america's new challenge
January 20, 2009 by Dan King
Filed under engaged in culture
My church got a nice surprise recently. An old friend happened to be in the area, and we had the opportunity to have him come speak at our Saturday night service. Rob Schenck is a missionary that is supported by our church, and his mission field is with the federal government in Washington D.C.. The organization that he runs is called Faith and Action, and their offices are directly across the street from the United States Supreme Court.
Rob joined us as we are in the midst of a historic transition to a new White House Administration. And while much of the church is in disagreement over Barrack Obama, Rob’s message to us now is one that rings true. Rob shared a scriptural perspective on the new administration that every Christian needs to hear. We have posted this message in it’s entirety in our church’s group on Facebook, and I would like to share the videos with you here. Rob first shares a little bit about himself and his mission in our nation’s capital. Rob then shares the Word of God as it relates to America’s New Challenge…
America’s New Challenge, Part 1 (18:18)
America’s New Challenge, Part 2 (19:29)
Please join me as I and many others pray for our nation and it’s leaders. May God continue to bless America!
Know Your Role
June 7, 2007 by Dan King
Filed under perspectives
The topic of submission is such a difficult topic to discuss these days. So often the idea of submission is taken as a sign of weakness. But Biblically, it is a source of strength. God did not call us to be rogue individuals, He called us to be a part of a body which has a Head. If we are to ever fulfill our place in life, then we should all know our role, and submit ourselves to the various authorities over us.
You may also be thinking… “but not to ungodly authority!” If that’s what you think, then you probably need to humble yourself and try again. Listed below, I’ve assembled a great list of resources to help you study this topic of authority.
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7 Prayers That Will Change Your Life Forever By Stormie Omartian / Countryman She’s helped thousands of devoted followers by revealing The Power of a Praying Wife. Now Omartian shares a handful of prayers for everybody! You’ll be edified and inspired as you learn to approach God for confession, salvation, pardon, promise, submission, praise, and blessing. A great way to energize stuck-in-a-rut devotions! 128 pages, 5″ x 7″ hardcover from Countryman.
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Authority & Submission By Watchman Nee / Living Stream Ministry Our God is a God of order and divine arrangement, and He desires that all things be headed up in Christ (Eph.1:10). In opposition to the divine will, there is rebellion and chaos in God’s creation due to the fall of humanity. According to God’s divine arrangement, the reestablishment of order in the universe is centered on the relationship between Christ, the Head, and the church, His Body. Christ has been made Head over all things to the Church (Eph. 1:22), and the living exercise of authority and submission within the Body of Christ is central to the working out of God’s Divine will.In Authority and Submission, Watchman Nee presents many helpful principles and examples from the Holy Scriptures related to the proper exercise of both authority and submission, an exercise that is according to the divine life in the Body of Christ.
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Embracing Authority: The Challenge of Living God’s way in God’s World By John Kitchen / Christian Focus Public A thoroughly counter-cultural, transformingly revolutionary, and deeply Christian re-appraisal of the good and wise gift of God-ordained authority structures. Kitchen calls us back to submit to God’s mandate of submission and authority in all, but in only, the ways God has designed for his glory and for our highest well being and joy. An accurate analysis of contemporary culture together with a robust challenge to the church.
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Fear and Trembling By Soren Kierkegaard / Penguin Classics Abraham’s unreserved submission to God’s will provides the focus for this religious and ethical polemic. Writing under the pseudonym of Johannes de Silentio, Kierkegaard uses the form of the dialectical lyric to present his conception of faith. Abraham is portrayed as a great man, who chose to sacrifice his son, Isaac, in the face of conflicting expectations and in defiance of any conceivable ethical standard. The infamous and controversial ‘teleological suspension of the ethical’ challenged the contemporary views of Hegel’s universal moral system, and the suffering individual must alone make a choice ‘on the strength of the absurd.’ Kierkegaard’s writings have inspired both modern Protestant theology and existentialism, and this edition of Fear and Trembling contains a full introduction and notes which complement a key work in the psychology of religious belief.
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Praying the Psalms By Thomas Merton / Liturgical Press In Bread in the Wilderness, Merton looks at the psalms as poetry; in this book he regards them as prayer. Guiding you through the more representative psalms, he explains why the Church also considers the psalms as the best way to praise God.”Merton shows us how to draw out the richness of worship from the psalter and to use it to achieve ‘the peace that comes from submission to God’s will and from perfect confidence in him.’” -Catholic Review Service
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Rendezvous: A Sacred Encounter with God By Frank Moore / Beacon Hill Press Rendezvous: A Sacred Encounter with God draws you into a new connection with the essence of Christ and unveils how to turn your spiritual routine into a sacred romance with the One who loves you most. With mystery and revelation, Frank Moore unfolds ways you can encounter Christ—in your life, your closest relationships, your friendships, your community, and the world. He recasts the impression of spiritual practices and reveals how avenues such as prayer, submission, hospitality, examination, compassion, simplicity, and others lead to sacred rendezvous with God and engage you in genuine relationship with Him. Rendezvous invites you to discover how to turn everyday moments into sacred encounters with God and urges you to rekindle the romance with the Lover of your soul.
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Under Cover: Your Secret Place of Freedom By John Bevere / Thomas Nelson To walk in true spiritual authority, a believer must be submitted to God’s sovereign authority. In this book, John Bevere shows readers how submission to this divine order grants the Kingdom’s provision and protection. This well loved writer effectively uses his personal mistakes to illustrate riveting truths about repentance and forgiveness. As he focuses on the true authority of God, he is careful to explain by example the important difference between “submission” and “obedience.” The same struggle with divine authority is also represented through the lives of John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, and other biblical figures.
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Prove it!
February 22, 2007 by Dan King
Filed under perspectives
Sometimes it is difficult being different. What I mean is that when you think differently than other people, you just might run into a little resistance from people who are a little resistant to your desire to change. However, I believe that God desires us to change.
In the Book of Matthew Jesus says that we must change, or as The Message puts it we must “return to square one and start over” to become like little children. So Jesus shares this idea that we are not fine staying the way we are in our “mature” mindsets. Now hear me when I say this…. I am not trying to say that maturity is bad. What I am trying to say is that when we think that we are mature, we need to evaluate our hearts and be willing to change ourselves and our attitudes.
A little bit later, Jesus tells the Parable of the Two Sons. In this story Jesus talks about the one brother that first refused to work, but then changed his mind. God is pleased when we change our minds and our direction for the better. Change is a good thing. Since we are born in sin, we must change if we want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
However, when resistance to change is encountered, my advice involves two things…
Respect the authority over you. Under no circumstances is it okay to come out from under those in authority over you. It is okay to express your feelings and concerns, but this must be handled respectfully and honorably. The authority over you is a protection over you, and it is important to not step out of that.
Prove it to them. Within your limitations, you should do everything that you can to prove to your leadership that the change needs to be done. You need to get results. Nothing speaks louder than results. You should also do your homework, and gather other supporting information that supports your beliefs.
Change is a good thing, but some people do take a little longer to convince. Don’t get frustrated, get motivated and make your case. But above all, whatever you do, do it with the utmost of respect for the leadership over you.






















