Happy Birthday times 2, happy birthday times 2....

Today is our boys birthday! Both of our guys have their birthday on the same day. Lukas was born October 21st, 2001 at 8:13AM and Sylas was born October 21st, 2003 at 5:47PM! Happy Birthday boys!

200th member recount

Like with any good democratic process, there is bound to be those who disrupt law and order for their own persuits. Such is the case with our little 200th user contest. A few "spam users" have registered on the forum so we are still sorting out who will be crowned 200th user. Stay tuned!

200th member contest - Lurkers arise!

Since Januray of this year it's been amazing to see our little website grow! Over 30,000 visitors! Over 10,000 posts! Members have signed up on the forum from at least 15 countries, and every province in Canada (sorry no territories yet)

However, we are about to register out 200th member on the forum!! As of Friday, October 14th we sit at 198 members. To commemorate the registration of our 200th member we're going to celebrate the way we always do on the athensBlog, we're going to have a contest!

Calling all lurkers - this is your chance! If you've been reading this site for some time now, browsing here and there, but never really "getting into it", register today and win! What will you win you ask....well...you'll get to be the 200th member, isn't that enough?

If you're greedy, and if Matt Wilks can pull it off, we'll put your picture on the top of the forum (where my lovely family is now situated) for a month. Sound good? Well don't just sit there - click here to go to the discussion forum- and get registering!

Matt & Ruth updated their blog with a report on how they are doing in Pakistan - click here.

Why I don't give money to panhandlers

Coming off the Allen expressway at Eglinton I spotted a guy at the lights holding this sign. When the traffic stopped he put the sign down and went from car to car asking for change. I managed to snap a pic of his sign.

At least he was being honest, and I'm not even so sure he was all that homeless but my personal opinion is that it's better to give money to organizations like the Salvation Army, or Sanctuary than people panhandling.

The sayings of Sylas V4 - David & Goliath

Reading over some Bible stories today with the boys, when I asked Sylas what he knew about the story of David & Goliath:

Shawn: Do you remember what happened to Goliath
Sylas: ...hit....rock...hit head
Shawn: Then what happened
Sylas: ..go down...(flopping in his highchair to demonstrate)

Pray for Pakistan

Just received an email from our friends A and K who provided us with this picture of their old house in Pakistan.

our house is right there beside the rubble on the first floor & it is slightly damaged from the side

Pray for this country, the people, the government and especially Matt & Ruth.

*UPDATE* Chatting with "A" today who gave me this link for more pics and videos from local pakistani news : http://www.geo.tv/.

Bill Gates, Creationist?

I was reading on another blog when i found this link which states that:

Bill Gates supports intelligent design, and gives 1 million dollars a year to the Seattle Discovery institute

Catechumen V2

Back in June I posted the first installment of my search for early Christianity - here. Reading through Augustine's "Confessions", I discovered a group in the early church called Catechumen:

Catechumens were a well recognized group that would attend church services although they had to leave before the Eucharist. They could call themselves "Christians", not "seekers" or "the faithful".

Since Augustine lived in the late 4th century, I've been searching for earlier references to this church system, and how the "seekers", "cathechumen", "Christians" and "faithful" worked together in a local church.

Much to my delight I was reading yesterday in the "Ancient Christian Commentary", which my bro Matt Wilks has so graciously lent me, when I found this gem about Origen and what meetings at a local church were like around 200AD!

1. There was a weekly service on the Lord's Day which included three readings from Scripture - one from the Old Testament; one from the apostles, that is, from one of the New Testament epistles or Acts; and finally one from one of the four Gospels - each of which was followed by a short sermon. The ministry of the Word was then followed by prayers and communion. Nautin figures that by the time of Origen the reading of a lesson from the Law followed by a lesson from the Prophets had already been consolidated into a single lesson.

2. The second type of service was the midweek communion service held on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. These services concluded the weekly fast days observed by Christians at that period. At these services, according to Nautin, there was a reading from the Gospels and perhaps one from the apostels, but probably not from the Old Testament.

3. Finally there was a third type of service, the daily morning prayer service at which there was a reading from the Old Testament and, following it, an hour-long sermon, but no New Testament reading. Only these services were open to catechumens, according to Nautin.
(Old, Biblical Period, pp.341,42, citing P. Nautin, Origene, sa Vie et Son Oeuvre (Paris:Beauchesne, 1977), pp.389-412)

Since this system was in place just under 200 years after Christ, and some of our current church "systems" have been around for only 200 years (Brethren, Baptist, Pentecostal), this "snapshot" of the early church may be an exact replica of how the apostles conducted their meetings! This is authentic New Testament Christianity!

Again the idea of a layered approach, specifically in reference to the catechumen is firmly in place. As was noted in my last post there was not one general service for everyone, but rather levels whereby interested "seekers" could grow in grace and move up to hear more serious teaching.

What caught my attention most of all was the communion services on Wednesday night and Friday night, held after a fast. Imagine the power this would fuse into a community of believers! Imagine if we all came together for our mid-week bible studies knowing that everyone else had been fasting and praying ALL DAY! What power! Then to have communion together would further bind that community together. God help us as we seek to rediscover this New Testament Chrisianity!

Some questions for the discussion forum:

1. Should we be breaking bread 3 times a week?
2. Should we have a system for "seekers", "catechumen", "christians" and "faithful" instead of simply a sermon for everyone on Sunday morning?
3. Should we be fasting twice a week?
4. Should we be meeting every morning for prayer?

Should anything hold us back from changing our assemblies so they are more fitted to New Testament Christianity?

The sayings of Lukas V11 - The vegetarian

Today we were driving in the van and asked Lukas what he wanted to eat at Burger King. Here's how the discussion went:

Mommy: What do you want to eat Lukas? Chicken Nuggets?.....(no response) A burger....(long silence)...How about snails? (hoping to get some response)
Lukas: Mommy, we don't eat animals!
Mommy: (laughing) OK, what do you want to eat then? Vegetables?
Lukas: No, we don't eat animals or vegetables, we eat normal food....I want chicken nuggets!

Q3 report online

Just finished our Q3 2005 report and thought I'd post it here. Click here to download the Word document

CanadaHelps

Seeing as it's the first of a new month I wanted to write a bit about a new service I discovered online called CanadaHelps.org. This site helps charities by setting up online donations for them. I went on the site and found some of my favorites on their like MSC, Hellenic Ministries and Frontiers. You can make one-time donations or there is a neat monthly donation feature. I gave it a try last month, chose MSC, then designated a "worker" in the comments section and the money comes off my credit card automatically each month! Cool beans! Check it out at www.canadahelps.org

October loggin in

31Oct05- Mon - 7:30-9:30 - BBC leaders meeting
30Oct05- Sun - BofB (over 70), FBH with 4, Kellz, Cookie, Mickey, Jamoy. Mom's birthday
29Oct05- Sat - Pumpkin hunt with Nikko, Tricia, Michelle, Mina, Carina
28Oct05- Fri - Spoke at LAM christian fellowship, 50 tracts @ MAC, Dominoes with Jason, Josh, Jamoy, Kevin, Tony at Wilfreds (regular youth at Bridlegrove)
27Oct05 -Thurs - read to daycare kids, 50 tracts @ LAM, visit thursday program
26Oct05- Wed - prayer
24Oct05- Mon - admin, correspondence, planning (9->3PM=6hours)
23Oct05- Sun - 10:30-2:30->FBH with 7 (Jamoy, Cookie, Mickey, Kellz, Kevin, Clayon, Rashad[first]), spoke at Don Valley Missionary Luncheon. Evening 5:30-9:30 Markham Bible Chapel evening service, chatted with youth leaders, friday speakers, farewell for McGraths/Shauna-Lee (8hrs)
22Oct05- Sat - Feast with Jamoy, Cookie, Kevin, Clayon - 5PM-11PM (6hours)
21Oct05- Fri - Daycare closed for water repair, Lukas birthday party at Daycare - night: Youth vs. Fellowship of men (33 + F.O.M - 36), Arnie spoke - 5PM-11PM (6hours)
20Oct05- Thur- 9:30AM-4:30PM Hayley nursing course@baycrest
19Oct05- Wed - 9:30AM-4:30PM (7hrs)- installing Bridlegrove computers (internet, Virus scan, network, wireless), 7:45-9:45 Bible study (2hrs)
18Oct05- Tues-
17Oct05- Mon - Hayley's parents arrive
16Oct05- Sun - BofB, FBH with 5 - Kevin, Jamoy, Cookie, Kellz, Deshawn (first time), Shawn's birthday
14Oct05- Fri - youth - 27 (3 Leaside),
13Oct05- Thurs - Read to daycare kids, speak at Awana
12Oct05- Wed - Pumpkin Hunt planning, Hilltop, Bible study (Clayon, Kellz, Cookie, Sebastian)
11Oct05- Tues- admin
10Oct05- Mon - Thanksgiving
09Oct05- Sun - BofB, FBH (7) with Clayon, Kevin, Jamoy, Cookie, Kellz, Noah, Frank
08Oct05- Sat - prayer n share, CRUX planning
07Oct05- Fri - youth (18), John Merrick spoke
06Oct05- Thurs - 200 tracts @ MAC with Greg Gordon (chat with Mrs. Western, break up Chris/Thanusan fight)
05Oct05- Wed - prayer, (event) Clayon, Kevin, Cookie, Stephen to UAC for Hip Hop Hoe-down with Jesse Weeks
04Oct05- Tues - doctor
03Oct05- Mon - correspondence, Q3 report,
02Oct05- Sun - BofB, FBH with 10 - Kevin, Cookie, Kellz, Nathan, Frank, Clayon, Jordan & friend, Jamoy, Nickey. Markham fair with kids.
01Oct05- Sat - 10-9 Wonderland with Jason, Joy, Ryan, Katherine, Mark, Cassie

CrossMovement concert pics

Click here to check out pics of the CrossMovement concert
I also took a few videos - here -

Crux videos online

On Saturday night, the CRUX rally was half over when Sebastian asked me "Yo why aren't we taping this". Honestly, I hadn't thought of it before, and Sebastian hadn't asked me earlier (perhaps because he came in late, which won him a "CP time award") so I grabbed the video camera, gave it to Sebastian and he started recording. As you watch the videos just keep in mind that Sebastian is doing his best, and keep focused on the Christ-exalting lyrics! Praise God! Praise God! I've chopped the entire video down into little pieces. Jason's talk is 133MB so I'm going to chop it into segments soon.

For now, click here, then choose a video!

News Flash from Veronica

...for you out there who are worried about this new fangled music, news flash! Young people are the next generation and like or not we are in conrol of your future. So better to have good music promoting good values which would encourage young people to come to church, then to have an old fashioned, and tradtional uninteresting sermon which would push away the young people.

Just one of the many opinions you'll find on the rap music discussion - here

Random Ministry pics V1

To help keep everyone updated on our ministry here in Toronto we've developed a new section of the blog called "Random Ministry pics". This will be a regular feature from time to time as new pics become available. These may be informative, humorous, serious or just random pictures. These pictures provide a quick visual reminder for those who pray for us.

This week you've already seen the CRUX pics, but today I saw this picture of Hayley and just had to post it. I'm not sure what she's doing with those chopsticks, perhaps trying to figure out the best way to attack the chinese dishes in front of her? Perhaps planning a way to impale herself so she doesn't have to consume the unkown chinese delicacies? What do you think she's doing with her chopsticks? This picture was taken when we went for dinner at our neighbours house, Sherri and Feng who are new Chinese immigrants to Canada. We have talked to them many times about the Lord, but they remain Buddhist, as was evidenced by the statues around their home. We have given them books like John Piper's "The Passion of Jesus Christ" to read. Please pray for them that they would understand the gospel!

Which childhood hero are you?

I saw these on Hansens blog and just had to do them myself. Give em a try!:

1. Which Transformer are you? - click here

2. Which Ninja Turtle are you? - click here

CrossMovement concert this Friday

For the first time ever (well at least the first time I can remember) the CrossMovement is in Toronto!!! If you don't know, CrossMovement is the finest in Christian hip-hop. Just check out their lyrics - here. Especially their hit "Lord you are". The concert is this Friday, 6PM @ Canada Christian College! 15.00 at the door. Be there. More details - click here

Lego Bible updated

Just updated yesterday! Click the link ->here<- to see what Samson would look like if he was a lego figure :)