Broadcasts From This Strange Land

"Building Steps to the Hindu Shrine" by Pastor Steve Grace (Podcast #13)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:28:17 +0000

I'm rebooting the podcast here in This Strange Land. I had tons of technical trouble with my audio file server that I had signed up with and so for a long time the files were unavailable or missing. I've fixed part of that. I lost all of the files and was able to regain some of them. You'll notice that some of my old posts have been deleted because I wasn't able to recover the audio files from the hosting service I was using (they went out of buisness). However the new and improved Broadcasts from This Strange Land is now live. You can subscribe by clicking on the button on the sidebar or click on this link to take you to the iTunes store. The podcast mission is to bring you the best audio for life, faith, and family. For now most of it will not be original content, rather things I have listened to recently that I either found helpful, challenging, faith-building, convicting or just plain entertaining. Some day I hope to put out some original stuff but am a little too busy at the moment. Today's audio is a sermon that my good friend Pastor Steve Grace preached at Fellowship Baptist Church in Joplin MO. The title of the message is "Building Steps to the Hindu Shrine." I listen to quite a lot of sermons on a weekly basis and this one hit me right where it hurts, namely loving my neighbors. Steve is hands down one of the best Bible preachers I know of. I'm not going to say too much because I think he tends to stop by this little spot on the internet from time to time so I don't want him to struggle with pride. In full disclosure I used to work with and for Steve as his lowly youth intern. I hope this changes your perspective on Jesus and challenges you as well. Enjoy!

Click Here to Download Audio File

My Message on Acts 4:13-22(Podcast #12)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:52:44 +0000

This past Sunday I preached a message on the New Testament book of Acts chapter 4 verse's 4:13-22 at my home church Evanston Bible Fellowship. The message title is "Boldness in the Face of Persecution"

Click Here to Download Audio

Mark Driscoll does "Song of Songs" (Podcast #11)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:49:35 +0000

I jokingly mentioned to my wife that I was looking forward to this sermon series by Mark Driscoll like most guys look forward to the playoffs. Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Bible Church in Seattle Washington is taking his congregation through the Old Testament poetic book "Song of Songs." If you want to be taught the word of God by a great Biblical expositor with a great (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor this is the sermon series for you. He's calling the series the peasant princess. The video is an online promo for the upcoming series and the audio follows. Have fun! By the way Mark doesn't take an allegorical meaning to this rather frank book about the physical relationship of man and wife. (In other words you might find yourself blushing from time to time).

Audio from the first Sermon in the Series:

ckick here to download the audio

Phil Keaggy at Wheaton College (Podcast #10)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:46:13 +0000

Just found this audio from the archives of Wheaton College's weekly chapels. This is a concert Phil put on just for the students last spring. As you listen keep in mind it is one man and one guitar making all the music.

Click Here to Download the Audio

Go to his website here.

Wikipedia here.

Tim Keller, Keith Green and Prodigal Sons (Podcast #9)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:20 +0000

If you've never listened to any of the audio I have posted and podcasted on this site today's is a great place to start. I'm a huge fan of good preaching and not many do it as well or better than Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City. The following message is I think a condensed/ summarized version of the topic in his upcoming book, The Prodigal God. I can't say how great this message is. I don't think I've properly understood this well known parable until now.

Click Here to Download Audio

No discussion of the parable of the prodigal sons is complete without listening to a rendition of "The Prodigal Son Suite" by the late great Keith Green. I've been a fan of Green's music ever since I read his biography, No Compromise. If I remember correctly before Keith became a Christian he was fascinated by the character of Jesus Christ and was especially moved by the story of the prodigal. At that time in his life Green was a struggling musician playing mostly in bars and clubs. Kieth wrote this nearly ten minute modern take on the parable and would often end his set with this song. As the story goes there would often be weeping in the smoke filled bars after he finished. Listen to both the sermon and the song and rejoice that we have a God who welcomes both types of prodigals!

Click Here to Download Audio

Site Note: Every piece of audio I post is also available in the podcast which you can subscribe to in various ways if you scroll down the sidebar to the right

Ekhart Tolle and his book "A New Earth" Audio Reviews (Podcast #8)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:37:56 +0000

If you've been wondering what Eckhart Tolle is all about here are a couple of resources for understanding his "spirituality."

Once again, the reason for examining these kinds of books which blend Jesus and various forms of other religious practices is to sharpen, clarify, and ultimately strengthen our understanding and worship of Jesus. The first audio clip is from The Kindlings Muse Podcast. Dick Staub and his panel of guests discusses the various themes in Eckhart's book. The second and third audio clips are sermons from my Church, Evanston Bible Fellowship. My pastor, Jason Lancaster, spent a few weeks actually taking Eckhart's and Oprah's online/iTunes course. If you didn't think that Oprah is a form of religion you should spend a few moments looking through this course on Itunes. Both perspectives are helpful to listen to. As always you can listen on the page by clicking play button or just download the mp3 files to listen to later.

NOTE: I have spliced all the audio together into one file. It is over 2 hours long so pace yourself.

Click Here to Download the Audio

Phil Wickham (Podcast #7)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:17:57 +0000

I saw this guy open for David Crowder last year at the House of Blues in Chicago and was very impressed. The audio I posted is my favorite song out of my limited experience and the video following he is doing a cover of a pop song.

Click Here to Download the Audio

(HT Steve Mccoy)

The Other Side of the Screen (Podcast #6)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:14:31 +0000

I recently downloaded a podcast from the Drew Marshall Show. He interviewed a girl named Crissy who recently left her occupation as an adult film star to pursue a life devoted to Jesus. Crissy describes how the daugher of a one-time pastor became a porn-star. Her story is heart-wrenching and convicting all at once.

There are two groups of people who should hear this story: First, men should listen and be brutally reminded of the far-reaching effects of looking at pornography. Putting real flesh and bones on the nameless body on the other side of the screen has to move even the most addicted. Second, women should hear about the environmental forces that pushed her into this manner of living. I am convinced that our churches need godly women ready to get their hands dirty in helping to redeem lives like Crissy's so destroyed by abuse and wrong choices.

Click Here to Download the Audio

Some great resources for those struggling with these issues:
XXXChurch
Covenant Eyes Internet Accountability Software

The Cultural Impact of The Beatles (Podcast #5)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:12:14 +0000

I grew up listening to mostly "Christian alternative/Pop" music so I'm not much of a expert when it comes to The Beatles or any other popular band of previous generations, or mine for that matter. For the most part I feel that this is just fine with me. However, recently I have grown less and less excited about the quality of art that most "Christian" singer/songwriters are producing. There was a trend I think that started probably 10 years ago of merely copying the style and sound of "secular" artists. I remember browsing through a local Christian Bookstore and seeing a large display which basically listed "secular" artists and said, "If you like this then you'll also like..." then it listed a "Christian" artist with a very similar style. I also noticed around the same time Alanis Morisette was exploding in popularity that Rebecca St. James completely changed her singing style to match the vocal style of Alanis Morisette. I got the feeling at the time that I was listening to something slightly inauthentic. I've seen this trend among other artists since that time.

When did Christians decide that we can't make good music/art ourselves? Why have we stooped to merely mimicking the popular trends of culture? I'm not saying that all "Christian" labeled artists are doing this but sadly what passes as "Christian" top 40 today is, in my opinion, not worth listening to.

I heard a recent series of interviews about the Beatles with none other than Alistair Begg. Begg is a pastor, author and sometimes actor (check out Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius). He talks about how the Beatles shaped his life and the culture around him. Listen to the audio and leave a comment if you agree with some of my thoughts or give a reaction to the interview.

Click Here to Download the Audio

The Importance of Gender (Podcast #4)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:11:10 +0000

Dr. Mark Dever of Capital Hill Baptist Church discusses the importance of gender in scripture. I believe this is a rare topical series that Dever is starting.

If you are unfamiliar with Dr. Dever's ministry here is the link: 9 Marks Ministries.

Here is the audio of his first sermon in the series:

Click Here to Download the Audio

God's Answers to the Problem of Pain (Podcast #3)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:09:00 +0000

All Christians at one point or another experience doubt about the truth of the gospel. This seems especially prevalent among younger 2nd or 3rd generation believers who have in some senses grown up in an environment where belief in God and the Bible is "normal." I count myself one of these people. When exposed to teachers in college or even high school who are far older and more widely read who scoff at belief in things like: creation (either literal or theistic evolution), the virgin birth, miracles, the trinity, etc... it can be painful.

This is why it is extremely important to "embrace" the doubts we have about our faith. Let me explain. Doubting our faith, or some of the doctrines of the Bible, shows that we are interacting in a serious way with the very basis of our, for lack of a better word, worldview. We are not just swallowing hook line and sinker everything told to us by other Christians. We desperately need to face head on the difficult questions our society is asking about Jesus and His followers. But hear me on this we need to follow it through to the end. Meaning, examine the question then read extensively about the problem while praying that God would deepen your faith and give you understanding. Then read extensively from Christian Scholars who have wrestled with this question as well and see what answers they give for retaining their trust in God.

It is extremely important to read both sides of the argument. This may sound silly to even say it. However, I have met more than a few people who grew up Christians only to abandon most of their beliefs because of one guy they read in their freshman philosophy class and never took the time or effort to find out what a Christian might have to say about that particular issue! I have also met people well into their "golden years" of life who have never really wrestled with the questions our society has about Jesus.

You might ask why this is a problem. Because, they have hundreds and thousands of people in their lives whom they can't give even a simple explanation about the topic in question. Obviously there are many Christians who don't fall into either of the types I have just described. Anyway I meant this post to encourage us to always examine the truths we base our lives.

Here is the sermon audio from Tim Keller about the Bible's answer to the problem of pain:

Click Here to Download the Audio

Does God Have a Problem? (Podcast #2)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:52:53 +0000

Bart Ehrman is a distinguished professor of New Testament Studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is a former Evangelical Christian. He even graduated from my alma mater The Moody Bible Institute where he, like myself, studied to become a minister.

He is now an agnostic and has written a few popular books attempting to discredit the Christian faith. He recently did an interview about his flight from the faith mainly due to his concern that the Bible insufficiently answers the problem of pain.

Listen to this interview and in a few days I will post a discussion from the perspective that the Bible does have legitimate anwers to this problem.

Click Here to Download the Audio

Can There Be Only One Way? (Inaugural Podcast)

jcurtiswatson@gmail.com (J. Curtis Watson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:49:11 +0000

"Christianity is so exclusive!"
If you have ever heard this you know that it is one of the major objections people raise against belief in the Christian God.
Tim Keller is a pastor in New York City, Manhattan to be precise. He has recently authored a book named: The Reason For God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. I am posting the audio from a sermon he gave on the exclusivity of belief in Jesus. Just click the play button below and turn up your computer speakers. Enjoy!
Click Here to Download the Audio There are 7 messages relating to the 7 major objections raised against Christianity. You can download this one and the others to your iPod/Computer at the following address:
http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=29