The picture in this post is the prototype for a new evangelism tool being tested by the US Army exclusively for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s Ablaze! nonprogram.The Active Denial System, is a Humvee mounted system that produces an intense heat beam. The heat beam fires after a generator creates 50,000 volts of electricity, which powers a gyrotron, a tube that bunches electrons in a magnetic field to emit a 130-degree-Fahrenheit directed-energy beam, said Diana Loree, who runs ADS efforts at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland.
Do you see the possibilities? We have been told for, (what five years now?) that being on fire for the Lord is a good thing. Now, we can drive down the cul-de-sacs of our little gated communities and set people’s hearts on fire from the street. Lutherans have never been accused of being a friendly bunch to begin with. Now, we don’t have to even get out of our cars to create critical events. Soon we will be able to reach the unchurched and undecided by setting their houses and their hearts Ablaze!
Of course we only know of this because the Army Times online is reporting a couple people suffering mild injuries that required medical attention during the testing phase. As they say, if you’re going to make an omelet, ya gotta break a few eggs.
With all the money we are raising Fanning the Flames, every congregation should have one in their mission advocate’s parking spot by 2010. Yeah!
Read more on our new Ablaze! evangelism tool here.
13 comments:
It's people like you that prevent the gospel from reaching those who need it most. Repent!
Heh. The photo has "ads" in the file name, which will probably get caught by many a spam filter.
To anonymous: what Frank writes here doesn't prevent anyone from doing anything.
Furthermore, it seems from your statement "those who need it most" that we are to conclude that there are people who need gospel more than others. That supposition is incorrect. Everyone needs the gospel. When one gets so busy roping people into church that they don't take care of the people in the church, everyone will leave.
If you think counting "critical events" and flowery talk such as setting hearts on fire are scriptural, you're welcome to prove that point. Otherwise, you're weakly attacking the messenger in the hopes that he'll shut up. I find that result here unlikely.
Dan,
I fixed the “ad” problem by going back and renaming the photo. I didn’t think about that when I downloaded the picture from Army Times. “Otherwise, you're weakly attacking the messenger in the hopes that he'll shut up. I find that result here unlikely.” I had to nearly pick myself up off the floor after reading that! I swear I don’t know what’s more fun, writing this kind of goofy stuff or the serious theological writing.
Anonymous,
Not too long ago my district president appeared in a video and said “we need be more mission minded and not so church minded.” as if the two can be separated. When you separate the theology from the mission, there is no Gospel. Period.
Frank, isn't it interesting that the definition of "Critical Event" has changed from when Ablaze was first put forward.
Steve, for me, everything about Ablaze! is interesting! Which change are you refering to? There have been a couple of "changes".
I think Friday the 13th was the perfect day to put up a post about Ablaze!tm - there is definately something supernatural about that "movement"! :)
BTW, thanks for putting up the link for Peter Leithart's article again.
I like the article. Ablaze is full of "Gospel", Where is the Law? Oh I know by telling everyone that they have to go out and give the gospel. These two things have to be done equally. This Hummer can move things along at a faster speed.
Emily,
I wasn’t even thinking about the Friday 13th aspect. Good catch on that one! I really was just having fun with a news article I found.
Did you see all of the hullabaloo over at Cyberstones concerning paedocommunion?
Did I see it?! You mean the one with 100+ comments? Actually, I added my own two comments. Quite an excellent discussion. I also found it interesting that there was really only one pastor whole-heartedly championing against infant communion (I'll let you guess who).
Oh, you're that Emily! It was a little hard to follow with Pastor Peterson's format the way it is, but I loved the discussion as well. Cwirla really hit one out of the park with his first comment.
I hope that's a good "Oh, you're that Emily!" :) That phrase carries a notorious undertone, but it makes me laugh anyways.
I usually don't post on Cyberstones since I recognize that the possibility of putting my foot in my mouth is greater than I am willing to risk.
On that note, thanks for being such a gracious host. I would welcome your comments any time on my own blog!
Emily,
Notorious indeed! Not many layman were getting involved with that fight. I’ll be adding your blog to my blogroll as soon as I can take a break. It’s hard to keep up with so many good ones out there. I’m sorry I missed yours
Emily,
My wife at dinner last night that she had never heard or even associated me with the word gracious. She then said she was going to look the word up in the dictionary to be sure. Hmm. Thanks a bunch for the compliment.
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