Archive for June, 2011


Jun 27

Audio for July: “90 Days Through the New Testament”

2011 | by Trent Hunter | Category: Recommended Link

We’ve been listening through the New Testament together for almost a month now. At the beginning of June we posted a list and links to audio for that month. We hope that’s been helpful, along with the daily links on Facebook. Below is a list and links for listening for the month of July.

But first, a note about the books of Mark and Luke.

Christianity Explained

Two Sundays ago, when Clint Moore preached from the book of Mark, you’ll remember a resource that he highlighted called Christianity Explained, a great resource for introducing someone to the story and significance of Jesus’ life and death in six studies. It’s $15.00 online and that’s what we’ve been charging, but going forward we’re selling it at the Resource Center for $8.00. We want you to have it, use it, and share it. If you bought a copy in the last few weeks, we’re happy to refund you the difference. We hope this tool serves you as you spread the gospel of Christ.

The Gospel of Luke

Also, a note about the Gospel of Luke. As the summer unfolds, Sunday sermons will roughly follow where we are at in our listening. Due to our 90 day timeline, we won’t be able to hit every book. The Gospel of Luke is one of those. However, since Ryan preached through the book of Luke from 2008-2010, we’ve chewed on this book before as a church. If you’d like to supplement your listening through Luke with a few sermons, take advantage of Ryan’s first and last messages from that series:

Audio for July

July 1 Catch-up Day
July 2 Luke 23-24
July 3 John 1-3
July 4 John 4-5
July 5 John 6-7
July 6 John 8-9
July 7 John 10-11
July 8 John 12-13
July 9 John 14-16
July 10 John 17-18
July 11 John 19-20
July 12 John 21Acts 2
July 13 Acts 3-5
July 14 Acts 6-8
July 15 Acts 9-10
July 16 Acts 11-13
July 17 Acts 14-16
July 18 Acts 17-19
July 19 Acts 20-21
July 20 Acts 22-24
July 21 Acts 25-26
July 22 Acts 27-28
July 23 Romans 1-3
July 24 Romans 4-7
July 25 Romans 8-10
July 26 Romans 11-14
July 27 Romans 151 Corinthians 1
July 28 1 Corinthians 2-6
July 29 1 Corinthians 7-9
July 30 1 Corinthians 10-12
July 31 1 Corinthians 13-15

For an overview of the plan, visit the landing page or download the brochure.

Jun 22

Resource Center, June-July: Parenting Resources

2011 | by Trent Hunter | Category: Books

In light of this weekend’s seminar on parenting, “The Word on Parenting,” with Fred Zaspel, we’re highlighting a number of resources at the Resource Center in the months of June and July. Here’s a list of the books we’re making available with links for you to purchase them online if you would prefer.

Books for Parents

Books for Children

In addition, we’re also carrying two of Fred’s books:

Of course, don’t forget about this weekend’s seminar with Fred. The seminar will include two sessions on Friday night, June 24, from 6:00-8:30 PM, and one session and a Q&A on Saturday morning, June 25, from 9:00-11:15 AM. To learn a little more about Fred, visit our original post introducing the seminar.

Jun 20

VBS: “Discovering the Rock of Ages,” July 18-22 (6:00 PM – 8:30 PM)

2011 | by Trent Hunter | Category: Events

Tim Bradley said it well in this video. Every day our children are choosing between different gods. Who will they serve? Who is worthy of their attention, affection, and allegiance?

Part of our responsibility as the people of God is to proclaim the truth of God’s greatness and glory to our own children, and to all children who will hear. In deed, as the Scriptures exhort us, “tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. . . . so that they should set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:1-8).

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a strategic means of fulfilling our mission among children in our own church and in our city. Let’s make the most of it. Consider now what friends, family, and neighbors you might tell about VBS. Point them to this blog or our VBS landing page.

Online Registration

To register for VBS, download this registration form, fill it out, and email it to dscgoldrush@gmail.com. You will receive confirmation of your submission within one week to verify your registration.

The sooner you register your children the better, for two reasons. First, this helps our team plan for the appropriate number of children. Second, and as important, we want to provide an orderly and hospitable first visit for families from the neighborhood who will register their children on site at the start of VBS. As Ryan said in his announcements, lets register early and clear out that registration table for our guests.


Jun 16

Are the Gospels Eye Witness Accounts?

2011 | by Trent Hunter | Category: Recommended Link

While we’re listening through the New Testament together, our first concern is to hear what God has written, to let God speak on His own terms. God’s Word is powerful on its own, its power does not rest on human wisdom, and its authority does not rest on its conformity to some outside standard. We’re assuming that in our reading and listening together.

But because it is God’s very Word, we aren’t surprised when the New Testament is found, by some kind of test, to be an ancient document, and a document written, indeed, by those who must have actually been there. Hearing these kinds of arguments can reinforce our confidence in the Word, and help us converse with those who come to us with questions about the Bible.

With that in mind, I found the following two lectures, recently recommended by Joe Carter and Justin Taylor, to be worth highlighting at this point in our listening. Joe Carter’s introduction should peak your interest.

Dr. Peter Williams, a Senior Lecturer in New Testament at the University of Abeerdeen, has conducted what I’d call an “algorithm-enhanced close reading” of the canonical gospels and compared them to the apocryphal testimonies about Jesus.

Normally, my attention span for videos on the web is limited to about 2 minutes. But when I started watching this video last last night I got sucked in by Dr. Williams engaging style and watched the entire lecture. As Evangel blogger Tom Gilson says, it’s a “talk on apologetics like you’ve never heard before.”

Jun 14

R.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents

2011 | by Trent Hunter | Category: Recommended Resources

Ahead of our parenting seminar weekend with Fred Zaspel, June 24 and 25, “The Word on Parenting,” we will highlight a few resources here on the blog to whet your appetite.

One resource Fred will mention and recommend is a short book by J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents. In this book, Ryle presents seventeen instructions for parents in training their children:

  1. Train them in the way they should go, and not in the way they would.
  2. Train up your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience.
  3. Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends upon you.
  4. Train with this thought continually before your enes – that the soul of your child is the first thing to be considered.
  5. Train your child to a knowledge of the Bible.
  6. Train them to a habit of prayer
  7. Train them to habits of diligence, and regularity about public means of grace.
  8. Train them to a habit of faith.
  9. Train them to a habit of obedience.
  10. Train them to a habit of always speaking the truth.
  11. Train them to a habit of always redeeming the time.
  12. Train them with a constant fear of over-indulgence
  13. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children.
  14. Train them remembering continually the influence of your own example.
  15. Train them remembering continually the power of sin.
  16. Train them remembering continually the promises of Scripture.
  17. Train them, lastly, with continual prayer for a blessing on all you do.

This book is available online or at the Resource Center for $3.00. For those interested in more details about DSC’s parenting weekend on June 24 and 25, we published a post last week introducing you to our speaker, the subject, and how to register for childcare.

Also, for those who aren’t now parents but would like to bless the many young parents of our church with child care, please contact Kayla at kayla@desertspringschurch.org to express your availability. Of course, given the subject of this weekend, many who might otherwise help care for children desire to participate in the seminar.