Current Events

I co-lead a men's bible study group that meets every Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. at a restaurant in Mishawaka called Honkers. We have a great group of guys that attend and I have really grown some good friendships from it from guys like Augie and Thane just to name a couple. This week, it is my week to pick a topic, below you will find it. If you are interested in joining the group, it is an open group just as long as you are a guy, feel free to stop by.


With everything going on in the world today, I thought that I would take a few current
events and see how they relate to the bible and your views on them. Part of this discussion was inspired by something Rob Wegner put on his blog at http://entermission.typepad.com and by a suggestion made by my wife Kimberly. Other parts by Augie and Thane, the rest I just thought up. Anyway, here it goes:

With everything going on in the world today, I thought that I would take a few current
All last week we heard about the drama on the high seas when a little pirate ship about 30 ft long hijacked a U.S. ship and held it and the crew captive. The Navy was involved with one of their big war ships and had little effect for the first 4 days of this story until Sunday when it took some snipers to take out the pirates (which is super cool by the way). What I found fascinating about this, and this was from Rob’s blog, was how such a small thing (the pirate ship) could cause such a big problem. And how such a big problem could not be solved by a big solution (the Navy ship). It had to be solved with a smaller solution, the snipers.

1. Does this situation reflect anything that has gone on in your life in the past? Did you realize right away that the big problem required a small action to resolve or did you try a bigger solution first?

2. Can you draw any comparisons to this situation with anything in the bible?

3. Does this situation relate to our countries current economic situation?


There has been an uproar, of sorts, by Catholics lately over President Obama coming to Notre Dame because of his stance on abortion and stem cell research.

4. Should the President be allowed to speak at Norte Dame regardless of his policy? If you were the decision maker, would you allow him to speak? Why or why not?



Tony Morgan’s church, New Spring http://www.newspring.cc , played “Highway to Hell” to open up their Easter services this past weekend. When I first heard this, I did not know what to think about that. Part of me thought that there should be a much better way to open up an Easter service than with that song. Another, much bigger part of me thought “cool, I wonder how they used that?”

The service opened with scripture from Matthew scrolling the screen with flames coming off of each letter. Here was the scripture: You can enter God’s kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. They then sang the song Highway to Hell by AC/DC. And closed with the following scriptures scrolling across the screen:
Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

5. What do you think of a church playing Highway to Hell in service? Does the context and way it is presented matter to you? How would you react if your church played this song? Do you think that this was done for shock and awe?


Now more than ever, I think the parable of the talents applies more and more (Matthew 25:14-30).

6. How do you feel our government is handling the talents (tax $) that has been given to them over the past 8 months? Has the current economy made you change the way that you handle your talents? If it has, will it last or change again when things get better?