Rich Kao

Preaching is part art (maybe mostly art!) and part science (as in preparation).  And it's always fun to see or be surprised by the thing in a message that really speaks to people, when you think it's some other part that will.   In this case,  in my  first installment of "Conversing with Skeptics" series (see previous post), it was  the  "Engel Scale" that really caught people's attention.  In the early 1970's Prof. James Engel of Wheaton College pioneered a new way of looking at evangelism that did two things:  1) Conceptualized in graphical form the progression seekers take to come to faith; 2) (and maybe more importantly), how the new birth of someone is a team effort that requires everyone to help people "move up the scale."  It's not just the gifted evangelist that "closes the deal" and leads someone to Christ that's to be applauded, but all the people that help that person get to that place of openness and receptivity.  I encourage you to download the powerpoint and click along the frames as you listen to the message.  You'll hear about the "Engel Scale" as well as the "rest of the sermon."

Just wrapped up our teaching series this past Sunday, where we looked at different bible characters as a way to stimulate our faith.    We started off with Stephen (the church's first martyr) and then covered the following people in the ensuing weeks.

> Part 2 - Philip & the Ethiopian Eunuch, who demonstrated obedience and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and great open-heartedness respectively.   Listen here.

> Part 3 - Joseph - a man who knew how to resist sin.  Listen here.

> Part 4 - David - a man for whom "impossible is nothing."  Pastor Dave Chung did a great job with this message.  Listen here.

> Part 5 - Shunnamite Woman - a lady who understood spiritual family and more.  Listen here.

Our summer series is "Imitate & Emulate."  Whether we're aware of it or not, we live and learn by imitating.  It's a necessary and good part of life.  We all have mental pictures we imitate that guide our behavior - for good and for bad.  The key is to constantly update our mental picture to the highest pattern or model.  Eph. 5:1 says "Be imitators of God."  To do that, the bible encourages us to "Follow those who follow after Christ (I Cor 11:1), i.e. copy the copy!  The first "copy" I called out is Stephen, the church's first marytr.  Amazing young man.  To hear more of what about him is worthy of our imitation, click here for the message (Note: we're breaking in some new sound equipment; we apologize for some of the distortion in the recording).

Colossians 4:  Paul is trying to establish three constants in the believers life.  1) Prayer Constant; 2) Good-Witness Constant; and 3) Friendship constant.  Here is a working definition of constancy:  a fixed behavior that doesn't change with season, time, age, finances, or mood.  For complete elaboration of these three points, you'll have to make it up because the recording of my message got messed up!

Two inversions are killing the family:  1) Wives leading husbands, and 2) Kids leading parents.  In both cases, Paul's timely words in Colossians 3:18-21 help frame what a strong family unit should look like.  For more, click here for audio version of this message.