tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129222902011-12-14T19:00:06.789-08:00A beginning without end. A starting point without a finish line. A destination? Yes. But the journey never ceases...at least, not yet.tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.comBlogger1421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1152480793229037412006-07-09T14:29:00.000-07:002006-07-09T14:33:13.270-07:00

It's official.I've moved.My new blog address is tomcottar.orgI'll leave this blog up as an archive for now...but come by for a visit and check out my new neighborhood!

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1152111341174110552006-07-05T07:36:00.000-07:002006-07-05T07:55:41.200-07:00

I received personal email last week from one of my all-time fav thinkers/authors, Leonard Sweet. (shameless name-dropping...sorry.) If you've been living under a rock the past decade and don't know who Len is, visit the link and be amazed.Long story short: Len has a new online resource you MUST visit, wikiletics.com. Wikiletics seemingly takes it's name in typical Len Sweet fashion...the

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1152110160386778682006-07-05T07:33:00.000-07:002006-07-05T07:36:00.410-07:00

With help from a friend, I'll soon be moving this blog over to tomcottar.org via WordPress 2.0. I'll be sure and post here when things are up and ready...Woo-hoo!!

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1151508653940345632006-06-28T08:28:00.000-07:002006-06-28T08:30:53.966-07:00

Darien lost his first tooth last night.I love you, buddy. You crack me up.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1151442134943671852006-06-27T13:40:00.000-07:002006-06-27T14:03:29.006-07:00

I found this article in today's Houston Chronicle interesting. It seems that a vote in a district that has fewer than 50,000 illegal immigrants and is 12 hours by car from the Mexico border could decide whether Bush's ailing immigration policy limps forward or is declared dead.This whole immigration hoopla is interesting, but I *really* like the final quote of the article:"If the truth be known,

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1151423599920870242006-06-27T07:49:00.000-07:002006-06-27T08:55:29.163-07:00

I have a hard time with sanitized, homogenized 'Christian' music, I'll admit. In fact, the nauseating majority of bubble gum lyrics and predictible pop that the CCM industry churns out is, well...nauseating.I'll also admit that I am a child of the 80's--punk, new wave, and hair bands. (Admitting it is the first step, eh?)Nonetheless, one of my all time favorite bands, Disciple, has a new project

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1151030295159891022006-06-22T19:11:00.000-07:002006-06-22T19:38:15.180-07:00

Last week was an amazing week with our high schoolers on the beach.This week is a furiously paced VBS week at our church. I'm also catching up with the administrative duties of being out of the office for 6 days.In 19 years of ministry, I've learned a few things to help me recharge during times like these. After all, according to the latest Barna report, Fifteen hundred pastors leave the

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1150926857098065212006-06-21T14:39:00.000-07:002006-06-21T15:04:24.413-07:00

Can I be honest? I was thinking along those lines earlier while working on stuff for our middle school camp next month. He seldom does things the way I'd do them. He always knows it all. And there are times when I don't think he's even listening to me...but it turns out He actually was listening, He was just waiting for me to shut my trap and listen to him...This afternoon, one of our seniors

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1150857150057263472006-06-20T19:16:00.000-07:002006-06-20T19:32:30.080-07:00

After an amazing week at Padre last week, I've been busy catching up on all the blog activity I've missed (see the blog links I dig on the right). Playing catch-up is exhausting and exhilirating. Nevertheless, three people sent me the following from Dan Kimball over the past three days.It seems at his church, Vintage Faith (what a great name, huh?), Dan recently taught on what it means for his

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1150737350580188892006-06-19T09:51:00.000-07:002006-06-19T10:15:50.726-07:00

Yes, we survived. Beautifully.When Heather and the boys and I arrived on Sunday evening, we hit the beach even before we were completely settled in our condo. Why? The tropical storm off the coast of Florida was producing 12-14 foot waves outside our door. Darien and I were eager to hop on the boogie boards and take on the Lady of the Surf. She was awesome.We checked in all our rooms for the

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1149525004035204092006-06-05T09:14:00.000-07:002006-06-05T09:30:04.076-07:00

This will be a fast and furious week before we head out to Padre.We leave next Monday to spend a week at The Tiki and purposefully spend time relaxing, playing, laughing, and learning who we are in Christ. The theme, blatantly stolen from Spencer over at The Ooze, is SOULARIZE. In preparation for my teaching, I've been looking at the beginning of our relationship with Christ. What is the core of

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1149174123973948172006-06-01T07:50:00.000-07:002006-06-01T08:02:04.020-07:00

On Monday, I took Darien on a 'man date'. We picked up a couple of cherry slushes from Sonic, went to pick up some fishing lures, bike inner tubes, and a new soccer ball. On our way home, we spoiled our lunch by stopping off at Krispy Kreme. We spent nearly an hour sitting in KK and talking about all the random things in a 5-year-old's head. Good times.Why is it that Krispy Kreme won't sell

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1149173424573143442006-06-01T07:45:00.000-07:002006-06-01T07:50:24.620-07:00

Today is Thursday....feels like a month since my last post, but it's only been a few days. We're in the middle of a tech remodel in our youth center (screens, DLP projectors, PA, etc.). Thank you, Jesus. But it's a slow-going work. We're trying to get it online by Saturday for a SBTC Disaster Relief Conference....right now WE could use a little Disaster Relief.But it's gonna be awesome...

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148583809603348742006-05-25T11:30:00.000-07:002006-05-25T12:03:29.646-07:00

After our last discussion, I've been doing a dangerous thing (thinking). Some other thoughts that are bouncing around my mind are as follows:4. Godly Men are Quick and Slow.5. Godly Men are Tongue-Tied.6. It's also best of Godly Men don't leave home naked.Comments/Questions/Complaints?

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148410807508789332006-05-23T11:39:00.000-07:002006-05-23T12:00:07.550-07:00

Granted, it's a long title. But after our short, but passionate discussion last week, I'm having a hard time boiling it down into soundbytes.What does a godly man look like? How does Godliness manifest itself in a maturing, Christ-seeking believer of the male persuasion? Here are some recent mullings...1. Godly Men are Fruity...in the Galatians 5 sense, not in the Brokeback sense. Jimmie

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148320442611922742006-05-22T10:39:00.000-07:002006-05-22T10:54:02.630-07:00

One of the most profound points for all engaged in the process formally called sanctification (i.e. growing in grace to look more like Jesus) is the startling and strategic move from being committed to being submitted to Jesus. Between these two words is a world of difference....a completely different life. It's not that committed people are not in the Kingdom. They are. But committed Christians

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148319538856100912006-05-22T10:35:00.000-07:002006-05-22T10:57:04.640-07:00

Not for me, obviously. But for tg2. I invited him to join us...Maybe he can join us next time for another dose of the Spirit of the Wild.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148167666460509832006-05-20T16:16:00.000-07:002006-05-20T16:27:46.486-07:00

Aha!I *knew* it. The illustrious Steve Camp has put together the most concise rewiew of the DaVinci Code movie thus far: "40,000,000 people can be wrong."But the best line in the review *has* to be the following:"The experience of watching this movie is kind of like listening to the Caner brothers: it is wearisome, nonsensical, arduous, historically twisted and in the end is unproductive."It

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1148070135338420862006-05-19T13:08:00.000-07:002006-05-19T13:40:23.166-07:00

Engrish.com...just plain funnyPlus, a huge list of 80's music videos. Flock of Seagulls. Autograph. Power Station. Hair bands to new wave. Viva Los Ochenta! Thanks to the midway-cleansed marko for the link...

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147983233266747142006-05-18T12:56:00.000-07:002006-05-18T13:16:22.806-07:00

I'm speaking this Sunday at the first-ever Baccalaureate service for one of our area high schools. Good times. For my spring board, I'm using the following introduction, taken from Charles Sykes:Life is not fair- put on your big girl panties and get over it! The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147982161470947912006-05-18T12:53:00.000-07:002006-05-19T13:07:53.563-07:00

Woo-hoo!If you haven't already, meet Douggieboomer (a.k.a. Doug Royer), our newest intern here.Welcome to the blogosphere, Douggie.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147882271567631302006-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:002006-05-17T09:52:21.093-07:00

It seems as though I keep running across blogs/podcasts/sites with a recurring theme.This afternoon, I'm beginning to take one of our interns through Wild At Heart for the summer. Great book. Last night, I ran across a ministry/blog entitled Outfitting Your Faith which focuses on reaching men, either uninvolved or marginally involved in the church, and creating relevant, authentic, godly

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147645683247615112006-05-14T15:28:00.000-07:002006-05-14T15:31:42.820-07:00

In 2002, I heard Spencer Burke talk about a buddy who started a church in his living room. He called it 'Scum of the Earth' Church, because he wanted to reach out to the outcasts, the vulnerable, and the social rejects of his area... I never found anything on it until now...Evidently, Pastor Mike Sares, 52, the a former Denver English teacher and musician...and buddy Spence was talking about. The

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147531956329497432006-05-13T07:48:00.000-07:002006-05-13T07:52:36.346-07:00

We're wrapping up our closing session as I'm typing this. The past 3 days of fellowship, networking, encouragement, and food (we ARE Baptist...) has been great. Did I mention how much I love San Antonio? Thanks to the SBTC for putting this together again for the 4th year. Wolf, Lasater, and all the staff have done an outstanding job. We're heading back home after lunch....good times.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147289277043120142006-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:002006-05-10T12:27:57.043-07:00

sigh.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147289147631984792006-05-10T12:25:00.000-07:002006-05-10T12:25:47.646-07:00

From the May 4th Baptist Press article: Baptists from diverse backgrounds issue an apology for our 'narrowing', 'unloving', and 'narcissistic' actions. They issued the 'Memphis Declaration'. "Expressing displeasure over what they call a“narrowing of cooperation through exclusionary theological andpolitical agendas” in the Southern Baptist Convention, a group ofSouthern Baptist conservatives

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147203906677960732006-05-09T12:36:00.000-07:002006-05-09T12:46:32.243-07:00

If you're going to read this, don't bother.After a couple of posts you'll move on to something else. So forget it. Get out before things change. Save yourself.Or, at least try.There has to be something better on television. American Idol? 24? Desperate Housewives? Or since you have so much time on your hands, maybe you could take a night class. Become a court reporter. Make something out of

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147191284732864252006-05-09T09:08:00.000-07:002006-05-09T09:14:44.733-07:00

Some good thoughts are going on over at Mark Riddle's blog (even for an Okie).The YS/Zondervan marriage.An upcoming film on the life of Kyle Lake (former pastor at Waco's UBC).For those interested, there are 3 posts concerning the 're-imagining of student ministry' here. Good things. It's about time we, as student ministers, grew up and started becoming pastoral. Start looking at the big picture

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147190828568779612006-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:002006-05-09T09:19:08.190-07:00

"Too often Christians spend their time praying, talking, and being spiritual but not getting their hands dirty. The book of James says, “Faith without works is dead.”On August 5, 2006, Craig Gross and J.R. Mahon of XXXchurch jump into an RV and head out on a 40-day, 40-city tour across the United States. The tour begins in Northern California and concludes 40 days later in New York City on

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147111732897381322006-05-08T11:07:00.000-07:002006-05-08T11:08:52.896-07:00

Thanks, Steve. (Enjoy Resurgence...)If you want to win the world to Christ you’re going to have to sit in the smoking section.- Neil Cole

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1147111398121418632006-05-08T10:35:00.000-07:002006-05-08T11:03:18.183-07:00

Sheesh. It's been just shy of 60 days since my last post.What started out as a temporary layover in Downtime, turned into a hectic flurry of projects, family crises, ministry urgencies, and a side trip into the the land of ....rest.It began as a critical need to unplug. I was way overstressed. Over-committed to the wrong things. Good things, like 'working for God' kinds of things. But I found

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1144786010318736592006-04-11T13:04:00.000-07:002006-04-11T13:06:50.340-07:00

How could I have missed this?

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1144770375099997662006-04-11T08:21:00.000-07:002006-04-19T07:31:37.076-07:00

The Good News. Buen Noticias. The Message. Whatever you call it, we're supposed to be telling it. How? Let me count the ways...The Kristo - probably the best online flash video of it's kind. Check it out.Got Life? -not to shabby, a bit on the systematic side.F.A.I.T.H. - the updated version of CWT and EE (for you old geezers...)Not to mention WWJD, F.R.O.G., D.O.G., and the mountain of t-shirts,

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1144598590450158372006-04-09T09:02:00.000-07:002006-04-09T14:09:44.283-07:00

Yesterday, I taught Darien how to ride his bike without training wheels. It was a big day for a 5 year old. (A pretty big day for Dad, too.) I started as I suppose most Dads before me do, by holding the back seat of the bike while he pedaled. I ran along beside him, giving instructions. "Pedal faster!" "Sit up straight!" "Keep going! You're doing great!""Daddy", he said, "Now my bike is just like

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1144202632636509972006-04-04T19:00:00.000-07:002006-04-04T19:03:52.656-07:00

*warning: useless information below...Tonight at exactly 2 minutes and 3 seconds after 1 a.m. the date and time will be:01:02:03 04/05/06...and it will never happen again.Please return your seats and tray tables to their upright position...we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1144169112045297192006-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:002006-04-04T09:57:29.100-07:00

The guys over at xxxchurch are at it again. You gotta give it to them for trying. If you're not familiar with them, check out their anti-porn ministry and their internet accountability software. Good stuff, for sure. I applaud these guys---they are amazing.Their latest effort to reach those who are trapped in the sin of pornography and it's money-making lifestyle has been to pass out free Bibles

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1143738289373730462006-03-30T07:50:00.000-08:002006-03-30T09:04:49.420-08:00

Thanks to Continental Airlines, the saga continues...After a GREAT 3 days in the mountains of the Chattahoochie Forest, I hopped in the car with a couple of guys to head back to Atlanta International Airport. My flight took off at 2:15pm and we headed to Bush Airort in Houston--a flight that takes a mere hour and fourty minutes. But when we arrive in Houston the weather is so bad that we can't

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1143591818531365942006-03-28T16:20:00.000-08:002006-03-28T16:24:40.876-08:00

Two days of learning to save the world.One more to go.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1143556051851318842006-03-28T06:27:00.000-08:002006-03-28T06:43:04.393-08:00

I couldn’t sleep Sunday night. And it’s not anything spiritual like over at Steve McCoy’s space. It’s just my old buddy, Insomnia, back for another visit. At 2:46 a.m. I got out of bed and flipped on the tube. Reruns. Infomercials. Fitness equipment that promise great abs in only 4 minutes a day.At 4:45 a.m. my alarm went off. I hit the shower, grabbed a jumbo cup of Starbucks, and headed out to

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1143177531352587752006-03-23T21:08:00.000-08:002006-03-23T21:19:25.803-08:00

Just a late night, random pic of our 2 boys and a couple of their cousins on the slopes.Good times.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142976998266723562006-03-21T13:33:00.000-08:002006-03-21T13:36:38.266-08:00

If you haven't heard of the newest Hasidic rap/reggae sensation to hit the airwaves since, well...ever, you should check him out here. Seriously.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142972732509991072006-03-21T11:43:00.000-08:002006-03-21T14:27:19.166-08:00

After spending a week with some of our extended family in Colorado, I've been reminded how strange a lot we are. And how common the human condition is. Our extended family is a wonderfully irritating blend of Caucasion, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. Protestant, Catholic, Reformed, and Agnostic. Alcoholic and tee-totaler. Plastic surgery-obsessives ... and slobs.Driving home, listening to King's

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142915010664764382006-03-20T20:23:00.000-08:002006-03-20T20:23:30.676-08:00

Yippee.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142731855811376532006-03-18T17:22:00.000-08:002006-03-23T21:26:04.903-08:00

One more time to *feel* the pain....Today was our last day skiing Winter Park. It was awesome. I spent the afternoon on the Mary Jane side of the mountain. She's 30 years old this year...the gal's got spunk. Perfect powder and all. I caught some righteous air (for an old guy) while totally diggin' the scenery Our Creator seemed to create out of pure joy. (cue 'God of Wonders' here...)I absolutely

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142557169588011072006-03-16T16:59:00.000-08:002006-03-16T17:04:30.936-08:00

Last night I went on a ride-along with my brother-in-law at the Ft. Collins PD. We got a domestic disturbance call and headed out to the north side of town. The young, Hispanic male, (let’s call him Juan, because, well... that’s his name) was just coming down from a 3-day meth/crack bender and was pretty, um....….uncooperative. He had been beating up his girlfriend and his mother, and had put his

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1142200196523229102006-03-12T13:38:00.000-08:002006-03-12T13:49:56.550-08:00

Tomorrow, Heather, the boys and I head out for Winter Park, CO. for a week. I'll be spending my spring break carving through the 70" base of powder with my board over the next 8 days. Check out the ski conditions here.Although I'm taking my laptop, my email and blogging will be sketchy at best. Nevertheless, I'll take lots of pictures and post them when I get back.In the meantime, watch for my

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1141855621746273822006-03-08T13:48:00.000-08:002006-03-09T08:59:01.536-08:00

Although inexplicible to some, I've nurtured a healthy affinity for serious guitarists for some time. On April 10, 2004, I witnessed Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani and Phil Keaggy perform together on the same stage at the Dallas Guitar Show.Satch and EJ didn't sing. Keaggy only sang during one song. The place was, of course, standing room only, ...and funeral-home silent as these guys led us in a

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1141395902044186692006-03-03T06:11:00.000-08:002006-03-03T06:25:02.076-08:00

For those of you who read here, thanks for your patience while I've been busy with, well,...life. I thought that things would settle down this week, but no. Now it looks like it'll be another couple of weeks before I can blog regularly again. So pray for me. I'll be as specific as I can...#1-Two praise teams, a great student ministry, and a wonderful family. I'm blessed. But I'm also *really*

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1141241650856801152006-03-01T11:30:00.000-08:002006-03-08T13:19:34.583-08:00

I recently got my hands on one of the new Hilary Clinton postage stamps. It seems the US Postal Service created a stamp with a picture of Senator Hillary Clinton to honor her achievements as the First Lady of our nation.In daily use, however, it seemed that the stamp was not sticking to envelopes. Word on the street is that this enraged Senator Clinton, who demanded a full investigation. After a

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1141141917616219172006-02-28T07:11:00.000-08:002006-03-01T11:26:42.126-08:00

"Just because God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, doesn't mean your music has to suck."That was the commerical I heard recently on Revolution, SIRIUS Channel 67. It's a great station for someone like me who likes loud guitars and Biblically-based lyrics. For those of you not familiar with it, it's not a typical sanitized, adult-contemporary, Newsboys-kind-of-station. It freakin'

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1141068945563696802006-02-27T11:29:00.000-08:002006-02-27T11:35:45.590-08:00

'A cheerful heart works well like a medicine...', even though at times I tend to think laughter is NOT the best medicine, but that the best medicine is...well, medicine. I have a tendency to be wrong at times....Nevertheless, in the spirit of the Arc of the Penguin, I bring you Dick Cheney's Quail Hunting School...Lock and load, people. We'll get to more weighy matters in a bit...

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140474714580675032006-02-20T14:23:00.000-08:002006-02-20T14:31:54.636-08:00

"You see, I avoided religious people most of my life. Maybe it had something to do with having a father who was Protestant and a mother who was Catholic in a [place]where the line between the two was, quite literally, a battle line. Where the line between church and state was… well, a little blurry, and hard to see."I remember how my mother would bring us to chapel on Sundays… and my father

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140473461392527412006-02-20T14:06:00.000-08:002006-02-20T14:11:01.393-08:00

Covenant Seminary has launched 'Covenant Worldwide', a free online resourceof materials from their seminary...TONS of stuff. Great stuff. Things grad students pay big bucks for.Go here and check it out.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140473142375126402006-02-20T14:04:00.000-08:002006-02-20T14:05:42.393-08:00

In case you haven't seen this before...my personal best is 310.5.Beware...it's addictive.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140144823366469352006-02-16T18:47:00.000-08:002006-02-16T18:53:43.386-08:00

Some guys make an impression that sticks.Years ago I ran into a 'youth communicator' named Thomas Young. He spoke to students at some camp. But he was a really unique guy--what he taught was not about cute little stories and funny anecdotes, but serious theology. But not theology for theology's sake, either. Deep, meaty, unapologetic apologetics. The kind of spiritual meal that sticks to your

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140041731741279302006-02-15T13:36:00.000-08:002006-02-15T14:17:51.593-08:00

According to the Jewish Virtual Library:The Sabbath (or Shabbat, as it is called in Hebrew) is one of the best known and least understood of all Jewish observances. People who do not observe Shabbat think of it as a day filled with stifling restrictions, or as a day of prayer like the Christian Sabbath. But to those who observe Shabbat, it is a precious gift from God, a day of great joy eagerly

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1140019895993904652006-02-15T07:56:00.000-08:002006-02-15T08:11:36.016-08:00

After an exhilirating and exhausting 8 days last week, I'm wiped. I spent yesterday hanging out at a park, enjoying the sounds of the waterfall, and reading while munching on my PB&J. (more on that later)In the meantime, here are some of last week's favorite links people have sent me. (I do get by with a little help from my friends...)I'd Rather Hunt With Dick Cheney Than Ride With Ted

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1139173606184158592006-02-05T13:06:00.000-08:002006-02-05T13:11:12.530-08:00

How many times have we heard that before? How many times have we SAID that before? (That's how I know I'm getting old...When I open up my mouth and my Dad pops out.)When we’re babies, all we can do is baby stuff. We cry, eat, sleep, play and poop. We lead a pretty simple lifestyle. As we grow, we learn to walk. Why? Because we see others doing it. We learn to talk. Eventually, we learn to drive,

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138901949167627292006-02-02T09:28:00.000-08:002006-02-05T09:24:29.330-08:00

Today is the 62nd birthday of Graham Nash, ...yes, of Crosby, Stills, and NASH. Graham is a tremendous songwriter and performer. Feliz Cumpleanos, amigo.On a bigger (to me) note, it has been announced that Mindcrime II will be released in the spring. The original Operation: Mindcrime (1988) and subsequent live box set, Operation: LIVECrime (2001), is a hallmark of concept albums. Queensryche (

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138814387116896212006-02-01T09:10:00.000-08:002006-02-01T09:19:47.143-08:00

Hats off to my dear friend Bil Cornelius at Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus. A VERY long time ago (almost 20 years!?!) we met at a summer camp in Waco. A few years ago Bil and Jessica started a church with one other couple---Bay Area now sees thousands of people through its doors every weekend.Bil's current sermon series is on the topic of 'Relationships'.Stop what you're doing. Click here. (You'll

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138715093626068132006-01-27T07:52:00.001-08:002006-01-31T05:44:53.626-08:00

The funniest thing I've run across this week...thanks to Thorn for the link, and to the Mind behind it.Kirk Cameron, actor and Christian activist has been tagged to play the part of Chad Allen in the proposed made for TV biopic “The Start of the Rainbow at the End of the Spear”. This choice has spurred much discussion on GLBT blogs and websites wondering why a gay actor couldn’t be found to act

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138377603576699772006-01-27T07:52:00.000-08:002006-01-27T08:00:04.280-08:00

I found an interesting story from Rueters, via tg2. NAIROBI (Reuters) - A starving Kenyan woman placed a powerful tribal curse on God, accusing him of sending famine, and died in her sleep, local newspapers said Thursday.The woman from eastern Kenya's drought-ravaged Kangundo district decided to invoke a dreaded oath from the Kamba community, famed for its potent witchcraft, media reports said."

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138220792622450162006-01-25T11:26:00.000-08:002006-01-25T12:28:39.353-08:00

As I sit here listening to Bono's Rolling Stone interview, I'm amazed at his depth and perception of the spiritual and cultural. If you've been living under a rock the past few months and don't know what I'm talking about, you definitely need to go to iTunes and download the podcasts. There are 7 parts in all, but are definitely worth the time invested. One [of many] things Bono says that are

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138210247569372632006-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:002006-01-25T09:30:47.606-08:00

On Monday, I had a wonderfully cordial dialogue with Gary Ledbetter, Communications Director at SBTC. Having known Gary since 2002 and having some similar musical interests (Gary is a former drummer who's gigged with some interesting people---viva the Lizard King!), it was good to catch up and fill in some blanks from both perspectives.According to Ledbetter, “our basic concern was that apparent

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138053766718432592006-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:002006-01-23T19:15:05.906-08:00

Click here for Monday's Mindless Fun...

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138053530798535512006-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:002006-01-23T19:16:03.513-08:00

This banned XBOX ad reminds me of the way we, The Church, turn on each other. Especially the closing two words...

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1138036372672485432006-01-23T08:49:00.000-08:002006-01-23T09:13:04.383-08:00

I have an anonymous lurker who, on another blog, has accused me of having some kind of hidden agenda among Faith Harbour issue. On this blog, he identifies himself as Manelikocu, but gives no real identifying information, except that he knows a great deal about the Harbour/SBTC issue and claims to have information that would easily correct me on the issue.Let me be perfectly clear.As you

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137853688220503842006-01-20T07:49:00.001-08:002006-01-24T14:16:53.413-08:00

Yesterday, Jan. 20, Bapist Press and Jerry Pierce (SBTC) issued yet another article in an effort to put out the fire. According to the article, Rix Tillman, pastor of Exciting Immanuel Baptist Church in El Paso and a credentials committee member, said Haney unconvincingly tried to argue to the committee that because Eklektos is not technically a church, no constitutional problem existed. “The

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137774067609848302006-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:002006-01-24T14:15:39.976-08:00

In a unique turn of events yesterday, an AP reporter contacted Gary Ledbetter, Editor In Chief at SBTC and someone whom I consider a friend, about this whole matter. According to Ledbetter " they were not concerned about Haney starting a new church and they were not concerned about him setting up a woman as senior pastor." Wait a minute...let me go back and read the original report submitted by

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137698851922687552006-01-19T11:17:00.000-08:002006-01-24T14:14:18.180-08:00

If you haven’t already done so, please read the Baptist Press story here.Read Part One of this post. Read Part Two of this post. To close out the evening, Biles told Haney that he had to write a letter that explained his theological postition on homosexuality, disavow the “new church”, Eklektos, disavow Wendy Bailey, and promise to never have anything to do with her again. Haney simply responded

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137698239550590242006-01-19T11:11:00.000-08:002006-01-24T14:10:30.050-08:00

If you haven’t already done so, please read the Baptist Press story here:Read part one of this post. If the BP report was accurate, I would have a completely different opinion on the action taken. I personally interviewed Randy Haney, pastor of Faith Harbour, at 3:30 on the afternoon of December 21st. With his permission, I humbly submit the following information to the trustees, executive board,

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137602700907740972006-01-18T08:19:00.000-08:002006-01-18T08:57:55.660-08:00

According to Jerry Pierce, Managing Editor for the SBTC Texan, their executive board has acted unanimously to disaffiliate a church for violating the convention’s constitutional provision concerning churches that “affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior.”In a report written by the Minister/Church Relations Director Deron Biles, he and another staff member, along with the SBTC credentials

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137450329522411662006-01-16T14:25:00.000-08:002006-01-16T14:28:57.570-08:00

We're doing it wrong. Worship is not about lights and bands and cool clothes and songs that make me feel good. Consider the words of Ross King:Clear the stageand set the sound and lights ablazeif that’s the measure you must taketo crush the idols.Check the pewsand all the decorations, tooand tell the congregations few,then have revival.Tell your friendsthat this is where the party ends,until you’

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137362897604083132006-01-15T14:01:00.000-08:002006-01-15T14:08:17.620-08:00

PAT ROBERTSON: SATAN CAUSED CHENEY'S SHORTNESS OF BREATHDevil Laid Veep Low, Evangelist SaysOne week after claiming that God had caused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke, the Reverend Pat Robertson today said that Satan had given Vice President Dick Cheney the shortness of breath that resulted in his brief hospitalization on Monday."Vice President Cheney is dedicated to

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137345493718849892006-01-15T09:14:00.000-08:002006-01-15T09:25:10.260-08:00

Welcome to my newest nephew, and the newest male of the Cottar tribe, Evan Alexander. You can get the full story here.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1137251821511078412006-01-14T07:17:00.000-08:002006-01-14T07:19:25.163-08:00

My last post was Christmas Day. Apologies to those of you who kept checking in here and finding nothing but the smell of stale air. But here’s a little explanation:My ministry associate is no longer working with me. He’s moved on to follow God’s will elsewhere. It’s made things doubly busy for me around the church.I’ve jumped into lead positions with not one, but TWO worship bands as of this

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1135513681598382432005-12-25T04:21:00.000-08:002005-12-25T04:28:01.620-08:00

Merry Christmas!(Don't fret over the 'Happy Holidays' war....ugh. Did you know that the word 'holiday' is just Old English slang for 'holy day'? )The Real Story here.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1134692679741892352005-12-15T16:18:00.000-08:002005-12-15T16:30:47.950-08:00

Remember that little holiday song?Grandma got run over by a reindeer...coming home from 0ur house Christmas Eve...Well this year, it seems it's open season on Rudolph in Orlando. Good ol' Rudy has been shot and hung, ready to be field dressed.Funny and sad. Mostly funny.Here's the whole story.(Thanks, Steve!)

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1134168810224513672005-12-09T14:40:00.000-08:002005-12-09T14:53:30.240-08:00

One of my all-time favorite thinkers/writers/protagonists is Len Sweet. If you're not familiar with him...shame, shame. I've only heard him speak once in my life, but it was full of grace, wisdom, and brotherhood.I stumbled across this on his site today. A lot to chew on, I know. (I wonder what would happen if we dropped the BF&M statement from our church polity and added the Magna Charta of

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1133905478677934902005-12-06T13:36:00.000-08:002005-12-06T13:44:38.693-08:00

I'm not sure which is worse. The latest from Pat Robertson or the latest from Joel Osteen. Thoughts?

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1133902002960663952005-12-06T12:46:00.000-08:002005-12-06T13:11:00.436-08:00

I couldn’t sleep last night. After speaking at our local winter FCA rally, I got home late. My mind was still buzzing at 1:30 this morning when I finally went to bed. After tossing until almost 3am, I dozed off… until 6:30. That happens to me a lot.So my mind wandered into Fight Club, a movie I’ve seen at least a hundred times, and the I Ching of my life (next to the Scripture). “When you have

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1133210055345300062005-11-28T11:28:00.000-08:002005-11-29T09:03:31.806-08:00

That's the mantra of Craig and Mike at xxxchurch.com. Their site offers free internet accountability software (x3 watch) and is promoted as the #1 Christian Porn Site. You won't find pornography, but support and encouragement for those who struggle with it.I met these guys a couple of years ago in Dallas, to preview their independant film/documentary. The film, titled Missionary Positions, gives

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1133206032921309512005-11-28T11:27:00.000-08:002005-11-28T12:34:53.463-08:00

A Cloud of DustFor those of you who read here from time to time, my apologies for being away so long. Crazy schedules, family travels, changes in ministry have all taken their toll.But no worries. Although things have kept me from posting in the last few weeks (which seems like an eternity), This week begins a new time of letting the dust settle. In the coming days, I’ll be posting some thoughts

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1133204951347284982005-11-28T11:09:00.000-08:002005-11-29T07:01:39.516-08:00

*the following is a prayer from my journal. I hope it speaks to your heart, not your intellect. If it speaks to no one…I’m okay with that. :P My Creator and God,You’ve proved Yourself over and over in new ways in the past few weeks. Just when I think I know You, You move and I see a new facet of Your being that blows me away. Like Icarus, I’ve built wings to fly on my own. But my wings don’t sail

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1132005378608870082005-11-14T13:53:00.000-08:002005-11-14T13:57:28.796-08:00

Reason # 186:Here.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1131986730084855802005-11-14T08:35:00.000-08:002005-11-14T08:49:40.460-08:00

Thanks, Howie, for pointing this out.Evidently, the Christian community doesn't have enough junk already cluttering up the bookstores and internet. I was mistaken--I thought there was an abundance already. But no. Someone, somewhere, for some reason, figured we needed more. You can actually go here and buy your very own 'I Watch Joel Osteen' lapel pin, in the hopes that someone will stop you on

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1131564086256776822005-11-09T11:17:00.000-08:002005-11-09T11:21:26.280-08:00

OK. I realize that this is probably not what Brandon Boyd had in mind...but you can go here and create your own avatar (icon).Check me out...I look much cooler in cyberspace.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1131474268376161212005-11-08T10:15:00.000-08:002005-11-09T07:29:35.150-08:00

Yesterday in Waco, we're sitting at a local coffee house waiting for Brennan Manning NOT to show. (see post below.) One of the girls in our group orders her drink, a 'Flaming Idiot'--a sort of latte with cinnamon and other girly stuff.Just before the 'coffee artist' (whatever that is...) tops off her drink with whipped cream and little chocolately sprinkles, she asks, "Do you want everything on

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1131401017641320082005-11-07T14:03:00.000-08:002005-11-09T07:31:03.550-08:00

Twelve years ago, I was privileged to spend a weekend with Rich Mullins. It changed my life forever, but not in the ways you’d think.During a retreat in McKinney, Rich and Beaker led worship and spoke to nearly 500 students. I was volunteering as a leader with a college group and we were staying at a nearby house each night. After each service, Rich would come to the house and hang out with us.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1131398967293699842005-11-07T13:29:00.000-08:002005-11-08T10:37:17.246-08:00

Thank you.It’s been nearly a week since my last blog entry. So much has happened. Maybe later I can go into details in a future post, but you know me: I’m a bottom-line kinda guy. So, here goes:Last week our family was blessed in an incredibly generous act of love and grace. We had a need that only God could provide….and He did so through some fellow believers in our little community of faith

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1130423644359029342005-10-27T07:09:00.000-07:002005-10-27T07:36:58.883-07:00

Dang it.One day --when the dust settles--I will write an incessantly long blog about how things continue to happen in my life. I have a 'chance encounter' with someone, and the next day....BAM! God thumps me on the head like a 6th grader and says, "Dude. You totally missed it."This morning, I read this.The greatest part is this quote:"I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1130359053375766372005-10-26T13:31:00.000-07:002005-10-26T13:46:45.006-07:00

The first: Students are looking for a soul-shaking, heart-waking, world-changing God to fall in love with; and if they do not find that God in the Christian Church, they will most likely settle for lesser gods elsewhere. The second conviction: so will we.

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1130357384347551952005-10-26T13:09:00.000-07:002005-10-26T13:10:30.043-07:00

My blog is worth $3,951.78.How much is your blog worth?

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1130346527323792952005-10-26T09:58:00.000-07:002005-10-26T10:08:47.360-07:00

In his latest Rolling Stone interview, that is."Even though I'm a believer, I still find it really hard to be around other believers: They make me nervous, they make me twitch. I sorta watch my back." (p.s. Kudos to my bro who scored U2 tickets this weekend in Houston....)

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1130183079240352482005-10-24T12:44:00.000-07:002005-10-24T12:58:45.690-07:00

Mark your calendars for December 29-31, 2005 !Where? Three Mountain RanchWhy? Our annual New Years Retreat!What's the story with '28 Days'? Once upon a time, there was a movie about a guy named Jim (see his pic below). Jim was a bicycle courier who awoke one day from a coma. As he begins wandering the halls of the hospital, he notices a LOT of change in the world around him. Something has

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1129571326464180902005-10-17T10:48:00.000-07:002005-10-17T10:56:31.760-07:00

Why You Shouldn’t Read This BookIt is a book about sin. I realize sin is not our favorite topic. Far from it. Why? Because we all sin. Every day. It’s not just what we do, but it is part of who we are. Sin is part of our spiritual genetic makeup. We tend to say things like, “I struggle with…” or “My shortcomings are …”. Can we just face it? It’s called sin. And it’s ugly. For the most part, our

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1129041496030497602005-10-11T07:38:00.000-07:002005-10-11T08:02:16.663-07:00

I was reading this morning about Jesus' confrontation with satan in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11) ... and it reminded me of my own temptations. Scene 1 – the desert. Where we face the strongest temptations in life. Place where we are the weakest and our enemy is the strongest. Dry. Rough. Barren. Hills. Rocks. Scraggly plant life. Heat. Heat. Heat. The only relief is the night.Night falls. Jesus

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1128965973119873682005-10-10T10:27:00.000-07:002005-10-10T10:39:33.126-07:00

For those of you fortunate enough to know who Steve Camp is, I have added his blog to my links.His contribution to CCM (before it sold out, IMHO) and to my own theology of grace and ecclesiology is impossible for me to articulate. I even had a good friend who served as his Nanny a few years ago...If you are familiar with Steve, go here and check out his blog. You can also check out his other

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1128625899899151202005-10-06T12:04:00.000-07:002005-10-06T12:12:38.160-07:00

Steve McCoy has a great post here which got me thinking: Are we doing it (evangelism) right?Below is an excerpt from Keith Miller's "Scent of Love"...The early church grew “not because of the [spiritual gifts] of Christians – such as the gift of speaking in tongues – and not because Christianity was such a palatable doctrine (to the contrary, it is about the most unpalatable doctrine there is)

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12922290.post-1128453720400436972005-10-04T12:13:00.000-07:002005-10-04T12:22:00.420-07:00

I was reading this morning about Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 13 and 14). It seems to me that revolutionaries are Dreamers. And sometimes dreamers just get in the way...It reminded me of the first Matrix movie. Remember how Morpheus always seemed to speak to Neo in a 'dream'? (BTW, Morpheus was name of the Roman god of dreams...)Dreams are what keeps you going. I'm talking about God-given dreams,

tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.com2