Dodson on Rolling Stone on McCain on Osteen

This one caught my eye on the Google Reader this morning. From Jonathan Dodson’s Creation Project blog:
I used the following quote from an article on McCain in the recent issue of Rolling Stone is my recent sermon Lord of the Story. Rolling Stone editor, Mark Taibbi rips into Joel Osteen while preserving the notion [...]

Reason for God – Part 13

Some excerpts from chapter 11 (pp. 174-185) Tim Keller’s, The Reason for God. The title of the chapter is “Religion and the Gospel.”

Christianity teaches that our main problem is sin.  What then is the solution?
Why must the solution be Jesus and Christianity?  Why can’t some other religion do as well, or just my [...]

Books on Marriage

The 9Marks website recently put up a huge listing of books on marriage complete with short reviews of each. Check it out here.
Don’t miss the comparison table (you know you like comparison tables) here.

On the Music of Sufjan

The Faith and Theology Blog has an excellent post on Sufjan Stevens who has become one of my favorite artists of late (thanks to the recommendation of my buddy Aaron). The post talks about the theology that underpins his music and highlights my favorite Sufjan song, “Casimir Pulaski Day”.
I strongly suggest checking it [...]

Blogs I Read

I need to update my blogroll over on the left side-bar to more closely reflect the stuff I check out on a regular basis.  Until I do so: I’ve been asked a few different times now what other blogs I like to read so here is a list of my favorite five:

Reformissionary
Joe Thorn
Buzzard Blog
Between Two [...]

Don’t Make Excuses for Your Sin

Have you ever found yourself blaming others for sins in your own life? I know I have on occasion. If you’re like me, the following list will be helpful and perhaps convicting.
From the Desiring God Blog, 12 Sins We Blame on Others:
We are so desperate to justify ourselves that we become irrational. Here [...]

Books You’ll Actually Read

Mark Driscoll is one of my favorite author/pastor types. He has a new series of books coming out on June 30 that some (like myself) may find interesting. The series is called A Book You’ll Actually Read. The series will consist of four books: one on the Old Testament, one on [...]

Bon Iver Video

If you haven’t checked out Bon Iver yet, shame on you. I tried to prod you here. This is hands down the best music I’ve heard in years. For whatever reason, it just tugs at the tendons around my heart. Easily the album of the year. One reviewer of the [...]

Old Testament History – Part 18

This post goes in the category of “way past due.” This past January through May I was teaching a Wednesday night course on the Old Testament Historical Books. It was an 18-part series and I was posting all of the notes and resources as we went along. For several reasons I never [...]

See Todd Run

I’ve been putting off regular exercise for a little over 9 years now.  Tomorrow, I’m starting new.  I’m going to make myself into a runner.  That may sound crazy, and I’ll have to start small, but I need to do it.  I’m way out of shape, I tire easy, and I’m not getting any younger.  
In [...]

Jott.com – Handy Little Technological Jewel

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a random nerd post. I miss looking at Ogar so although this one is a stretch, I think it fits the random nerd profile:

I recently discovered a handy little technological jewel called Jott.com. Do I need to mention that I love handy little technological jewels? [...]

Evangelism in the Two Thirds World

I recently began reading a wonderful book by Michael Green titled Evangelism in the Early Church and was blown away by the following statement:
The rate of conversion to Christ worldwide is something in the region of 100,000 a day, the vast majority in the Two Thirds World.  And they preach in the face of entrenched [...]

6-Year Old’s View of Heaven

Recently I had to travel for work which included a flight to Tampa.  On our descent, I picked up on a provocative 6-year old’s view of heaven as he proudly stated to his dad:
Dad, when I was a kid, I used to think that when we would go as high as we just did – [...]

The Idol of Freedom and Personal Happiness

The below is from Lecture 7 of Professor Barrs’ Apologetics and Outreach course taught through Covenant Theological Seminary. Listen the entire lecture here or read the transcript here.
So we live in a culture that is saturated with idolatry. And of course one of the greatest idols, which is the fundamental contributing factor to the [...]

Free Cars in 6 Years

I’ve often proclaimed that I will never buy another new car ever again – mainly to the fast depreciation that occurs on new cars. But then I see a sweet new model come out. And I’m tempted. And then I think of the quasi-true concept of “no repairs” or the ever-seductive allure [...]

Thinking About Christians as Consumers

Brent Thomas has a post over at the Colossians 3:16 blog on the topic of Christians as Consumers that just might rock your world.  Towards the bottom of the post, he elaborates on two important concepts regarding how:

Buying at “Christian” stores decreases discernment
Buying at “Christian” stores continues isolationist trends

Read it for yourself here.

The Privatization of the Religious Experience

In commenting on the privatization of the Religious Experience, Professor Jerram Barrs:
…there is the privatization of religious experience. What do I mean? It is in the area of religious truth. I have become my own authority. My private experience is all that matters. We can see this in the New Age movement. People just drift [...]

Reason for God – Part 12

Some excerpts from chapter 10 (pp. 159-173) Tim Keller’s, The Reason for God. The title of the chapter is “The Problem of Sin.” This chapter was profoundly helpful to me.

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is something fundamentally wrong with the world. According to Christianity our biggest problem [...]

5.31.08 – Boundary Water Sabbatical

The following is from my journal dated 5.31.08 related to my trip to the Boundary Waters)
5.31.08 (Saturday)
I’m home now and it’s been a long 30 hours or so. It rained all of Thursday night and Friday morning. We had to pack everything up in the rain which was a little messy. We [...]

5.29.08 – Boundary Water Sabbatical

The following is from my journal dated 5.29.08 related to my trip to the Boundary Waters)
5.29.08 (Thursday)
After breakfast I spent the morning lolling on a rock near our camp site fishing and reading (Pierced for Our Transgressions). Blake fished with me and I helped him to get his rod fixed up and baited. [...]

Sabbath Keeping

“A person who feels inclined to work seven days a week should examine what god he or she worships. God is that “to which your heart clings and entrusts itself.” Those who find their security and significance in Mammon or professionalism find community worship on the first day of the week a burden.”
–Bruce [...]

5.28.08 – Boundary Water Sabbatical

(The following is from my journal dated 5.28.08 related to my trip to the Boundary Waters)
5.28.08 (Wednesday)

A slow day. No fishing for me. I was cold last night. Even colder than the previous, I think. They said it was supposed to be in the lower 30s and it felt every bit [...]

Tim Keller on the Missional Church

Two good videos from Tim Keller (pastor in Manhattan, NY) on what it means to be a “missional church”. Well worth the 5 minutes it will take you to watch them.

(HT: Brent)

5.27.08 – Boundary Waters Sabbatical

(The following is from my journal dated 5.27.08 related to my trip to the Boundary Waters)
5.27.08 (Tuesday)
A slower day today. Matt and I chopped some firewood with the hatchet prior to breakfast. After breakfast we went back over to fish Curtain Falls (about a mile away from our camp). It’s fun to [...]

Apologetics and Outreach

I finished up my seminary course on the Life and Teachings of Jesus just before I left for my vacation in the boundary waters. Now that I am back, I’ve started my next course which is entitled Apologetics and Outreach and is taught by Jerram Barrs. Thanks to Covenant Worldwide, all of the [...]