Ghost Adventures & Paranormal Television

I've publicly confessed to being a bit of an addict of paranormal activity shows, especially Ghost Adventures (GA), but for what I think are good reasons.

The goal of GA, stated many times during their 8 seasons, is to gather what they think is scientific evidence for life after death from all over the world through their interactions with ghosts, which they understand to be once-embodied humans who now live among us in spirit forms.

Now, I’m the first to acknowledge that their evidence could be faked and the noises they catch could be bugs or animals or people (I have a student who promises me her dad and a friend made the noises recorded here by the GA Crew at the Bird Cage Theater).  However, if you chose to trust the guys on this or other shows, the evidence they've gotten is nothing short of amazing, even jaw-dropping.

I think a Christian should watch this show, not all the time, but a couple times.  Why?  Positively, these shows, if real, give one of hundreds of lines of evidence that prove the Christian worldview is true, namely, that reality is not purely physical, as naturalists / materialists say it is.  Rather, reality is both physical and non-physical.  However, other than entertainment value, that's about where the positive effects of shows like GA end.

If the Christian worldview is true, then these shows don't give evidence for life after death at all (see Hebrews 9:27), but give a lot of evidence for demonic activity--the guys on GA admit they interact with demons regularly.  Shows like GA actually give proof that demons are real, and a real threat to people today, even physically (watch this clip from GA).  This proof should warn anyone watching to stay far away from the occult, or bad things can happen to you (watch the first 9 minutes of this GA video), both from demons and from God who will punish you (see Deut 18:9-14).

Also, since these are demons, we learn from the Bible that these entities are dominated by pride since they are foolishly rebelling against the God they once served in the presence of.  Their pride drives them to bring more attention to themselves, and occult activity, which these shows encourage people to open themselves up to, give them that attention.  I've personally seen how powerful a recruit it is for getting people into "paranormal investigation," a 21st century form of necromancy and divination, which can lead to demonic possession, and even worse.  What could possibly be worse than possession?

Ultimately, shows like GA can have horrendous eternal consequences because it actually attacks the central message of Christianity.  It is a modern day scheme of the devil that Christians should be aware of (2 Cor 2:11) that keeps people from Jesus.  How? By propogating the lie that there is life after death apart from His sinless life, substitutionary death and victorious resurrection.  Jesus in the worldview of GA is completely unnecessary (unless one is attacked by a demon)--no wrath, no hell, you just live on!  I don’t think demons care what you’re deceived with, as long as you’re deceived, and this is a new, powerful tactic they are using.

So, in the end, I encourage you to repent of your sins and entrust the safety of your soul after death to Jesus, not to paranormal investigators who are, I think, getting evidence, but not for life after death.

These are my reasons--take them or leave them!  I hope that helps!  TII!!!

The First Church of...Oprah???

You've got to watch this video about Oprah and the new book she's pushing and her denials of Christianity, especially for all those Christians who believe watching her is innocent.

Groothuis on Expelled

Read an excellent review of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed by Dr. Doug Groothuis here, a man I don't always agree with but who I highly respect after reading his excellent book Truth Decay. I will write my own review after I see it this week.

Expelled: The Movie

I am really excited to see the new documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which opens today!

It's about the scientific establishment's censorship of intelligent design. Watch the trailer here and search youTube for many clips. You can watch an older trailer below. Enjoy!

Together for the Gospel 2008

If you're looking for some solid preaching to download and listen to, make sure to check out the free downloads here from the Together for the Gospel Conference, which just wrapped up yesterday.

The audio on the page above includes:

Sound Doctrine: Essential to Faithful Pastoral Ministry
(Ligon Duncan)

Bearing the Image: Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church
(Thabiti Anyabwile)

The Sinner Neither Able nor Willing: The Doctrine of Absolute Inability
(John MacArthur)

Improving the Gospel: Exercises in Unbiblical Theology
(Mark Dever)

The Curse Motif of the Atonement
(R.C. Sproul)

Why Do They Hate It So? The Doctrine of Substitution
(Albert Mohler)

How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice
(John Piper)

Sustaining a Pastor’s Soul
(C.J. Mahaney)

Also, if you like these and would like to listen to the conference audio from 2006 you can download it here. Enjoy!

Sovereign Grace February Sale!!!

If you enjoy the ministry of C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris, or if you enjoy solid, biblical, life-altering resources (books, CDs, etc.) than you need to know that for the next 12 days Sovereign Grace Ministries is having a huge sale.

I'm sorry I didn't make it known earlier, but this site is FULL of good stuff at hugely discounted prices. If you're not sure what's good, the books I'd recommend are Living the Cross-Centered Life, Humility, and Pastor Dale's wife Shawna told me last week that she puts Feminine Appeal right under the Bible as her favorite.

Also, the CDs I recommend are Songs for the Cross-Centered Life, West Coast Revival (especially the song "Here with Christ") and Worship God Live (if you liked the song "Jesus, Thank You" from this weekend at Compass that song is on this CD).

One final thing, all the messages by all the speakers are always online for free download. Speakers include C.J. Mahaney, Carolyn Mahaney, Joshua Harris, John Piper and R.C. Sproul--if you want recommended messages, let me know in the comments. Happy hunting!!!

How to Pray for Free

You can download this classic on prayer, R.A. Torrey's, How To Pray, as an audiobook from christianaudio.com--regular 12.98--for absolutely nothing when you follow the directions here.

They give a way a different audio book every month so it's well worth checking in on this site periodically.

Mac Addicted Bibliophiles Listen Up!!!

For those of you addicted to books like I am and are enamored with Apple computers as I am, there is a library program I have to make you aware of, which I just learned about a couple hours ago, called Bookpedia (download a free version here, but eventually you'll have to pay $20 for it, which you can do here).

As someone who has a list of all his books in a couple 20+ page Word documents it may take some time to upload my books, but Wow is it an amazing program to catalog and categorize everything!

Free Jonathan Edwards Book

Follow the directions here to download this month's free audio book from ChristianAudio.com, Jonathan Edwards' classic Religious Affections. I can't wait to listen to this...CAN'T WAIT!!!

Also, if you click on the page above you'll see the banner ad that all the digital audio on the site is 50% off until Nov. 4th--an amazing deal (when really, the 50% off price seems to me to be the price the audio should be, but that's just me).

Jonathan Edwards Sale!!!

In honor of Jonathan Edwards' 304th birthday (today, Oct. 5th) Desiring God is selling all of their Jonathan Edwards' stuff for 30% off here.

The Best Biography for FREE!!!!!!!!

Christianaudio.com gives away a free audio book every month. Most months are good; this month is phenomenal!!!

One of the best, most impacting (see my blogs about it here and here) books I've ever listened to and never finished is the one they're offering free here: Jonathan Edwards' classic, The Life of David Brainerd.

If you have not read this book, I HIGHLY recommend it. I pray that I'll have half the love and devotion to Christ, insight into my heart and zeal for the gospel that this young man did. This and much more pours out of every page of his Life.

If you usually let these pass by, do yourself a favor and don't let this one. Download and listen to this treasure and you'll never be the same again.

2007 DG National Conference

In Minneapolis this weekend Desiring God hosted its 2007 National Conference. The theme was Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, and the speakers included John Piper, John MacArthur, Jerry Bridges, Randy Alcorn and Helen Roseveare.

If you're interested, the conference audio us available for free here.

iTunes University

I know so many men who would love to go to seminary, but can't afford it or can't take the time away from their jobs or families.

Well, thanks to the people at Apple and affiliated seminaries like Concordia and Reformed Theology Seminary you can watch videos and/or listen to the audio of such classes as Elementary Greek & Hebrew from Concordia Seminary, and Old and New Testament, Theology, Church History and Practical Theology from RTS.

Hopefully, more schools will see this and catch on (like Trinity and Master's, two of my alma mater), and take full advantage of this free program like Duke, Stanford, Penn State and UC Berkeley have--Wow!!! The possibilities are endless.

This is more than just online seminary. This is online undergraduate university. Find out more here. Download iTunes here, and when you open the iTunes Music Store, look at the small box on the left hand side that says iTunes STORE for the iTunes U link.

Obsession the Movie

I've tried to keep this a purely religious blog, but when geo-politics and religion are colliding like they are in our day I cannot help but recommend that you go here and watch the trailer for the award-winning Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West.

You can also watch short clips of the movie here:

• Jihad in the Classroom (clip)
• Jihad and the Media (clip)
• Jihad and Hitler (clip)
• Jihad and the West (clip)

If you do nothing else, you should watch this 12-minute version of the documentary.

2007 Gospel Coalition Conference

I don't know when they got the 2007 Gospel Coalition audio and video up, but it is. This was a conference earlier this year at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (one of my alma mater) where D.A. Carson, Tim Keller and John Piper discuss the implications of the gospel for all of life and ministry.

What are they all about? In their own words, "We are a fellowship of evangelical churches deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures."

If these topics and/or speakers interest you, click on these links to download the audio or the video:

• Plenary Sessions -- Carson, Keller, Piper and Loritts
• Panel Discussion -- Audio only
• Interviews -- D.A. Carson, Mark Driscoll, Tim Keller, John Piper
• Workshops -- Many including Ligon Duncan, Mike Bullmore, Mark Driscoll and Philip Ryken

Also, if you have a slow internet connection you can listen to the messages online without download. The plenary sessions here, the panel discussion here, the interviews here, and the workshops here.

I just started listening to them, and I hope they'll be as much of a blessing to you as they are to me. If you're not sure where to start, start with Dr. Carson's "What is the Gospel?" and Dr. Piper's "The Triumph of the Gospel..." in the plenary sessions.

GREAT NEWS!!!

I found out today that iTunes has finally listed to all the recommendations I made (and others I'm sure), and they put the entire West Coast Revival CD in their music store.

I've been listening to it all day!!!

Also, thank you to my friend Al Moore for making me aware that Sovereign Grace Ministries is now offering all of their mp3 sermons for free.

Here are just a few of the dozens speakers with free sermons to download:

Mark Dever
Wayne Grudem
Carolyn Mahaney
C.J. Mahaney
John MacArthur
Al Mohler
John Piper
David Powlison
R.C. Sproul
Bruce Ware

I hope you're life is enriched by these many of the other excellent resources on this site. Also, if you have any suggestions about speakers or sermons on the SGM site please leave them in the comments. Thank you.

Free Sovereign Grace Songs

Go here (upper right hand corner of the page) to download a free song from Asleep in a Storm a new CD of remixed classics from Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Also, go here to download another free song from In a Little While another new SGM music CD, this one featuring songs written and sung by Mark Altrogge and his son Stephen.

Repost: My Favorite Podcasts

In April, I posted on my favorite podcasts. I've changed this lightly and added a couple. I post it here to help a friend who just got a new Mac and wants to load up his computer with podcasts. Enjoy!

A number of you have asked what podcasts I subscribe to. Sadly, I subscribe to dozens, but only actually listen to a few. The others are treated as resources on topics that get stored in my podcast library for use when the topic comes up (like, stem-cell research, euthanasia, Mormonism, parenting, etc.).

I tried to find the "Subscribe to this Podcast" page so that if you click on the podcast's name that's where you'd go. Some of the best podcasts I've found are the following:

• Apologetics.com -- This in an apologetics radio show that airs in Los Angeles on KKLA 99.5 FM on Saturday nights from 12-2am. It's #6 in my podcasting Top 5 list.
  
• Capitol Hill Baptist Church -- This is the preaching ministry of Dr. Mark Dever of Washington D.C.
• Christ Fellowship Baptist Church -- Excellent Preaching !!! To subscribe, scroll down to the bottom of Dr. Steve Lawson's sermon download page. I download every sermon every week.
  
• Dallas Theological Seminary -- Many of the chapels are well worth listening to.
• Desiring God Sunday Sermon Audio & Video -- Excellent Preaching !!! I think we will look back with thankfulness and tell our grandkids about the ministry of John Piper. It also makes my Top 5.
• The Dividing Line -- This is the bi-weekly radio show of Dr. James White. I'm pretty sure you'll have to search for this podcast in the iTunes Music Store itself.
  
• Grace To You Video -- Like, Dr. Piper you'll tell your kids and grandkids about John MacArthur. The video podcast subscription is on the right and it takes a while to sign up, but it's well worth it.
• Issues, Etc. -- This is a conservative Lutheran call-in talk show that always has top notch theological and cultural analysis of current trends in the world and in evangelicalism. This is in my Top 5.
• The Master's Seminary Chapel -- I attended most of the chapels from 2002-2006 and most of the preaching is excellent, especially Dr. MacArthur, Prof. Alex Montoya, Dr. Jack Hughes and many, many, many more. Also, they've uploaded the Faculty Lecture Series' on topics like the Emergent church, the New Perspective on Paul, Open Theism, The Rapture, etc.
  
• Ravi Zacharias -- Ravi is an excellent communicator who blends apologetics and evangelism in a wonderfully passionate and engaging way. This link is to both of his podcasts. This is also in my Top 5.
  
• Stand To Reason -- This is podcast of from the radio ministry of Greg Koukl who hosts a Christian call-in Q & A show that originates in Orange County and airs Sundays from 3-5pm on 740 KBRT. Definitely another in my Top 5, probably my #1.
• The Al Mohler Radio Show -- Another in my Top 5 for listening . The link has the podcasts for his radio show and his Sunday School class on the right hand side of the page.
• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary -- Al Mohler, the school's President, speaks regularly, but in the last year so has John MacArthur, C.J. Mahaney, John Piper, Mark Dever, Bruce Ware, and countless other well-loved teachers.
• The White Horse Inn -- This is a half hour round table discussion of current cultural and theological topic by really smart reformed guys, Michael Horton being one of them. The podcast subscription is on the right and it takes a while to sign up, but it's well worth it if you do.
  

While many I subscribe to didn't make the list (like the podcasts for Focal Point Radio, Covenant Life Church, Mars Hill Church, Alister Begg's Truth for Life, The Narrow Mind, The Dennis Prager Show to name a few others), I'm always looking for a good podcast, as you can see.

Please, please, please post any that you'd highly recommend to check out in the comments. Thank you in advance.

Free Jerry Bridges Audio

I found this website where Jerry Bridges did four sermons on Trusting God Even When Life Hurts. It took me a while to find out where to download them, so I'll save you the hassle and give you the instructions here.

If you click on the link above, you'll be taken the Grace Bible Church of Olive Branch, MS website. On the left sidebar near the top, click on "View Sermons & Other Videos." From here, you can either watch Jerry Bridges through streaming video (on March 30-April 1), or you can click the "Mp3 Format" link at the top of the page. Right in the middle of that page you should see a chart with his four sermons ready to download.

2007 Gospel Coalition Conference Audio

Slowly but surely the audio and video of Dr. Don Carson, Dr. John Piper, Tim Keller and others from the 2007 Gospel Coalition Conference is making its way online here.