There is no certainty, only opportunity.

Apologies to the non-sports fans, but it's time for a playoffs update.

NBA ...

The Suns & Mavericks made big trades to try to give themselves a shot in the arm gearing up for the playoffs. Both were bounced last night in 5 games. Neither adding Shaq nor Jason Kidd got them over the hump.

It's easy to fall from grace. The Mavericks were up 2-0 on Miami in the NBA Finals in 2006 and had a meltdown in Game 3, which started a 3-12 run in the playoffs, even after winning a historic 67 games in 2007.

Conversely, the Mighty Lakers had Kobe and seemingly nothing else just a year ago and now the #1 seed in the greatest field the West has assembled has swept its way to the 2nd round. They handily beat the Nuggets, a team with the #3 and #4 scorers in the league.

I'm still thinking Lakers vs. Celtics in the NBA Finals, but I feel much more confident about the Lakers chances in that now. I think they can handle the winner of Houston & Utah, but will struggle mightily against the Spurs, whom I think can handle the Hornets.


NHL ...

The Stars have been underachieving in the eyes of many for quite a few years, having severe difficulty making it out of the 1st round.

They handled the defending champs (Ducks) with relative ease in the 1st round and are now up 3-0 on the Sharks, with a juicy chance to sweep at home tonight.

I'm sticking by my prediction of a Stars vs. Wings Western Conference Finals.

Detroit is also up 3-0, though Game 4 is a road game for them. I think it's less likely that Wing will beat Lanche in Colorado in Game 4. I'm thinking 4-1 Wing, which should give Dallas an extra 3 days rest, which they'll need going on the road for Game 1 at The Joe.


NFL ...

The Cowboys went 13-3 in the regular season and secured the #1 seed, which meant home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a 1st round bye. They were favorites to be in the Superbowl, but they were "one and done."


Whether it be a #1 seed like the Cowboys or the 2007 Mavericks or a blockbuster trade for Jason Kidd or Shaq, we've learned that there is no certainty, only opportunity. Sometimes lesser teams make more of their opportunities and consequently achieve more.

It says one hundred percent guaranteed, you moron!

Some thoughts that potentially seem unrelated, but not to my small brain.

I want to talk about signs. I know ... "Signs, signs, everywhere signs, etc."

This 1st sign I saw at a local eatery, the Flying Fish. I thought it was a cute way of saying, "Control your young."

This is an example of a good sign, cute, yet effective.

This 2nd sign got my ire up. I saw the sign and thought, "Sweet, color copies. 29 cents? What a bargain. That sounds like a bargain for me."

Well, the check out gal charged me more. I was like, "Hey, do this, don't do that can't you read the sign?" She was like, "Well, that's only for 100 or more copies." I was like, "Really." She was like, "Really, go read the fine print."

I read the fine print; she was right. I was mad. She was uneasy when I took a picture of the sign.

3rd sign ... Back in the day we would frequent Blockbuster video. We were among the many duped into thinking that "NO LATE FEES" meant ... wait for it ... that there were no fees for lateness. Not so much. After a week, they charged me the price of the movie, which was refunded minus a "restocking" fee. I asked, "Isn't that a fee you charged me because the movie was late, making it a "late fee"?

The Attorney General of Texas had to intervene in their shenanigans. We do Netflix.

4th sign ... It's not the first time I've been angered by a misleading sign (my take at least). There's a pizza joint in town that violated its own sign. It said, "If we fail to open your box to show you your pizza, it's FREE." (I didn't have my camera phone back then.)

They handed me my pizza and said, "Thank you, come again." I walked through the door and then immediately walked back in. I said, "Your sign says ..." and read it to him, like he was a child. He was like, "Well, I can open it for you now if you'd like." I appreciated the thought, but would have appreciated more the free pizza. No joy. I've not been back.

Ever been tempted without knowing "the fine print" of a deal? I was watching the Little Mavericks the other night and the lady in the FORD commercial told me, "You can take home a new Ford F-150 for just $189 a month. That's right, just $189 a month." Since I'd been truck watching for about 4 years now, I thought, "Wow! That's really a great deal, assuming you're not making those payments for 30 years."

I have a big plasma TV and I was watching the game in HD, but I noticed something blurry at the bottom of the screen. I got off the couch and read the fine print: "first three payments are $189 on the truck then payments resume to normal amount based on interest rate, term, and down payment." Not cool!

I think this is unethical, but the "Seeker" movement seems to be of that same ilk. There is no "fine print" of the Bible, yet there are many facts kept from the potential "customer" in order to get him/her into the church or down an aisle, etc.

Often so-called "Gospel" presentations will promise things the Gospel does not (happiness, better marriages, obedient children, etc.). But the reality is that coming to Jesus means so much more than (hell)fire insurance.

It means being right with God and one of His children, the consequence of which is no longer being right with the world or the children of the devil. (N.B. Philippians 1:29)

I said all that to say this ... don't be afraid to share the fullness of what it means to be a Christian. We're not justified by works, but there is an expectation of God's people to serve for His honor and glory.

Where hides evil in my kingdom, then? Always ... where you never expect it. Always.

I took a cold shower this morning because the pilot light had gone out on the hot water heater. I re-lit the pilot light this afternoon, but only after having my spiritual pilot light re-lit at the meeting of the Lone Star Founders Fraternal.

Dr. John D. Hannah was our guest speaker and he spoke on “Walking with God in Integrity.”

He took us back to the Scriptures and to the Puritans in general and John Owen & Jonathan Edwards in particular to help us understand how we are to deal honestly with our own depravity in our passion to glorify God in our lives and ministry.

Some quotes for your edification:

“What does it mean to glorify God? God is glorified in His creation when it reflects His character. We are to be mirrors of what God has granted to us of Himself by the Spirit.”
- Dr. Hannah

“What is the point of the Bible? The focus of the Bible is the glorification of God; the Bible begins and ends with divine and creaturely harmony. The fall brought disharmony, but God is sovereign and patiently bringing a restoration when creation will glorify Him fully once again. Christ, the anticipated lamb, came in the incarnation, and purchased a people for God by paying the debt that prevented their assimilation into God's family and God declared them righteous in Christ. God, by His Holy Spirit, is drawing the redeemed family together. When complete the 'garden' will be perfectly restored. God will be eternally glorified in His creatures.”
- Dr. Hannah

“What is the experience of redemption? The experience of redemption is an affectionate embrace of the beauty of Christ, a life of transforming delight in God as revealed in Christ.”
- Dr. Hannah

“God brings disappointments into our lives to shape us spiritually in that the design is that through them we depend on the Lord more.”
- Dr. Hannah

“God uses the evil actions of others upon our lives to shape us to reflect His glory.” (cf. Genesis 50:20)
- Dr. Hannah

“Sanctification has a double aspect. Its positive side is vivification, the growing and maturing of the new man; its negative side is mortification, the weakening and killing of the old man.”
- J.I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life

“The spiritual life is a mental struggle of what you occupy your mind with.”
- Dr. Hannah

“The spiritual life requires discipline; it is hard work and is a product of time and repetition.”
- Dr. Hannah

“The spiritual life is a bunch of habits, where you're replacing one set of habits for another.”
- Dr. Hannah

“Habits are routines that are not easy, but over time become a delight. What you are doing is replacing one set of routines for another.”
- Dr. Hannah

“No one has their act together; we all have areas of spiritual success, areas needing improved discipline, and areas of failure. Join the 'club' of fallen, redeemed humanity!”
- Dr. Hannah

“If you desire to think correct thoughts, you must have good ideas in your mind. You simply cannot avail yourself to what is not there.”
- Dr. Hannah (on the importance of the Bible in godliness)

“Right thoughts require the mental expression of good ideas; good ideas come from good input.”
- Dr. Hannah

“Perception of growth and growth are two different things.”
- Dr. Hannah

“If you think you're free from sin, go talk to your spouse.”
- Dr. Hannah

“The dominion of sin is present when sin exercises control over the will of a man with no opposition from another principle.”
— John Owen, Dominion of Sin

“The nature of sin does not change in regeneration or sanctification, but its status in us is radically attired.”
- Sinclair Ferguson, John Owen on the Christian Life

“None of us have our act together, but we cling to the cross.”
— Dr. Hannah

“Grace changeth the nature of man, but nothing can change the nature of sin.”
— John Owen, Indwelling Sin

“When [sin] is least felt, it is most powerful.”
— John Owen, Indwelling Sin

“If I understood the evil of my own heart, I would be less quick to tell others what they should do.”
- Dr. Hannah

“The man that understands the evil of his own heart, how vile it is, is the only useful, fruitful, and soled believing and obedient person.”
— John Owen, Indwelling Sin

“Many men harbor spirit devouring - lusts in their bosoms that lie as worms, at the root of their obedience, and corrode and waken it day by day.”
— John Owen, On Mortification

“Remind yourself that sin never pays long-term positive dividends.”
- Dr. Hannah

“Trace the particular manifestation of sin to its root. The cause of poor behavior is often hidden. Another way to say it is this: That which bothers us is often a fruit of a deeper cause. To make progress we must search out the underlying causes and deal with them.”
- Dr. Hannah

“Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it”.
– Jonathan Edwards

“I have concluded to endeavor to work myself into duties by searching and tracing back all the real reasons why I do them not, and narrowly searching out all the subtle subterfuges of my thoughts and answering them to the utmost of my power, that I may know what are the very first originals of my defect, as with respect to want of repentance, love to God, loathing of myself – to do this sometimes in sermons.”
– Jonathan Edwards

“Allow God to speak peace rather than assuming you have it. A lot of lessons are missed in hurray. Do not claim a verse and claim more than you should have.”
- Dr. Hannah (in the context of dealing with your sin in repentance)

“The Lord gave us two ends--one to sit on and the other to think with. Success depends upon which one we use the most.”
- Calvin Coolidge

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not: unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts.”
- Calvin Coolidge

“Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.”
— Jonathan Edwards

“A lot of our godliness is just protecting our image.”
- Dr. Hannah (in the context of spirituality done for the eyes of others, instead of the eyes of God)

What is wrong with you? Hey, I don't want to eat nothing but pancakes, I want to live!

Johnny Mac was in the local area Friday night. He was speaking on Luke 15, particularly the parable of the "Prodigal Son" (audio).

It was a good message and there's a quote I just have to share:

The gospel of Jesus Christ does not offer the sinner what the sinner, in his flesh, already wants. Any gospel that appeals to what an unregenerate sinner already wants is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unregenerate sinners want health, wealth, prosperity, success, happiness. That’s what sinners in their unredeemed condition want already. The gospel doesn’t come to offer the impenitent sinner what he wants in the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. The gospel offers the sinner what the sinner must have, which is forgiveness of sins, even if it costs him everything. (emphasis mine)
– John F. MacArthur, Jr.

The regenerate person, one born again, wants what this world cannot offer. One born again unto faith desires true life, not the counterfeit of trying to numb the pain with stuff or our best life now.

It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

I'm currently teaching through a Sunday school series called "Church Matters," the brain child of Lance, where we've combined the adult & youth classes at Providence Church.

The first week we looked at what the church is not, interacting with 4 articles from Mike Sviegel:

Part 1 - The Church is not a merely human organization (e.g., not political party, not a club, and not a business).

Part 2 - The church is not a supermarket of spiritual groceries (problems include church shopping, hopping, and dropping).

Part 3 - The church is not just a gathering of a few believers (especially those for whom they deem no church is worthy).

Part 4 - The church is not an option (it is a necessary component of sanctification).

I highly recommend those, and I'd like to add a few more along the lines of what the church is not ...

1. The church is not a meat market for singles to meet in order to cure them of the disease of singleness, nor should a church promote (or condone) itself as such. Certainly, Christians should marry Christians (2 Cor 6:14) and a great place to meet like-minded believers is in one's church, but the function of the church is not pairing people up.

2. The church is not a place of mere intellectual performance, a platform for people to show off their mental prowess or big words. Certainly, we are to love the Lord our God with all our minds and intellectual stimulation should occur if we are so loving God. However, church does not convene for a pastor or teacher to show off or to demean others of less intelligence/knowledge.

3. The church is not a building. Sure, the vernacular allows the building to be shorthand, just as we realize the Burger King is a entity that serves people food there. The church meets there and owns/uses that facility. However, it's far too popular to think of the building as the legacy, with people being loyal to a building and not Christ or His flock that meets there. I've even heard people personify a church building by speaking of it saving people and it making a difference in the lives of other or a community.

4. The church is not a gig. The church is not a venue for the band to entertain or try out new material. It's not a place for an audience to come to get entertained by artists. It is, however, a place for musicians to use their talents to the glory of God as worshipers are aided in exalting our Triune God together.

5. The church is not a place to network, to be seen or make business contacts. I've only experienced this secondhand, but looking for a church based on networking possibilities is particularly heinous.

6. The church is merely not a place to come and unload about your aches and pains. Sure, it's as much a hospital as much as it is an army, but Christian love dictates that we care about others, not just about getting our concerns on the magical prayer list. It's good to share your needs, but don't forget about the needs of others.

7. The church is not a group of perfect people. In fact, recognition of one's sinfulness is required for joining. We are people being perfected, but that means we're called to be patient, kind, forgiving, and loving with each other in the growing process. That means we give patience, not just expect it for us.

“For as long as Jesus insists on calling sinners and not the righteous to repentence-and there is no indication as yet that he has changed his policy in that regard-churches are going to be an embarrassment to the fastidious and and affront to the upright.”
-Peterson, Reversed Thunder, 54

Any others?

Recommended Reading: Stop Dating the Church: Fall in Love with the Family of God, by Joshua Harris.

Okay, sir. You're a Lebowski; I'm a Lebowski. That's terrific. I'm very busy, so what can I do for you?

This is interesting. My first name did not make the top 50 nationally. But 99.63% of people with my first name are male, including me.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 166 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Allegedly, there are 829,438 people in the U.S. with my first name (my spelling) and there are 60,765 people in the U.S. with the same last name. But not so many with all the tools put together.

How unique is your name?

Good relations with the Wookies, I have.

Mark Driscoll's use of Yoda-ese (Trinity: God Is) motivated me to share with you ...

Some pearls of wisdom from Master Yoda.

When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not.

Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.

Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.

Already know you that which you need.

A Jedi's strength flows from the force.

Grave danger you are in. Impatient you are.

Blind we are, if creation of this clone army we could not see.

May the force be with you.

There... is... another... Sky... walker

Strong am I with the force.

Lost a planet Master Obi-Wan has. How embarrassing.

Agree with you the council does. Your apprentice Skywalker will be.

Around the survivors a perimeter create.

Help you I can, yes.

Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.

Always in motion is the future.

[sarcastically] Ohhh! Great warrior! Wars not make one great!

Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

You must unlearn what you have learned.

The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.

Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is.

Do not underestimate the powers of the emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will.

You will know when you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.

Soon will I rest, yes, forever sleep. Earned it I have. Twilight is upon me, soon night must fall.

Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.

Not if anything to say about it I have.

The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is.

Feel the force!

Yes, a Jedi's strength flows from the force. But beware of the dark side. Anger... fear... aggression. The dark side of the force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice.

Always two there are, no more, no less: a master and an apprentice.

The boy you trained, gone he is. Consumed by Darth Vader.

Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things.

Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

Not victory , Obi-Wan. The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun, this Clone War has.

Pain, suffering, death I feel. Something terrible has happened. Young Skywalker is in pain. Terrible pain.

Stopped they must be; on this all depends. Only a fully-trained Jedi Knight, with the force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his emperor.

Obi-Wan: That boy is our last hope.
Yoda: No, there is another.

Already know you that which you need.

Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can.

Luke: What's in there?
Yoda: Only what you take with you.

Luke: I can’t believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.

Much to learn you still have.

One grain may tip the scale. One man may make the difference between victory and defeat.

How would you like to REALLY rock the vote?

The Founders Blog is in the Final Four of a "best SBC blog" competition and executive director Tom Ascol needs your vote.

If you're not familiar with Founders Ministries, I encourage you to check out their scene as well.

(conferences - journal - resources)

The gist of it is a group within the SBC committed to its reform and committed to the historic theological roots of the SBC (i.e., Reformed theology).

There are some great resources on the site and some great folks associated with the ministry.

Tom is one of the nicer guys you'll ever meet and is also an Aggie, so he's got that going for him ... which is nice.

Still not convinced? Tom makes a pretty convincing case, complete with some serious "trash talk."

Blog Madness Final Four: Full Court Press

P.S. The polls will close around 8PM (Eastern) on Monday night.

He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

Many of us have Church History heroes, chief for me is George Whitefield, the Reformed English evangelist & fellow Oxford alum.

Here is a list of questions Whitefield would ask himself each night "as a basis of judging on his actions during the day."

Have I,

1. Been fervent in private prayer?
2. Used stated hours of prayer?
3. Used ejaculation every hour?
4. After or before every deliberate conversation or action, considered how it might tend to God's glory?
5. After any pleasure, immediately given thanks?
6. Planned business for the day?
7. Been simple and recollected in everything?
8. Been zealous in undertaking and active in doing what good I could?
9. Been meek, cheerful, affable in everything I said or did?
10. Been proud, vain, unchaste, or enviable of others?
11. Recollected in eating and drinking? Thankful? Temperate in sleep?
12. Taken time for giving thanks according to [William] Law's rules?
13. Been diligent in studies?
14. Thought or spoken unkindly of anyone?
15. Confessed all sins?

-Dallimore, George Whitefield, 1:80

Any other self-examination questions you've found helpful?

It’s anchorMAN, not achorLADY!

The case of Sherri Klouda vs. SWBTS, Dr. Patterson et al is well known in the SBC. The issue of women in ministry is one that every church has to address at some time on some level.

I share with you a list I compiled, an exercise that I've done before on the topic.

101 practical scenarios regarding women in ministry.

Cogitate about the biblical principles that determine what a woman may or may not do within the body of Christ. Some passages to start with might include 1 Cor 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Eph 5:22-33; 1 Tim 2:12; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 2:3-5; etc. (others?)

After you have drafted up some theoretical, biblical principles that should govern such activity, relate them to the following, asking yourself, "If it were up to me, would I be on board with a woman doing X?"

Be prepared not only to answer "yeah" or "nay" but to support your answer.

In addition, you may want to distinguish for yourself, and for us, those things which you think are (a) biblically prohibited and those things which you're just (b) "not comfortable with" or want to play it safe with, etc. One other suggestion: You may want to try to put these on some sort of continuum and decide where you "draw the line" so to speak.

It seems to me there's a tension. On the one hand, we don't want to violate biblical texts like those above, yet we also don't want to unnecessarily limit the usefulness of the gifted sisters God has graciously given to us.

(N.B. The term "mixed" refers to a group containing both men and women.)

Are you on board with a Christian woman …

1. Being the president of a denomination?
2. Being a member of the governing board of a denomination?
3. Teaching/preaching/speaking at a national denominational meeting?
4. Praying at a national denominational meeting?
5. Being the senior pastor in a church?
6. Presiding over the Lord's Supper?
7. Distributing the elements of the Lord's Supper?
8. Collecting the offering?
9. Administering baptism to a woman in the church service?
10. Administering baptism to a man in the church service?
11. Administering baptism to her daughter in the church service?
12. Administering baptism to her eight-year-old son in the church service?
13. Administering baptism to her seventeen-year-old son in the church service?
14. Being the permanently designated leader of a (mixed) home church or cell group whammy?
15. Teaching the lesson(s) for such a cell group/fellowship family, etc.?
16. Being the committee chair for a mixed church committee (e.g., finance, missions, etc.)?
17. Being the director of Christian Education/Sunday School overseeing mixed teachers?
18. Being a foreign missionary in charge the whole operation, including the teaching, etc.?
19. Leading a mixed short-term mission trip?
20. Being the mixed choir director?
21. Being on a mixed praise team that leads the congregation in worship?
22. Being the lead vocalist on said praise team?
23. Being the leader/organizer of said praise team?
24. Being the minister of music who chooses and leads the congregational singing?
25. Singing a solo during the worship service?
26. Singing a duet with her husband during the worship service?
27. Singing a duet with a man not her husband during the worship service?
28. Singing in the mixed choir?
29. Singing with the congregation during the worship service period?
30. Being an elder?
31. Being a deaconess (i.e., female deacon - assuming biblical understanding of deacons as servants and elders in place to govern)?
32. Being the church secretary?
33. Being the church treasurer?
34. Member of a governing board that operates as an elder board for a congregation?
35. Speaking/preaching/teaching during the "sermon time" on occasion under supervision of elders and senior pastor?
36. Performing a baby dedication during service (assuming on staff)?
37. Speaking in a mixed Sunday school class (i.e., as part of the discussion)?
38. Speaking in a mixed Bible study (i.e., as part of the discussion)?
39. Speaking in a congregational business meeting?
40. Moderating a congregational business meeting?
41. Voting in a congregational business meeting?
42. Being the president of a theological seminary or Bible college?
43. Being the department head over male professors at a seminary or Bible college?
44. Teaching Bible or theology in a theological seminary to a class of women?
45. Teaching Bible or theology in a theological seminary to a mixed class?
46. Teaching Greek or Hebrew in a theological seminary to a mixed class?
47. Teaching Greek or Hebrew in a Bible college?
48. Teaching counseling to a mixed group in a theological seminary?
49. Teaching English (or math, history, etc.) to a mixed group in a Bible college?
50. Teaching any subject at a secular university that would allow male enrollment?
51. Being the principal of a Christian school that has male teachers?
52. Being the teacher of a mixed class in a Christian high school teaching art?
53. Being the teacher of a mixed class in a Christian high school teaching Bible?
54. Being the leader of a mixed Christian high school camp?
55. Being a camp counselor in charge of a mixed (high school) group?
56. Being the supervisor over a Christian man in any secular work environment?
57. Being the teacher of a mixed adult Sunday school class?
58. Being the teacher of a mixed Senior High (ages 15-18ish) SS class?
59. Being the teacher of a mixed Junior High (ages 13-14ish) SS class?
60. Being the teacher of a mixed Elementary (ages 5-12) SS class?
61. Being the teacher of an adult female Bible study?
62. Being the leader of a kids program (e.g., AWANA) that has male leaders?
63. Organizing VBS (assuming mixed teachers)?
64. Teaching on occasion in a mixed adult SS class, under supervision of male teacher?
65. Giving her testimony in the congregational worship service?
66. Giving her testimony in the mixed adult Sunday school class?
67. Writing a book on theology (not specifically designated for women)?
68. Writing a commentary on a Bible book as part of a series with a male editor?
69. Writing or editing a study Bible?
70. Contributing notes for study Bible with a male general editor?
71. Leading a translation team for a Bible version?
72. Being a translator on a translation team for a Bible version?
73. Editing or writing a Bible or theological dictionary?
74. Editing a Christian magazine (e.g., Christianity Today)?
75. Editing the church newsletter or bulletin?
76. Contributing an article to a Bible or theological dictionary (under male editor)?
77. Speaking/preaching evangelistically to an intended mixed group of non-Christians?
78. Evangelizing a man in a random personal encounter encompassing the two of them?
79. Praying to open or close a Bible study or Sunday school class?
80. Praying (aloud, representing the congregation) during the worship service?
81. Reading Scripture aloud to the congregation on a Sunday morning?
82. Reading Scripture to the Sunday school class or Bible study (upon request of male teacher?
83. Praying among a mixed group of praying folk in a Sunday school class?
84. Praying among a mixed group at a congregational prayer meeting?
85. Reading Scripture among a mixed group at a congregational prayer meeting?
86. Participating in the congregational Scripture reading during the worship service?
87. Praying for the mixed group before they consume a meal at a restaurant together?
88. Praying for the congregation at the park before they consume a picnic meal together?
89. Being ordained and bearing the title "reverend"?
90. Having the title "pastor" (e.g., Children's Pastor, Women's pastor, etc.)?
91. Having the title "minister" (e.g., Children's Minister, Women's Minister, etc.)?
92. Being a paid member of the pastoral staff (e.g., overseeing children, women, etc.)?
93. Giving the announcements (regularly) to start the worship service?
94. Giving an announcement on occasion dealing with kids during the worship service?
95. Welcoming people at the door as a greeter before the worship service?
96. Driving the bus to pick up kids for Sunday school?
97. Driving the van of mixed adults going to a denominational convention?
98. Organizing the trip of mixed adults to go to a denominational convention?
99. Owning a Christian bookstore (while employing men)?
100. Managing a Christian bookstore (while supervising men)?
101. Being responsible for (and choosing) inventory in a Christian bookstore?