Last week Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit posted IN SEARCH OF HUCKABEE’S SERMONS, linking to a Mother Jones article reporting on presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s announcement that he will not make his early sermons available to the media and the public. Reynolds joked: “He’s just taking Matthew 6:6 a little more seriously than most . . . .”

Actually, Huckabee recently preached at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas and made the whole sermon available to the media. Click here for video links and a full transcript of the message (preached on November 4, 2007).

As far as Huckabee’s earlier sermons from back when he was a pastor in the 1980’s, those messages may be more difficult to access. Many pastors preach from an outline rather than writing out a full manuscript, and many churches would not still have tapes of messages from 20-30 years ago. I started preaching in 1986, and I do not have copies of my earlier messages.

Also, although all preaching should be applicable to a wider audience, preaching is also directed to a specific congregation at a specific time, and so much of Huckabee’s sermons from the 1980’s may not be directly applicable to the media and public of the 21st century.

What do you think? If Huckabee’s earlier sermons are readily accessible, should they be made available to the media and the public? Or would that be akin to asking Mitt Romney to dig out his old Mormon Sunday School lessons?

(Note: The question about Romney is merely for comparative purposes. I do not know if Mitt Romney ever taught Sunday School, or whether Mormons even have Sunday School for that matter.)

Super-size me. Looks like somebody ate too much turkey for Thanksgiving. Meet George, an extremely fat hedgehog found by a wildlife aid group on the side of the road along with his friend Mildred, which is normal-sized.

Unclear of the concept. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to be an official observer for the 2008 U.S. presidential election. In a recent speech to his militia in Iran, Ahmadinejad said, “If the White House officials allow us to be present as an observer in their presidential election we will see whether people in their country are going to vote for them again or not.” Will someone please explain to the president of Iran that George Bush is not even allowed to run in this election?

Also unclear of the concept. The Humanist Community Center in Palo Alto, California offers Sunday School classes for the children of atheist parents. “One Sunday this fall found a dozen children up to age 6 and several parents playing percussion instruments and singing empowering anthems like I’m Unique and Unrepeatable, set to the tune of Ten Little Indians, instead of traditional Sunday-school songs like Jesus Loves Me.” (HT: Stand to Reason)

(Video links and transcript below)

Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has attracted a lot of attention in recent weeks, especially among evangelical Christians. I know I have been looking at him more closely as I consider which candidate to vote for in the upcoming primaries.

On Sunday, November 4, Huckabee preached a sermon at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. Jeremiah 29:11 was the Scripture text for his message: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

In his opening remarks, Huckabee made it clear that this was a personal not a political message.

I want to share really more of a message from my heart then about just politics, and I know that sometimes when people like me come to a church, the expectation is, okay, he’s going to use this to politicize. I want to assure you, I’m not … I want to … distance myself from ever making the pulpit a place where I would try to somehow take advantage of it in that way.

You can view the video of the message at the three links below. I have also included a transcript of the videos if you would rather read Huckabee’s sermon. He has a great illustration using the Arkansas Razorbacks at the end.

Video links:

• Part 1 of Mike Huckabee’s sermon on video
• Part 2 of Mike Huckabee’s sermon on video
• Part 3 of Mike Huckabee’s sermon on video

Update: You can also view all three videos at The Huck Report.

Related posts:

• Still Leaning Towards Fred
• The Cluster Approach to the GOP Nomination
• The MPR Select a Candidate Quiz
• Memo to Evangelical Leaders on Romney
• Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

(Click the link below to read the transcript of Mike Huckabee’s sermon.)

(more…)

This is from today’s Townhall column by Hugh Hewitt. The column’s main topic is Pat Robertson’s endorsement of Rudy Guiliani as the Republican nominee for president, but I found the following tangent interesting.

In the middle of the article Hugh shares the following about a Christian publishing executive who called his show yesterday.

The exec cooly noted that when trying to sell books in the Christian market, the key “influencers” in terms of importance are:

1. the Southern Baptist Convention,
2. James Dobson,
3. the Willow Creek network,
4. Rick Warren and his network of 450,000 pastors, and
5. Pat Robertson.

I guess I never thought about it before, but (at least according to this executive) these are the most powerful groups or individuals that influence which books actually sell in the Chrsitian market. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having power or influence. It just means that these groups have an enormous responsibility in making sure that they recommend the best, most helpful, most Scriptural, most edifying, most God-honoring books available. And that is a huge responsibility to shoulder.

Side note: At the end of the article Hewitt says,

In a two man race — and it is a two man race between Giuliani and Romney — getting the fence sitters to break for you matters a great deal.

I wonder why Hewitt considers this a two man race at this point? I would say that Guiliani, Thompson, Romney, McCain and Huckabee (in that order) all still have a shot at the nomination. Personally, I would feel comfortable with any of these five as the Republican nominee – except for Guiliani.

Andrew Jackson at SmartChristian.com wisely recommends that GOP voters take a “cluster approach” when it comes to choosing a candidate for the Republican nomination.

I think one of the mistakes being made right now in the GOP race, however, is we feel like we have to choose ONE CANDIDATE ONLY. What we might call the “singular approach.” So, folks are having a tendency to bounce back and forth based on how a candidate is doing at the moment, and feel embarrassed if they change from one candidate to another.

I have recently decided to take the “cluster approach.” That is, I know the cluster of candidates that I am supporting (McCain, Thompson, Huckabee), and the cluster that I am not (Guiliani, Romney, and the others). This provides me more flexibility to allow the race to fully unfold, and I will make my final decision when primary vote time actually arrives. In other words, the cluster approach allows for a little more grace for me and the candidates.

This is basically the approach I have been taking, although my “cluster” is a little different than Andrew’s. I have been supportive of Thompson and Romney, and now tentatively Huckabee; while not supportive of Guiliani, McCain and others. (Note: If you haven’t visited SmartChristian.com recently, check out the new design – very nice.)

Related posts:

• Still Leaning Towards Fred
• Mike Huckabee’s Sunday Sermon at Prestonwood
• The MPR Select a Candidate Quiz
• Memo to Evangelical Leaders on Romney
• Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

Minnesota Public Radio presents the Select a Candidate quiz:

By answering a series of questions about major issues, you can quickly learn which candidates are most closely aligned with your views. You’ll be able to learn more about each candidate, hear his/her positions on many issues, and find out how your results compare with those of others who take the survey.

Q: Does “Select a Candidate” tell me who to vote for?

A: Absolutely not. Its main purpose is to introduce you to the candidates who are running and their positions on the issues.

I took the quiz, and these were the results I got back for the main candidates:

• Fred Thompson – 26 points
• Mitt Romney – 21 points
• John McCain – 20 points
• Mike Huckabee – 18 points
• Rudy Guiliani – 15 points
• Barack Obama – 4 points
• John Edwards – 2 points
• Hillary Clinton – 1 point

There is also a simplified version of the quiz at WQAD that has eleven questions instead of fifteen. I took the WQAD quiz too, and it gave me back the same candidates in the same order but with a different scoring system.

I have been leaning towards either Thompson or Romney for the Republican candidate, so it is interesting that they came out as the top two on my quiz. I guess this also means that if it comes down to Fred Thompson versus Hillary Clinton in 2008, now I know who to vote for! 🙂

Related posts:

• Still Leaning Towards Fred
• Mike Huckabee’s Sunday Sermon at Prestonwood
• The Cluster Approach to the GOP Nomination
• Memo to Evangelical Leaders on Romney
• Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

Prominent PR specialist and evangelical Mark DeMoss has circulated a memo to leaders of evangelical organizations urging support for Mitt Romney. Hugh Hewitt has reprinted it over at Townhall.

When I began surveying the landscape of potential candidates I was looking for three things:

1. Someone who most closely shared my values;
2. Someone who has proven experience and competence to lead and manage large enterprises;
3. Someone who can actually win the nomination.

DeMoss makes a strong case for Romney fulfilling all three of these qualifications. Personally, I am still trying to decide between Romney and Fred Thompson.

Related posts:

• Still Leaning Towards Fred
• Mike Huckabee’s Sunday Sermon at Prestonwood
• The Cluster Approach to the GOP Nomination
• The MPR Select a Candidate Quiz
• Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

The best follow-up line to last night’s Republican debate on the economy goes to . . . Harrison Scott Key at World on the Web!

In the first Republican debate that focused on the economy, TIME says Guiliani won, giving him the grade of A minus. The National Review says Rudy absolutely didn’t win, and Slate said Fred Thompson won. Did you watch? I didn’t. I read a book. And you know who won? I did.

Politics got you down? Enjoy the lighter side of our President as he tries his hand at some stand up comedy at the Annual Radio & Television Correspondents Association Dinner.

(Video length: 7:16)

President George W. Bush at the Annual Radio & Television Correspondents Association Dinner;
March 28, 2007

HT: Evangelical Outpost

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow wrote about Cancer’s Unexpected Blessings in an article for Christianity Today back in July. Here are some key sections:

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies …

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us—that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God’s love for others. Sickness gets us partway there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy …

I sat by my best friend’s bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away … His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity …

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don’t know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place—in the hollow of God’s hand.

Related post:  Tony Snow Passes Away (1955-2008)

Interesting numbers from the Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll today. On the Republican side, Thompson and McCain are both experiencing a bit of a jump while Giuliani and Romney have both slid some in the polls. The numbers on the Democratic side seem to be holding steady. (You can track the numbers over time at the Daily Polling History page.)

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Republican Presidential Nomination

• 28%  Fred Thompson
• 19%  Rudy Giuliani
• 13%  John McCain
• 10%  Mitt Romney
•   5%  Mike Huckabee

Democratic Presidential Nomination

• 40%  Hillary Clinton
• 21%  Barack Obama
• 18%  John Edwards
•   3%  Bill Richardson

So, does anyone have an early favorite from either party yet? So far I am leaning towards Thompson or Romney. Anyone saying, “Oh goody, politics on the blog!”? Anybody going, “Blech! Politics on the blog!”?

Related posts:

• Still Leaning Towards Fred
• Mike Huckabee’s Sunday Sermon at Prestonwood
• The Cluster Approach to the GOP Nomination
• The MPR Select a Candidate Quiz
• Memo to Evangelical Leaders on Romney
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

Back to school. A 94-year-old Australian woman has become the world’s oldest person to earn a university master’s degree. Phyllis Turner began studying for her postgraduate degree at age 90 and received her Medical Science Master’s Degree from Australia’s Adelaide University earlier this summer. The great-great-grandmother completed her research paper on the anthropological history of Australia prior to European settlement. Degree supervisor Professor Maciej Henneberg said, “She has a lively mind.”

Tough crowd. A new Gallup Poll finds Congress’ approval rating the lowest it has been since Gallup first tracked public opinion of Congress with this measure in 1974. Just 18% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, while 76% disapprove, according to the August 13-16, 2007, Gallup Poll.

Fail safe. Last week 10-year-old Daniel Jancura accidentally locked himself inside a safe on display at Sam’s Club. It took firefighters and store employees fifteen minutes to get him out. This week a 73-year-old woman was trapped in a bank after employees accidentally locked her in the building while she was looking over the contents of her safe deposit box. She was discovered unconscious by a cleaning person six hours later. So, remind me, why do we call these things “safe?”