Economic bubbles
I recently read this fascinating comment from Paul Graham:By 1998, Yahoo was the beneficiary of a de facto pyramid scheme. Investors were excited about the Internet. One reason they were excited was Yahoo's revenue growth. So they invested in new Internet startups. The startups then used the money to buy ads on Yahoo to get traffic. Which caused yet more revenue growth for Yahoo, and further convinced
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Inception's end (spoilers warning)
I've been thinking about the end of Inception for a couple of weeks (since we saw it), and I have a theory about the ending that I think makes sense.Two meta-comments: first, this post contains something (many somethings, actually) that may spoil the ending, so don't read it if you don't want to do that. Second, I welcome anyone's comments-- but I want to give a special call-out to Jason Kennedy on
Change is a-comin'...
I think that Carl Trueman's assessment of the coming change regarding homosexuality and a biblical, orthodox position on the matter is pretty much spot-on. Commenting on the commentary regarding the recent U.S. District Court overturn of California's Proposition 8, Trueman makes some excellent points about what the implications will eventually be for Christians. (If you haven't been following, Proposition
Rejoinder about DADT...
In my recent post about the "Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell" (DADT) policy, I stated that I felt like the overtures to General Assembly were poor because they represented support for a compromise toward sin.At General Assembly, more information came to light about this situation. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Department of Defense has been tasked with reporting on whether repealing the DADT policy
Some thoughts about "Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell"
Tue, Jun 22 2010 04:15 PM
| Faith Life, Culture, Preaching
| Permalink
I got a letter today from a group that works with PCA (and other) chaplains in the military, and I didn't like what I read-- but, I gather, not for the same reasons as many pastors who read it.Let me say this first: I am thoroughly grateful for the work and ministry of our military chaplains; I have the deepest respect for those who serve in the military in general; and I have no desire to see any
4 Reasons to Buy BP Stock
BP's stock has taken a huge hit in the last two months, dropping 50% in value. Many are taking their anger out on BP by selling their shares. Here are four reasons that I see as good justification to buy BP stock:A huge number of people who had nothing to do with the leak caused by the explosion of Deepwater Horizon have pension investments in BP-- including the vast majority of British citizens. The
Is anger the right response?
Fri, Jun 11 2010 12:17 PM
| Faith Life, Culture
| Permalink
Like anyone else who has been paying a little bit of attention to current events, I've heard and read a lot of news and opinion in reaction to the oil spill/leak in the Gulf of Mexico, the result of the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon catching fire on April 20, 2010 and sinking on April 22, 2010, its well pipes breaking and crumbling to the floor of the Gulf, more than 5,000 feet below the surface.Most
More on Self-Publishing
Start with my recent post on Publishing and Self-Publishing for background.Now, the publishing industry is what it is: there are more people seeking publication than ever, and more book proposals and manuscripts (good and bad) being submitted than ever. Publishers still have to make money to stay afloat-- no one should begrudge them their right to make a profit. And the sub-industries around publishing
Three questions about the way "we" think of homosexuality
Fri, May 28 2010 11:46 AM
| Bible, Faith Life, Sin Repentance, Culture
| Permalink
I recently read an article (a couple of them, actually) about a singer/musician who formerly (almost a decade ago) had a very successful career in the "Christian music" world, and who now is in a same-sex relationship. In this believer's eyes, their sexual "preference" (such as it is) is not incompatible with their faith, which is an increasingly common assertion by those who are supportive of a homosexual
Facebook, Privacy, and Truth-- Five Misconceptions
Thu, May 27 2010 05:33 PM
| Technology, Culture
| Permalink
So, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, was on NPR's All Things Considered this evening talking about the most recent stir over privacy settings. Several things come to mind about this recent "big deal" (and others like it) about privacy.First, NPR introduced Zuckerberg as someone who was trying to prevent a mutiny among his 4 million customers. This is the first big misconception. If
Thoughts about Publishing and Self-Publishing
One of the "big discussions" in the publishing industry is the future of publishing, and right now it boils down to two questions: What is the future of print-publishing (which I've considered before here; also check this good article at Cardus)?What is the future of traditional publishing houses vs. self-publishing?Here's a quick summary of the lay of the land: self-publishing has always been around,
Super Bowl halftime-- a british tradition?
Super Bowl 44, on February 7, will feature the band The Who as the halftime show. I love The Who-- don't get me wrong. I'm sure it will be a great show, even though the original members of the band are old enough to be grandparents to many of the NFL players.My issue isn't with The Who; it's not really an issue, but more simply pointing out something I find interesting.American football (which is what
Obesity
Mon, Jan 25 2010 06:06 PM
| Health, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
There was a news report on TV recently that said that the number of dangerously obese Americans climbed from 15% to 35% in the last 30 years. This is a shocking number, and is worth commenting on.First of all, I agree that more and more Americans (and it seems to be unique to our country's culture-- probably a confluence of a number of things, not the least of which is the sheer excess that defines
A couple of thoughts on real estate and markets...
Not long ago, a friend and I were talking about the current housing market.Around here, there was a season of rapid growth and building in the residential housing market, with new homes going up all around; that ended right around the time when we moved here, about two and a half years ago. This "slump" has only very recently begun to show signs (to my eyes, at least) of a rebound, with some new homes
3-D Television
Fri, Jan 15 2010 08:04 AM
| Technology, Culture
| Permalink
I read this fascinating article from Slate on ESPN's plan to offer a 3-D sports network. Justin Peters's points are excellent, and help me understand the difficulty in the jump to 3-D. Check this salient point:Live-action 3-D differs from the 3-D camerawork made famous in CGI-heavy movies like Avatar. A 3-D representation of the computer-generated Na'vi looks great largely because you've never seen
"Prosperity" Abounds...
Tue, Jan 12 2010 02:22 PM
| Faith Life, Evangelism, Culture
| Permalink
...or, Brit Hume and Christianity, part two.As I mentioned in a recent post, the web has been abuzz with Fox News anchor Brit Hume's public encouragement to Tiger Woods to seek hope in Christianity.I'll say again that I am grateful for Mr. Hume's public witness to the hope of Christianity, and I'm grateful for his boldness in doing so. And I'll say again that I am, in no way, calling into question
Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and the hope of the Christian faith
Sat, Jan 9 2010 02:02 PM
| Faith Life, Evangelism, Culture
| Permalink
Brit Hume, one of the newscasters for the Fox News network, commented on his sense about how Tiger Woods should seek a "spiritual recovery" in the wake of the recent events and scandals. Mr. Hume's comments have been making their way around the internet tubes, mostly through YouTube video clips:I'm pleasantly surprised to see someone so openly appeal to Christianity as a source of hope and transformation,
Augmented Reality
To all the Tiger Woods "rubberneckers"
Tue, Dec 22 2009 08:40 AM
| Faith Life, Culture
| Permalink
"For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret." ~Ephesians 5:12
Book Review: Christianity in Crisis, 21st Century Edition by Hank Hanegraaff
Fri, Nov 6 2009 07:20 PM
| Books, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
I was delighted to read Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century Edition by Hank Hanegraaff. [Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my agreement to review it.]When I was in college, the first edition of this book came out. I was floored; I had always had a hunch that guys like Benny Hinn, Robert Schuler, and Kenneth Copeland were more snake-oil salesmen than
Two kinds of Homeschoolers
Thu, Sep 17 2009 07:58 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
It's clear to me that there are two kinds of homeschoolers-- that is, two kinds of parents who homeschool their children.The first kind are primarily concerned about the education of their children. Because of circumstances, opportunities, and/or necessity, they have chosen to take on the education of their children at home. That doesn't mean that they wouldn't accept another opportunity (even public
Remembering 9/11
The 8th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is upon us. There may be a thousand other things now competing for your attention; there certainly are mine. But I wanted to take a moment anyway to remember and grieve, and to encourage you to do so.I remember...Hearing about what was happening on the radio, having just dropped Marcie off at work and while on the way to the seminary campus.Finding
Book deals
Over the weekend, I went to Barnes and Noble-- tomorrow is Molly’s 5th birthday, and I was sent to pick up one of her gifts, a fairy storybook.On the way in, they had a cart with books marked down to $1! Who could pass that up?So, how did I do?The Moral Life (Second Edition) by Louis P. Pojman. This is an excellent reader in ethics, combining literature and philosophy. So far, I’ve thumbed
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, July 6, 2009
Mon, Jul 6 2009 01:34 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Here’s good advice on improving your devotional life from a friend and fellow Covenant Presbytery Teaching Elder.Check out these photos that are real, but look like they are “Photoshopped”.A good article on the current state of marriage in the U.S.In related news, don’t miss this one on “The Scandal of the Public Evangelical.”Very clever-- 15 odd (but useful) inventions.This
Independence Day
Happy Independence Day!Here’s a good reminder of how today came to be so important (I swiped this idea completely from Ed Stetzer):
Canada Day
Today is Canada Day-- that is, a celebration of the day (in 1867) when Canada was united as four provinces in a single country.I have two things to say about Canada Day: first, Marcie and I have (for our whole marriage, actually) acknowledged Cinco de Mayo, which is not, in fact, the Mexican Independence Day, but is simply a day in honor of Mexican heritage and pride. We usually commemorate Cinco de
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, end of June 2009
Fri, Jun 26 2009 11:15 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Probably the best take I’ve seen on Gov. Mark Sanford’s “thing.”Too funny-- Duncanesses in the PCA...The end of a photography era.A great take on the Oprah phenomenon.Here’s a good piece from Ed Stetzer on small churches (good comments, too).Unsurprisingly, the NY Times has done a great job of covering Michael Jackson’s death (and Farrah’s and Ed’s, too)
Improv Anywhere
A while back, I mentioned my friend and high school classmate Charlie Todd, who has been quite successful at developing a name for himself in the improv world with his planned pranks at Improv Everywhere.Charlie’s still at it, now with a book and even an appearance on the Today Show:Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyCongratulations, Charlie!
Truly Pro-Life... or just Anti-Abortion?
Tue, Jun 2 2009 02:07 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
The murder of Dr. George Tiller over the weekend was an act of sin and a tragedy. Regardless of Dr. Tiller’s choices and actions-- regardless of his sins-- a single individual taking his life was the laying of claim to something that individual had no right to claim. In that lone act, the murderer completely undermined the very cause he is believed to have acted on behalf of (or at least attempted
No balance
One of the leaders of Youth Specialties, a large resource for youth ministry in the Christian church, recently announced that he was cutting out Facebook, Twitter, and blogging because of a re-evaluation of priorities in his life. Good for him.Several of the comments he received pleaded with him to reconsider. At least one of them (I didn’t read them all) appealed to the goal of “balance”
Hank Hill on choosing churches
Tue, May 5 2009 11:08 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
One of my favorite clips from King of the Hill, which happens to be a show that I think offers some of the most poignant cultural critique today:Courtesy of ChristianClips.com
Swine Flu information
Every day I hear someone else mention Swine Flu, often in the form of questioning whether they should be worried. The best way to deal with worry and anxiety is to be informed. (I know, that’s a sweeping statement that might be worth a blog post-- or a book-- down the line...) Where do you go to get information on Swine Flu?Let’s start “at home”-- the PCA’s Disaster Relief
Congratulations to Laura!
Big congratulations to an old friend of mine, Laura Story. Laura’s album, Great God Who Saves, just won a Dove Award for Inspirational Album of the Year, 2009. Back in “the day” (when I was in college), Laura and I were on a Young Life team together for a year or so. Laura was also in a band called Silers Bald (not to be confused with the mountain peak, from which the band got its
Culture War problems...
Fri, Apr 24 2009 10:14 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
These are such helpful quotes from David Gordon on the “Culture War”-- i.e., the attempt by Christians to get the world around them to conform to biblical principles:The culture warrior refuses to acknowledge that true and significant cultural change can happen only when the individual members of the culture have forsaken their own self-centeredness, and have revolted against their revolt
Laugh or cry?
This is fun-- and also such a waste of time and resources! Or is it, if it is that much fun for the participants?(HT: Johnathan)
Family Man (again)
I’ve actually posted this video before. It’s an amazing video-- both because the song is so great, and also because the video is so creative (and fitting).The song is “Family Man” by Andrew Peterson, and I’m planning to use this song as an illustration in my sermon on Sunday. I’m only planning to read the lyrics, though, and songs always have more impact if you’ve
Losing our view of "office"
Tue, Mar 3 2009 01:35 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
An acquaintance recently pointed out that she has noticed the tendency for the news anchors to refer to our President as “President Obama.” This wouldn’t be that peculiar, except, as she noted, they preferred to call President Bush simply, “Mr. Bush”-- though they were thick with “President Clinton” before then. She noted this as possible evidence of media
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, Slate edition
Slate magazine is a good read; I find that they have a welcome style to presenting the news, with just a hint of snarky sarcasm when appropriate, and good humor often. They also do a good job of keeping up with what other news sources are reporting, and offer things like “top headlines of the week” from major sources.Recently, they’ve had a small handful of articles that I would normally
Christian Cultural Identity, part one
Fri, Feb 6 2009 08:24 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Rachel Gardner is a literary agent whose blog I read regularly. This morning, she posted about an e-mail she recently received, where someone who had come across her blog asked why she self-identified as a “Christian” on her blog about being a literary agent. She responded, but also invited others to comment. I’d like to offer my thoughts here.The question-- and the answer(s)-- are
Video Bits |||amp; Tidbits, end of January
Sat, Jan 31 2009 02:50 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Paul Washer has a lot of insightful and worthwhile comments. His video is a little lengthy, but worth the time:(HT: Dane)Michael Wittmer has a good point about where things are and/or are headed in terms of the need for emphasis. Take a look at this short clip:(HT: Koinonia)Designing (or redesigning) a website? Here’s all you need to know about it:(HT: Jon)Should the evangelical (and Reformed)
MLK
Mon, Jan 19 2009 10:24 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
One of my former co-workers once said to me, “I don’t get this whole Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.”I said, “Have you ever read, listened to, or watched his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech?”“No,” he replied.That explained it all to me. This year, MLK Day has peculiar significance, as you know. If YOU don’t “get” it, then let me offer the
Books-- read and unread
I’m not usually a “meme” guy-- some blogs I’ve read do a meme or two a week, and I know it can get old for some readers. But this one was appealing, at least because I’m a reader.The top 106 books most often marked as “unread” by LibraryThing’s users:Bold the ones you’ve readstar the ones you read for schoolitalicize the ones you started but didn’t
Books for December / Year-end
I only finished two books in December, and one of them was one I read to the kids...The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (re-read). I read this one out loud to Jack and Molly-- Molly wasn’t quite with us the whole time, but she seemed to like it anyway. Jack loved it, and we’re already working on Prince Caspian now. It’s easy to love these books, especially as they
Blogs I read (and blogs I don't)
Sat, Dec 20 2008 10:50 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
I read a lot of blogs. Some of you know this, and have asked about it-- specifically, why do I read so many blogs, and what sort of blogs do I read?First, the “why”-- I consider most of my blog-reading to fit into the category of “personal development,” in the same way that someone might read a newspaper or a trade journal. Maybe a dozen of the blogs I read are written by friends
Church marketing
Thu, Dec 18 2008 11:33 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Manliness for sale
A friend of mine posted this on her blog, which was e-mailed to her: a CraigsList ad for a FSBO Nissan XTerra. All I can say? Hilarious.NINJA HAULER: 2005 Nissan Xterra - $12900 (Ronan / Lake County)Reply to: sale-941704797@craigslist.org [?]Date: 2008-12-02, 7:25AM MSTOK, let me start off by saying this Xterra is only available for purchase by the manliest of men (or women). My friend, if it was possible
"Filling the gap the government left"
Tue, Dec 16 2008 01:11 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
The title came from a description that a pastor gave about what his church was doing by offering refuge to folks fleeing the path of Hurricane Gustav. This ironic statement echoes exactly what my friend Craig and I recently dialogued about on his blog. What’s wrong with this picture?This quote demonstrates how thoroughly the ideas of “postmodernism” have influenced even the church.
Book giveaway results: Churched by Matthew Paul Turner
Back in mid-October, I offered a give-away of Matthew Paul Turner’s book Churched. Then the twins were born, and I promptly let the book giveaway drop off my radar.So I’m back to it now, and I’m pleased to announce the winners: Adam and Kara! Congratulations, y’all. I apologize for taking so long.Adam, I have your mailing address; Kara, would you e-mail me yours?
Books for November 2008
I read some really great stuff in November-- very refreshing, challenging, and re-shaping. Not a lot of books, but quality made up for quantity. Here’s the list:Living Streams: Journeys of a Life Well-Lived by Stuart Briscoe. This memoir is from a pastor/preacher I had heard of, heard some lectures by, and even read an article or two he had written, but didn’t know very much about. (I was
New meaning to "Black Friday"
This just gets worse every year.Hearing the announcements that some department stores would be opening as early as 4am this morning, Marcie and I shook our heads in awe. What about the poor employees? we thought-- wouldn’t that mean they would be forced to be there earlier, probably 3am? They ought to be paid extra wages for coming in that early, just to serve others’ greed.Well, the wages
Utterly awesome tribute to John Williams
(HT: Chris)blog_tags('post', 'John_Williams_tribute', 'Utterly awesome tribute to John Williams')
"Felling the idols"
Sat, Nov 8 2008 08:05 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Many people struggle with weight-- either being overweight (most of us) or, in some cases, being underweight. In some cases (on either end), the struggle is a truly dangerous one.To combat the problems and struggles of being overweight, our culture offers us a number of “solutions.” (Sadly, our culture doesn’t offer any real help for the struggles of being underweight.) You can take
A strategy for taxing vehicles
More and more U.S. citizens are owning up to the fact that fuel-inefficient vehicles are a bad idea. Some have long maintained that they are poor stewardship, and as gas prices have climbed (and even as they have settled back down, a little) many others have joined that position.Thus, I offer the following modest proposal to solve several problems at once:An annual federal property tax should be assessed
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, election-day style
Sound words on how to think about what happens tomorrow from Dave Burchett (author of When Bad Christians Happen to Good People). If you read only one of these, read this one.Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed has an open response to a letter about “can a Christian support Obama?”Here’s a helpful list of suggestions for standing in line while waiting to vote, from Mac|Life magazine, of
Understanding the undecided vote
Mon, Nov 3 2008 03:04 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
I’ve heard or read a number of people who are simply mystified by the relatively large “undecided” category of voters in this election. Beyond mystified, actually-- many of them scoff at the idea of being undecided at this point. My guess is that the race won’t be quite as close as the “undecided” numbers suggest-- in other words, we’re not in for another 2000
Reformation Day round-up
Fri, Oct 31 2008 12:54 PM
| Theology, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Happy Reformation Day! (And happy Hallowe’en, as well.)There’s a lot of good stuff around commemorating today. Here’s quick round-up.My friend Paul has a good summary of why Reformation Day is significant.My friend James does too. (Also, check out his introduction to a good Reformation hymn.)GA Junkie offers a different perspective on Reformation Day, also interesting.Ligonier Ministries
Books for October, 2008
Thu, Oct 30 2008 09:11 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
With the twins being born, I didn’t get as much reading done this month as I would have liked. Nevertheless, here’s my list for October:Churched by Matthew Paul Turner. I’ve already reviewed this book here. (9+)Preaching to a Post-Everything World by Zack Eswine. Nevermind that Zack is a friend and a former professor of mine; this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long
Book review: How Would Jesus Vote? by D. James Kennedy
Wed, Oct 29 2008 08:46 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
I have to confess, I was skeptical from the outset of the new Waterbrook Press title How Would Jesus Vote? by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. In my view, this could have (and maybe should have) been the shortest book Waterbrook has ever published, with a single page declaring, “He wouldn’t.” And I feared that this would be one more piece of Christianized political propaganda
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, 10/28/2008
Tue, Oct 28 2008 10:15 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Good thoughts here (from a generally creative set of guys) on why stories are so effective.A while back, I recommended a set of lectures on Denominational Renewal. More recently, those lectures have received new attention as the Common Grounds blog has hosted a series of discussions on those lectures and their ideas. Some of the comments, in particular, ought to be taken with a grain of salt (or a
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, 10/20/2008
Mon, Oct 20 2008 02:51 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Very cool: man decorates his basement with a Sharpie. This piece (and the basement itself) is both a nod to the creativity of a guy with a marker AND his well-lived life. (HT: Chris)An interesting quiz at Parchment and Pen: what are the essentials and non-essentials of belief? (Bonus points if you take the quiz and comment here, on my blog, with your results.)Is this going to change the way that football
Book review: Churched by Matthew Paul Turner
Fri, Oct 17 2008 01:24 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
Waterbrook Press sent me a copy of Churched by Matthew Paul Turner to review, as well as two copies to give away! (More on that in a moment...)In Churched, Turner reflects on his childhood memories of growing up in the local “fundamental Baptist” church. We’re given a child’s view (and an insider’s look) at how a Baptist church in the 70s and 80s looked and felt. I won’t
Love me some free hugs
This is an interesting and moving video. The power of connection and community is amazing.
Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty
Wed, Oct 15 2008 10:03 PM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
UPDATE: Marcie reminded me of another good piece of information on poverty-- see the Miniature Earth link below.Today is “Blog Action Day” according to someone. The point is to bring awareness about poverty to those who read our blogs. I think it’s a good idea.My friend John Allen recently posted an amazing set of myths and facts on his blog (which he himself copied from the Food
Truth and opinion: assertions and logic
This quote was mentioned to me recently, and it brought to mind some important ideas regarding logic-- thus, a continuation of my Logic for Theological Discussion series:From a profile on CNN anchor Campbell Brown:...when you have Candidate A saying the sky is blue, and Candidate B saying it’s a cloudy day, I look outside and I see, well, it’s a cloudy day. I should be able to tell my viewers,
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, Political Edition
For your edification and linkification, I’ve gathered the best resources (in my humble opinion) about the political stuff we’re surrounded by:Here is the best summary of what is happening in our economic crisis that I’ve seen, from a Christian perspective. I mentioned this one before.A great de-bunking of myths about U.S. voters and just how astute they are at this process.This is
Great insight into our current crisis
Carl Trueman, Chair of the department of Church History at Westminster Seminary (Philadelphia), has offered one of the most insightful and relevant reflections on the current economic and political crises that I’ve encountered.I’ve cherry-picked a few of the choicer quotes below, but the entire essay is, I think, a must-read. Regarding our current election, Trueman says:Despite the Manichean,
Manichean
manəˈkēənadjective (chiefly historical)of or characterized by dualistic contrast or conflict between opposites.____________________Heard or read four times (and counting) over the past three days to describe the current political race.
Essential Church
Fri, Oct 3 2008 08:00 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
I like books-- especially free ones. And I really like author Thom Rainer, and his son Sam.That’s why I was excited to see this: their book Essential Church? is available for free as a downloadable e-book (PDF format). Only until Monday. Get it here.
Books for September
Beyond Bells and Smells by Mark Galli. I was surprised by this book, as I had thought (and hoped) it to be something that would introduce the reader to the spiritual foundations of the liturgy, explaining the elements, etc. It wasn’t that, or anything like it, though I wasn’t disappointed with it overall. It is more a collection of essays on the spiritual impact and importance of liturgical
Would David Hasselhoff win America's Got Talent?
Book review: The Encore Effect by Mark Sanborn
Waterbrook Press once again sent me a book to review: this time, it was The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do by Mark Sanborn. (I was actually supposed to blog this review by last week, but I hope they’ll forgive me of it.)There’s no doubt that Mark Sanborn is an effective communicator. A motivational speaker and a Christian, Sanborn has built his business
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, 9/30/08
Tue, Sep 30 2008 09:06 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Slate has compiled a fascinating transcript of last Friday’s debate, complete with redacted fact-checks for every factual statement made (more than 200).Everyone seems to be blaming the Bush administration for the economic crisis, but it’s clear that it began during the Clinton administration and was perpetuated by Democrats in Congress. Also, get a better grasp on what is going on. (HT:
Book Review: A Handful of Pebbles
Banner of Truth asked me to write a more detailed review of this book, so I’m posting it here.Publisher: Banner of Truth TrustPublication Date: 2008Rating (1-10 scale): 7+ Anytime I hear the term "liberal" these days, I'm not sure what to think. On the one hand, the word can mean a number of things that are threatening to orthodoxy, or it can mean some things that are actually very good. On
"In God We Trust"
Tue, Sep 16 2008 08:49 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
A friend of mine recently posted a series of notes on his social network discussing his concern for the fact that our national motto, “In God We Trust,” is being moved from the face of coins (as is common today) to the sides, or edges, of coins in some proposed future designs.My friend’s concern is that, once the motto is moved to the edges of coins, it won’t be long before
On counseling and medication
Thu, Sep 11 2008 11:18 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
An interesting discussion on counseling and medication over at another blog raised a good point that I’ve often found is a stumbling block to Christians. David Powlison, quoting the Director of the National Institute on Mental Health, said:Psychiatric medications can sometimes take the edge off symptoms, but they can't give people what they really need. People need meaning and relationships.
Books for August 2008
I managed to finish a few more books this month than last-- and more importantly (to me, at least), I got my rhythm back for reading. I feel like I’m plowing through them lately, having finished four books in the last 10 days.Here’s my list for August:Evangelism in the Small Membership Church by Royal Speidel. This book is one of a series, entitled the “ministry in the small membership
Good, funny stuff
When I was a senior (in high school), believe it or not, I was the theater guy. I did all the lights, sound, sets, and production stuff. Charlie Todd was a guy who went to the same school as I did, and I remember him as a seventh grader taking huge interest in all of that stuff, too.Fast forward 17 years, and Charlie is now a leading part of a group called Improv Anywhere (which he started). They do
Fostering and Adoption: how we gave up the family a long time ago
Tue, Aug 26 2008 09:05 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
There is an interesting overture before the legislature of Arkansas that, if it succeeds, would put a bill before the state that would outlaw adoption and foster care by unmarried people who live together.I find it interesting because it is addressing the very problem that, I believe, ended the current debate about same-sex marriage before it started: when we (and by that I mean the “royal we”--
Blog tour: The Children's Extravaganza
Waterbrook Press invited me to participate in another blog tour-- where I read and review books on my blog(s). This time, it is the “Children’s Extravaganza” (their term) which is a set of three children’s books they have recently published. We read through the books-- of course we read them with Jack and Molly-- and got their opinions as well as forming our own. I’ll
McCain's grim prospects
If you read very much on the internet-- especially stuff from other Christians-- then you’ve almost certainly encountered a lot of stuff about Senator Barack Obama. If you watch TV at all, or read the newspaper, he’s everywhere. Even Senator John McCain’s own ads call him the “biggest celebrity in the world.”Even those who oppose Senator Obama, in one way or another, have
Books in July
Well, I came to the end of July and realized that, while I had actually begun a number of books through the month, I didn’t actually finish any of them. So August promises to be a heavier list of mini-reviews, but July is left with nothing to say (at least from my perspective regarding the books I read).Instead, then, I’ll offer up this brief list of books that folks in my congregation
Family man
I’ve mentioned Andrew Peterson before; he’s a guy with a lot of talent whose book I reviewed a while back, and he’s also a talented musician, singer, and songwriter. One of Andrew’s songs that I love is “Family Man”-- it’s one of those songs that I wonder at how he ever performs live, because I don’t understand how he doesn’t choke up with tears.Well,
Are you wit' us, or agin' us?
Sat, Jul 5 2008 08:41 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
In light of yesterday’s post on single-issue voting, I’ll offer this post that re-covers the ideas that started it, plus the counter-points to those ideas.I’m not throwing my support behind either candidate– and I don’t care to share who I’m voting for. I think there’s a good case to be made for a conservative on both sides, and I understand the “I’m
Why single-issue voting is unbiblical
Fri, Jul 4 2008 11:58 AM
| Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
In honor of Independence Day, I thought I would offer up a post that simultaneously speaks to our context and government, the Kingdom of God, and the current events of our political process. (I’m also taking this opportunity to respond to a question posed to me over at my friend Megan’s blog.)Why is single-issue voting unbiblical?I’ll work through this issue from the most practical
Books for June 2008
June was full of travel, which in this case meant substantially less reading for me. I feel a little bit starved of books, and hope that I’ll recover somewhat in July and August.At any rate, here are the couple of books I read in June:Effective Small Churches in the Twenty-First Century by Carl S. Dudley is a very helpful book that is based on thorough and useful research. Dudley deals with the
Cheesy lawyer ads
Sun, Jun 22 2008 09:53 PM
| Discernment, Culture, Media
| Permalink
Do you get as tired of seeing these guys on TV hawking their “law services” to any of us who might remotely fall into an action class? This modern-day version of ambulance chasing gets under my skin. Consider this an open response to these hucksters.First of all: why would I hire you instead of calling someone I actually know (who is at least remotely connected to the field of law) and
Heroic sportsmanship
It’s both exciting and moving to see people do the right thing in a difficult situation (or when they don’t stand to gain from it, and possibly will be disadvantaged by it). To find examples is always a delight-- and never more so than in this account of a few earnest and pure softball players. Maybe you’ve heard about this already-- but check out the great exposé that ESPN
Not taking ourselves too seriously
Mon, Jun 16 2008 08:17 PM
| Music, Discernment, Church Life, Culture, Media, Funny
| Permalink
At the recommendation of my St. Louis friend Steve Hughes, I started watching Last Comic Standing on NBC this summer. Funny stuff-- I’ve always enjoyed stand-up comedy, and this is a fun reality show.On the first show, a pair came on that really hit on something good. They present themselves as a “Christian folk duo with a message” and (after looking them up on the web) I think they
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, 6/6/08
Fri, Jun 6 2008 02:13 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture, Links
| Permalink
A few links and fun stuff for the weekend:Good thoughts on listening to a sermon can be found here (dealing with action) and here (dealing with reaction). Go forth and do likewise.A problem I just don’t have... yet?!?There’s been a bit of interesting stuff about transracial adoption lately. For one, there’s this piece from the NY Times on de-emphasizing race. Here’s another,
So, I entered a drawing...
There's a contest (or drawing... is there a difference?) that I entered on another blog. The idea is this: this other blogger is giving away 20 sets of 18 CDs, apparently provided to her by WOW-- which is a group that produces compilation CDs of Christian music. (HT: Megan)Who knows if I'll win? But if I do, it'll be an interesting experiment. I haven't listened to very much "Christian" music for years.
Books for May 2008
Sun, Jun 1 2008 06:19 PM
| Theology, Reading, Discernment, Books, Ministry, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
The Work of the Pastor by William Still (re-read). This brief volume is a help, challenge, and rebuke for all of us. Still, who pastored a single flock in Scotland for 51 years, here presents the sum of the pastor's duties, distilling it down to the essence of shepherding and feeding the lambs on the Word of God. For such a short book, there is much to be found here, and it is one of those books I
Turning the race into a farce
Sat, May 31 2008 04:02 PM
| Discernment, Politics, Culture
| Permalink
If the Democratic National Committee (DNC) decides to seat some or all of the delegates from Florida and Michigan, it will simultaneously unite the party and turn itself into a political farce.If you haven't been following along, here's the backstory: in 2006, the DNC voted to limit the states the could hold primaries or caucuses before February 5th to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
What's on TV?
Mon, May 26 2008 04:35 PM
| Discernment, Personal, Culture, Media
| Permalink
A few weeks ago, a blog I read had a post about turning off the TV. The gist of the post was highlighting the fact that Americans watch too much TV (an average of four hours a day, says this blog) and how watching less reclaims that time for other things (like, in this case, de-cluttering your home). Many commenters chimed in with vehement agreement, claiming that TV was "a waste of time" and that
Bits |||amp; Tidbits
Fri, May 23 2008 11:56 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture, Links
| Permalink
Sort of a slow week on the blog this week; sorry about that. Here are a few links to keep you busy...Here's a cool tool for helping you with your Bible memory: BibleMemory.us. This cleverly-named program makes use of e-mail and daily reminders to keep you focused on Bible memory. (HT: Adam)Sam Rainer has good reflections and summary of a recent Ellison Research study on what sort of churches folks
Brief thoughts
Mon, May 19 2008 03:30 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Ministry, Politics, Personal, PCA, Culture, Links
| Permalink
Here are a few ideas that don't warrant a full post in themselves.C.S. Lewis' second Narnia book (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) has hit the theaters. Some have pointed out that there are some significant changes from the original story line (probably some spoilers in there for some of you). Some people think this is actually an improvement on the story line. Some feel the true meaning of the original
More thoughts on reading
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about reading in response to a question from one of my blog-readers. A few more thoughts have occurred to me.On reading books:Keep a list for recommendations. Suggestions for good books to read come up all the time: from blogs, on the radio or TV news, in lectures, from friends. I've found it helpful to make a note of recommendations that I want to eventually follow
Bits |||amp; Tidbits
Tue, May 13 2008 12:07 PM
| Ministry, Church Life, Culture, Links
| Permalink
What is the most crying need of the church in America today? A handful of key thinkers answer this question thoughtfully and helpfully.I mentioned the various comments and discussion of the Evangelical Manifesto; you can find some of them here: Os Guinness, Doug Wilson, Darrell Bock, Joe Taylor, Denny Burk, Alan Jacobs, Guinness again, Al Mohler, Ed Stetzer, Justin Taylor.A great quote from Spurgeon
Thoughts on the Evangelical Manifesto
Mon, May 12 2008 02:34 PM
| Theology, Faith Life, Church Life, Politics, Culture
| Permalink
Last week, a document entitled The Evangelical Manifesto was released by a broad group of Christian leaders (by that, I mean leaders of Christianity in various forms) as an effort to raise helpful questions and offer helpful guidance about how we, as Christians, live out our faith as both citizens of the Kingdom and residents in our American culture. The list of 80 "charter signatories" and authors
Election Fatigue
Thu, May 8 2008 09:01 AM
| Discernment, Politics, Culture
| Permalink
Another week, another round of a couple more primary elections.After Tuesday's primaries in North Carolina and Indiana, it became clear that Hilary Clinton could not win the primary even if the Michigan and Florida delegates were counted (because the numbers simply wouldn't amount to enough) and Barack Obama is going to be the Democratic candidate for President of the United States-- even though Clinton
Book Give-Away: a winner!
Back in March (!), I offered a free copy of Andrew Peterson's On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness as a part of the "blog tour" I was participating in. Entry in the drawing was simple: answer a question about how frequently you believe a congregation should celebrate the sacrament of communion, and why.There were five entries, and I'm pleased to (finally) announce the winner is:Megan Dunham!Congratulations
Essential non-obvious bands of the 80s
Fri, May 2 2008 07:29 PM
| Music, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Following up on my post from Tuesday, I got to thinking about bands that didn't have one stand-out album that defined them or a part of 80s music, and that also weren't obvious stand-out bands.Okay, apart from Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, The Police, U2, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson (yes, admit it), Prince, and a few other HUGE bands, which ones were the real essential, non-obvious bands and/or artists?REO
When to read?
Thu, May 1 2008 08:17 AM
| Reading, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
In response to one of my book listings, a member asked me, "you're a busy guy-- when do you find time to read all that you do?"Fair question, and one that I've had to be creative in answering over the years. Here are some thoughts for folks who want to find more time to read, and/or read more effectively:Take it with you. I rarely leave my home or office without SOMETHING to read-- a book, a journal
Books for April 2008
The Living Church by John Stott. This was a good book on pastoral ministry in the church by a man who is a hero of Christendom. John Stott has served in ministry for over 60 years, most of those as the Rector of All Souls Church in London. His insights about ministry in the church are made valuable in part because of the testimony that stands behind them-- his many years of faithful service. There
Essential non-obvious 80s albums
Tue, Apr 29 2008 02:38 PM
| Music, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
My friend (and fellow pastor) Russell Smith pointed me to a post at the Evangelical Outpost where Joe Carter is reminiscing about his favorite (non-obvious) 80s music. Since I love 80s music perhaps above all else except folk, I bit.Russell has a good addition to Joe's list (and those in the comments), though I disagree with him on a few points. Here are my picks for the essential non-obvious ones.The
Some ideas about economics
The checks are in the mail, so many of us are starting to think about how we'll spend our tax rebate that should be coming over the next few weeks (or months for those of you who are getting the check by mail instead of electronic transfer). There has been some good talk around the 'net about how Christians should approach this newfound largess. (It's not really largess, you know-- it's money that
Leveraging great ideas for missions
Wed, Apr 23 2008 01:33 PM
| Technology, Missions, Evangelism, Ministry, Church Life, Stewardship, Culture
| Permalink
In the big scheme of things, I don't know much about missions. That's something that I'm working on-- but my lack of knowledge doesn't keep me from thinking about it, especially when I see opportunities.One of the big areas that has emerged as a theme in my ever-vigilant watch of technology is the development of new concepts and technologies to supply water and other resources to third-world communities.
What we should REALLY be concerned about...
Tue, Apr 22 2008 08:25 AM
| Discernment, Evangelism, Church Life, Politics, Culture
| Permalink
You've probably gotten an e-mail forwarded to you about it. If not, then maybe you've read what the pundits are saying about it. Or maybe-- just maybe-- you've been unfortunate enough to have an irresponsible church throw it in your face.What am I talking about? The suggestion-- or even the outright claim-- that Barack Obama is a Muslim, or a terrorist, or the Antichrist, just because of his name and
Why "Expelled"?
Mon, Apr 21 2008 01:07 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Evangelism, Church Life, Science Technology, Politics, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
I didn't see An Inconvenient Truth. It's not that I don't care about the environment; I'm even impressed with Al Gore's passion and presentation skills (had he honed these a few years earlier, he may have won the electoral vote!). I just don't care too much about sitting through a movie-length propaganda film from a point of view that I don't completely agree with.Likewise, I've never seen any of Michael
Re-thinking "poor-ness"
Wed, Apr 16 2008 03:04 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Ministry, Church Life, Stewardship, Culture, Community
| Permalink
Two ideas I've recently encountered that might get some discussion going about what it means to be "poor." First, Jeff White of New Song Community Church in New York city recently spoke at a conference called A Conversation on Denominational Renewal in St. Louis (click here to find audio for all of the talks from that conference). All of Jeff's talk was great (as were the rest of them), but one thing
Why we need "y'all"
Fri, Apr 11 2008 08:59 AM
| Discernment, Language, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
My friend John posted a quick rant about grammatical and semantic errors this morning, and it inspired me to do likewise.One of the things that I appreciate the most about Southern vernacular is that we have a pronoun for the second person, plural: "y'all". It's actually a contraction of "you all" and therefore the apostrophe properly goes after the "y", indicating that the letters lost in contraction
When are we going to see wireless AC power?
Wed, Apr 9 2008 04:47 PM
| Technology, Science Technology, Culture
| Permalink
Mark my words: the day is coming, and soon will be, when we no longer need wires to connect our electrical (and electronic) devices to a power source.A few years ago, I was chatting with one of my professors at Covenant Seminary, and I mentioned this. (We were talking about the eventual plans for the "courtyard" space at CTS, which is now a circle driveway but eventually will be a garden/picnic/sitting
April Fools' Funnies
Tue, Apr 1 2008 03:45 PM
| Technology, Discernment, Culture, Funny
| Permalink
The technology world loves April Fools' day. Probably because so much of the "news" in technology lends itself to speculation (and let's face it, techies love to think about the "next big thing") the world of tech news loves to take advantage of this climate of anticipation and exploit it on April 1st. There's a freedom in this realm of culture that would probably cause a lot of trouble in other parts
Books for March 2008
The Importance of the Local Church by Daniel Wray (re-read): This is one of the Banner of Truth Trust booklets, of which I am a big fan. Wray does a good job of capturing the essential need and value of the local church, which is a vital word for today when many Christians take church membership so lightly. (9+)When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett: The subtitle of this book summarizes
Book give-away: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson
Yesterday I offered a review of Andrew Peterson's new novel, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. As I mentioned, Waterbrook Press generously provided me with an extra copy to give away here on the blog.So, here's the deal: I'll give the book away to one person (randomly selected) who comments here, in response to the following question...How often should a congregation celebrate the sacrament
Book review: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Andrew Peterson, who has become one of my favorite singers and songwriters, has written a novel, called On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. (No, that title isn't a typo.) By happy circumstance, I was selected to participate in a "blog tour" for the book, which means (among other things) that I was provided a pre-release copy of the book to review here.If you've heard Andrew Peterson's music, you
A book table!
Fri, Mar 14 2008 10:02 AM
| Reading, Faith Life, Discernment, Books, Ministry, Church Life, Culture
| Permalink
When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.~~Michel de MontaigneAs you may have picked up, I love to read. More than that, I love books, and what they represent: accessibility to knowledge and understanding of subjects that are unknown or less known than we want them to be.Someone once said, "There
Books for February
Fri, Feb 29 2008 08:29 AM
| Theology, Reading, Discernment, Books, Ministry, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Here's an overview of the books I finished in February, and my recommendations about them (including a ranking on a 1-to-10 scale).How Your Church Family Works by Peter L. Steinke: This is a great book, though the audience for it is something of a niche. It's really a book for Pastors and maybe church leaders; I could see a Session reading through it together, if the Pastor did a fair amount of additional
A new view on waste disposal
Wed, Feb 27 2008 09:56 AM
| Faith Life, Stewardship, Science Technology, Culture
| Permalink
Here's an interesting set of artwork that depicts quantities of waste created in the U.S., with statistics. While some of this is fairly heavy-handed rhetoric, a good bit of it is illustrative in ways that just seeing numbers alone cannot accomplish.It certainly brings us back to the question: what sort of stewardship are we exercising with regard to our world?
A new (to me) take on global warming
Mon, Feb 11 2008 02:55 PM
| Stewardship, Science Technology, Culture
| Permalink
George Will argues that the human cost of global warming is "cheaper" than the cost of maintaining or improving the global temperature. By cheaper, I mean that the threat to humanity and to our ability to survive and thrive as a society. As Will says, an important question is: "How much are they willing to pay—in direct expenditures, forgone economic growth, inefficiencies and constricted freedom—in
News round-up
Mon, Jan 28 2008 03:56 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Church Life, Personal, Culture, Community
| Permalink
Well, a lot happened recently, and even today. Here's a quick glimpse at what is going on...Memphis ranks #1 again this week. The Tigers continue their amazing season; will they ever lose? (Hickory Withe insiders say, "no.")Obama gains major ground in the Democratic primary. Whatever your political convictions, you have to admit that Barack Obama's campaign is building a head of steam that (for now,
Immigration and the baby boom
Fri, Jan 25 2008 12:52 PM
| Discernment, Politics, Culture, Community
| Permalink
Two of the big debates that resurface every time there's an election are immigration and Social Security. Everyone seems especially concerned that Social Security will face difficult sustainability concerns, particularly now that the "Baby Boomers" are reaching retirement age. There are figures and documentation that show how drastically the system has changed over the years-- the ratio of taxpayers
More hands than I could ever shake...
Thu, Jan 3 2008 04:32 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Politics, Culture
| Permalink
"I reach into my pocket just so I can make some change, and I find more hands than I could ever shake..." ~John Gorka, "Campaign Trail"The Iowa Caucus is today-- which is a big deal, and it's not. It's a big deal because it signals the beginning of the Presidential Primary elections-- where the various parties select which nominee will represent the party in the general election. It's not a big
Electability and the 2008 Presidential race
Thu, Dec 20 2007 07:12 AM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Politics, Culture, Community
| Permalink
We're a long way from the 2008 presidential election-- indeed, we're still a good ways off from many primaries. Right now, it's anyone's guess who will emerge as the final set of candidates a little under a year from now. Based on the way things appear now, I wouldn't be surprised if something like Montgomery Brewster's "None of the Above" campaign could gain some serious momentum over the next 11
Internet communities article
Fri, Dec 14 2007 03:55 PM
| Faith Life, Writing, Ministry, Science Technology, Culture, Community
| Permalink
I've always been fascinated with technology, and over time I've developed a lot of thoughts and ideas about how faith and technology collide. A few of these thoughts made their way into an article that I recently wrote for ByFaith magazine, which ended up being called, "Looking for Love in a Few Wrong Places". That article, which focuses particularly on how technology and the Internet allow communities
Stem cells and life issues
Fri, Dec 7 2007 02:13 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Science Technology, Culture
| Permalink
One of the issues that has confused Christians for nearly a decade is that of stem cell research. While many of us have heard the claims that "stem cell research will cure the world's diseases and afflictions," these claims are sometimes challenged, often unsubstantiated. And just as the issue was moving to the fore of public interest, the 9/11 terrorist attacks (rightly) took our attention off of
Thoughts on the Golden Compass
Wed, Dec 5 2007 11:17 AM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Movies, Culture
| Permalink
Philip Pullman's fantasy novel, The Golden Compass, has been made into a movie and is slated for release this weekend. This movie has created all sorts of hubbub in the Church, mainly because Pullman has been quite candid about his opposition to Christianity and to organized religion in general, and his novels (The Golden Compass is the first novel in the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials) are sort