Matthew: The Gospel of Identity Biblical Imagination Conference to be held at Christ Church April 25-26. Michael Card Concert to be held at East White Oak Bible Church April 27

Christ Church and East White Oak Bible Church are pleased to welcome back singer/songwriter, Bible teacher and author Michael Card for the Biblical Imagination Conference Matthew: The Gospel of Identity on April 25-26 and concert on April 27. The conference will be held at Christ Church and the concert at East White Oak Bible Church.

The short promotional video and description of the conference will give you an idea of what to expect at the conference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GafOGsbbz88

Tickets for the conference (which includes the concert) are just $58, and can also be purchased at: http://store.michaelcard.com/conference.aspx

Tickets for the concert only are just $18, and can also be purchased at: http://store.michaelcard.com/concerttickets.aspx

If you have any questions, or need additional information, please contact Bill Pence at (309) 452-5438 or bntpence@msn.com.

 

~ THIS AND THAT ~

LIGONIER MINISTRIES –

• Here are resources for Holy Week from Ligonier Ministries: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/resources-study-holy-week/
• Did God die on the cross? Check out this short article from R.C. Sproul: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/it-accurate-say-god-died-cross/
• Ligonier Ministries recently announced some updates to RefNet, their internet radio outreach. Read about the enhancements here: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/refnet-2-is-here/
• Daniel Hyde recently wrote on the controversial, but biblical doctrine of predestination. He states that before you speak a word about predestination, you need to emphasize the biblical teachings of humanity’s sin before God, God’s just punishment upon that sin, and the deep and high love of God. Then, and only then, does the biblical doctrine of predestination make any sense. Read his entire article here: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/predestination-dont-say-word-about-it-until/ 

TITILLATING TIDBITS –

• Check out Thabiti Anyabwile’s recap of last week’s Together for the Gospel Conference, which took place in Louisville: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2014/04/15/t4g-14-debrief/. You can listen or watch all of the messages from the Together for the Gospel conference at this link.
• Michael Card was the guest on good friend Wayne Shepherd’s radio program First Person with Wayne Shepherd this week. Check it out their conversation at http://www.firstpersoninterview.com/. In this interview, Michael states that he is writing his last 10-song album, on the Gospel of John, the companion to his last Biblical Imagination commentary.
• And speaking of Michael, his final book in the Biblical Imagination Series, John: The Gospel of Wisdom, will be released August 11.
• Tim Challies recently completed his 31 Days of Purity Challenge. The devotionals written during that time are now available as a free e-book. Read here to find out more: http://www.mikeleake.net/2014/04/free-31-days-of-purity-ebook-available.html
• John Piper recently spent 30 hours in the hospital. Following that he wrote “Ten Lessons from a Hospital Bed”. Read his article here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/ten-lessons-from-a-hospital-bed

BOOKS, MOVIES ETC. –

• Check out this article titled “When the Gospel Transforms Your 9 to 5”, which is an interview with Greg Gilbert and Sebastian Traeger , co-authors of The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Lives: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2014/04/08/when-the-gospel-transforms-your-9-to-5/ I’m always looking for good books that help me connect my faith and work. I’ve added this book to my reading list.
• And speaking of good new books added to my reading list, I’m really excited about Kevin DeYoung’s new book Taking God at His Word, which was released April 15. Here’s Tim Challies’ review of this new book:http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/taking-god-at-his-word
• One of my favorite athletes, Tim Tebow, will be the featured speaker at the Peoria Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) banquet on May 5. For more information read here: http://www.peoriafca.org/banquet-2014
• David Platt recently spoke about Heaven is for Real and other similar books. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEAko02HD5o
• Here’s a link to Eric Metaxas’ speech at CPAC 2014. The title of the speech is “Have We Forgotten the Story of America?”
• A Christian filmmaker, Matthew Robinson, is making a documentary on Martyn Lloyd-Jones entitled “Logic on Fire”. The website for the film is http://www.logiconfire.org. News of the film was announced at the recent “Together for the Gospel” gathering in Kentucky, right before a panel on the influence of Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the evangelical community.
• “God’s Not Dead” finished seventh in ticket sales this past weekend, picking up another $5.5M. This gives the film a total of $40.8M in just four weeks.

MUSIC NEWS-

• One of my favorite music artists, the great John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) will be in concert at the Chicago Theatre on July 27. You can purchase tickets here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07004C85FC11947A?wt.mc_id=EML_NTF368064_24[pt_e_p_5_of_12
• The Library of Congress recently added the work of Christian rock innovator Larry Norman to the National Recording Registry, an elite collection of recordings marked for special preservation as “cultural, artistic, or historical treasures.” Norman is the first Christian rock artist to be chosen, making the list with his groundbreaking 1972 folk-rock album Only Visiting This Planet. Read more from World Magazine here: http://www.worldmag.com/2014/04/christian_rocker_larry_norman_recognized_as_an_american_musical_treasure
• Some upcoming concerts of interest are:
•       Fernando Ortega at Lakeland Evangelical Free Church in Gurnee on October 11.
•       NEEDTOBREATHE at House of Blues in Chicago June 14-15.
• Congratulations to NEEDTOBREATHE for debuting at #1 on iTunes with their latest album Rivers in the Wasteland on April 15! Check out our review of this excellent new album in last week’s post.
• And speaking of congratulations….a big congratulations to Bubba Watson on his second Masters Championship in three years. Watson, who is a believer, also won in 2012. Read about his 2014 win here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2014/04/13/bubba-watson-jordan-spieth-masters-green-jacket/7678473/
• For those golfers in the crowd, here’s an interesting article from David Mathis on “Putting Golf in its Place”: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/putting-golf-in-its-place

 

~ UPDATED PAGES ON THE BLOG ~

Bill’s Bucket List– This is my “Bucket List”, or a few of those things that I would still like to do before I ‘kick the bucket’:

• Visit Israel with Michael Card as guide
• See Ringo Starr in concert
• Go skydiving
• Go to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach
• Go to the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National
• Travel internationally – Paris, London, Ireland, Scotland, etc.

We’d love to have you share your list with us!

Book Reviews –

~ A Violent Grace: Meeting Christ at the Cross by Michael Card

 ~ The Truth of the Cross by R.C. Sproul

~ The Women of Duck Commander: Surprising Insights from the Women Behind the Beards About What Makes This Family Work by Kay Robertson, Korie Robertson, Missy Robertson, Jessica Robertson, Lisa Robertson with Beth Clark

 

 

Movie Review – Draft Day

Courtesy of Christianity Today

 

Check out the updated QUOTES page and here’s a few more:

The only works of righteousness that serve to justify a sinner are the works of Christ. -R.C. Sproul

Do you know who you need to be saved from? You need to be saved from God. –   Voddie Baucham

The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. -J.S. Bach