Faith

I am a Christian that trusts in the good news of God’s saving work accomplished through Jesus Christ, as faithfully proclaimed by the Old and New Testaments, and as affirmed by the Nicene and Apostles’ creeds. I also hold to the affirmations of the Athanasian Creed and the Chalcedonian Definition of the two natures of Christ, God and man.

Good Sources of Truth

Redeemer Presbyterian Church

I read and listen to sermons by Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. The church has a compilation of free resources at Gospelinlife.com. You can click show only free resources to limit the search results to free sermons.

I also recommend The City of God by Saint Augustine, available on Wikisource.

Christian Organizations that work for good in the world

World Vision helps fight poverty, hunger and other pressing issues around the globe. They have a program where you can sponsor a child.

International Justice Mission (IJM) works for social justice in the world where there’s slavery, human trafficking, and people are unfairly thrown into prison.

Church

I am a member of Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Huntington, West Virginia. I used to be a member of First Presbyterian Church (FPC) in Huntington but moved churches when a resolution was made that no longer abided by the biblical definition of marriage as between one man and one woman for life as reflected in the mysterious relationship between Christ and his bride the Church. The PCUSA passed a resolution that said that homosexual marriage was okay, and that’s why I left FPC for another church Christ Presbyterian Church. I eventually left that church because the pastor didn’t recognize the need for racial justice after the killing of George Floyd by the police officer who knelt on his knee for 9 minute. Since then, I’ve been at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church which is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversity this year of 2022 to mark 150 years since the church was founded in 1872.

Academic Organizations

I am a member of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences (ACMS).

I have also been involved with Cru, short for Campus Crusade for Christ, and Baptist Campus Ministry, a ministry of the West Virginia Baptist Convention, at Marshall University as a student.

Theology and great Christian theologians and writers

Saint Augustine of Hippo

I have read some of Saint Augustine‘s greatest work The City of God on Wikisource. I have a YouTube playlist where I have read some of Book 1 out loud. I have also read some of Saint Augustines Confessions.

George MacDonald

I have read some of George MacDonald‘s work Phantastes. I have a YouTube playlist for this book as well. I’m hoping to read some of his other books at some point as well. He also wrote The Princess and the Goblin.

G.K. Chesterton

I like reading the writings of mystery writer G. K. Chesterton, who invented Father Brown. I have read his book The Man Who Was Thursday.

C.S. Lewis

I also like reading books by C.S. Lewis. The books he published are not in the public domain yet so they’re not available on Wikisource. His works are available on Project Gutenberg for people living in Canada, however. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is still copyrighted in the United States but the copyright in Canada allows for reading it Project Gutenberg. I’m not going to post a link here because I don’t live in Canada.

Here are some good nonfiction books by C.S. Lewis:

Title	Year of Publication	Availability Notes	Notes on the content	Notes on my knowledge of the book
The Problem of Pain	1940	I checked out a copy from the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church Library.	The problem of pain, suffering, evil, and death in the world contrasted with a wholly good benevolent, all-powerful, omnipotent, all-knowing, omniscient, all-present, omnipresent, God	I have read the first few chapters.
Mere Christianity	1952	I have a copy and have checked out a copy from the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church Library.	The theology of the Trinity and the moral law.	I think I have covered the whole book. I have an audiobook I have listened to while on car trips.
The Four Loves	1960

Here are some good fiction works by C.S. Lewis:

Title	Year of Publication	Availability Notes	Notes on the content	Notes on my knowledge of the book
Out of the Silent Planet	1938
Perelandra	1943
That Hideous Strength	1945
The Screwtape Letters	1942

Music

Hymns

Normal

My favorite hymn is In Christ Alone. The name of the song speaks for itself. Here are the lyrics:

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

Easter

My favorite hymn for Resurrection Sunday on Easter is Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Here are the lyrics:

1 Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2 Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3 Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

5 Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

6 King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

Christmas

My favorite Christmas hymn is Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Here are the lyrics:

1 Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

2 Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel. [Refrain]

3 Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth. [Refrain]

Christian Websites

The Lords Prayer

The Lords prayer is described in the Gospel of Matthew. I have a note on the Lords prayer in my Gideon bible.

Here is what I remember:

Our father

who art in heaven

hallowed be thy name

thy kingdom come

thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven

give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our debts

as we forgive our debtors

and lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil

for thine is the kingdom

and the power

and the glory

forever and ever

Amen.