
The rich stay healthy
While the sick stay poor

I…I believe in love

Don’t believe in Goldman
His type like a curse
Instant karma’s going to get him
If I don’t get him first

Don’t believe that rock ‘n’ roll
Can really change the world
As it spins in revolution
It spirals and turns

I…I believe in love

Don’t believe in the 60′s
The golden age of pop
It glorifies the past
While the future dries up

Heard a singer on the radio late last night
He says he’s gonna kick the darkness ’til it bleeds daylight

I…I believe in love

I feel like I’m falling
Like I’m spinning on a wheel
It always stops beside a name
a presence I can feel

I…I believe in love

Posted in All, God Is Not Fair | 4 Comments

The Housing Allowance: Who Qualifies?

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Jay Guin

[This is an usually long post, but I couldn't think of a way to split it. It's a complicated topic.]

For what ought to be a very simple concept, the housing allowance can be surprisingly difficult to apply in a Church of Christ setting. Let me explain.

What is the “housing allowance”?

Originally, the rule was that a minister didn’t have to pay income tax on the rental value of a house provided him by the church — often called a “parsonage.” Congress extended the same treatment to a minister who owns his own house. In that case, the church has to classify a part of his salary as a “housing allowance.” Continue reading →

Posted in All, Taxes | 2 Comments

Mission Church Seeking Help

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Jay Guin

I get emails –

We are a church which is healing from legalism, and we aren’t sure where to turn in our time of need. You see, we were a very legalistic church, who was being financially supported by other legalistic churches of Christ. Since we have left the dark, burdensome path of legalism, we have been disfellowshipped, marked as heretics, and have lost $2,000 per month in financial support.

We need financial support because of our size. When my wife and I moved here to work with the church there were only 13 members. Since then our number has grown to 50.

We are writing to ask if you can help us, or know of someone who can. Our contacts are limited, and we are not willing to go back into bondage just for money’s sake.

Thank you for your consideration.

If you’re interested in helping, contact me at jfguin(at)comcast(dot)net, and I’ll put you in touch with the minister who made this request.

You know, one of the greatest barriers to leaving legalism and finding grace is money. Sometimes the preacher is afraid of losing his job. Sometimes the church or missionary is afraid of losing it’s or his support.

Therefore, one of the most blessed things you can do is support those who’ve made the transition, trusting God’s gracious provision. And you just may be part of God’s plan to provide for his children who are fleeing legalism.

 

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Is God Fair? A YouTube Response to the Question

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Jay Guin
Posted in All, God Is Not Fair | 16 Comments

Missions: Mark Woodward, Parts 8 and 9

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Jay Guin

In Part 8 of his series, Mark builds on his suggestion that missionaries be identified, recruited, and sent by the local church from within the local church, rather than almost entirely recruited by our Christian colleges and nonprofits. He’s not so much opposed to recruitment by colleges and nonprofits as anxious that we build a broader base — and the broadest possible base is the sum of all our churches. Continue reading →

Posted in All, Church Plants and Foreign Missions | 2 Comments