February 2007

This from an E-mail a close friend just received from his eldest son who, following his graduation last year from college, is working for a multinational for a year in China:

Got your letter today. I have never been more proud of my family than when I opened up that letter standing in the backroom at the end of my shift last night with about 10 of my fellow (workers). As soon as they saw a picture (of our family) they all crowded around and proceeded to pass it around each staring intently expressing surprise at our large family. They all thought we had such a handsome family and were so impressed that we had five boys. They all thought (the second son) was the oldest and that (two others) were twins. It was so funny to see them add up the number of people in our family on their fingers. I was just thinking today how I have never seen so many three member families and it's sad to talk to them about being an only child, every single one of them wishes they had siblings.

Steve Mosher was (and is) right about China. How unutterably sad this childless nation and all its only-children are.

BTW, the young man is listening to the David Crowder Band and Hillsong, and he's reading Chesterton's The Everlasting Man.

Note from Tim Bayly: The following is written by Rev. David Wegener, a missionary with Mission to the World who teaches theology at the Theology College of Central Africa in Ndola, Zambia. Mr. Wegener and his family are supported by the missions budgets of both Christ the Word and Church of the Good Shepherd.

This year the Wegeners are on home assignment and David has been teaching the men of the Reformed Evangelical Pastors College. I asked David to make some occasional contributions to the blog and this is his first. (If your congregation is looking for an excellent mission work and family to add to your support list, I commend David's work and family to you and suggest you send me an E-mail asking for David's contact information so they can visit you or your church.)

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One of the great joys of my life has been reading the books written by Iain Murray. Pastor Murray was the former assistant of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel in London. He also pastored churches in England and Australia, as well as working for the Banner of Truth publishing company. I could list all of Murray's books and tell of the impact they have made on my life but that would take too long.

Recently, I've enjoyed reading one of his books, Wesley and the Men Who Followed (Banner, 2003). He answered some questions I've had about John Wesley for many years.

Wesley's conversion was a difficult process, one that John himself struggled to understand. Though brought up in a pastor's home, he went off to Oxford University as an unconverted man...

Under the headline, "Mark of a Woman," BBC NEWS comments on Britney Spears' shaved head, asking:

So why is hair - particularly long hair - viewed as such a defining part of a woman and inextricably linked to femininity?

Followers of Jesus have been presented with a wonderfully evangelistic opportunity, here. Speak up, brothers and sisters! His Word is truth:

But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:1-16).

Add this potential bit of natural revelation to the arguments against birth control from the Word.