Bibliologos

Latest Reads- Autobiographies

2011-06-27T09:51:00.001-04:00

I recently finished 2 theological memoirs by 2 great 20th-21st century theologians.

The first was by infuential South African theologian, John W de Gruchy, Being Human: Confessions of A Christian Humanist.

I highly valued his perspective on Christianity as genuine/true humanity, doing theology in South Africa before, during, and after Apartheid, and his insistence on recovering the Humanist tradition within a solidly Christian intellectual context.

The Second was by Stanlet Hauerwas, long-time professor of theology and ethics at both Notre Dame and Duke Divinity School, Hanna's Child: A Theologian's Memoir.

I really loved this book and could hardly put it down. It intertwines the story of Hauerwas' academic career, noting important influences such as Barth, Yoder, and MacIntyre, and reflecting on important friendships, with his personal life. It proved encouraging for me and insightful throughout.

My next autobiography to read is Jurgen Moltmann's. My PhD supervisor mentioned that Moltmann's and Hauerwas' together provided a good overview of 20th century theology.

I also think that reading folks like N.T. Wright, Stanley Hauerwas, Jurgen Moltmann, and John de Gruchy can help an aspiring academic, like myself, avoid some of the intellectual pitfalls that evangelicalism can lead to. I am an evangelical, and consider myself within the Reformed tradition, but I am conscious of some of these pitfalls. These authors are helping see things more broadly and deeply than I may have otherwise. And this has made a big difference in my understanding of God, Scripture, humanity, and life. A difference for which I am indeed thankful.

But I have a long way to go....

Jonathan Huggins

Berry College

jhuggins@berry.edu

706-378-2878 (office)

706-254-2556 (cell)

Love Wins- Rob Bell

2011-04-03T19:24:00.003-04:00

My short review of Love Wins, by Rob Bell, with abbreviated commentary: Just finished reading the big scary book by Rob Bell. How was it? Chapter 1- Annoying. But it's the "grab your attention so you will read the rest of this book" chapter.... unfortunately, many will give up on it after reading this.... Chapter 2-Awesome. Great summary of themes found in other writer's, including scholars like N.T. Wright (Surprised By Hope). Chapter 3- Interesting, important, but incomplete- i think the last was on purpose- just to emphasize the points that he wants to make. Here, i think the first rule of good listening comes into play. We should listen to understand the particular point a person is trying to make- not to listen for other related points or for what may be left out. One cannot say everything that one believes at the same time. And often, we have to over-state to make our points heard. Chapter 4- Mis-leading. I had presuppositional problems with this chapter which made the argument non-sensical- i.e his assumptions about the nature of "how love works" and personal freedom. People will either love or hate this chapter depending on whether or not they buy into his assumptions. Here, and in the previous chapter, Bell takes certain positions that are in no way proven or solid and over-plays them, developing a theology based on faulty assumptions. Chapter 5- Good! Chapter 6- Some good points, but goes too far with his suggestions- in my opinion. Chapter 7- Very, very, good. much like Keller's book- The Prodigal God. Chapter 8- A great ending that stands firmly within the evangelical tradition. Overall, I can see why people are concerned and why this book does call for great discernment- as well as follow-up Bible study. As i read, i sometimes wanted to role my eyes, but i was also challenged, convicted, excited, led to prayer, etc... So, is the controversy over-blown? YES. with all that we have to face in this world as the church- Rob Bell is not an enemy. Though personally, i would rather skip over Bell and just read the books you'll find recommended at the back of the book- some of his sources.... at the same time, i think Bell could be leading far more people into the kingdom than his detractors on the internet. Is Bell a Universalist? Well, not exactly, he's a bit inconsistent in saying that God wants- and gets what he wants- all individuals to be saved. But if someone really never wants to be part of God's new world, they don't have to be... so they get what they want, and God doesn't- for "love's" sake.... what kind of love leaves a person to themselves - with their wayward desire? That's not my definition of love. Bell does suggest- and he "suggest" it more than explicitly saying it- that universal salvation is at the least possible- and that even after death, many non-Christians will find themselves welcomed into the kingdom of God- because it's gates will never close, and they will eventually come around to seeing things God's way. But one can't help but feel that Bell makes too much use of individual passages and again, over-plays and over-develops them. According to Bell, "rescue" metaphors of salvation can sound like Jesus has to save us from God. While this is a mystery, it may be more accurate to simply say that Jesus saves us from ourselves- and what we would otherwise deserve from God. Contrary to the internet interview with martin beshir, Bell is not trying to suggest an easier gospel, or a nicer gospel. Bell is not trying to be Joel Osteen! Bell really believes, in his own theological-philosophical worldview, that this is how it really works- and that a solid biblical case can be made for it. It is true that many others in church history have held or suggested his, or similar, views. And one can make a sort of biblical case for it- if one assumes the definitions of certain words and the meaning of certain concepts that Bell assumes. But it really is difficult to read the New Testament and walk away thinking that universal salvation is to be expected..... you'd have to ignore or explain away so much. So, all in all, while i agree with much of what Bell says in his book, and appreciate much that he offers, he is parting from at least historical "orthodoxy" on the issue of eternal punishment/Hell, and he goes farther than i can go in good conscience, given my own reading of the Bible.

Bonhoeffer Bio

2011-01-10T14:11:00.001-05:00

Presently reading...

Generous Justice

2010-12-01T15:09:00.001-05:00

Dr. Tim Keller's newest book, Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just, provides a much needed assessment of gospel-centered social justice work. The topic can often be unfortunately polarizing among Christians. But this need not be! After all, almost any Christian who reads their Bibles will know that God has a concern for the poor, the outcast, the outsider, those who cannot provide for themselves (often summarized in Scripture as the poor, widow, orphan, and foreigner). We see Jesus' own commitment to helping the hurting in the gospels. His kingdom work meant "good news for the poor." So why aren't more Christians involved in this kind of work in their lives? Well, many are. It seems to me that the majority of global aide, health care, education, and justice work is done by groups affiliated with Christianity- though certainly not all. Perhaps it is the political climate of the US which causes some paralysis and polarization among American Christians. Keller demonstrates how a healthy biblical approach to justice work (both restorative and retributive justice) critiques both Liberal and Conservative approaches, and it cannot be fully associated with any particular political party. His book could go along way to eliminating our vocal and emotional cries against those "on the other side" and get us working together, moving forward, to bring God's justice and peace to earth. This is after all at least part of what Jesus meant when he commanded his disciples to pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven."

After defining his terms, Keller looks at the subject of "doing justice" in both the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. this provides the necessary and vital foundations for thinking about this subject as a Christian. He then moves into discussing, on more philosophical and practical grounds how we ought to do justice wisely in this world, based upon those biblical teachings.

The book should appeal to people on the right, left, and in the middle of the religious and politcal spectrum. None will find their own agenda's fully endorsed by Keller. But one may find helpful encouragements as well as important critiques to think through. In the end, there is a wise, tried and true, way forward demonstrated in this work. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about not only thinking clearly on these things but also acting effectively on them.

Holy Communion

2009-10-01T16:24:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading N.T. Wright's little booklet, The Meal Jesus Gave Us: Understanding Holy Communion.

Once again, as always, Wright's books are incredibly insightful and helpful to understanding biblical backgrounds for any and every subject he writes about. But in this booklet, he spices things up a little with some modern parables related to communion- like a birthday party, then a re-enactment of participating in a Passover meal, and later an early church Communion meal. These all carry a lot of weight in helping one really "get" what this special symbol is all about. The second part of the book deals more with the actual meaning of this sacrament, some of it's history in the church, and suggested format- following the Anglican Liturgy- for leading or participating in this part of worship.

you can read this book in about 2 hours and forever approach the Lord's table differently!

The Ordinary Hero

2009-09-19T15:34:00.001-04:00

I am highly recommending Tim Chester's new book, The Ordinary Hero: Living the Cross and Resurrection.

i know, the first part of the title is a bit hokey and doesn't really fit the book's content. It was probably a publisher's bad decision and not Chester's. But the book itself is really fantastic. i have been surprised and encouraged with each passing chapter. Chester essentially lays out the DNA of thoroughly and truly biblical spirituality. I think he has hit the nail on the head with his explanation of the Christian life as embodying the death and resurrection of Christ- with all its many implications. The chapter on heaven as a "renewed world of life" is worth the price of the book. It's about the best summary of the Biblical information on heaven i've seen, and itself relies much on Tom Wright's book, Surprised by Hope. Michael Gorman's book, Crucifomity: Paul's Narrative Spirituality of the Cross, also had some clear influence here.

But this is really one of the best books on discipleship/Christian living i've seen in a long time. Chester is both a scholar (PhD) and a Pastor (The Crowded House in Sheffield England). Thus, he combines a rich understanding of the New Testament with a tremendous understanding of human doubts, needs, fears, and hopes.

With so many wishy-washy "Christian" books out there with no biblical or theological foundations, this is a rare and exciting read. So, ignore the so-called "best sellers" at your local Christian bookstore, and order this one today from Amazon.com

grace and peace.

Great Quote and Recommendation

2009-09-09T13:29:00.001-04:00

"we discover what the shape and the inner life of the church ought to be only when we look first at the church's mission, and we discover what the church's mission is only when we look first at God's purpose for the entire world, as indicated in, for instance, Genesis 1-2, Genesis 12, Isaiah 40-55, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15, Ephesians 1, and Revelation 21-22. We read scripture in order to be refreshed in our memory and understanding of the story within which we ourselves are actors, to be reminded where it has come from and where it is going to, and hence what our own part within it ought to be." ~ N.T. Wright

I encourage you to read these important chapters of the Bible and see if it doesn't refresh your own memory, encourage you, and free you from self-obsessed religion into glad service to our King and redeemer!

Latest Books!

2009-08-30T22:47:00.001-04:00

Been a long time since i posted. i'm trying to get back to, even if just to keep a record of my reading.

Lot's of good ones lately.

Presently reading: Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship, by David Peterson

Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, by Paul David Tripp

The Last Word: Scripture and the Authority of God, by N.T. Wright

The Ordinary Hero: Living the Cross and Resurrection, by Tim Chester

The New Testament in Antiquity, by Gary Burge, Lynn Cohick, and Gene Green

The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate, by John H. Walton

Recent: Unfashionble: Making a Difference by Being Different, by Tullian Tchividjian

The Language of God, by Francis Collins

Faith, Form, and Time, by Kurt Wise

Betrayal, by Douglas Bond- a novel about John Calvin

In case you wonder how i go about my reading, well, i've set up something of a system. i try to read for an hour a day on a certain topic. Monday- Worship, Tuesday- Biblical studies, Wednesday- Counseling, Thursday- Theological studies or history, Friday- personal spiritual formation. Then at night i try to have a bedtime book... something different from all of that.

additionally, i'm trying to stick to a 3 month- read-throug-the-Bible routine, where i read the entire New Testament in 1 month, then Psalms and Proverbs together in 1 month, then selections from the Old Testament in 1 month.... with different selections throughout the year. THis way, i will, more or less, read through the Bible 3-4 times a year. It's hard to stick to all this..... it ends up being about 2-3 hrs of reading a day. Some days i can't do that. Usually it breaks down to about 1hr to 1.5 hrs in the morning before my daily work, then about 1-1.5 hrs at night before i fall asleep (i have trouble sleeping, so i get a lot of reading done then). If my schedule is too full, i'm trying to stick to the Scripture reading over my other related interests...... i believe i can never have enough scripture in my mind and heart to do the work that i do!

I'm also trying to freshen up my Greek and Hebrew vocabulary...... not much time for that, so i put flash cards in the bathroom! you know, gotta get it when you can! i need CD's or Tapes with the vocab on them or something so i can learn on the go.

What are you reading?

A Chapter Closed.... mostly

2009-04-28T17:01:00.001-04:00

The Lord has been kind to close a recent chapter of difficulty, anxiety, stress.... and growth (though i hope the growth continues).

When we decided to move back to Georgia in January of 2008, one of our biggest prayers was that our house in Chattanooga would sell, and that we would not have to go through another hard house situation (our move from Georgia to Tennessee had been a painful and stressful experience). Basically, our prayer was that God would make things easy and comfortable with no hardships. I'm sad to say we cared more about that- because of my weak faith- than we did about growing in our experience of, knowledge of, love for, and trust in God. We thought if God made it easy, that would be a sort of confirmation that our move was indeed his will and that our faith was strong.

But where did i get the idea that safety and security followed God's will, or proved genuine faith? Certainly not from the Bible. If you look at Hebrews 11, just the first 3 people, prosperity and peace do not always follow obedience. Abel had faith, he died. Enoch had faith, he did not die. Noah had faith, everyone else died! Most of these were more concerned with faithfulness and fruitfulness than safety, security, or obsession about the future. So, the Scriptures abound with examples that "through many tribulations must we enter the kingdom of God." God never promised that our road would be easy. It wasn't. some nights i would wake up full of anxiety and fear. I would cry out to God, wrestle with God, blame God, seek God, get mad at God, repent, cry, etc... I though God was killing me. In a sense, He was.

We first put the house up for sale in January 08. We could not afford to list with a Realtor because we had little to no equity. We moved to Georgia in April (after commuting for about 6 weeks) into some friends' basement. At the end of May we had found a renter for our house. it was supposed to be a "Lease-purchase" contract where this young couple would buy the house once their credit score was high enough. I thought they could manage it. So we ventured out and were able to buy a house here in Dawsonville, GA- the day before my daughter Abigail's 4th birthday. We were thrilled with the new house and the new ministry work. However, i had this worried feeling that things would not work out with the Chatt house, so my joy in the new one was always qualified.

Well, soon afterwards, one by one, all my fears became reality. The renters couldn't pay rent. They didn't take good care of the house. We fell behind on payments. We had to evict them after 4 months. We listed the house with the top selling agent in Chattanooga- even though we could not afford it. We waited. nothing.... month by month.... nothing.

Well, God never promised it would be smooth sailing. Anyone who says otherwise is flat out lying, misguided, or trying to take your money. But God did promise something better. God gives us Himself- promising to be with us always, use everything for our ultimate good, and to conform us into his image. Did we make a mistake buying that house or moving? I don't think so. Did we buy wrong house? Well, we didn't buy the house that would sell, but we did buy the house that would make us holy- that is, teach us to love, trust, and rely upon God. The scriptures say that such trials are designed to make us not rely upon ourselves!

And God blessed us big time along the way. We have made some of the best friends ever in this last year. We have seen a new church be planted and grow. We have seen neighbors join us in our journey. We have been blessed as a family with health, joy, and every real need supplied. We have felt "at home" here. We have been able to use our gifts for the common good. We have been infused with passion to live a missional life for Christ's sake. It has been good.

The house in Chattanooga eventually foreclosed. Well, the first mortgage foreclosed, the second is dragging their feet. The house auctioned off on monday- April 27, so the house is officially off our hands...... 16 months after we first put it up for sale! Whew! Thank God! UNfortunately, even though the mortgage liens disappear, the actual debts do not. Our loan on that house was originally an 80/20 loan.... with the same bank, later sold to 2 seperate banks.... of course, i had no say on that! This kept us from being able to get the "short sale" and "deed-in-lieu" options we had requested along the way. So, the 2nd mortgage has not yet foreclosed on us, they just keep reporting our debt to the credit bureaus every month. They will soon close it and we'll just have the foreclosures on our record for a while............ like so many others around the country right now. It stinks. our credit is shot. But thank God we already had this house before the bottom fell out. And who knows? maybe having no credit will keep us from making stupid purchases and keep us out of debt!

Alot of time went in to managing that mess. I only pray that God's work in my heart will continue. Honestly, i did not handle all of this well. I struggled a lot. i'm not proud of it. I sinned a lot in the process. But God's grace is sufficient for me. I am thankful for the hardship, and hope it produces in us a harvest of righteousness and peace.

I'm loving the Heidelberg Catechism!

2009-02-23T12:15:00.001-05:00

Heidelberg Catechism #60

Q. How are you right with God?

A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart.

Piper on the Recession

2009-02-22T16:50:00.002-05:00

Some great thoughts below from John Piper on how God might intend to use this economic recession in the lives of His people.

(Some of) God's Purposes in This Recession

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.

2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.

3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.

4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.

5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

The Gospel Story

2009-02-02T20:34:00.001-05:00

- excerpt from Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community, by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

"There is a version (of the gospel) that runs something like this: 'God made you to know him, but you have rejected God. Your sin cuts you off from God and brings you under his judgment. But God sent his Son to die in your place and reconcile you to God. Now you can know God and look forward to being with him after death.' It is the story of an individual out of relationship with God brought back into relationship with God. This version of the story is true. But it is not the whole truth, nor is it how the Bible itself tells the story. Consider a different version: 'God made humanity to know him and to rule over his good creation. But humanity rejected God, and ever since we have lived in rebellion against him and in conflict with each other. But God chose Abraham and his family to be the beginning of a new humanity. He rescued this people from slavery and made a covenant through which they could relate to him and display his glory to the world. When they persistently rejected God, he promised a remnant who would continue the promise of a people who know God. He promised a new covenant bringing forgiveness for sin and his law written on their hearts. Ultimately Jesus was that faithful remnant. He died for his people to redeem God's new humanity. And he rose as the first among many who would enjoy new life in a new creation. God is now gathering his people through the mission of the church and will present them, drawn from all nations, as the perfected bride of his Son" (when Jesus returns save, judge, and make all things new).

2 points:

1. They are stressing that a "personal relationship" with God is not meant to be a private, or simply, individual relationship with God. The Gospel Word not only creates a new person, it creates a new community, and eventually, it creates a new world. We are not meant to be, or make it, alone. Christians are an inter-dependent family, under the Lordship of Jesus. We go together, we grow together.

2.They contrast telling the gospel story as simply an individualized story of God, Sin, Christ, Faith with telling the whole story of of God and humanity and salvation as Creation, Fall, Redemption, New Creation/Restoration. This is sometimes called reading "along" the Bible rather than "across" the Bible (or Biblical Theology instead of just Systematic theology). Both perspectives are TRUE and good, but the second way these authors suggest gets at the fuller story- it tells the truer story of a wholistic and cosmic salvation.

By the way, this is a great book to read on a number of levels. It basically suggest that the church should not be a programmed institution as much as a living community, all built on the person and work of Jesus. It declares (and shows how this affects the multiple "ministries" of a local congregation) that the Gospel Word creates a Gospel Community. These things work to produce a church that is on a Gospel Mission. When these 3 things are at work, the Kingdom of God is happening..... the "Lord's Prayer" is being realized ("Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven.)

A Quote from N.T. Wright on the Gospel

2009-01-12T15:19:00.003-05:00

"The word 'gospel,' in Paul's world, meant the accession of Caesar. And when Tiberius or Nero came to power, the imperial heralds did not go around saying, 'There is this new experience you might like to try on for size, namely, you might like to give allegiance to Caesar if that suits you and if that's where you are right now in your own personal journey.' No, they said, 'Tiberius is emperor! Get down on your knees!'"

Jesus is Lord! Let us fall on our knees and worship him! He is the world's true and only gracious Redeemer-King.

A Letter from Fenelon.... surprisingly relevant

2009-01-06T15:51:00.003-05:00

DISTRACTIONS

I pray that this new year will be a year full of grace and blessing to you. I am not surprised that you do not enjoy inward prayer as you first did. Every pleasure is likely to be exhausted. An active personality, accustomed to lots of activity, will faint in solitude. For a long time you have been distracted by much outward activity. I am aware of the trouble you will encounter as you seek to live a life totally given over to God's will.

At first the sheer strength of your enthusiasm will carry you through your problems, no matter how large. When you feel strong, you feel that you can do anything. When you are discouraged, you think that you can do nothing and that all is lost. But both of these ways are wrong.

Do not be disturbed by any distraction you experience in prayer. The distractions are deep within you, even when you want to pray inwardly. Your temperament and habits all help make y you very active. Only when you are completely exhausted will you seek a quieter life.

By being fruitful you will gradually come to experience a deeper inward life with fewer distractions. God gave you a foretaste of it before in order that you might see where He wanted to l lead you. He then takes this wonderful taste away so that you can see that it does not belong to you. See clearly that everything He gives is a gift of grace which must be received in humility.

Do not be surprised to find yourself overly sensitive, impatient, proud, and self-willed. Realize that this is your natural disposition. Augustine says you must bear the yoke of the daily confession of your sins. Learn to feel you own weakness, waywardness, and inability to correct yourself. Despair of your own heart and hope only in God. Bear with yourself, but do not flatter yourself into thinking you are better than you are. Do not neglect anything needed for your correction.

See your true character, but wait on God's timing to transform it. Let yourself become lowly under His all-powerful hand. Anytime you sense any resistance in your will, yield yourself to God. Cultivate silence as much as possible. Be in no hurry to judge. Hold back your decisions, your likes and dislikes. Stop at once when your activity becomes too hurried. Do not be eager even for good things.

----- taken from Francois de Fenelon's The Seeking Heart - c.a. 1690

A Good Quote

2009-01-04T22:46:00.001-05:00

Can you relate?

Larry Crabb-
"Perhaps the most important lesson I learn as I go through dark seasons is this: there is no escape in this life from pain and problems. I can live obediently, practice spiritual disciplines, and claim my identity in Christ, but problems still continue. More than anything else, I need a person to trust, someone who can give me hope, joy, and peace in the midst of life's unpredictable struggles. A plan to follow is not enough. Applying biblical principle's does not always make things happen as I want. Without someone to trust, I must either pretend things are better than they are or live to relieve the pain. And if neither denial nor efforts to relieve the pain do the job, I will end my life through immorality or craziness or suicide. The rhetoric we're all used to - "just trust the lord, pray more, get counseling, follow God's plan more carefully" - must give way to the reality of finding God."

Thank God that above all else, He gives us Christ Himself and his eternal presence through the Holy Spirit. I know that's what i need more than anything, now and always.

A Reflection on Life

2008-11-25T16:08:00.002-05:00

Just some summary statments on how i want to live...

I want to live in the light of God's presence... in light of the Gospel:

- Forgiven and Free
- Holy and Whole
- Re-newed in mind
- Re-made in God's image
- Full of faith, Hope, and love
- Knowing, Loving, and Reflecting Jesus- in all relationships, in all action and work, in all rest and liesure.

I want to live as a true man- a new man!

- as a faithful and loving husband
- as a gentle, wise, loving, and fun father
- as a faithful and fruitful pastor/teacher
- as a true friend
- as a worshipful servant of God and people
- as an agent of God's new creation, renewal, and grace in the world

I want to live as a restored son of the living God- the Redeemer King!- being a true disciple of Jesus and a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, "man of God."

.... All for the love of God and by the Holy Spirit's power, by God's grace and for God's glory!!

Sin and self get in the way of all of this. It robs us of the best in life and hacks at, mars, kills so much of our humanity. I must fight it and win- as John Owen said, "You must be killing sin, or sin will be killing you." I don't want to be a duplicitous jack-ass, or a phony, or a pretender. This is my prayer. You can pray it for me too.

BTW- Have a great Advent Season- the season of Hope, expectancy, and anticipation. He has come, He is coming still, He will come again!

-

A Good Perspective

2008-11-10T08:32:00.003-05:00

My good friend Joe made this comment on my previous post:

"Pontificating isn't so bad, Jon! It's just a way for you to dialogue with the community that you build through your blog. It isn't as if you're lecturing on your opinion; rather, you are continuing a conversation that is happening as a result of you reflecting on the very books that you read and recommend. It is a part of the responsibility of producing a blog that builds an intentional community for growth, learning, and (ultimately) a pursuit after God's heart."

i thought this was a pretty good perspective! Although, Joe is one of those people who can write thoughts and reflections that others should read.... and who actually has a blog "community." To the 5 or so people who actually read mine, Thank you! Let's do dialogue. I still make it my ambition to be less "plugged in" to electronics and more present with the people around me- and aim to form intentional community with our church, family, and friends. - in real life..... but don't get me wrong, i still enjoy this and benefit from it. I'm just aiming at what seems to me some important necessary changes in my life. grace and peace to you all (all 5 of you!)

Recent Book Recommendations

2008-11-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to stick to book recommendations on this site and write less about my own thoughts and feelings on issues. I like to do that, but i'm feeling a bit more lately the futility of it all. I think a lot of good time is wasted on blogs these days. Sure, some people are gifted and help us all by what they write. i'm not sure i'm one of those people. So, i want to make the best use of my time and energy. I want to know, love, and reflect Christ as much as possible in my short life. I want to pursue a deeper knowledge and experience of Christ with me, Christ in me, and Christ through me- and all in the context of community, worship, and service. i want to be "present" in my life and engaged with God and the people around me, seeking to be used by God where there is need. i don't want to be "lost" or "absent" from life by being sucked into the internet (email, blogs, etc...). i want to use these tools without being controlled by them. So, i'm gonna try to limit my reflections here- that is, if i can help it! :) But i will likely read your blogs if you happen to read this one- especially if they're like my wife's blog- http://www.everythingissacred.blogspot.com/. She uses blogs in the way they probably ought to be used- as ways to keep up with our friends and share our family stories, with an occasional uplifting note.

With that said, i'll now stick to the main purpose of this blog- to tell you about good and important books out there... ones that are worth reading and knowing about. If i can't write the words people need to hear, i can at least read them and then tell you about them!

First of all. I got my new ESV Study Bible in the mail last month. i have not been dissapointed at all. In fact, i'm more excited about it now than before. Here's a perfect Christmas gift for you to ask for or give! With tremendous articles (the nuts and bolts of a Bible/Theology degree!), great book introductions, stellar study notes and commentary, color maps throughout- i'm telling you, this is the best one-volume study tool for learning, teaching, and preaching that i've seen!

Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World, C.J. Mahaney ed. This little book was a lot better than i thought it would be. The last chapter is worth the price of the whole book- "How to Love the World." At first i thought this was going to be one of those "seperatists" type books that calls Christians to burry themselves away in private behind cement walls. But it is surprisingly NOT that way. Rather than being a manifesto for the extreme homeschooling fundamentalist, it actually points the way forward in a much needed way. Not Seperatists, not accomadating, this book helps people who are prone to fall off either side of the cultural engagement wagon. We must pursue holiness and not "love the world"- 1 John 2:15, and yet must also love the world as Jesus does (John 3:16). i think this book is a helpful corrective both to those who cower away in fear and to those who over-react to them. If nothing else, you must read the last chapter!

Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community, Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. This book is written by 2 British pastors. This gives them a unique position of being able to almost write to us from the future- since much of America seems to follow behind the direction of Europe. I usually do not like "how to do church" books, but this one has caught me off guard and proven to be a God-send! If you are like me, you've probably sensed the problems lurking in the traditional models of church life, and yet, you're also suspicious of much that is coming out of the "Emerging church" movement. Perhaps you've thought, "there's got to be another way- a better way." Well, i think these guys are on to something very important. They talk about Gospel and Community in principle, then Gospel and Community in practice. They point a way forward for us. Get it and read it if you are in church leadership! And if you're not in church leadership but have a heart for redemptive change in the church- get it and read it. If you've left the church being hungry or desiring this kind of change- What's the matter with you?! How do you expect much needed change to come if you don't get involved! Read it. you'll be glad you did.

The Prodigal God, Timothy Keller. This book expounds the parable of the "prodigal son" (prodigal sons!). It is Keller's paradigmatic book on what the Gospel is. THis parable teaches us the true nature of God, Sin, and Salvation. He shows in it that the gospel is just as much for believers as for unbelievers, and those in the church need it just as much as those outside the church. The book is not long and is an absolute MUST READ for all Christians- to shape your mind and heart in understanding and embracing the gospel every day! Read it and then give it to a believing friend. If you haven't read his previous book, The Reason for God, it too is a great read- one to read and give to an unbelieving friend.

Other books on my shelf to dig into soon...

For All God's Worth, N.T. Wright. This short book is about true worship and the calling of the church. He first writes about the God who is worthy of praise and why. Then he talks about a life of worship as reflecting God's image into the world- thus, the calling of the Christian and the church.

The Lord and His Prayer, N.T. Wright. Another short work by "Bishop Tom" that expounds what we call "The Lord's Prayer." I am so eager for the church to sort of re-discover this prayer. It needs to be the heartbeat of the Christian and of the church..... especially the first part- that God's name is "hallowed", that his kingdom comes and will is done on earth as in heaven.... There we find our chief vocation!

Happy reading!

Christian Spirituality

2008-10-01T21:52:00.001-04:00

Christian Spirituality...? What exactly is that? Well, it's what others have called "Christian living"- before that became a category at bookstores. "Spirituality" feels a bit more real, genuine, authentic, mysterious, powerful, and affective to many believers today- especially of the younger generation... you know, the PO'MO's (that's "post-moderns" for those who may be new to the lingo). They usually prefer to maintain their evangelical roots without being identified with the FUNDY's (that's "fundamentalists" for those who may be one without knowing it). At any rate, much has been written about Christian spirituality in recent years. Interestingly, it's sort of a rediscovery of ancient Christianity- or at least post-empire Christianity. it emphasizes not so much propositional truths- though the folks writing these works definitely hold to truth propositions. It is not "systematic theology" either- though many do not wish to oppose sound doctrine. Instead, these writers are hungry for the manifest presence of God, for the mystery of God's transcendance to be more deeply appreciated, but also for God's rich imminence to experienced in a deeply transforming way. ........ see Donald Miller's stuff, Brennan Manning, Eugene Peterson, Robert Webber, and many others- who do you like?

Just the same, Christian Spirituality is about life with God. It is life in Christ. It is Life in the Spirit. It's about our connection to God and his people. It's about how God works in people's hearts, psyches, will, emotions etc.. (when the Bible says "heart" it usually means all of these). It also includes how a believer should conduct themselves in this world- how to think about the world and it's issues, how to respond, etc...

Well, there are many great books out there that help us get at this life with the Triune God. There's classics like Augustine's Confessions, or Thomas a Kempis' The Imitation of Christ, or even John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. There are many contemporary guides- John Piper's Desiring God, Richard Foster's works, or Dallas Willard. One that i'm eager to read is Richard Lovelace's Dynamics of Spiritual Life.

But presently i am reading a work i would like to recommend- especially for those just getting into this sort of writing (by "this sort" i mean something beyond the popular works of "Christian Living" to works by scholars, theologians, philosphers who take us a bit deeper on this road to authentic biblical spirituality).

The book i'm reading now is called A Little Guide to Chrisian Spirituality- which gets the award for the worst title of the year. Nevertheless, Dr. Glen G. Scorgie has given us a gem of a book! I'm loving it's simple approach and have greatly benefited from his insights, articulation of truth, and resource recommendations. The book basically discusses 3 aspects, or essential dynamics of life with God. He does not intend to say that these are the only aspects of christian spirituality, but rather that these are 3 necessary aspects.

They are the Relational dimension (Christ with us), the Transformational dimension (Christ in us), and the Vocational dimension (Christ through us).

He explains how each aspect is discussed in the Scriptures and roots each one in the gospel- what God has done and continues to do for us through Christ and the Holy Spirit. He highlights how these aspects are inter-related and must be pursued together- never in exclusion of any one of the others. i think this is so true. To do otherwise seems to lead to a stunted discipleship and little authentic growth. Too often we are pressed, or choose to focus, on just one or two of these aspects while to other is minimized. If you grew up in a conservative or liberal or "moderate" background, you probably were encouraged to pursue a stunted, short-sighted, non-holistic spirituality. Or, if by chance you realized the importance of all 3 of these, you may have done in an overly individualistic or private manner. God has given us a personal relationship with him- but not a private one. Christ has called us individually to himself- but not only me. Notice that Scorgie emphasizes how Scripture teaches that it is Christ with US, in US, and through US.

This simple way of thinking about Christian spirituality has positively affected my own life with God, God's people, and God's world. I hope it will do the same for you.... that is if anyone actually goes out and reads a book i recommend on this site....

Study Bibles

2008-09-25T16:17:00.001-04:00

Study Bibles can be great tools. I recomend that everyone have one. However, not all study bibles are the same. Some have a particular theological or denominational agenda that the reader may not be aware of. Others have only one author to all notes, or worse, a mysterious group of "scholars" that are curiously not named in the opening sections of the study Bible. So i thought i'd make a couple recommendations for everyone.

The first one i would recommend is the ESV Study Bible (English Standard Version), which comes out next month. http://www.esvstudybible.org/ I've seen pre-released portions of this work and i'm pretty excited about it. You can order on from the website. it looks like the best one-volume resource for bible study, teaching, and preaching that i've ever seen. A great gift from many of evangelicalism's finest scholars.

Another one that i checked out the other day is the new NLT Study Bible (New Living Translation). http://www.nltstudybible.com/ It can likely be found at your local bookstore. i saw it at Barnes & Noble. It looks great- accurate, scholarly, beneficial, and practical.

Both of the above Study Bibles have great resources, notes, articles, book intros, etc... from top scholars. The ESV is my favorite verbal ("essentially literal") translation, and the NLT is my favorite dynamic ("idea for idea" rather than "word for word") translation. I am very familiar with the scholars who worked on both translations and trust them completely.

Other Study Bibles that may interest some. The Reformation Study Bible (ESV) and the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV) are good for those who come from/are interested in a purely Reformed position. Great scholars in these as well- many also contributed to the 2 above. There's also the Oxford Annotated Study Bible (NRSV) with Apocrypha. It has some good academic notes, though not always from an evangelical perspective. Plus, the NRSV is not my favorite translation. It often cannot hide its interpretive agenda.

I don't necessarily recommend the devotionally oriented "study" bibles like the ever-popular "Life Application Study Bible." It seems to me to not really be a "study" Bible. It is aimed more at helping someone apply the text personally and presently rather than providing background or theological information to insure a proper interpretation of a text. And, of course, i think accurate interpretation is necessary for proper application. So get a real study Bible and then perhaps some good devotional books or sermons to help you apply- if application escapes you.

Happy Studying

link

2008-08-27T15:23:00.001-04:00

This is a great interview with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger on the "end times", Dispensationalism, and interpreting Bible prophecy..... gotta listen to all of it. very helpful in discussing these issues in our evangelical context.

http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_details/34247/http://www.issuesetc.org/podcast/Show41082508H1.mp3/

click the link then download the mp3.

Shaken by the Shack!

2008-08-25T11:16:00.000-04:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of the recent Christian novel, The Shack, by William Young. You may or may not have heard about the controversy surrounding it. Personally, i'm not usually a fan of "Christian" fads or "popular" books that come and go. I haven't read the book- though my wife and many friends have. I have mixed feelings about it. But a colleague of mine has written an excellent review in ByFaith magazine.

You can read Walter Henegar's review at http://byfaithonline.com/page/arts-culture/the-shack-what-god-should-have-said

read also the responses to his review which follow- there's an exhausting amount of discussion. Walter also chimes in from time to time to respond (graciously) to the comments. There are some great points made on both sides of the discussion. There are, of course, some reactionary emotional responses where you have to sift through the language to find the worthy point.

In case you wonder, i totally jive with Walter's review (and spirit) and yet can also sympathize with the points others bring up.

But for better Christian fiction- read John Bunyan, C.S. Lewis, Paul L. Maier, Francine Rivers, or even Randy Alcorn.................................. any others you all like?

Coming Together

2008-08-25T10:09:00.001-04:00

There's a couple movements happening in the evangelical world that encourage me a great deal. 2 of those movements are centered on bringing churches and denominations together around the Gospel, unifying efforts to preach and live out the gospel faithfully.

one is called the Gospel Coalition- headed up by Tim Keller and D.A. Carson, and includes John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, and Mark Driscol. You can watch short videos and read their founding documents at http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/about The theological vision for ministry is very helpful!

The other group is called Together for the Gospel- http://t4g.org/. This group includes most of the same people. It is less of an organization, rather it is simply a bi-annual conference designed to equip and strengthen church leaders.

Both of these groups bring together leaders from Presbyterian, Baptist, Anglican/Episcopal, Charismatic, and free church traditions. It is an encouraging thing to see this happening. All of these leaders value their historic traditions, but are also eager to be unified in our mission to incarnate the gospel of Jesus and labor to see the kingdom of God come more on more on earth as it is in heaven.

Check 'em out and come together.

Cinematic Theology at its best

2008-08-23T13:47:00.001-04:00

If you haven't heard about them, there's a fantastic new series of short films based on the parables of Jesus called "Modern Parables." - see www.modernparable.com

Our church community groups will be going through these this year. There are 6 modern parable short films along with 6 application videos. They are designed to give the viewer a sense of the immediate gut-level reaction/response which the hearers of Jesus were likely to have.

I talked to the creator of this series- Thomas Purifoy- who has been trained in cinematography, screen-writing, and theology. He has really put together a brilliant series.

New Testament Scholar, Dr. Craig L. Blomberg writes, "(These) portrayals are by far the most clear, riveting, superbly acted and biblically faithful contemporizations of Jesus' parables that I have ever seen. ... I highly recommend this work."

Not only are the films enjoyable, they accomplish what they set out to do. The films reflect the sense of Jesus' parables- if short, then the film is short, if light-hearted and humorous, the film reflects that, if deep with an emotional punch, they reflect that. They help you feel and "get" what Jesus was after in telling these stories, these extended metaphors, of the kingdom of God.

If you are a group leader, this series provides you with more than enough material to be prepared to teach the lessons-(there are leader's guides, study books, and prep CD's). There is some great theological training in the materials and very helpful guides to living out the parables.

Most, if not all, of Jesus' parables were about the kingdom of God- what's it is, is like, or what it means to live as part of that kingdom. Jesus told us to "seek first the kingdom of God." That makes the parables pretty important.... and this resource will help you in both seeking the kingdom and living it out!

Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

My inescapable passion...

2008-08-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

My passion in life is to know, love, and reflect Jesus in all of Life. I stink at it, but i want it.

One of the ways this plays out is in an insatiable desire to know and understand the Bible- and in a tremendous delight in and burden to teach the Bible. My thinking goes like this: God has chosen to reveal himself to us. How? In history, by the Holy Spirit and the Word- and chiefly through the Lord Jesus Christ- and the Bible is the inspired account of all these things- the place where they converge to give us true knowledge of God. The Spirit and the Word always work together- just as the Triune God is always working together- to reveal, redeem, and transform.

So let's think about it. If there is a means by which the Creator-Redeemer God has chosen to reveal himself, what could be more important in life than knowing and conforming to that means- since it is knowing and conforming to God Himself? That means is the Bible. Here is where we encounter the Triune God- and the Gospel of the Kingdom- the gospel of grace.

One of my greatest burdens- and often one of my biggest complaints- concerns the proper use and understanding of the Bible. It's not that i think i have it all figured out, but if you ever hear me criticize a book, church, or teacher, it is usually over this issue- the use (or abuse!) of the Bible. It usually centers on how the Bible is interpreted and/or applied.

I hear, read, and talk to people too often who simply ignore the context of a passage, or who do not use the Gospel as the lens through which they read the text. Or, sometimes, the Bible is neglected all together and a supposed Christian "teacher" just imposes their own notions on thier hearers. I suppose if you want to create your own version of Christianity the best thing to do is throw out, minimize, or twist the use of Scripture. It breaks my heart, but i see it all the time.

We play a lot of games with the Bible. We are often very arbitrary in our interpretations and applications of it as a result. It is easy for us to read our own worldview, notions, opinions, etc, into the Scriptures, and neglect the fruitful labor of actually letting the Bible speak for itself. I have heard the strangest ideas in the world called "biblical" simply because someone thought they had "a verse" to support their idea. Well, nearly every heretic and sectarian group has said the same. Should we not honor the way God has chosen to reveal himself by trying to read and understand the bible on it's own terms?

What do i mean? Well, unfortunately, most of us are not taught to read the Bible contextually. We read it as if it were random truth statements that can be applied wherever its words or thoughts seem to connect to our world- either like an encyclopedia of wise sayings, or magical formulas or self-help advice. In my context, we read the Bible as if it were written in English, with a western worldview, in America yesterday. But it was not.

The Bible is an historical book- written, by God's sovereign design, in a time, place, language, culture, and worldview very different from ours- as 21st century American westerners. It seems an injustice to God and the Bible to neglect the orginal context of the writings or the progression of salvation history in the Bible's big story. We have a "gap" of 2 millenia to bridge. I think we should ask questions like: What did the text mean when written? to the author and original readers? How does this verse, chapter connect to this whole book? Where does this book fit in with the overall story? How does this passage/story/truth connect to Jesus- either looking forward or looking back? What is the author's main point? The original contexts and the place in the over-arching story have to "control" and shape how we understand and apply the Bible in the present.

If the above steps are ignored, i'm not sure we can really claim to have understood- and therefore properly embraced- any particular part of Scripture. We end up(though unintentionally)creating a God to our own suiting- a God in our image, and do not get to know the God that really is- the one we were made for and with whom we long for deeper relationship. I don't think we really have the right or the authority to sort of independently say, "This is who I think God is." or "This is howI like to think God acts." Our goal- as restored children of GOD and disciples of Jesus- should be to labor to know, love, and reflect the God who is! The real God revealed to us in Scripture. I should seek to be as faithful to the Bible's real story, the real person of Jesus, the real teachings of Scripture as i possibly can.

We cannot play willy-nilly with the Bible and try to make it say or mean what we want. Surely God is not honored in that. The scriptures cannot be made to support our agenda if our agenda has not been derived from the actual message of Scripture.

So what can i do? I want to know and experience God. I realize that i must understand some of this background and big-picture stuff to really get the Bible. And i want to be intimately aquainted with the works and ways of the Spirit. How can I progress?

Well, i think this is the main reason the Holy Spirit gives teachers to the church. Not so that they can have mysterious visions and receive special revelations from God (though something kinda like this may happen) and then arbitrarily tell people what God wants them to do. But teachers are called to the hard task to bridging the gap between the revelation of God (the bible) and the time/place in which they live. They are called to deep reflection, prayerful study, processing, and struggle to properly understand and articulate God's story, God's Word, and give direction to His church.

This does not mean that one must be a trained academic to understand these things. In fact, i have often heard non-formally trained persons articlate the big story and history of the Bible as well, and often better, as any trained scholar. But there is work and learning involved.

This also requires much discernment. I often sense that the most "popular" "teachers" out there are actually not doing the best job at this. We have to pray, humble ourselves, think, discuss- sometimes for a long time- to discern which teachers God is using to lead us in the right direction. And even great teachers won't do it equally well all the time. As one of my favorite teachers, N.T. Wright often says, "At leat a 3rd of what i'm telling you is wrong, i just don't know which 3rd it is." But we can actually get at this stuff better than we have been. There are great standard texts that can help us get at the Bible- and thus at God- better than we have.

If you are a pastor or teacher in the church, i don't think you are fulfilling your call without some training (formal or informal doesn't matter) in Bible history, biblical theology, contextual studies, and hermeneutics (i.e. biblical interpretation). As a Christian, it is also important that all of these studies are learned from a "Gospel" worldview- since that is in fact the way Jesus and the Apostles teach about the scriptures, themselves, and their teachings. If you are a pastor- go to seminary! or at least pursue self-study.

All Christians must engage this sort of study to an extent. Discipleship ministries need to include studies on how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible- this is like teaching a person to fish rather than just giving them some of your catch. We should teach our children the Bible's big story and how everything points to Jesus. We should teach out youth about the Bible's different literary genres and the difference that makes in reading a text (they are already learning this sort of thing in their English classes). We should give adults the tools they need to know and understand the Bible as best as they possibly can-which will lead to knowing and understanding the Spirit- so that our relationship to God and His world is authentic- based upon reality and not our imagination. Pastors need the time to be better teachers/scholars. How else can we know if our experience of/with God is the real thing or maybe just that Captain D's we ate last night?

i might also add that none of this is meant to take away from the devotional significance or insights the Holy Spirit will always give us- in ever fresh ways- when we are simply reading the text for relationship. But even that experience is deepened and made more clear when we engage this type of study. trust me, try it! Sure some academics become like spiritual croutons! But that doesn't have to be so....

Well, there's tons more to be said. maybe i will write more for another post. But my main point was simply to communicate what my central passion (and i think "calling") are, and why. And maybe to be a little contagious in that passion. I truly believe that if such things were taken more seriously many churches and denominations would change and there would be a greater unity among churches- and God would be more magnified- and the world better served- and the Christian more full of joy.

tis enough for now. shalom

The Returning King!

2008-08-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

couldn't sleep the other night, so i got up and read alot from a book titled, The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation, by Vern S. Poythress. This short read (about 200 pages) includes a terrific introduction to the last book of the Bible along with a commentary.

Poythress is helpful in understanding this often-misunderstood book. He helps us see and read it more in context, according to the author's intent, in line with the literary genre and historical situation of the readers, and as a picture book rather than a puzzle book.

Revelation was probably not nearly as difficult to understand, interpret and apply for the original readers as it has proven to be for modern readers. We tend to ignore contextual elements and begin to read it as if it were written according to the rules of the english language and modern literature. We are confused by the images and symbols and thus read into them the meanings we expect from a more scientific worldview. Needless to say, this has caused much confusion. The basic message of Revelation- that God rules history and will victoriously bring it to His desired destination- is often lost. The basic exhortation of Revelation- for Christians to take heart, be encouraged, and persevere faithfully even unto death- is often overlooked or ignored because we desire to "solve the puzzle". But there is really no puzzle to solve-
We are meant to understand the images and symbols (by getting back into the mind of a 1st century Christian/Jew living under Roman rule) as representative of the great spiritual conflicts that are going on in the world, becoming aware of Satan's deceptive immitations of God's work, and fighting the good fight of the faith until Christ comes again. One day, Christ will manifest his rule over all the earth, making all things new, and Christians will enjoy the presence of God in the new world forever! The call of the letter and the "revelation" is faithful perseverace and sure hope.

I've been debating some with a committed Dispensational brother on some of these matters lately. So i've been looking into some good resources for helping the Dispensationalists understand what it is to read the Bible contextually. This is a good resource for the book of Revelation. R.C. Sproul's book, The Last Days According to Jesus, is helpful for getting at what Jesus meant in the gospels concerning the end. One of my favorite books on "eschatology"- study of the end/or last things- is The Bible and the Future, by Anthony Hoekema. Other good commentators include Leon Morris, G.K. Beale, and Meredith G Kline. There are also some good articles on www.monergism.com - check it out.

Summer Reading 2008

2008-08-12T12:45:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a few months since i posted. I have been focused on our transition and new work. It has been exciting and stressful- as church planting can often be.

We have made many new friends in the last 5 months or so. Our new church has grown this Summer through new relationships left and right. I almost can't keep up with it. We had 66 in worship this past Sunday. Most of these are folks we have only recently met. It's been amazing really to see God connect with us folks both through our ministries and through random "chance" meetings with old friends, or friends of friends. All to say, we have been encouraged by the Lord's work in this church planting endeavor. We have had sweet times of fellowship and worship, a hard but fruitful summer camp for children, and lots of biblical community going on.

In the midst of it all, our family has been blessed with some new friendships- for each family member! We have settled into our new house/neighborhood. My girls are happy. Lisa is being used by God to minister to other ladies. The girls begin pre-school at the end of August- where Lisa will be with them the whole time as a teacher's aide. Cool huh? Please keep praying for us- for God's fresh daily grace, strength, perseverance, protection from spiritual attack or financial trouble, and for an overflowing relationship with God!

I have still been reading alot. Mostly at night when i can't fall asleep! My recent reads include:

The Living Church, by John Stott. A fantastic little book by a seasoned pastor/scholar. His book summarizes what he thinks are the most vital aspects of church life. Each chapter builds off a "speech" he gave some time ago titled "I have a Dream of A Living Church". It is broken down into rich paragraphs on what it means to be a biblical, worshipping, caring, serving, expectant church. Highly recommended for those in church leadership.

i'm in the middle of:

Ancient-Future Worship, by Robert Webber. This was his final book before passing away, and reflects his many years of thinking about worship issues. It summarizes his deepest convictions about what worship is and is not. He focuses on the retelling of God's story in our worship gatherings (Creation, Incarnation, New-creation/Restoration). He shows how so much of biblical worship is remembering God's redemptive works in the past, anticipating God's promises concerning the future, and appropraiting those things to transform the present. A great work for worship leaders and pastors for getting to the heart of what worship should be about- the substance rather than the form.

According to Plan, by Graeme Goldsworthy- one of the great Biblical Theologians of our time. This is basically an introduction to what is called "biblical theology" -that i've been reading as a re-fresher. His approach is very helpful and anyone could grasp it. He intends the book to be intelligible to any Christian- with or without formal theological training. This book will help you understand to big picture story of the Bible- using the kingdom of God and the covenant as the unifying theme of the whole Bible. Most CHristians need to grasp this. We are not good at reading the Bible's parts in light of the whole. We are not good at understanding the progression of redemption history or revelation. How has God written his story, orchestrated the events, revealed himself in time? this book will answer all these questions and more. This is essential reading for anyone who really wants to understand the Bible. We cannot afford to ignore these things if we truly want to know the God revealed in Scripture. I am thankful that Biblical Theology is gaining such popular ground in the church. It will help us overcome some of our recent errors in using, interpreting, and applying the Bible.

In my reading through the Bible this year i'm in Nehemiah (OT) and 1 Corinthians (NT).

In addition to my reading i've been listening to alot of audio as well. I have about 40-50 sermons/lectures from N.T. Wright and Tim keller downloaded on my ipod. (you can too for free at www.monergism.com ). I've recently been listening through a course on Romans from Dr. Wright. It has been very helpful, engaging, and challenging for me. If you happen to listen to any of Wright's stuff, begin with his talks/sermons on Jesus and the Kingdom of God. This will prove extremely helpful and nourishing to you- i give you my word!

There are really 3 teachers in my life whose writings and sermons have been most deeply penetrating to my heart and mind. Each one has been used by God to bring about a dramatic paradigm change in my thinking- as well as forming my heart more for Christ. Many authors have helped me get at the Bible and my relationship with God better, but none above these 3. Are you ready?......................... 1. John Piper- God-centeredness, God's glory and sovereignty, Holy Affections; 2. Tim Keller- the Gospel of Grace- devotionally applied, idols of the heart paradigm, missional church, sharing the gospel, and much more; and 3. N.T. Wright- the Gospel of the Kingdom, Biblical history, Bible context, church mission, theology of the Resurrection, the gospel and justice, and much much more. I highly recommend the works of these 3 teachers to anyone who wants to grow in mind, heart, and strength.

Happy reading! and Fruitful living to you all!

The Risk of Transparency

2008-05-18T20:38:00.000-04:00

Right now i'm reading through 3 very good books.

Just started N.T. Wright's Suprised by Hope. It demonstrates the connections between the Christian's future hope and experiencing present hope. it has been a timely book for me in that regard. It also explains what the New Testament means by resurrection and heaven, in attempt to clear up alot of confusion on these issues in the church. He points us to our own resurrection in Christ and the coming kingdom of God- the "life after life after death". After exploring these issues Dr. Wright shows how the mission of the church connects with these realities. I've been listening to alot of Wright's sermons and lectures lately as well, and have founf them very informative and inspirational. Many in my church tradition are right to point out the need for discretion in reading Wright, but at the same time, he says some things better than anyone else and brings out some important truths that almost noone else brings out. His teaching on the kingdom of God and the wholistic mission of the church has been very formative for me. i highly recommend him for those topics.

I'm also reading How People Change, by Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane. It too has been a timely read for me. It has helped me not only understand how to better help others grow in Christ, it has helped me understand myself better and given me hope in the ongoing work of the Spirit in my life. The book is simply foundational for understanding sanctification, CHristian counseling, and the like. It's hard to read this one quickly. i think every Christian pastor, counselor, and teacher should be required to read this one. In fact, every believer will benefit from working through it.

The third book is kind of my "bathroom reader". sorry for the image....
It's titled God on Earth, by Douglas Banister. I have been pleasantly surprised by it. it's one of those books i just happened to pick up at a disount bookstore. It's a collection of short essays simply looking at Christian faith and life addressed to those who may be "unconnected", "disconnected", "misconnected" to the church. In some ways, it does what i was hoping The Jesus of Suburbia would do, but didn't. There are no attacks on the church, but rather a humble acknowledgment of wrongs done past and present. It is hopeful, insightful, winsome.... a good read when you just have a few minutes to read something short.

Beyond reading these books i've been thinking alot about the need for real friendship and community in the Christian life. I don't think anyone is meant to make it alone. We are designed to be an inter-dependent family of redeemed sinners- all with real needs and something to give. One obstacle we face in the pursuit of authentic relationships is that some people don't want "real" relationships- even though we need them. It's also kind of risky. Sometimes you can take the risk of being transparent with someone and you won't get the response you hope for. Sometimes others will not be understanding, will try to "fix" you, throw out "Christian" platitudes, make fun of you, speak ill of you, call you names (like worrisome, anxious, silly, stupid, weak, etcc)- all of which shut down honesty and safety in relationships. So, is it worth it?

I've been trying to take some relational risk lately. being honest about sin, struggles, confusion, hardship, need, etc.. Right now our family is taking a big risk for the sake of Christ and His kingdom- by planting a new church- for the 2nd time. we've made another big move with few certainties- except the inescapable sense of God's calling. We've had a difficult transition in some ways. it's been wonderful in other ways. But i've tried to open up about some of my difficulties. I haven't always gotten the response i've hoped for (understanding, listening, identifying with me, compassion, encouragement, Scripture, and prayer), but other times i have gotten this! And i wouldn't have experienced some great breakthroughs in friendship without these risk. I think we do need to speak hard truth into each other's lives and help each other see when we're being foolish, but this must be from a position of love, identification, humilty- as from a fellow struggler in need of God's grace. Relationships are hard work- no getting around that. But we can't sell ourselves short on what God intends here.

Certainly, some people will never understand this or allow us the safety and openness we need. At the same time, we might be that person at times! And so, i'm also learning where I am not good at loving my family or friends on these fronts. i want to do better. i think it's worth it to work at being this kind of friend or family member and to risk giving others the opportunity to be these sorts of brothers and sisters for us. God knows we need it. I think friendship/relationships can be a "means of grace." What do you think?

The Jesus of Suburbia

2008-05-06T10:44:00.001-04:00

Greetings. just finished reading through The Jesus of Suburbua, by Mike Erre.

This book had the potential to be prophetic and good. Instead, it comes accross as reactionary, over-stated, and over-simplified.

The basic point of the book is that many "suburban" evangelical churches have long forgotten the true Jesus of the Bible and have therefore thwarted his message to fit our comfortable life style. I agree with this assessment to a large degree. In fact, i agree with most of the author's larger points. However, he is quick to condemn the church wholesale for things that are really more isolated events, or only true of small factions within the church. The author seems to think that every evangelical church outside the city has gotten it wrong for long time, but that he himself has found the true Jesus and the true gospel.

I am not a fan of the many younger evangelical leaders who take these reactionary approaches to critiquing the church. Yes, there are many ways in which we all need to change and grow and learn. But these over-statements of wrongs committed, letting the apparently objective non-believer define who the church should be or what we should be doing, and condemning "theology" as if it is the enemy of the gospel- it's just got to stop!

I don't know a single Christian theologian who does not believe that their study of theology and doctrine should lead to a life more fully devoted to CHrist and his Kingdom- to loving God and others more. So stop pooh-poohing on doctrine! I also know of countless acts of love, mercy, justice, compassion, and grace being carried out by Christians all over the world on any given day- including the suburban areas, so stop calling them all intollerant, bigoted, hypocritical, and unloving! Paint the picture accurately and stop over-stating the matter to make your points. We don't do oursleves or the unbelieving people we love any favors by condemning the "church" for any and every wrong. Yes, we can admit our failures and sin. The gospel frees us to do that. But for God's sake, write a sober book on these topics! i am amazed at both the author's- and those he quotes throughout- ability to articulate how wrong everyone is, and yet how correct he is in his own assessment. Where is the humility? (OK, i'm probably guilty of the same thing at this point...) Can you not make your valid points without suggesting invalid assessments of the church.... withouth overstating the matter... In one place he quotes another author as saying that the disciples were "theological idiots" but that the demons were astute theologians. Not only is this NOT true, it greatly exaggerates and skews the issue. THis quote was meant to strengthen his argument against theology- or knowing only about God- with simple trust and obedience- really knowing God. Of course, the book is full of confident theological statements, but that fact is ignored. Once again, i think it is a false dichotomy.

So, yes, the suburban churches are in great danger of missing the real Jesus and the real gospel by creating one that accomodates our comfortable lifestyle. We do need to be corrected and shown the way. But you cannot shame someone into agreement, or slam those you hope to influence. I agree with the author's main points, but do not like his approach. To be fair, i should say that Erre does not do all of these things as poorly as some other similar writers- or even as badly as those he quotes. Erre often qualifies his harsh statement to soften it a bit. So i am admittedly reading him with those other authors in mind. But i simply read too many sentences in this book that i just shook my head at and began arguing with in my head. And i thought i was really going to like the book, given its main idea. I'm already on board with the big idea. And i really like some of the emphases the "emergent" church leaders are aiming at, but i almost always do not appreciate the way they are going about it. It almost always strikes me as over-stated, reactionary, over-simplifying the issues, trying to sound smart (really just getting biblical studies back into our pulpits- which is good), going too far, losing too much, and ... i've probably said enough.

Anyway, you could read this book for some good points, but would need a lot of discretion to weed out the hype and a lot of care not to jump on a popular-but misguided- bandwagon. But i would recommend resources that do a better job at what Erre is trying to do here. Read N.T. Wright' s Simply Christian, Surprised by Hope, John Stott's The Contemporary Christian, The Open Secret, by Leslie Newbigin, Kingdom Come, by Allen Wakabayashi, The Secular Saint, by Robert Webber, just to name a few. happy reading- thinking- and living. peace out!

First Quarter Reads 2008

2008-04-29T12:15:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a while since i posted. Besides the books i've already commented on for the year, i have read or am reading some other good ones.

Samson And the Pirate Monks, by Nate Larkin. I highly recommend this book to every man i know! This work is half the autobiography of the author and half the story of a recent men's "ministry" that is spreading throughout the country. But beware, this book is not for the faint of heart! This movement is not like Promise Keepers or your local "men's group". If you want authentic brotherhood, real friendship, gut-level honesty, real gospel, real path to growth, then this is a key resource to get. Men today are nearly plagued by isolation and independence- along with the "persona" of strength. But these things often leave us blind to our vulnerabilities (like Samson in the Bible). The fact is, we're struggling and we need our brothers. Whether your issue is sexual addiction (or potentially so), or alchohol, or just lonliness or lazyness, the Samson model is providing a path for men to reach genuine change. Don't worry, they aren't going to get you a spiritual probation officer- i mean "accountability partner", but rather, real friends look to Jesus together and seek to be his voice to each other. Nate's story will fill you with both horror and hope, and you'll probably find a lot of personally familiar stuff going on in his story. I literally cried while reading this book. Sometimes i bursted our laughing. Other times i went to my knees in prayer. This ultimately is a hope-filled book that tells a story of redemption. The same redemption that we all need.

True Worship, by Vaughan Roberts. I really like his books. They're all short reads and generally basic. But he is very insightful and good at summarizing big ideas. His books are great for group study. This one highlights the significance of worship as something that includes the whole of a CHristian's life. On Sunday we gather for public corporate worship with special means of grace that we cannot be without. But worship is to be the context of our whole life- according to the Bible.

The Sermon on the Mount, by Sinclair Ferguson. Get it. Read it. over and over. A Tremendous explanation of this most significant teaching of Jesus. This is Kingdom life in a fallen world. What a difference it would make if more Christians camped out here instead of pursuing the so-called "deeper" "hidden" or "secret" aspects of our faith. Look at Jesus and listen to Him! This is a small book (171 small pages), but it may be the only book you would need on the subject. We're using this one for our church Community Groups.

Christians At The Cross, by N.T. Wright. I read this during Holy Week. A fantastic short read on the power of the gospel story (namely the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus) to embrace our stories and transform us. Bishop Wright went to a small rural town in England that had been socially-economically devastated after the local Mine was shut down. Many had lost loved ones in a mining accident. It is incredible pastoral as well as exegetical as he weaves together Old Testament passages, New Testament narrative, and the experiences of these people. There is a sermon for each day of Holy Week, beginning on Palm Sunday. i highly recommend it for reading during that week next year.

I have 18 other books on my desk that i hope to get to in the near future. i'm sure it won't happen, but maybe the Lord will lead me to the ones i need most.

By the way, how's your reading in the Bible going? Anyone reading through the whole story this year? I'm in Judges, John, Psalm 100, and Proverbs 14 (my ONE YEAR bible structures it that way). peace out!

Ministry Resources

2008-02-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

Worship by the Book, Edited by D.A. Carson is a great book dealing with the definition and practice of worship and worship leading. As a presbyterian, i was greatly helped by Tim keller's chapter on Reformed worship. i recommend this book to worship leaders and music directors everywhere. Sometimes a major weakness in the music "ministry" is that those leading lack theological foundations. This book will help with that!

I'm also reading 5 other books right now. I've never done this before. Often i read one book straight through before i pick up another. But now i'm trying to read a chapter in each of these books, altenating all 5.

The Reason for God, by Tim Keller. This is the new apologetic book to get your skeptical friends. What C.S. Lewis did for thinking skeptics in the 20th century through Mere Christianity, Keller now does for the 21st century. Buy this book and give it away. Or read it, to be more equipped in your own understanding of the truth, then give it away.

How People Change, by Paul David Tripp and Timothy S. Lane. A foundational book for understanding the process of sanctification. The best i've seen on focusing people on the gospel and the promises of God and specifically on Jesus Christ as the power for real and lasting transformation. If you are familiar with the study Gospel Transformation, this book is very similar. This is the book every pastor and counselor should read to know how to help others grow. It is the book every Christian should read to better understand how we ourselves must grow. It's not about 3 step programs or outside-in change. It's about repentance and faith, and obedience from a transformed heart.

Leading with A Limp, by Dan Allender. An honest genuine approach to leadership in the real world, through real human beings. i love the approach of this book. If you've ever felt that you were the last person who should be leading something, but still you had too, this is the book for you. Every leader should read this.

With One Voice, by Reggie M. Kidd. A great book on worship. he argues that a theology that can't be sung is not worth having- that song has always been part of the journey for God's people. He examines the psalter (Psalms) and other songs to point the way toward joining Christ is His song over creation and history.

Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. This one is probably my least favorite of the group. most of it is market research based- kind of the "what people are looking for" approach. I'm not too impressed by that. if you're going to recommend a model for church or disciple-making, it needs to come out of the Scriptures and much theological reflection, and not based upon the results of limited research. Hoever, i do understand that there is a place for valuing this imput. So, while i think much of this book could be skipped over, chapters 3 and 5-8 are pretty helpful. When they finally begin to advocate the idea of Clarity, Movement, Alignment, Focus they start getting somewhere. Those ideas are helpful. So, pick it up to read those chapters if you are in church leadership. (you could even read that part at the bookstore and not even have to purchase the book :))

so, those are the reads for now. i'll add more as time goes on. You might wonder why i'm reading such books to begin with. Well, because this kind of stuff is just interesting to me, for one. But also, i'm beginning to help start a new PCA church in Georgia. I am the Assistant Pastor for Worship and Teaching. Thus, i'm trying to get and stay equipped for this ministry work. peace out.

The Drama of Scripture

2008-02-07T10:35:00.000-05:00

Just finished a great book by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen titled The Drama of Scripture. This is not a book about all the "drama" in Scripture, but rather a book designed to help Bible readers understand the unfolding drama of Scripture. It tells the big story of the Bible. The authors do a tremendous job of demonstrating how the Bible is one grand story of Redemption as God works to establish his kingdom and bring a "cosmic" salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus.

Professor Tremper Longman comments, "They powerfully demonstrate how the themes of covenant and the kingdom of God provide a coherence for Scripture that helps the reader make sense of its varied parts."

If you want to understand God's revealed Word better, and you want to faithfully interpret and apply the scripture, and you want to be a part of God's redemptive plan for history, then this book is for you! It proves very helpful for Biblical understanding and inspires the Christian disciple at the same time. Readers will especially appreciate the beginning and ending portions because they provide great clarity on what it is God has intended for his world and what God is up to now- what he his leading his world to become. The rest of the book provides well articulated summaries of large portions of Scripture- dividing the story into 6 "Acts."

If you've ever had a hard time dicerning the Bible's big story because of all the details and intriguing individual stories, this book will be a great help. It will likely give good correctional shape to the way most of us read and understand the Bible, and have life-long effects upon our desire to participate in God's kingdom mission!

2008 Reading Lists

2008-01-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the books i hope to read this year. Of course, i'll likely read some of these but not all. and then i'll find others i want to read instead. But here's to hopeful planning...

How People Change, Tripp and Lane

Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp

Leading with A Limp, Dan Allender

The Jesus of Suburbia, Mike Erre

Keep in Step with the Spirit, J.I. Packer

Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind, Tremper Longman

What is Reformed Theology? R.C. Sproul

Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Richard F. Lovelace

Distinctives, Vaughan Roberts

The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Eldon Ladd

And then, because of my new position in worship and teaching in a new church plant...

Worship by the Book, D.A. Carson, Ed.

Worship in Spirit and Truth, John Frame

Engaging with God, Peterson

True Worship, Vaughan Roberts

Let me know what you may be reading this year!

Happy New Year

2008-01-15T11:31:00.000-05:00

In my first post of the new year i'd like to ask my readers to consider attempting a great task- to read through the whole Bible this year!

Now, i know many of you have tried this before. You started in Genesis and it went pretty well. You muscled through Exodus, but by the time you got to Leviticus you just couldn't make it any longer. I understand.

Nonetheless, having a good understanding of the Bible's big story is so important for us if we are to understand and rightly apply all the individual parts of Scripture. God gave us a unified revelation (Creation to new creation). It has a flow and direction. It progressively reveals God to us and tells us the story of Redemption- a story of which we are now a part.

If you need some help.... reading around 3-4 chapters a day will take you through the Bible in a year. Reading 6-7 chapters a day will take you through it 2x's. This was Martin Luther's practice. Imagine how well we- as God's People, to whom He has given this book- would know the Scriptures if we imitated this practice!

Jonathan Edwards once resolved, "Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently that i may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of them." No wonder Edwards is considered by many to have been the greatest theological mind in American history. Me, i love Edwards for his heart for God- tender and childlike. No doubt a byproduct of such love for the Scriptures.

There are many good reading plans out there. This year i'm using Tyndale's "The One Year Bible" (New Living Translation)- This is actually what J.I. Packer reads every morning (He recommends the NLT for reading and the ESV for study). This particular Bible divides daily readings into an Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs reading for each day. Tyndale has also published a "chronological" One Year Bible. My wife is reading through it. It is great for those who want to understand the order of events and the order of the writings in historical context.

If you are like me, you love books (i have approx 750 books in my Library). You love good Christian books that strengthen your faith and increase your understanding of God. Just the same, at the end of my life, I want to have been a man of only one book- the Bible. All my other reading is tremendously helpful, but my ultimate commitment (book wise) is to the Bible because my ultimate allegiance is to Jesus Christ.

So, happy reading, and may the Bible's story of redemption capture your mind and heart anew this year. May it compell us all to live for God's glory!

Christmas Reading and Meditation..

2007-12-18T13:07:00.000-05:00

Christmas Reading:

If you want a fantastic resource for understanding the historical context of the birth of Christ, I highly recommend The First Christmas, by Paul L. Maier.

Dr. Maier is a Professor of Ancient History and specializes in the 1st Century Roman world into which the Lord Jesus was born. He has also written other excellent books on early Christianity that are very much worth reading. The First Christians, The First Easter, and some great novels, A Skeleton in God’s Closet, More than A Skeleton (historical fiction), Pontius Pilate, The Flames of Rome (Documentary Novels), and a translation of Josephus’ essential writings. Happy Christmas reading, and I hope you all receive for Christmas some book that will strengthen your faith in and love for Christ as your Redeemer-King!

Further thoughts on Christmas…

Undoubtedly, our culture is very self-indulgent and materialistic. We all seem to know that, but do very little to combat it in our personal lives. At Christmas time, as at all times, Christians have to be awake to the temptations to embrace these cultural idols. The pressure is always with us to over-indulge our wants and/or to attempt to win other’s affection by giving abundant gifts. As Christians, we often are fighting a battle to reclaim our holiday from the lost culture, and this usually includes calls to “keep Christ in Christmas.” However, I can’t help but think that too often we’re just wanting to worship Christ alongside the idols of our culture. We tend to celebrate our Christian holiday much like any unbeliever would but with a little bit of Jesus thrown in.

Allow me to offer an encouragement this Christmas season. Endeavor with all your heart, and pray for God’s gracious help, to see and celebrate the gift of Jesus more than ever this year. Both in your own heart and among your family and friends, seek to fight against the cultural stream and celebrate the King who has come to reign over us, and worship the savior who has come to redeem us! Give fewer material gifts (being mindful of our heart’s sinful propensities), and give more selfless love, patience, joy, hope, and peace.

As parents, my wife and I think a lot about how we can help our children know that Jesus is the treasure of the universe, and that this time of year is all about celebrating his coming to us- to rescue, redeem, renew, and rule over us. We don’t want to make the time all about them (or us), or over-indulge them with numerous gifts. It is incredibly hard to teach a person that Jesus is the all-satisfying treasure of life, and then act like happiness comes from material things. We’d rather our children know how to be grateful and appreciative for any one gift they receive than be overwhelmed by a ton of presents. Don’t misunderstand me, we love to give our children gifts, but we will only get them a couple things each (obviously, this isn’t the only time of year we give them gifts). We have to always keep the condition of our children’s hearts in mind. What do we want to form in them? What does it mean to “teach them the way they should go” at Christmas?

Like our own hearts, our children’s hearts are idol-making factories (Calvin). Therefore, we believe that simplicity in life and smallness in possessions is more conducive to both happiness and holiness. Jesus and his apostles warn us all throughout the New Testament to avoid a life that embraces materialism and worldliness and self-indulgence (See Luke 8:14; Luke 12:13-21; 18:24-25; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; 1 John 2:15-17). The “American” notion that it is OK to spoil our children, to just “chill out” and give them whatever they want, denies the realities of our condition as described in the Bible. Plus, it ignores the way that God “parents” us. God fathers us toward maturity. He does not indulge us or give us whatever we want. He is wiser than that. He knows our hearts and gives us what is best for us. He gives us himself more than anything, and this is the best gift of all. So then, shouldn’t we too give ourselves, our unconditional love, our example, and our truth to our children and family members at Christmas? That’s giving like God gives.

Additionally, we want to model for our children, and help them understand, our Lord's teaching that "it is better to give than to receive". One way we might do this is by simply making a big deal over being able to give gifts to others. We can show excitement about that. We can also show enthusiasm over giving away some of our possessions- or buying new gifts- for people less fortunate. My hope would be to help my children feel the truth of Jesus' statement. Plus, we are told all through the bible to care for the poor. We cannot claim to be following Jesus and ignore what he says about all of this.

So give this Christmas in such a way as to point your family and friends to Jesus- the true gift of the Father’s love, and help your children see that you love Christ more than “things.” Help them to receive what they do get, in the way of presents, with thankfulness and joy, but remind them that the real deal, the really big thing, the ultimate present is having Jesus- being loved, ruled over, and rescued by Him!

Have a truly happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wanting to give with both wisdom and generosity- for Christ and His Kingdom!

My Girls: Wordless Wednesday

2007-12-11T20:56:00.000-05:00