KuyaKevin.com

Hey guys,

I'll be talking about love/purity issues on February 5th and February 12th at Friday Night Youth Gig (6:00 p.m.).   Please come and invite your friends.

Address: 818 N. Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila (in front of FEU and beside Mcdonald's Morayta).

Hey Baguio,


The Basta LoveLife Show will be on  The Edge Radio (94.7 FM) Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m.


Sorry about any confusion, but this is the final day/time.  Please tune in and tell your friends to catch us at our new time and station.

In this episode:

*Premarital sex and false intimacy.

*Is it OK for a Christian to date?

*Is it OK to join a dating website?

*A lesson learned the hard way.

Just go to the podcast page (kuyakevin.lybsyn.com) to download or look up Basta LoveLife in iTunes.  This podcast is 100% free.

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
-Mario Andretti

The love month is quickly approaching!  Here's my tentative speaking schedule:

Friday, January 29th: The Edge Live Stream Manila  6:00-9:00 p.m. (my interview will be around 7:00)

Friday, February 5th:  Youth Gig, University Baptist Church  6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 6th: Word International Ministries 6:00 p.m.
Room 202, No. 993 R. Syjuco Building
corner Bansalingin St. EDSA, Veterans Vill.
Across from SM North Annex
Project 7 Quezon City

Tuesday, February 9th: Lyceum University of the Philippines, 9:00 am (mini theater)

Friday, February 12th: Youth Gig, University Baptist Church 6:00 p.m.


Saturday, February 13th:  Joy Christian Felllowship, 690 Real St., Intramuros 1:30 p.m.

Monday, February 15th:  AMA College East Rizal (Antipolo City) 9:00 a.m.


Wednesday, February 17th: Far Eastern University, 10:00 a.m. (main auditorium)

Friday, February 19th: St Joseph School (Laguna) 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Friday, February 19th:  Church of Christ Disciples (Laguna) 6:00 p.m.


Sunday, February 21st: Deparo United Methodist Church, Susano Road, Deparo, Caloocan City 2:00 p.m.

Monday, February 22nd: Philippine Normal University (morning and afternoon seminar).

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH:  BOOK LAUNCHING FOR LEARNING THE HARD WAY: UNIVERSITY BAPTIST CHURCH, 6:00 p.m.


Saturday, February 27th:  Television Interview, Channel 32 Baguio, 8-9 p.m.

Sunday, February 28th: Faith Fundamental Baptist Church, Antipolo (6:00 p.m.)


Friday, March 5th:  Paco Baptist Church, 6:00 p.m.

Keep coming back to this post for updates.

The Basta LoveLife Show is coming back to Baguio!

Just tune in to the The Edge Radio (94.7 FM) Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m.

Please spread the word!

I decided to play some of my favorite stuff from the early 90's on last week's radio show.   Here's one of the songs I chose: The Hard Way, from DC Talk's Free at Last album, released in 1992 (this is my favorite DC talk album of all time).

They spent a day inside a prison to film this video.

Here's an excerpt from the lyrics:

Some people gotta learn the hardway
I guess I'm the kinda guy that has
to find out for myself
I had to learn the hardway, father
I'm on my knees and I'm crying for help

Today I officially became a member of University Baptist Church, Manila.  This church is located in the "university belt" area and shares my passion for reaching college students.

As many of you know, UBC has a "Youth Gig" student worship every Friday night at 6:00 p.m. (I've mentioned it several times here on my blog and will continue to do so). 

Here's a little more information on their Sunday schedule:

Sunday worship times are 7:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and the afternoon (vesper) service is at 4:30 p.m.

The church is located at 818 N. Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila (in front of FEU and beside Mcdonald's Morayta).

I'm excited about this new ministry partnership!

Hey guys,

The book launch for Learning the Hard Way will be February 26th at University Baptist Church (UBC).   That's a Friday evening--it will be a "special edition" of Youth Gig.

I'll give you more updates as the details unfold.  Church Strengthening Ministry and UBC will be working together on this project. 

Next week will be my first TLW seminar of 2010--Wednesday, January 27th, at San Sebastian College!

It's been a couple of years since I've spoken there and I'm really looking forward to it.

Next week I'll post my tentative speaking schedule for February.  Until then, remember this speaking gig in your prayers.

Note: Since I posted this Friday morning I learned that the TLW seminar at San Sebastian has been canceled/postponed.  I'll keep everyone posted.

In this episode:

*The price of purity.

*My friend just broke up with her boyfriend of 7 years.  What advice should I give her?

*What are the "signals" that a guy is interested?  I'm confused.

*I'm starting to believe I'm destined for singleness.  Is this wrong?

Note:  I did this episode solo, so I chose the music.  I included some songs from my favorite Christians bands of the early 90's.  

Just go to the podcast page (kuyakevin.lybsyn.com) to download or look up Basta LoveLife in iTunes.  This podcast is 100% free.

Let’s face it: there’s a price to pay for about anything worthwhile. Sexual purity is no exception.

Here’s a simple example:

I’ve heard from several young women who are still saving their virginity for their future husbands. Do you know what almost all of them have in common? They’ve broken up with boyfriends who were pressuring them to have sex. This of, course, is a smart move—letting go of a temporary relationship in exchange for lifetime benefits of sexual purity (not to mention avoiding the spiritual, emotional, and physical consequences of premarital sex). Simply put, it is a price they are willing to pay for the sake of purity.

So here’s my question: what price are you willing to pay for purity?

Are you willing to break up with Mr. Bolero?

Are you willing to get an accountability partner and honestly talk to him/her about your struggles?

Are you willing to endure peer pressure and be teased by your friends?

Are you willing to avoid sexually explicit materials (internet, magazines, movies, etc) that sabotage your commitment to purity?

These are just a few questions you need to honestly ask yourself.

Purity doesn’t happen by accident.

See also: The Clueless and the Careless

Attention Baguio--the Edge Christian Radio has officially invaded your city!  Tune in to 94.7 FM to check it out!

As many of you know, we are approaching the busiest time of the year for me in terms of speaking engagements.  I'll be posting my schedule in a few days.  In the meantime, please remember me in your prayers:

*Pray that I'll manage my time wisely (balancing campus ministry and speaking gigs).

*Pray that God will protect my health and safety (I've been blessed with very good health, but I definitely can't afford to get sick and lose my voice right now). 

*Pray for all the students I will be meeting over the next few weeks--pray that God will change lives.  

*Keep praying for the second book--we are very close to having it ready for print.

Hope all of you have a great week!

In this episode:

*Avatar movie review.

*What if I like someone who is already in a relationship?

*Should I get back together with my ex?

*Dealing with rejection.

Just go to the podcast page (kuyakevin.lybsyn.com) to download or look up Basta LoveLife in iTunes.  This podcast is 100% free.

As I'm sure all of you know, Haiti has been devastated by a magnitude-7 earthquake.  The death toll may be tens of thousands of people.   Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.  They need our help.

Here's one organization you may want to consider donating to:  the Baptist Haiti Mission.  Here's a quote from their website:

The BHM hospital at our headquarters in Fermathe is overflowing with earthquake victims. We are the only hospital serving the surrounding rural mountain villages. Since hospitals have collapsed or suffered major damage, many people are traveling from around the capital to receive help. In the video, you can see the early hours at the Fermathe hospital following the earthquake.

While we are still working to contact all of our rural ministry partners and the local churches scattered throughout the country, we can tell from the damage we see that almost no one will escape untouched by the earthquakes. The amount of emergency relief needed will be unprecedented in Haiti's history.

You can go to the Baptist Haiti Mission's website to see the video and learn about donating.   

Dear Baguio Listeners,

Many of you have been faithfully following our show Thursday nights on DWLY-FM 97.5.  Erwin and I are incredibly grateful to this station for allowing us to purchase air time and get the Basta LoveLife show started.   

I'm sure you noticed we were not on the air last week.  To make a long story short, we have decided not to extend our contract with DWLY this year.  It is not the radio station's fault--we simply can't financially commit to purchasing air time this year. 

Please keep visiting my blog for future announcements--we haven't given up on Baguio radio!

We hope you guys will keep listening to the show via internet/podcast for now.

Believe it or not, this is Stefani Germanotta, before she became Lady Gaga. I especially like the first song, called Captivated.



I'm struck by two things when I watch this video. First, she's really talented. I don't really follow her music, but what little I've seen doesn't really showcase her abilities. Second, she looks . . . well . . . normal. I watched one of her interviews a few weeks ago on CNN. She looked and acted like she was auditioning for a role in Space Invaders.

Here's an amusing little tidbit for my non-Filipino readers: "gaga" is actually a vulgar word in Tagalog. It means "stupid." For this reason I can't help but laugh whenever I hear her name on television.

This Friday (January 15th) will be the first Youth Gig for 2009! 


Time: Friday nights, 6:00 p.m. (late comers are always welcome). 

Location: University Baptist Church
818 N. Reyes st. Sampaloc, Manila:  in front of FEU and beside Mcdonald's Morayta.

Join us for a time of games, worship, small group discussions, and a message from God's word.

I’ve finally watched Avatar. Let me explain just how popular this movie is before I get into the review. I was originally planning to watch it Monday evening with a buddy of mine. I arrived at Mall of Asia before 5 to discover that tickets were sold out for both the five o’clock and eight o’clock shows (the only available showing was 11:00). This kind of surprised me, especially considering the tickets (Imax) cost twice that of regular movies. The evening plans were kind of ruined, but I went ahead and bought tickets for Saturday (five days ahead).

So, what did I think?

Avatar was a truly awesome visual experience—I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The movie brings viewers into a brilliant world of colorful creatures and landscapes, not to mention some very satisfying action sequences. I don’t regret forking over the money to watch the Imax version.

Having said this, I need to challenge some of Avatar’s ideological and spiritual pretenses.

First, there’s the not-so-subtle political message: capitalism, corporations, and Caucasians are all inherently evil and oppressive. The world would be better of if we’d all just trade in our iPods for spears, move into mud huts, and become one with nature. Needless to say, I can’t agree with any of
these presuppositions.

But I want to spend more time on Avatar’s spiritual message. I want to help you, my reader, discern truth from error in what you watch. The movie’s alien race worships a female deity called Eywa, the “All Mother” who is the collective energy of all living things. This is known as pantheism, and it is not a Christian idea.

Pantheism is nothing new. Since the beginning of time, people have mistakenly assumed that creation and Creator are one in the same (which led to worship of the sun, rivers, etc). We take Genesis 1:1 for granted, but it was completely radical for its time—One God who created everything, yet exists independently of His creation.

The Bible teaches that God created everything; pantheism teaches that God is everything.

I’ll give you another illustration that may help. A pantheist would argue that I am to God as a drop of water is to the ocean. Wrong—if this were true, then God would not be holy—He would be reduced to the sum of creation.

Here’s an illustration that more accurately reflects the nature of my relationship to God: I am to God as a statue is to a sculptor. I am part of God’s creation, so I reflect His character. But God is still God, regardless of whether or not I ever existed—He exists completely independently of me and everything else He has chosen to create.

You’ll see this time and again in movies: pantheism has been called “Hollywood’s religion of choice” for this generation. “The Force” of Star Wars, for example, is the same idea: an impersonal force that flows through everything in the universe.

Here’s my conclusion: Avatar was very entertaining, but not the least bit enlightening.

You cannot teach early Christian history (or Western Civilization, for that matter) without mentioning the name of Aurelius Augustinus (354-430 AD), aka Saint Augustine. He was arguably the most influential of all the early church fathers in terms of theology and Christian thought.

We owe a great deal to Augustine. He guided the Church away from the teachings of Pelagius, who argued that we are not individually affected by Adam’s original sin (this debate was known as the Pelagian controversy). For this reason, both Protestant and Catholics tend to “claim” Augustine as our own.

But Augustine did great harm to one aspect of Christian thought: human sexuality. His views were undoubtedly shaded by his own personal failures. I’ll explain a little further:

Augustine was the son of a devoted Christian mother and a non-Christian father. Despite his mother’s best efforts, Augustine never committed to Christ in his youth. His teenage years were spent pursuing empty sexual pleasure, which admittedly clouded his understanding of love: "The bubbling impulses of puberty befogged and obscured my heart so that it could not see the difference between love's serenity and lust's darkness" (quoted from Confessions). He eventually lived with a woman he was not married to and had a child with her.

Augustine’s youth was also spent studying rhetoric and philosophy. His interest in both led him to seek out well-known Christian preachers. This in turn caused him to start studying the Scriptures as he searched for truth.

But Augustine was greatly conflicted: he felt his heart being drawn to Christ, yet he struggled to let go of his sexual sins. His internal war can be summarized in one of his most famous quotes: “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.” He was eventually baptized and committed to a life of celibacy.

Tragically, Augustine’s views on sexuality were just as unbalanced and extreme as his own decisions. He introduced some grievous errors into Christian thought:

*He connected Adam and Eve’s original sin with sexual intercourse (ridiculous in light of God’s commandment to “be fruitful” Genesis 1:28).
*He taught that sex within marriage was sinful except for purposes of procreation.
*He was generally negative about human sexuality. He refered to “the shame which attends all sexual intercourse” (quoted from The City of God).

Augustine seemingly overcompensated for his past sins, going from one unbiblical extreme to the other.

By now you may be wondering what my point is. Here goes: I believe the same thing happens today in Christian thought and teaching. I call it the “Augustine syndrome.” Here’s what I mean:

I’ve met my fair share of people who’ve made major relationship mistakes. This is all fine and good—we serve a merciful God who gives second chances! But in some cases, these are the same people who can be the most opinionated, legalistic, and in some cases, obnoxious when it comes to giving advice in matters of the heart. Their advice is often based more on their own past failures than the principles of Scripture.

I just want to challenge everyone to be humble—especially in regards to issues that are not clearly stated in the Scripture (kissing before the wedding day, group dating vs. one-on-one dating, internet dating sites, etc). If we are not careful, we will come across as being “anti-relationship” instead of “pro-purity.”

Related Posts:
Purity: Pendulum vs Plumb Line

A Veil and False Eyelashes

Note:
I've compiled a list of my Top Five Christian Books on Dating--books which I have found to be very practical and balanced.

Our first episode of 2010!  Questions include:

*How important is parental consent in my relationships?

*How many times should I forgive my boyfriend?

*Can I learn to love the mother of my child?

Just go to the podcast page (kuyakevin.lybsyn.com) to download or look up Basta LoveLife in iTunes.  This podcast is 100% free.

Funny: