Sunday, July 1, 2012

015: Declaration of Independence

IndependenceCoverArt

This week we celebrate America's 236th birthday, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.  So we dedicate this week's podcast to some thoughts about independence and also our new beginnings as a Christ-follower.

[3:30] Declaration of Independence for the Christ Follower. Four years ago I dedicated this entire week around the 4th of July to thinking about Thomas Jefferson's famous line, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."  What is the connection, if any, between our country's Declaration of Independence and the Christ-follower's own independence?  I share the discoveries of my thinking in this conversation with our podcast audience.

[40:50] The Story of My Own Baptism. I promised the folks at Church Requel that I would tell them the story of my own baptism on this week's podcast.  Grab a cup of coffee and sit down for this background story.  I became a Christ-follower when I was 9, but I wasn't baptized until the age of 27.  Today I'll tell you how my own baptism came about.

[58:22] CR Sermon: "Baptism." In this short talk given Sunday evening at Church Requel, I'll answer 4 questions about what we believe about baptism.  Why should I be baptized? What does it mean? Why be baptized by immersion? Who should be baptized?

[1:13:42] Reflections from the Baptisms at CR Sunday. Sunday night I was weary but thrilled with the way the evening had gone.  I share from my heart the good and the bad... yes, we had ourselves a bit of a problem tonight.  You'll have to listen to know what it was.  But the overall result of Church Requel tonight was marvelous and uplifting.  You'll hear a very tired Pastor Mark share heart to heart in a longer-than-normal wrap up.

Music for this week's podcast is America Fantasia by Christopher Todd Landor from the album, American Celebration - The Ultimate Patriotic Music Collection.

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