Better Before Bigger

May 8, 2013 By Josh Daffern

There’s an incredible quote I want to share from Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-a. But first let me give you the back story. As Andy Stanley tells it, in the 1990s there was a company called Boston Chicken, which ended up becoming Boston Market. This was Chick-fil-a’s first direct competitor, another major brand of a chicken-sandwiches-only restaurant. Boston Market had huge expansion plans, with the goal of having $1 billion in sales by the year 2000. They were fast-expanding and... Read more

7 Reasons Why You Need to Attend the Chick-fil-a Leadercast

May 6, 2013 By Josh Daffern

For anyone interested in leadership or leadership development, the Chick-fil-a Leadercast is an incredible opportunity for you to expand your leadership universe and be challenged by some of the greatest leaders in our nation. With speakers such as Jack Welch, Andy Stanley, Condoleeza Rice, John Maxwell, Henry Cloud and David Allen, you’ll be glad you attended this event. For those in the Columbus, MS area, you can order your tickets here. For those reading this throughout the US, you can... Read more

The False Choice Between Calvinism and Arminianism

May 2, 2013 By Josh Daffern

Am I a Calvinist or an Arminian? Yes. And life is great here above the fray. Southern Baptists are being torn apart by the classic Calvinism debate. Our seminaries are in separate camps, our leaders are divided and throwing resolutions at each other. College and seminary presidents are weeding out professors that don’t agree with their particular doctrine. Your theological view on salvation is becoming a litmus test that trumps all others. The tragedy is that the Calvinism vs. Arminian... Read more

My Test Drive with Prius Theology

May 1, 2013 By Josh Daffern

When the Toyota Prius hit the market in 2000, the world was introduced to the idea of hybrid technology: gas and electricity both used to power a car. In that same year, a just-as-revolutionary hybrid theology began to take shape in my heart. In my last two posts (here and here), I chronicled by journey from Arminianism to the depths of hyper-Calvinism. After I began my road to redemption, I tried to avoid the topic. I couldn’t make sense of... Read more

Calvinism: My Journey There and Back Again (Part 2)

April 30, 2013 By Josh Daffern

When I left off yesterday, I was heading off to Africa with a armful of John Piper books. Growing up as a classic free-will loving Arminian, I didn’t know how soundly my quaint ideas were about to be crushed under the weight of Scripture. If you’ve ever read a John Piper book, then you know it’s like drinking from a fire hydrant. The guy knows his Bible, and he is a passionate Calvinist. After a few months of reading, I... Read more

Calvinism: My Journey There and Back Again (Part 1)

April 29, 2013 By Josh Daffern

It’s Calvinism week here at mtvpastor, where I’m going to weigh in on the growing controversy within the Southern Baptist Convention. To those who don’t know about the Calvinism debate: don’t worry, you’re not missing much. To those of you caught up in the hype and wonder why I’m choosing now to write about it: it’s already been predestined that I would write about it today, so why fight it? A good controversy like this can’t be settled in one... Read more

Why Your Church is Like Rotten Tomatoes

April 24, 2013 By Josh Daffern

One of my favorite apps on my phone is Flixster, which lets me view upcoming movies and trailers. More importantly, before I make the decision on whether to watch the movie, I look at the Rotten Tomatoes score, a percentage of how many other users liked the movie. More than the critical reviews, I know that if other users like the movie, I probably will too. Why is this important for the church? Because 92% of people trust recommendations from friends... Read more

7 Reasons Why I Love Joy Prom

April 22, 2013 By Josh Daffern

Think of the happiest, funnest, most memorable prom that you can remember. Multiply that by ten, and you have the Joy Prom. Last Saturday I attended the Joy Prom, an event I’ve had the privilege of being a part of for the past several years. The Joy Prom is where our high school students throw a prom for the special needs community in our area. The high school students serve as dates, we literally roll out the red carpet, and... Read more

Why Would a Good God Allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People?

April 19, 2013 By Josh Daffern

At the time of this writing, one suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing is dead, with the other one on the run. Another stark reminder of the tragedy that happened so recently. The bigger question many ask is this, “If God was such a good God, why would he allow bad things to happen to good people?” It’s easy to see the brokenness of the world around us and be overwhelmed. That inner sense of right and wrong given to... Read more

Making Sense of the Senseless Boston Marathon Bombings

April 16, 2013 By Josh Daffern

Why? That’s the question. Why do something so senseless? The Boston Marathon for years has been a ray of hope, a non-political gathering of people from throughout the world to celebrate human achievement. Why would someone introduce such harm and mayhem into something so profoundly peaceful? While the US government will work tirelessly to discover and pursue the individuals behind this heinous act, we’re left to wonder the bigger question: why? Why did something like this even happen? In short,... Read more