-
A Carnivore Christmas Devo with Pastor Al (Carnivore Theology Ep. 57)
We’re continuing our annual advent tradition by taking some time to give some personal, devotional reflections on the season. Steve, Chad and I thank you for listening this year and hope you have a Blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas. Podcast Audio: How Can You Help Carnivore Theology? 1. Ask us a question in…
-
Are Muslim Refugees Our Neighbours? (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 54)
Jesus told us to love our enemies, but that seems very complicated these days. Immigration concerns for the people being displaced by jihadist radicals is a growing concern. Many thousands of refugees are being displaced and seeking new homes around the world. How should Christians respond to this humanitarian crisis? What about our enemies…
-
Sharing Our Faith Can be Scary (Kid’s Sermon)
We just had Halloween a couple weeks ago, and of course that strange season is one where people talk about scary things like ghosts and vampires and zombies. Who here went trick-or-treating? Did you see anything scary? Well, I went digging around on the internet to learn about some different things that people are…
-
What is a “Good Church”? (Carnivore Theology: Ep 52)
Every Christian wants to attend a “good church”, but we all seem to have different ideas of what a “good church” looks like. The guys take on this question and give a biblical perspective. Podcast Audio: Behind the Scenes Video: How Can You Help Carnivore Theology? 1. Ask us a question in your voice on…
-
Love Does (AWANA Kid’s Talk)
When I was asked to speak here this evening, I grabbed onto a theme that I’d already spoke to another group about. They’re going through a book called “Love Does” and discussing what it means to love people in a real, hands-on, practical, concrete, expressive, applied way. I really appreciate that theme and was…
-
How Do I Deal with Discouragement? (Reading the Beatitudes Forwards, Backwards & Inside-Out) (Burning Questions Series #3)
Don’t forget to take a look at the Kickstarter for my new book! Click here to check it out! This World is Getting Worse (And There’s Nothing We Can Do About It) Last week we said that this world is not our home. Has anyone felt that they just want to get off this planet and…
-
Response to Buzzfeed’s “I’m Christian, But I’m Not…” (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 44)
What is a Christian Anyway? Our Response to Buzzfeed’s viral video: “I’m Christian, But I’m Not” answers some important questions: “What is a Christian?” “How do we respond to popular culture’s idea of what a Christian is and isn’t?” “Can a person be a Christian but not follow the Bible?” and “How can we minister…
-
If God Wore a Superhero Suit, What Would it Look Like? (Burning Questions Series)
Our Hills Of Difficulty I’ve been reading through The Pilgrim’s Progress – again – (a book I highly recommend) and was reminded how often the Christian life is described as a journey. The Pilgrim’s Progress (click for a free copy!) is the story of Christian’s journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. To go…
-
5 Commitments to Prevent Divorce in Your Marriage and Promote Unity in Your Relationships (Mark 10:1-12)
“And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them,…
-
Mother’s Day & The Persistent Love of God
“Before I was a Mom” By Suzana Haertzen (Hart-zen) Before I was a Mom…I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing. I had quiet conversations on the phone. Before I was a Mom… I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed…
-
What Does it Mean to “Deny Ourselves” and “Take Up Our Cross”? (Mark 8:34-9:1)
The Bali Nine This week in Indonesia, a group of eight convicted drug traffickers who were caught, arrested, and tried, finally met their end at their execution. I can’t imagine there is much sympathy out there for a group of drug smugglers, and there aren’t too many people in the world who would have…
-
The Reluctant Doctor (Mark 7:24-30)
The Story of the Reluctant Doctor Once upon a time there was a doctor of medicine. This doctor was somewhat controversial, in that, though his patients were cured, he used extremely unconventional, even odd ways to cure them – he also had a bit of a mouth on him. He tended to…
-
A Warning Against Hypocrisy in Our Religious Activity (Mark 7:1-23)
“Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of…
-
Passion Week Series: Good Friday (Arrest & Crucifixion)
[Due to technical difficulties, there is no podcast audio of this sermon. Sorry.] We’re in the last days of our Passion Week series, the days from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, and it’s been a harrowing week. On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem fulfilling many prophecies and declaring Himself to be the King…
-
Why Should Believers Today Care About the Psalms? (Feat. Special Guest Wyatt Graham!) (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 31)
The 31tst episode of “Carnivore Theology”. Reading & Praying the Psalms Today What can a bunch of weird, old poems from ancient Israel do to help us with our prayer life? A lot, as it turns out. Our special guest Wyatt Graham helps us understand the amazing relevance of the psalms to our daily walk of…
-
50 Shades of Evil (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 26)
The 26th episode of “Carnivore Theology”. What’s So Bad About “50 Shades of Grey” Anyway? Facebook is filled with conversations for and against seeing the movie “50 Shades of Grey”. In Canada right now, Jian Ghomeshi is in the news regarding abuse charges that reflect the content of 50 Shades. There are people that…
-
From Saul to Paul: A Conversion Story
Saul: Enemy of the Church Paul has an amazing testimony, and it’s broken up into two very different parts. The part he is most famous for is where He is Paul, the great missionary and theologian of the Christian church. But he wasn’t always the Apostle Paul – for the beginning of his life he…
-
Ground Yourself (The Parable of the Two Builders)
I’ve started a, sort of, impromptu series that I’m unofficially calling “Kick Off the New Year Right” or “How to Prepare for 2015”… or something like that. The series title doesn’t matter. What matters is that I want to spend a little while going over a few things that we need to make sure…
-
The LGBT Episode (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 22)
The 22nd episode of “Carnivore Theology”. The LGBT Episode This beginning of the year, super-sized episode, takes on a current, controversial and emotionally charged topic: What does the Bible say about Homosexuality? How should we, as followers of Christ respond to the LGBT movement? Podcast Audio: Click here to download the episode MP3. Here’s the…
-
“Forgive Them”
The sinless One and judge of mankind was arrested in the middle of the night, dragged into a mockery of a trial where he was falsely accused publicly humiliated. The King of Kings was and brought before the foolish and wicked Herod Antipas, who had beheaded his cousin John the Baptist and wanted…
-
Scrutinizing Our Path as the New Year Approaches
Podcast Audio: Ant City “For Christmas one year we bought our children what was called, ‘Ant City.’ This consisted of clear plastic plates on either side, filled with sand and ants. From our vantage point outside and above, we could see what these busy little creatures were doing underground. We watched as they tunneled…
-
Jesus of the Advent Candles
Podcast Audio: Over the past month many churches around the world have celebrated Advent using a special wreath of candles. It is a simple and beautiful way to remind us that the meaning of Christmas. Each week we light a different candle, read a special scripture, and are reminded of another meaning of what…
-
Totally Depraved Shepherds (Why “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves” is WRONG WRONG WRONG!)
Podcast Audio: The Christmas story has been told so many times that, to some, it can lose its potency. We all think we know it so well… Mary, Joseph, Manger, Wise Men, Shepherds, Herod, etc., etc. I want to ask you to try to listen again for the first time and thentake a look…
-
The Hope of Christmas with Steve (Carnivore Theology Special: Ep. 21)
The 20th episode of “Carnivore Theology”. Christmas Mystery During the Christmas season the CT guys are taking a little time to share some special Christmas memories and devotionals in these 5 minute episodes. This week Steve shares the hope we find at Christmastime. Podcast Audio: Click here to download the episode MP3. As Always, We Want Your Feedback Please give it…
-
An Inexplicable God
Podcast Audio: Insatiable Curiosity Today, we want to have an explanation of everything. We want to know how everything works, where it came from, what it’s doing, why it does it, and what it’s going to do next. Our society has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. Sociologists study people so they can learn how…
-
Anger and Arguing (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 16)
The 16th episode of “Carnivore Theology”. Are Christians Allowed to Get Angry? Biblically, how angry is a Christian allowed to get? Can a Christian argue with another believer or non-believer? Did Jesus ever yell and argue? And what does this all have to do with Star Wars?!? Podcast Audio: Click here to download the episode in MP3.…
-
Getaway: Jesus Kidnaps His Disciples
Podcast Audio: We’re back into the Gospel of Mark. So far in Chapter 6 we’ve talked a lot about what happens to people who are faithful about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. First we saw Jesus rejected and almost stoned to death in his hometown. Then as Jesus sends out the twelve to…
-
Christianity, Evolution & The Pope (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 15)
The 15th episode of “Carnivore Theology”. Click here to subscribe. Can a Christian Believe the Theory of Evolution and Stay Faithful to the Bible? The Pope recently said that Creationism and Evolution are compatible, what does this mean and what are the implications of the statement? Podcast Audio: Click here to download the episode in MP3.…
-
Remembrance Day: Poppies, Martyrs, Suffering & Certainty
Podcast Audio: John McCrae and Flanders Fields The poppy has long been, in Canada and around the world, a memorial symbol of fallen soldiers. It has come to represent the immeasurable sacrifice made by those who have died defending and preserving the rights and freedoms of others. It was a Canadian physician, Lieutenant Colonel…
-
The Ottawa Shooting – How Should Christians Respond?
Podcast Audio: Trying Times These are trying times in the lives of the people of Ottawa, Canada and the world. We’ve experienced something here in Canada that we are not used to – an attack on our own parliament buildings. Canadians across the country were glued to their TVs and computers as they watched…
-
Be the Background (Life is Better There)
Every now and again I have the wonderful privilege of speaking to a group of AWANA children. Here’s a talk I gave recently (based on this previous post). Podcast Audio: Background is Important Cartoons wouldn’t be the same without the background, would they? You’d see the characters doing things, but you wouldn’t know where…
-
The Importance of Knowing Our Core Values
Podcast Audio: It’s important that we remind ourselves what God has been telling us in scripture, in prayer, and through the leadership of the church. Which is why, if you recall before Thanksgiving, we started a short series on our Mission and Core Values statements. What is a Core Value? When we asked the question,…
-
Total Depravity and Thanksgiving Dinner
Podcast Audio: Let’s talk about Nehemiah 8. But before we do, let me give you a quick background to what’s going on. After the peaceful reign of King Solomon, the son of David, was over, the kingdom of Israel split in two. Israel to the North where 10 tribes were living, and Judah to…
-
Don’t Mess with Jesus’ Kids (Abortion, Parenting and Ministering to Children)
Podcast Audio: “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you,…
-
Truth In Love – Loving People in a Biblical Way
Podcast Audio: Our church’s mission statement says that we “share the love of Jesus” two ways: “….through Biblical Teaching and loving relationships.” The second part of that is easy to understand. We have a loving relationship with Jesus and that makes us prioritize having loving relationships with others. Agents of Truth But sometimes it doesn’t…
-
The Importance of “We”
Podcast Audio: “I Need a New Seven-Hundred-and-Ten” A man walks into a car dealership. He’s not fond of being there, because he knows that some of these places are famous for ripping people off, so his plan is to not let on that he has no idea what he’s talking about. He gets into…
-
Be the Frame Not the Picture
Podcast Audio: Do you know what this is? It’s quite famous and has been around for over 100 years. Millions and millions of people have seen this, probably including yourself. Now can you identify it? Of course you can. Interesting isn’t it? When people go to the Louvre in Paris, not too many even see the…
-
Why Do People Hate Christians?
Podcast Audio: “He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such…
-
Having Faith During Suffering and Crisis
Podcast Audio: And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little…
-
How Temptation Works
Podcast Audio: The Bug Zapper Have you ever sat outside next to a bug zapper? My parents have one. It’s a little gadget that hangs from the roof of their patio and glows. And the light that emits from it attracts bugs… and when they get close… ZAP! I know exactly how those little…
-
Satan and Demons (Origin, Powers, Defeat and Going On The Offensive)
Podcast Audio: Three Realms Sun Tzu in “The Art of War” says, “Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” That’s a great quote and it’s hugely applicable to the Christian life. One could almost summarize the path of discipleship using almost those words. Being a Christian…
-
Where is God When Bad Things Happen? (Or, If God is Good, Why Does Evil Exist?)
Don’t forget to enter the “Be the New Podcast Intro Voice” Contest! Podcast Audio: Don’t You Care? “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats…
-
Don’t Underestimate the Small Things (Parable of the Mustard Seed)
Podcast Audio: Jesus & Parables When Jesus was speaking to crowds, instead of wowing them with His intellectual power or overwhelming them with theological lectures, He often spoke in little word pictures that captured people’s attention and forced them to use their imaginations to think through big ideas. We call them parables. There may…
-
“The Growing Seed” – Having Patience when God Seems Inactive
I’m back from vacation and looking forward to catching up on my posts. I had a wonderful holiday and I’m very thankful to the church for allowing me to be able to spend time with my family taking a break. I hope you are all able to do the same this summer. Podcast Audio: Planting…
-
The Demise of Biblical Manhood (a Father’s Day Sermon)
Podcast Audio: The Same Message I’ve been reading a lot about men these days. I just finished The Screwtape Letters and The Abolition of Man by CS Lewis, Happy Happy Happy by Phil Robertson, and am half-way though Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield. Mansfield is a New York Times best selling…
-
“Weigh It Out” – The Importance of Being a Doer and Not Just a Hearer
Podcast Audio: I want to take you on a bit of a journey around scripture today. We’re still in the Gospel of Mark, but we’re going to jump around a bit to explain part of what we are going to talk about today. First, open up to Mark 4:21-25. Let’s remember our context. Jesus…
-
Spiritual Journaling Using Scripture as your Guide
Podcast Audio: Last week I gave you a brief introduction to Spiritual Journaling using Scripture as your Guide. (If you haven’t read that yet, I suggest you start there.) I said that the system I’m teaching isn’t the only way to meet with God, but it is one way that has worked for me…