82. Keep the Kids in the Church Service?

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Andy has David Rueter, the Director of the Director of Christian Education Program at Concordia University Irvine, and Jonathan Pratt as guest on this episode of Reconnect to share their thoughts on why it’s beneficial to the Body of Christ to have kids in church services, no matter how young, or how noisy they might be, and why it’s detrimental if we keep them separated.

Anna Mussmann’s article, “Four Reasons It Is Good Your Kids Are Being Too Noisy In Church”, provides a framework for their conversation, as well as research data from David’s Concordia Publishing House book, Teaching The Faith At Home: What Does This Mean? How Is This Done?.

Show Links

Anna Mussmann’s Article – “Four Reason It Is Good Your Kids Are Being Too Noisy In Church”

David Rueter’s Book – Teaching The Faith At Home: What Does This Mean? How Is This Done?

“Children Are Not Welcome In The Church Service”

Jonathan Pratt’s “Criteria For Discernment In Hymn Selection”

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Financially support Reconnect by ordering a sticker, tracts, or book at Contradict Movement.

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81. Eclectic Bullet #2

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Andy brings another eclectic bullet episode that touches on public prayer with mixed religious adherents and how Christians should respond when put such a situation, the Women’s March, the March for Life, the messages of the movie Boyhood, and the reality of La La Land.

First Topic: Trump’s Inauguration – Praying with Adherents of Other Religions in Public

Second Topic: The Women’s March Compared to the March for Life in the Media

Third Topic: Boyhood – A Very Real Depiction of How Broken Families Impact Children and the Need we all have for God’s Design for Marriage and Family

Fourth Topic: La La Land – Being a Shooting Star without God is Meaningless, Hopeless, and Unfulfilling

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80. Common English Sayings From The Bible

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“Can a leopard change its spots?” – Jeremiah 13:23

Ellie, Robby, and Andy discuss some common English sayings that originate from the Bible!  They were all shocked to see many of these phrases to be from the Bible.  Andy for instance thought, “Can a leopard change its spots?” came from a Dr. Seuss book and that “how the mighty have fallen” was somehow a reference to “Mighty Casey at Bat”.  They discuss which ones they hear most often, which ones they use the most personally, and how we could take advantage of the Biblical origin of these common sayings for the purpose of evangelism, or at least take advantage of the easy opening to be able to naturally turn a conversation towards God’s Word!  A few of these sayings are virtually incomprehensible apart from the Biblical context, so Christians can really take advantage of the popularity of such Biblical phrases in our day to day conversations.

Please leave some feedback in the comments section about your thoughts on using this approach to steering a conversation towards Christ and his Word.

Also please, check out the show links to see the list of common saying Andy, Ellie, and Robby were using, as well as to get a visual on who Ellie and Robby are and more about what they do in their service to their neighbors.

Show Links

“37 Common English Sayings Originally From the Bible” by Kevin Halloran

Ellie’s Individual, Couples, and Family Therapy Website

Coach Robby Cherry – Crean Lutheran High School Cross Country Webpage

Andy’s Book – Contradict – They Can’t All Be True

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78. Evidence for the Christmas Star

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“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” – (Matthew 2:1-2)

This star is often depicted as a bright, roaming globe that shines a spotlight directly on the house of Mary and Joseph for the magi to follow.  If this star actually appeared in this fashion, wouldn’t it be obvious to everyone, not just wise men from the east who studied the stars?  If this star didn’t exist, what would that mean for the truthfulness about the entire Gospel narrative?  Is there evidence outside of the Bible that this star existed?

These questions prompted Andy Reese to dig deep into astronomy, historical records, and the bread crumbs left in God’s Word concerning the historicity of this special star phenomenon.  In this episode he will answer these questions and many more.

Andy Reese is a church leader, teacher, and writer.  His website is andyreese.org.

Show Links:

Andy Reese’s Website

Magi – The True Story of the Star of Bethlehem – Video

A Christmas with the Stars – Video

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79. Stop the Hateful Contradict Movement Now!

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Andy has a website called Contradict Movement, where he sells stickers that spell Contradict using various religious symbols.  He also sells Contradict Gospel tracts to accompany these stickers and his book, Contradict – They Can’t All Be True.  Links are also given to his blog, Youtube channel, and Reconnect Podcast.  All of these resources are purposed to equip Christians to defend the good news of Jesus Christ in a pluralistic age.

Periodically, Andy receives messages that call for him to stop Contradict Movement, because it is a distortion of what Coexist actually is and that Contradict is a hateful movement!

In this episode, he shares the following email and the several back and forth replies that followed:

“I’m not sure I understand your message or your goal for this “movement”.  The Coexist Movement is simply a call for peace among religions.  Pointing out that different religions are different seems to be a mute point. Why go against a peaceful movement to point out our differences? No one is claiming that all religions are the same. We know that all religions are diverse and different from one another, we are just trying to coexist peacefully and respectfully. Will you please stop this movement? You are making a bad name for Christians everywhere, making Christianity the “hateful religion”. Please stop.”

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Show Links:

Bush, Hillsong Pastor, and Pope Saying Muslims, Jews, and Christians Worship the Same God (Video)

Swami Vivekananda at Parliament of World Religions Saying All Religions Are True (Video)

Unitarian Universalist Church In Their Own Words (Video)

Bono of U2 Rocking Coexist Making It Popular (Video)

The Not So Peaceful History of Coexist (Video)

Peacemonger and Their Religious Pluralism Stickers (Video)

Excerpt of Contradict – They Can’t All Be True (Book by Andy Wrasman)

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