Netflix Pick of the Week: High Noon

My "watch instantly" pick of the week is an old black and white classic movie called High Noon.  Here is how Netflix describes the movie:

Retiring Marshall Will Kane (Gary Cooper) insists on defending his town from a gang of hooligans who are due on the noon train -- but he faces the task alone as the cowardly townspeople flee like rats from a sinking ship. Director Fred Zinnemann creates an incredibly tense Western (rightly considered one of the true genre classics) that unfurls in real time -- as the clocks on the wall constantly remind us. Grace Kelly and Lloyd Bridges co-star.

When I was a kid, pretty much all that I watched was old movies.  High Noon is one that I can distinctly remember watching on more than one occasion.  I always liked this movie because Gary Cooper, who does a great job of playing the "ordinary guy," continues to stick to his decision of taking a stand against the villains, even though, one by one, the townspeople, who had just talked about how much they love him and owed him so much, would refuse to help him in his time of need.  He was undaunted by their lack of loyalty, because he knew what was the right thing to do regardless of the outcome.  So, he goes it alone, prepared to face these guys by himself.

This brings me to another aspect of this movie that I really enjoy.  As the events begin to unfold, as the description states, "in real time," we don't experience any amazing, no way that's possible, shootouts.  Instead, we see a very believable guy with some believable villains facing off in a believable way.

If you haven't watched a good old western lately, this is the one you should watch.  And if nothing else, you will have the theme songs stuck in your head the rest of the day.  If you have Netflix, click here.

What makes good preaching? (part 1)

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Preach the word!" used before?  That phrase has meant different things to different people.  I've heard it used to describe the type of church that someone wants to attend, as in, "I really want to go to a church where thy preach the word."  I've also heard it used to describe what a particular preacher was doing when he was really a-rantin' and a-ravin'!

This last Sunday at church I attempted to answer this question by picking apart the passage of scripture where this phrase occurs.  At the same time I figured that we might be able to answer a similar question, "What makes good preaching?"  We had an issue with my microphone, so the entire message didn't record, but this topic is hugely important to me, so I'm going to make an attempt at summarizing some of that material here on this blog.

First, here is the passage of scripture:

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
(2 Timothy 4:2 ESV)

1) The very first thing we have to say is that good preaching is preaching THE WORD.  There's that phrase, but the meaning is actually quite simple. It is not preaching opinion or preference, it is to literally preach the Word of God. This is why I believe in expository preaching.  I try to pick a passage of scripture and work my way through it a verse or a few verses at a time.  Topical preaching is acceptable, but even that must be done in an expository fashion.  In other words, if there is a certain topic that needs to be dealt with or covered, I still need to go to the scripture to see what it has to say.

This means that I cannot preach what some preach when they preach their preferences on music styles or the ever-so-prevalent tendency to preach that the King James Authorized Version of the Bible is the only version that a person should use.  If I am to preach the Word, I cannot preach these (or other) things that aren't truly based in the Word but are based on traditions, opinions, and preferences.

2) The second thing to notice here is that this preaching of the word must be done whether it is popular or not, whether it is convenient or not.  Good preaching is established this way.  One might say that good preaching is timeless.  This doesn't mean that current cultural issues aren't addressed, but that the principles and truths from scripture are always taught.

For example, in much of America it is quite popular and well-liked to preach that one should love their enemies. This wasn't always the case, and in some places in the world it isn't the case at all.  Loving your enemies would be repulsive to some cultures.  Some of those same cultures would really like a preacher who focused on God's judgment or on us showing good judgment, while here in America the teachings of "judge not" are loved.  Cultures  change, but God's truth is timeless.  Good preaching should be the same way. To preach the word rightly one must not avoid those difficult or challenging passages of scripture simply because people won't like it.

St. Augustine, Tertullian, Ignatius, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon all have writings and letters and sermons that are still applicable today, not because their examples still ring true, but because they all were men who preached the Word, whether it was popular or not.  Their message was timeless because the one whom they preached was timeless.

There is more to this question and more from this verse, but I will handle it in a part 2 because nobody ever reads long blog posts anyway.

The Church is not a religious society.

"...neither is the Church a voluntary association for the cultivation of impressions, experiences, and impulses which men may have received from divine revelation and by reason of which they have formed definite convictions, condensed them into definite resolutions, rules, and customs of life and made them the center of their piety and morals. 

"The Church is not the result of human election, decision, and disposition toward divine revelation.  It arises from the election, decision, and disposition of God toward man.  In revelation they have become an event.  There God meets men and communicates Himself to men. Men are not gathered into, nor preserved as, the Church by an agreement in sentiments, convictions, and resolutions. 

"Rather, it is the one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith.  The Church is not a religious society."

Karl Barth
God in Action: Theological Addresses

Cleaner Youtube

I just wanted to take a moment to recommend a Google Chrome extension.

I know we all love the occasional YouTube video from time to time.  Unfortunately, even when the video itself is clean and acceptable for viewing, the rest of the stuff that is present on the page may not be.  I've had many times that someone has sent me a funny or interesting video, but for some reason the related videos along the side have had some images that were completely inappropriate.  Sometimes I hesitate even clicking the link at all for that very reason.  So, I was glad to find "a cleaner YouTube."

Instead of attempting to describe what a cleaner YouTube does, let me just show you a couple of screenshots.

Here is a typical YouTube video:

Here is that same video's page with a cleaner YouTube:

You can click either image to enlarge... Notice that all of the extra stuff has been eliminated from the page, giving you... well... a cleaner YouTube.

If you use Google Chrome, then click here to go the the cleaner YouTube extension.  If you don't use Google Chrome, well you should.

Bulbous Bouffant

Ever wonder what I do at the bus stop in the afternoon while I am waiting with the other teachers?



[via Kevin DeYoung]

Netflix pick of the week: Microcosmos

My Netflix pick this week is going to be a documentary that my whole family enjoyed... Even my wife!  The documentary was called Microcosmos.  Here is the Netflix description:

Employing unique microscopic cameras and powerful specialized microphones, this highly praised French documentary is a fascinating look at the seldom-explored world of insects and other minute creatures as they go about their daily lives. With footage of ladybugs feasting and snails mating to a mystical score by composer Bruno Coulais, the film won five César Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Music.

Like I said, we all enjoyed the movie.  There was only a little bit of talking at the beginning, but this method of exploring this "microcosmos" was simply captivating. Once we started it, we couldn't finish it.  I will warn you though, more than once it shows some insects mating... and some snails... fascinating, but gross.

It is available for instant viewing, so if you have Netflix, you can click here and go straight to the movie's page.  Here is the youtube trailer for the movie: (The Netflix version is in English, but the trailer is in French.)

Netflix Pick of the Week

My pick for this week is going to be a long-time favorite: Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I am actually really excited about this.  I loved this show when I was a kid.  I don't want to offend anyone, but I thought it was way better than the originals... don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the originals, but this one was better.  I also think that it was much, much better than any of the following shows.  Better than Deep Space Nine, better than Voyager, and Better than Enterprise.

Netflix just added all of the Star Trek shows, and included all seven seasons of The Next Generation.  I can't wait to start watching these with my boys!