July 2014 – jtcochran.com

Monthly Archives: July 2014

20 Quotes from Facing Leviathan by Mark Sayers

I reviewed this book some time ago here , but now I’d like to share some of my favorite insights. This really is my favorite book that I’ve read so far in 2014. Please take that comment seriously. I encourage you to pick up a copy of Facing Leviathan by Mark Sayers.

Here are 20 quotes from this book:

1. “While we may have an aversion to leadership and organization, we still wish to influence, to effect change, and to create meaning. Technological advances like social networking have given us the impression that we can now have influence minus responsibility, leadership, and organization” (16).

2. “Technology and science had now, in the minds of many replaced the need for God” (49).

3. “The society of the spectacle is a culture built upon illusion, distraction, and entertainment, which runs from the inevitable storms of human sinfulness, injustice, and brokenness. The society of the spectacle attempts to protect itself from discomfort and pain” (60).

4. “In times of great untruth, God will call leadership to be his heralds of truth” (68).

5. “Before the leader can save, he first must be saved. Before he can speak God’s Word, he must encounter the Word” (70).

6. “The hero, like the leader with unresolved issues poses a threat” (105).

7. “There is a line that can be unwittingly crossed today when it comes to understanding what it is to lead. We can start to forget where our message begins and where we end. We can forget that we are communicating the gospel and end up broadcasting ourselves” (109).

8. “Yet when it becomes the norm to let everyone know the nice things people are saying about us versus the messages we create for the Kingdom, then we have a cultural problem” (111-12).

9. “Emptiness seeks out thrills and excitement to escape the mundane” (119).

10. “When leaders die to pushing their own agendas and realize that leadership is the act of dying to self, those around them are profoundly transformed. Selfless leadership opens a space for God to flow into” (125).

11. “Leadership is not in the possession of particular skills, traits, or personal attributes. It is primarily in the ability to command a non-anxious persona in an anxious environment” (134).

12. “Leadership power comes not from what I am doing but what He is doing inside of me” (137).

13. “We can devise all kinds of theories, read all the right books, engage in online debate, blog our opinions, yet the whole time be disconnected from actually having skin in the game. Even when our heart is for God’s kingdom, if we are not careful we can find ourselves critiquing from the sidelines of God’s activity within history. There is a world of difference between pundits and prophets” (157).

14. “Traditionally, expert have believed that the decline of marriage and the family follows after the decline of active Christian faith” (175).

15. “Our society of the spectacle reduced people to images. It turned its back upon a foundational biblical truth: when we encounter another, we encounter the image of God” (193).

16. “Biblical leadership is so much more than just leading people. The biblical leader is a symbol who lives at the intersection of God’s breaking into history, into life. The leader can never be distant from God, His Word, or the world” (194).

17. “A revolution has begun. God had defeated chaos. Leviathan was beaten. God had taken the chaos and sin that exists in the human heart upon himself” (200).

18. “In a world in which individual pleasure is everything, in which pain is avoided, the biblical leader with eyes upon the cross walks hand in hand with God into suffering and pain” (208).

19. “In a culture that is increasingly fragmentary, episodic, and confused, the biblical leader acknowledges a sweeping cosmic drama, a narrative that binds together the universe” (209).

20. “God takes His servants through storms to teach them how to prepare for battle … To do this, however, we need leaders, influencers, and creatives who have met Him in the storm” (216).

Feminism, Driscoll, Doubt, Sexual Purity.

Hannah Anderson. Do We Need Feminism? (CaPC)

To get noticed in social media these days, just start a Tumblr account, set up a Facebook page , and start tweeting under a hashtag that questions the significance of feminism. At least, that’s been the case for the grassroots movement “Women Against Feminism.” Despite its moderate Facebook presence (currently under 17,000 “likes”), #WomenAgainstFeminism has garnered attention from Time , MTV , BBC , Salon, and the Daily Beast —all in the same week.

Preaching with a Plan: Sermon Strategies for Growing Mature Believers by Scott Gibson .99

Greg McKeown. Essentialism. Reviewed by Tim Challies.

Derek Rishmawy. A Few Words About Driscoll, William Wallace II, and Young Pastors.

I generally don’t comment on Mark Driscoll controversies. I do so partially because it feels like click-bait most of the time. Also, because there’s plenty of commentary on him already. Finally, because part of me still feels some sad affection for him. As a young man (like 19) I used to listen to him and I’d be a liar if I didn’t say I learned a lot and grew to love Jesus more. He was funny, he preached the Bible, and was free to download. (Ironically enough, this was the same period that I was also podcasting Rob Bell and learning from him too. Needless to say, like most 19-year-olds, I was a theologically confused young man.) In any case, though I stopped paying attention to him a long time ago, and have been increasingly saddened and frustrated at his antics, I really, really haven’t wanted to weigh in.

Mike Leake. Doubt: A Sexy Virtue.

Every morning, as I scan through over a hundred articles on Feedly, almost without fail there will be an article or two that has something to do with doubt. (I’ve even written a few myself). These are gritty and honest recollections of a not so smooth relationship with the living God. Some of them are more hopeful than the others—but at the end of the day the message is about the same, “We’ve all got doubts, man, it’s cool if you have them too”.

Debra Fileta. Have We Made An Idol Out Of Sexual Purity?

I’ll never forget the look on her face as she shared the story of her dark sexual past, with tears welling up in her eyes.

But the ironic thing is, she was less concerned with what she had done—for she knew God had forgiven her of her past and wiped it clean—and more concerned with what others would think of her.

What if her church friends knew? Could she ever find someone to love her? Did she even deserve that kind of love?

1 John 3:18 “Little Children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

“Christ’s lovers prove their love by their obedience.” John R W Stott

5 Words on Extemporaneous Preaching (Blogging Theologically Guest Post)

“Not for faint of heart.”

There’s your five words. (Just kidding.)

Extemporaneous preaching isn’t for everyone, but it is for me. I cannot manuscript. I mean, obviously I can, I write a lot and I love to do so. But I don’t like to write out sermons. My writing voice is far too different from my speaking voice. My one attempt at using a manuscripted sermon in a dozen years of preaching was an intolerably, uncomfortable preaching experience. So, you don’t want to come to me for advise about manuscripting a sermon. However, if you want to take a stab at preaching extemporaneously, then listen up. Here are five words of advice:

1. Preach your sermon to yourself during the week

For whatever reason, I don’t preach a dry run of my sermon in front of a mirror, in an empty auditorium, or in front of my family filled couch. No. Instead I preach it in my car, on my face, in the shower, on my bed, and in coffee shops. I do it in clips and in sections. I don’t do it out loud; it’s all in my head. Most of it is prayer. Sometimes you may catch me pacing my study trying to smooth out certain ideas, but I won’t preach the sermon from beginning to end until I’m in front of my congregation.

And it’s likely that what I preach to myself will sound and be different than what I preach to my congregation. Why? I’m preaching to myself, so I need to hear more, less, or different than what my congregation needs.

If you’re not preaching to yourself first, then you won’t preach to your congregation well. The Word of God has to lay ruin to the miserable ways of your soul and refresh you with the grace of God first before it will effectively do so for others. I want the Word of God to strike me between the eyes before I admonish God’s flock with it.

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AT BLOGGING THEOLOGICALLY…

Five Books on the Atonement

Finding the best books to read on a subject of theology can be a challenge. This series provides suggested resources for topics of Theology. Each title is linked to Amazon, if available. If you have another title to suggest for this area of study, please comment. I’m always happy to add another work to my library.

Here are 5 books that will launch you into studies on the Atonement.

1. Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray

2. From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective edited by David and Jonathan Gibson

3. Christ Crucified: The once-for-all sacrifice by Stephen Charnock

4. God the Peacemaker: How Atonement Brings Shalom (New Studies in Biblical Theology) by Graham A Cole

5. In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement edited by J I Packer and Mark Dever

Traditional Weddings, Places of Pain, Fickle Fame, Grieving Parents.

Emma Green. Spiritual Significance of a Traditional Church. (TheAtlantic)

It’s an iconic image: the white dress, the church bells, the priest, the traditional vows repeated by an earnest, fresh-faced couple. Many elements of the archetypical American wedding echo the formality and traditions of the country’s largest single religious tradition, Roman Catholicism. But Catholic weddings themselves are becoming rarer and rarer.

Preaching: The Art of Narrative Exposition by Calvin Miller .99

J. Mack Stiles. Evangelism. Reviewed by David Steele.

Kim Jaggers. Barely Standing in Places of Pain. (True Woman)

The air suddenly seemed heavier. My heart began to race, and my breathing became harder. Once again my mind raced back to that horrible time, and what had been a sunny day, became obliterated by painful memories. Once again I found myself at a “pain place.”

Barnabas Piper. The Fickle Pursuit of Fame.

Fame is a fickle thing. It comes to many who do not seek it and is an unwelcome guest. It avoids many who do seek it leaving them in vain pursuit. When it is found by those who seek it is unsatisfactory and often destructive. After being destructive for period it often abandons them, leaving them in a worse state than they were before it arrived.

And the oddest thing about fame is that the people who manage it best are those who act is if they don’t have it.

Kristen Gilles. Dear Grieving Parents. (TGC)

Dear brother and sister in Christ,

Although we haven’t met, God often places you in my thoughts and prayers. My heart is broken for you and your family. I’m so sorry that you have been temporarily parted from your little one. I know your child is safe with him, but I also know you miss your child terribly and long to meet and know him or her. I’m thankful that God will fulfill this longing of yours (and mine for my son Parker) someday.

Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

“If we love Christ much, surely we shall trust him much.” Thomas Brooks

When Your Household Experiences A Real Life Episode of “House”

Have you ever watched the television series House M.D.? House follows the story of a pain killer addicted, anti-social, and somewhat snarky medical doctor, Gregory House. He and his team of doctors systematically diagnose some of the toughest to pin down illnesses you’ll ever see. The television series is in its eighth season. My wife and I have watched much of this series, but we never suspected that our household would go through a real life experience that might as well have been an episode of House.

At eleven this morning my wife called me and told me that my youngest daughter Adalie had thrown up during her nap. This is irregular for Adalie. She is just over one year and has only had one episode of vomiting. My wife kept an eye on her over the next few hours. During that time she threw up a second time, and her breathing became rapid and heavy. No fever accompanied her condition. At 2 o’clock my wife asked me to come home and watch our eldest two while she took Adalie to the doctor.

After seeing the doctor and a very brief examination, for whatever reason, the doctor asked Kendall to take Adalie to the ER. The doctor described the situation as if Adalie was breathing on one lung. The doctor asked about any choking episodes, which none had taken place as far as we were aware.

My wife crossed the street with Adalie and checked here into the ER. Over the course of the next eight hours little Adalie underwent a chest X-Ray and lab tests. The X-Ray returned clean. They also ruled out RSV, a respiratory virus. After giving her breathing treatments, it seemed that Adalie improved. Yet, for the time being we don’t know what is wrong. Right now little Adalie is on an IV and is staying the night for observation. Mommy has an overnight bag and is staying with her.

All this leads me to think: What do we do when our life becomes an episode of House? This is just how I process, so follow along with me as I share four practical things that I did in the face of these circumstances.

As soon as it was apparent that something serious was afoot, I texted my wife Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This has been my ongoing posture for the rest of the day.

Even when I was preoccupied with cooking dinner for our other two kids or walking our dog, I kept tossing up what the Puritans refer to as “ejaculatory prayers” — short prayers that cry out to God with earnest need. These are my cries of helplessness, knowing only that God will be my help.

Peter O’Brien’s commentary on Philippians 4:6 in the New International Greek Testament Commentary aptly says this when referring to the phrase “in everything”:

Paul utters a prayerful wish that their requests may indeed be made known to God … The Phrase means ‘in all thing’ or ‘in every situation’, that is, in every circumstance, rather than ‘always’. (492)

It’s not that we shouldn’t always first turn to God but that, regardless of the situation — its urgency, scope, commitment — we should give that situation to God. No problem is too big or too small for Him to rescue us from our anxiety or worry.

As soon as we discovered that Adalie was going to the ER, we started sharing. I called my parents and Kendall’s dad. I notified our prayer team at Church. I shared via social media. The response overwhelmed me. There is something super comforting about the prayers of the saints wafting up to God as a sweet aroma to Him.

When you share, try to be brief and precise. Let people know precisely what to pray about, and how they can help. Take the opportunity to not just share circumstances but also gospel. You see, not everyone that takes interest may believe. This might just be an opportunity given by God to share the gospel with someone who is in dire need of hearing it.

I am reminded of Mary A’s story in James Janeway and Cotton Mather’s A Token for Children. As young Mary lay dying at the age of 12, her neighbors visited her. They asked if she would be leaving them. Mary responded: “If your serve the Lord, you shall come to me in glory” (19).

You never know how or in what way these kind of events lead to salvation for the lost. We must make the most of these times for the Most High just like little Mary did for her neighbors. She never wasted on opportunity to make the gospel known.

Once we’ve shared and requested help, if help needed, then we must accept it. This is particularly difficult for me. I never want to “put anyone out.” So I try my best to manage without any additional help. I imagine many people do likewise. In spite of our helplessness, this is some small way where we operate under the guise of control.

We must resist this urge and permit others to be hospitable to us. 1 Peter 4:9-10 says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” Accepting help allows others to fulfill their role of loving and exercising the spiritual gifts God has given them. Accept help and praise God for it.

Finally, a critical component to not forget is updating everyone. Many people are anxiously awaiting your update. Be sure to give them one that will allow them to sleep through the night. Let there be some sort of resolution, even if it means saying that the resolution is that there is no resolution.

For instance, tonight Adalie is staying at the hospital for observation. There is no resolution to what the problem is for her. Yet, I took the time to let everyone know what is going on and what to expect for the night. They all know the circumstances and are able to rest and wait to hear further information tomorrow. Giving clear and succinct updates is critical.

Entrust Your Situation to the Great Physician

We have a great physician with whom we can entrust every situation. Only Jesus can bring ultimate healing and final resolution to all our wearisome ways. Thus, we must entrust the care of our lives to Him. We must let him handle hard things that we wish we could only handle. He came to bring healing to the sick — by sick I refer to our eternal fallen condition in need of reconciliation to God — we need to let Him do it. Our anxiety and the overwhelming sense that we are out of control is an obvious reminder of the truth. The world is fallen and needs restoration. Christ came to restore us to Him for His glory.

But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick.” Matthew 9:12

Muslim Converts to Christianity, Deeds & Salvation, How to Stop Sinning, Scholarship and Blogs.

Warren Cole Smith. The Rising Tide of Muslim Converts to Christianity. (WORLD)

If you spend any time keeping up with the news, you know that radical Islam is a significant and destructive force in the world. David Garrison, does not disagree with that assessment, but he says it’s only part of the story. There is also a revival in the Muslim world, Garrison says. He believes between 2 and 7 million former Muslims have converted to Christianity in the past two decades, and he has impressive research to back up his claim. He documents his findings in his book A Wind in the House of Islam .

Garrison has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and spent more than 25 years as a missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Missions Board. I had this conversation with Garrison in Atlanta at the recent International Christian Retail Show.

Engaging with the Holy Spirit: Real Questions, Practical Answers by Graham A Cole $0.99

Michael Kruger. The Question of Canon. Reviewed by Coleman Ford.

John Piper. Three Ways Our Deeds Relate to Our Salvation. (DG)

One effect of close attention to Scripture is that sweeping generalizations become problematic. This is notably true of the way our works (including our attitudes and words and behavior) relate to our salvation.

David Murray. How Do Sinners Help Sinner Stop Sinning? (Christianity.com)

Christians are not only called to repentance but are also called to call others to repentance. This is often one of the hardest tasks in the Christian life. How do we approach someone who is sinning in a way that will help lead them to repentance?

Larry Hurtado. Scholarly Work and the “Blogosphere”.

I’ve been puzzled in recent days by some readers whose comments suggest that they expect that sound scholarly analysis of serious historical questions can be conveyed persuasively in blog-postings and/or replies to comments. There seems to be some notion that they shouldn’t have to read books and articles, plow through the data, etc. So, they ask a question; I respond briefly and point them to some book or article for fuller and more adequate discussion; but then the responses sometimes suggest the folk posing the questions really can’t be bothered. Yet they often seem to have firm opinions on the issues involved, challenging me to dislodge them to their satisfaction. So, I think it’s well to try some clarification of things here.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

“Keep company with the more cheerful sort of the godly; there is no mirth like the mirth of believers.” Richard Baxter

Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible General Editor Kevin Vanhoozer

This review first appeared at Lifeway’s Pastors Today web blog.

Kevin J Vanhoozer, et al. Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible . Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005. 896 pp. $64.99.

To understand the purpose of the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (DTIB), it is best to go straight to the editor’s words: “DTIB provides a Christian theological evaluation of the contemporary issues and approaches pertaining to biblical interpretation with a view to assessing how they enable the church better to hear what God is saying to church and world today” (22).

Let’s start unpacking this by saying what this dictionary is not. This dictionary does not push readers to adopt a particular confessional theology, though many readers have and will. DTIB does not impose its general hermeneutic principles upon readers. Finally, DTIB does not reduce itself to a mere study of the world “behind”, “of”, or “in front of” the biblical text – though it is not less than this either.

So what is it? Basically, if you’re looking for an introduction or refresher on hermeneutics (study of interpretation), schools of interpretation, theological arguments of books of the Bible, or aspects of systematic or biblical theology, then this book will be a game changer for your studies. DTIB contains an article on every major biblical theological motif, the major branches of systematic theology, and every book of the Bible, plus much more.

DTIB’s aim is to go beyond providing head knowledge. The editors say, “This is perhaps the ultimate aim of theological interpretation of the Bible: to know the triune God by participating in the triune life, in the triune mission to creation” (24). To this end the editors of DTIB worked to provide over 250 articles by at least 170 contributors for the purpose of education, edification, and spiritual formation.

Benefit for Pastoral Ministry

I’ve been traveling around with DTIB for a couple weeks now. DTIB has proven to be a go to guide for my research. I like ISBE and the IVP Bible Dictionaries. I use these two resources all the time. Yet, they are not one-volume resources. It is so helpful to have a solid one-volume resource on your shelf. DTIB is the one for me. Editors Kevin Vanhoozer, Craig Bartholomew, Daniel Treier, and N T Wright thoughtfully selected and paired the articles and contributors for DTIB. The contributors selected for each article are the first-rate scholars in that field of study. You won’t doubt the quality of scholarship here.

And there are a number of ways to make use of this dictionary. Do you want to study through a particular category, like let’s say hermeneutics? Use the List of Articles by Category index beginning on page 867. Or do you want to read all the articles from a particular scholar? Go to the contributor list beginning on page 7. After each contributor’s concise vitae are the boldened article titles that contributor wrote. Or do you want to study the theological argument of each book of the Bible? Begin with Genesis and work your way to Revelation.

As for me, so far I have studied the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the Temple, Haggai, each of the Pastoral Epistles, and Karl Barth – all prompted by discussions, studies, or teaching/preaching opportunities. DTIB provided a robust supplementation to these other studies and exceedingly accentuated them.

The bibliography at the end of each article may very well be the greatest value of this resource. These bibliographies push readers to dig deeper and build their libraries by going to the essential resources on each subject.

Essential Recommended Helpful Pass It By

The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible gives pastors access to the best scholarship in one compact place.

10 Marks of What Pastors Do

You might be wondering if you are called to ministry. You might be wondering if the pastor at your church is called to ministry. You might be wondering how do I find a church that has a qualified pastor. Regardless of where you lie on the spectrum, you’ll find this article helpful.

As I drafted this article, I couldn’t help but think of the Sr. Pastor at Redeemer Fellowship St. Charles, Joe Thorn. He fits this criteria really well. I have the pleasure of calling him my friend, mentor for pastoral ministry, and coach for church planting. But above all those things, he’s my pastor. I say this keeping in mind that Joe is also an elder among elders; these marks are all found in the other elders of Redeemer Fellowship as well: Pat, Brian, Jeff, and our elder candidate, Rob.

Now as you look over these 10 marks, I don’t want you to think, “Well, he didn’t put holiness, humility, or integrity down.” You’re right, I didn’t put those characteristics down and there are still others unsaid that should be conveyed. There will be a post to come where I talk about those things. These marks are not about who a pastor is but what a pastor does. In other words, these are the actions that mark a pastor. This is how a shepherd acts as he cares for the flock God has given him.

If you read and enjoy this article, then I encourage you to share it. If your pastor fits the bill for this description, then tell him. Share this article with him. Say, “Hey pastor, this is you! Thank you for how you do what you do.”

And if you’re a pastor, you might see these marks as daunting. More than anyone, you will feel unworthy of these marks. I’ve pastored for 5 years now, and I know that is the case for me. I feel like I have a ways to go. Yet, day by day, I see the Lord faithfully shaping me into the pastor I am to be.

1 Timothy 1:5 “ The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Acts 6:4 “ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word .”

2 Timothy 3:14 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings , which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Acts 6:4 “ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

2 Timothy 4:1 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word ; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

1 Peter 5:2 “ Shepherd the flock of God that is among you , exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.”

2 Timothy 2:2 “ And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also .”

1 Peter 5:2 “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly .”

8. He cares for the suffering.

James 5:14 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

1 Timothy 5:20 “ As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”

10. He confronts false doctrine.

Titus 1:9 “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it .”

Bibliotheca, Pastoral Credibility, Pastoral Pitfalls, Responding to Sermon Praise.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra. Introducing the Bible! Now with Less! (CT)

If you watch Adam Lewis Greene’s Kickstarter campaign page for more than a couple of seconds, you can see the number of pledges pop higher. With two days left, Greene’s goal of raising $37,000 to print a Bible “designed and crafted for reading, separated into four elegant volumes, and free of all numbers and notes” has been met several times over.

In fact, it just surpassed $1 million.

Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (Christian Guides to the Classics) by Leland Ryken $3.03

John Piper. Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully. Reviewed by Thomas S Kidd. (TGC)

Alastair Roberts. The Loss of Pastoral Credibility in the Age of the Internet.

The Internet has introduced a new level of visibility to areas of our social life, exposing certain uncomfortable realities. Rod Dreher recently wrote a perceptive and troubling piece on the way that the Internet reveals corruption and abuse within the Church and other institutions, provoking a reaction of distrust and a loss of these institutions’ effective authority. While the dramatic collapses of trust in the institutional authority of the Church following the exposure and scrutiny of cases of abuse may receive the most attention, there are other ways—albeit slower and more gradual—in which this trust is being eroded. Perhaps the most significant of these in my experience has been our greater exposure to Church leaders and their thinking.

Tim Chester. Avoiding the Pitfalls of Pastoring. (GCD)

There are two common dangers in pastoral ministry and Paul is alert to both of them. They are what we might call over-pastoring and under-pastoring.

Over-pastoring is what happens when a leader or leaders exercise too much control in the life of the church…Under-pastoring is what happens when a leader or leaders exercise too little leadership within a congregation.

Brian Croft. How Should a Pastor Respond When He is Praised for a Good Sermon.

“Great job…good sermon…that really spoke to me.” The list of phrases a pastor may hear as church members exit the church goes on. Inevitably, whether the sermon was good or not, these quick comments will be spoken to us with varying levels of sincerity and it is important that we know how to respond in a God-honoring way. Here are 4 suggestions:

“God gives where he finds empty hands.” St. Augustine

Zechariah 4:7 “And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!'”

10 Quotes from The Pastor’s Kid by Barnabas Piper

1. “There is a stream of grace that runs through this book. You taste it along the way. But it becomes a pool at the end” (12).

2. “The life of a PK is complex, occasionally messy, often frustrating, and sometimes downright maddening…But being a PK can also be a profound blessing and provide wonderful grounding for a godly life. Often the greatest challenges are the greatest grounding and the biggest falls are the best blessings” (16).

3. “Dad and Mom might be following God’s call, but these kids are just following Dad and Mom. What choice do they have? The call of the father is not the call of the child, but the ministry of the father creates an anvil-like weight on the child” (26).

4. “PKs want to be known, not just known of. We want to be in relationships that cut through the facades and fronts and unearth the insecurities and needs” (37).

5. “The constant pressure to be something, do something, and believe something creates enormous confusion for PKs. And one of the main confusions is about who we are, an identity crisis” (60).

6. “After all, PKs know more about Jesus than almost anyone. But that’s just it — we know all about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean we actually know Him” (72).

7. “What the PK needs is parents who not only admit to being sinners but actually admit to sins” (79).

8. “Other people’s parenting struggles are not worth more effort than your own, so don’t devote all your time to searching for someone else’s lost sheep while your own go wandering off a cliff because the shepherd wasn’t tending them. The same goes for marital issues” (101-02).

9. “For many pastors, this means they must intentionally make themselves lower in their congregations’ eyes. They must declare their humanity and fallibility — not in excess, but in realness” (128).

10. “The church, the pastor, and the PK all have our work cut out. The church needs to create a more hospitable environment for PKs (and pastors). Pastors need to be aware of their children’s struggles and take the necessary steps to create supportive, safe, strong, open spaces for them. PKs, despite all these struggles, cannot wallow in and bemoan them. Rather, we must own what responsibilities are ours: to honor Jesus, to honor our fathers and mothers, to love and support the church, and to go about our lives not as victims but as the redeemed. Grace is here for all of us” (143).

Meriam Ibrahim, Tony Dungy, Dave Furman, Changing Doctrines.

Meriam Ibrahim Finally Leaves Sudan, Meets Pope Francis. (CT)

After blocking her departure on a spurious charge of forged travel documents, Sudan today allowed a Christian mother sentenced to die over a false allegation of leaving Islam to leave the country, her attorney said.

Having given birth to her second child while shackled to prison chains just two months ago, Meriam Yahia Ibrahim arrived in Italy today and met with Pope Francis after U.S. and Italian efforts to free her.

RetroChristianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten Faith by Michael Svigel .99

Tim Keesee. Dispatches from the Front. Reviewed by David Crabb.

Ted Kluck. Defending Tony Dungy’s Right to Have an Opinion. (TGC)

As soon as I saw Tony Dungy’s recent quotes about the Michael Sam situation, saying that he wouldn’t have drafted Sam because he “wouldn’t want to deal with” the baggage, I knew he would be publicly castigated. Dungy deviated from our culture’s de facto “Things That Are Acceptable to Say About Michael Sam” talking points.

Nathan W Bingham. No Greater Gospel: An Interview with Dave Furman. (Ligonier)

This is a fantastic article with Dave Furman about Redeemer Church of Dubai, Church Planting, and Missions.

C Michael Patton. Changing Doctrines? How Do Protestants (And Others) Justify Themselves.

How do Protestants justify their belief in sola fide (salvation by faith alone) if it didn’t exist prior to the sixteenth-century? How do Catholics explain their belief in the Assumption of Mary when it wasn’t dogmatized until the twentieth-century? How does Eastern Orthodox justify their under-developed beliefs and tendency to punt to “mystery”? What’s going on with all this changing doctrine?

Psalm 5:4 “For you are not a God who delight in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.”

“Forgetfulness of God is the cause of all the wickedness of the wicked.” Matthew Henry

4 Prayer Killers for Pastors (ChurchPastorsDOTcom Guest Post)

How’s your prayer life? On a scale of 1 to 10 from non-existent to stellar how would you rate it? I bet most charitably argue for a 6 to 8. Few might place them self in a 9 or 10.

Rating myself honestly, I am a solid 3. I know. That’s a low score! But let’s be honest. We live in a world of distraction. If we give ourselves to prayer for a cumulative 30 minutes a day, then that might be a good day. Think about it. Do you think you pray for 30 minutes a day? Okay, now compare yourself to a Jonathan Edwards or George Whitefield: two men who gave themselves to prayer for 2 to 4 hours a day. True, these guys are probably not the norm. But still, I imagine that people prior to TV, computers, and e-mail gave themselves to private prayer much more than we do.

As I reflect on my prayer time, there are many obstacles to get past before I even get into my closet to pray. Here are four prayer killers and how I’ve been learning to keep them at bay:

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AT CHURCHPASTORSdotCOM…

Liberation Theology Economics, Discipleship Strategy Trump Vision?, Christian’s Cultural Tastes, Autocorrect & Indwelling Sin.

Carroll Rios De Rodriguez. The Economics of Liberation Theology. (Acton)

None of the prominent liberation theologians influential in Latin America had significant training in or exposure to the discipline of economics. This was odd given that their concern for the material well-being demanded at least some attempt to provide an economic explanation of underdevelopment and mass poverty. Instead of engaging in such economic reflection, many liberation theologians effectively married their theology to various renderings of what was then the fashionable dependency theory , which holds that that resources flow from a “periphery” of poor and underdeveloped states to a “core” of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former.

John A. Broadus: A Living Legacy edited by David S Dockery $0.99

N T Wright. Paul and the Faithfulness of God. Reviewed by Simon Gathercole. (Ref21)

Michael Kelley. Don’t Let Strategy Trump the Vision of Discipleship.

Antione de Saint-Exupery, the French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator, once said, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

So true. This quote reminds us of the importance of vision, that we all need something big and grand birthed in our hearts. In fact, we actually need it more than we need to grasp all the specific processes to get there. It’s true in building ships, and it’s true in discipleship.

Jordan Monson. Do Christians Have Poor Cultural Taste? (CaPC)

I was dumbfounded. Yet, I have since met quite a few Christians with this perspective. They believe a novel or film to be bad because the story does not fully align with their own moral, spiritual, or political presumptions. Their critique has nothing to do with the quality of the story, but with themselves.

What is at the root of this? I see three factors:

• We superimpose our fast-food culture on art.
• We misunderstand the role secular art can play in our lives.

These culprits surface again and again in Christian culture. You hear them in the car on the way home from the movies. You read them in passive-aggressive Facebook exchanges filled with proof-texts and posturing. They seem to tag-team flawlessly in any Christian conversation on art. And, if we employ these attitudes, we become what C.S. Lewis calls bad readers.

Paul Maxwell. Autocorrect and Indwelling Sin. (DG)

It’s a simple formula: overconfidence in phone-typing ability leads to an increased typing speed, which then leads to typos processed by a confused autocorrect program that turns “I’ll be praying for you tomorrow” into “I’ll be partying to your Oreos” (and much, much worse).

Entire profanity-clad websites have been devoted to the emotion surrounding this experience. We want to cuss. We blame the phone. Like a tennis player who looks at his racquet after he volleys one into the net, we say, “I hate autocorrect!”

Jeremiah 5:25 “Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have kept good from you.”

“Every sin is an election of the devil to be our Lord.” Stephen Charnock

Here are 5 books that will launch you into studies on Baptism.

1. Did the Early Church Baptize Infants?: (The Library of History and Doctrine) by Kurt Aland

2. Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries by Joachim Jeremias

3. Word, Water, and Spirit: A Reformed Perspective on Baptism by John F Fesko

4. Believer’s Baptism (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology) by Thomas Schreiner and Shawn D Wright

5. Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries by Everett Ferguson

The Gospel in Local Libraries, Birth Control, Bonhoeffer’s Sexuality, Confronting Sin.

Mike Leake. How to Give the Gospel a Hearing In Your Local Library.

Last week I noted that Christianity doesn’t stand a chance at your local library. I also noted that this is likely not because your local librarian hates Jesus. More than likely it is simply because of the nature of how books are acquired and the type of books that are on the best-seller list.

I encouraged folks to help me come up with a list of books that would fit the criteria that was set and would help to give the gospel a hearing in your local library.

Preparing Evangelistic Sermons by Ramesh Richard $1.99

Alec Motyer. Preaching? Simple Teaching on Simply Preaching. Reviewed by Nic Lingle.

Karen Swallow Prior. What We Talk About When We Talk About Birth Control. (CT)

Widespread acceptance in our culture of all forms of birth control, including abortion, makes it harder for the Christian to discern if, when, and how to incorporate such practices into one’s own life, as well as what place personal convictions have in community and in public policy.

I suspect one of the greatest obstacles to constructive dialogue on the questions about birth control raised by the Hobby Lobby case is the imprecision of the terms being discussed. Perhaps, then, the first step toward finding agreement—or at least correctly identifying at the points on which we can agree to disagree—is to employ common definitions.

Trevin Wax. “Was Bonhoeffer Gay?” and Other Adventure in Missing the Point.

A new biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Strange Glory, implies that the German theologian experienced same-sex attraction toward Eberhard Bethge, his friend and confidante who later wrote a biography of Bonhoeffer and oversaw the collection of his works.

The response to the biography has been interesting. In his typically understated manner, Frank Schaeffer wrote an article, “Dietrich Bonhoeffer Was Flamingly Gay — Deal With It,” in which he predicted evangelicals would be up in arms about such an explosive claim.

David Murray. 14 Sobering Reminders When Confronting Sin.

The last couple of days we’ve been looking at the important, difficult, and oft-avoided duty of confronting or rebuking sin. We looked at the general attitude we should have when approaching someone about their sin and then listed a bank of 30 questions to ask when challenging sin. Today I want to suggest 14 truths to remember throughout this process.

“The essence of sin is my right to my claim to myself.” Oswald Chambers

James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

4 Ways to Get Involved with Your Church’s Vacation Bible School

We’re in the full swing of Vacation Bible School (VBS) season. There are many different formats that churches use for VBS. You might have an evening, after school, afternoon, or morning format. Regardless of what format you follow, VBS requires a lot of help from church members. And it is never too late to volunteer! Also, there are creative ways that you can help with VBS, even if you are not able to attend the event yourself.

Here are four ways that you can help with VBS this season.

There is always a need for volunteers for VBS. Every VBS needs first-aid, security, music team, drama team, games team and group counselors. If you are able to pull away to help, then you are a gift to your church. Not only that but your church might just need someone who is simply willing to shuttle kids from one place to another. That in itself is a simple and easy way to help get kids with transportation difficulties to and from VBS.

School teachers are ideal candidates because they have summers off, but there are a number of other professions that might lend themselves to helping with VBS. Emergency response personnel often have flexible schedules. Self-employed business owners typically have margin to pull away for such an event as this. Finally, those who work the second or third shift will have freedom to join VBS for a week. If you’re a Children’s director, look for these people in your congregation and kindly appeal for their help.

In my ten years of VBS experience, it always seems to be a week that desperately needs some fathers hanging around. Fathers, I encourage you to look carefully at your work calendar and see if you can navigate some personal days, vacation days, or comp days to use towards VBS.

So maybe you aren’t able to go to VBS, here’s one way that you can still help. Pray leading up to the week that the Lord would bring a number of little ones to himself. Pray for the volunteers, staff, and families that will be going to VBS. Pray that everyone will experience VBS mercies during that week. There will always be bumps and scrapes, but let’s pray that there will be no broken bones or worse. Pray that everyone will be in good spirits and get plenty of rest during this very busy week. Pray that the Lord will be celebrated and glorified as the gospel is preached and the Bible is explained clearly to little kiddos.

Every VBS needs supplies for snacks, crafts and games. This is another way to help if you can’t make it out for the event. Contact your VBS director to find out what the needs are and see how you can help meet those needs. You don’t want those kiddos to run out of Oreos, Goldfish, Capri Sun, or construction paper!

So you don’t have kids that are VBS age. Well, you have the opportunity to participate by inviting others to VBS. Canvas your neighborhood with fliers. Call up friends from work. Maybe you have a son or daughter not involved in a church right now. Invite their family to participate. You might just meet someone while you’re doing errands or maybe you’re a patron of someone who has children. Encourage these people to check out your VBS. You might just want to keep fliers with you in your vehicle or at home so that you can pass them out to whomever the Lord leads you to.

VBS is so much fun! I’ve been helping out with VBS for a few years now. It started when I was a youth pastor and had the flexibility to volunteer. It was also a great way to spend time with our teens that I shepherded who were also volunteers. This year is the first year I get to participate in VBS with my children. I’m so glad that I have time available to be a part of this ministry. If you have never helped with a VBS, I encourage you to pray about participating in the VBS at your church. It’s such a fantastic ministry opportunity!

N for Solidarity, Confessing Sin to One Another, Christian Eschatology & Planet of the Apes, 7 Ways to Read Books.

Douglas Farrow. “N” is for Solidarity. (First Things)

Breitbart News reports Sebastian Gorka’s claim that last week the Islamic State in Mosul “painted the letter ‘N’ for Nazarene on the houses of all the surviving Christians in the city.” ISIS, he says, “has basically given an ultimatum to all the Christians left: You can either flee or convert to Islam, or we will kill you.”

The Gospel as Center edited by Carson and Keller $2.99

Mark Sayers. Facing Leviathan. Reviewed by Kevin Cawley.

Nicholas Batzig. The Dangers and Duty of Confessing Sin to One Another. (Reformed Forum)

“Open Confession is good for the soul,” or so the maxim goes. Perhaps it might also be said, “Open Confession is good for your relationship with God and men.” While Scripture supports both of these statements, there is something of a haze that lays across the surface of the meaning of such statements in Scripture as, “C onfess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

Russell Moore. Christian Eschatology and the Planet of the Apes. (Christianity.com)

Just because you don’t preach and teach about the Christian vision of the future, that doesn’t mean your church is void of eschatology. It means your church is picking up an eschatology from somewhere else, sometimes from the local cineplex.

A Christian vision of the future proves the dystopian movies to be right, in some sense. There’s a fire being kindled somewhere, and not even the Statue of Liberty can withstand it. But, after that, there’s the kind of new creation that makes everything new.

Tim Challies. 7 Different Ways to Read a Book.

Reading is kind of like repairing a bicycle. Kind of. For too long now my bike has been semi-operational. It has one brake that just doesn’t want to behave and all my attempts to fix it have failed. Why? Well it turns out that I haven’t been using the right tool. To get the bike working I need to use the right tool. And when it comes to reading, well, you’ve got to use the right tool—you’ve got to know what kind of reading to do. Here are seven different kinds of reading.

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

“All wickedness flows from a disregard of God.” John Calvin

Jesus Hates Religion by Alex Himaya

This review first appeared at Lifeway’s Pastors Today web-blog .

Alex Himaya. Jesus Hates Religion: Finding Grace in a Works-Driven Culture . Nashville: B&H, 2014. 172 pp. $14.99.

Alex Himaya is the pastor of a fast-growing church, theCHURCH.at in Tulsa Oklahoma, and he hates religion. In his new book, Jesus Hates Religion , Himaya says, “I don’t hate religion because of what it did to me. I hate it because of what it didn’t do.” According to Himaya: a past Coptic, Catholic, Episcopalian, and now Baptist – religion leads to a works based approach to God defined as: “A man-made path to God.”

The time of Himaya’s life when he pursued religion is the time he missed Jesus. Essentially, religion did not give him Jesus; it gave him works. It forced him to try to be good enough. Arguing against religion, he says, “It’s not about you being “good” enough…it’s about God being enough. Period.”

In order to validate his polemic against religion, Himaya shares his experiences, commentary on grace-oriented texts, and anecdotal stories illustrating these texts in order to dissuade readers from loving religion rather than grace.

Here is a concise summary of the books argument. Chapter two puts religion in context. Chapters three and four cover two dead ends: self and religion. Chapter five sets a path to Jesus through grace. Chapters six and seven deter us from two religious paths: legalism and inferiority. Chapter eight encourages us to discover our identity as saints. Chapters nine and ten dissuade us from two more paths: guilt and works. Chapter eleven recalibrates us to approach works not for favor but in response to favor. And chapter twelve concludes by putting a love for grace within the context of evangelism.

Jesus Hates Religion helps anyone suffering from the clutches of legalism. This book assists those curious about Jesus by presenting him in light of the gospel of grace. Give this book to “Seekers” and recent Christ-followers. They will appreciate Jesus Hates Religion most.

Himaya, in simple terms, explains complex doctrines like law and gospel, union with Christ, repentance, and predestination. He also makes space to explain a few Greek terms for the benefit of readers. I commend him for this effort. Jesus Hates Religion faithfully articulates the gospel and emphasizes the crucial component of identity in Christ.

Only two places gave pause for concern. I think Himaya unnecessarily subordinates predestination under the doctrine of foreknowledge. I also fear he risks leading readers down a path towards antinomianism by not articulating the function of the law after conversion. I admit, the objective of this book is not to instruct on holiness after conversion but to free people from a works based approach to salvation; I will not fault him for silence.

Himaya portrays a sincere and intentional pastoral sensitivity throughout Jesus Hates Religion. His gentle but direct appeals for readers to get out from under the thumb of performance-based living is admirable. This book is a great encouragement to those who require freedom from legalism, inferiority, guilt, and works. Jesus Hates Religion boldly stands against the performance driven world and frees us from succumbing to its allure.

Jesus Hates Religion rescues readers from a mundane life of works and places them into the grip of God’s grace.

Reading Scripture, Pastoral Searches, Phone Distractions, Marital Counseling Questions.

Dan Phillips. The Public Reading of Scripture: Ten Pointed Pointers.

While there are many and excellent books about preaching, and plenty about music and singing, and truckloads about praying, there is less of any prominence about this facet of the worship of God. I’m sure others have blogged about it, but I keep learning that some of the most helpful posts are about fairly basic issues. So we offer here a few brief and pointed pointers about the public reading of Scripture.

Learning Evangelism from Jesus by Jerram Barrs $2.99

Jen Wilkin. Women of the Word. Reviewed by Karen Hodge. (TGC)

Thom Rainer. Five Pleas from Pastors to Pastor Search Committees.

Congregations across America call pastors to their churches in a variety of ways. As church polity varies, so do the approaches of calling a pastor. A bishop or other authority appoints some pastors. Sometimes an elder board decides who will be considered as the next pastor. Many times, however, the responsibility for recommending a pastor to a congregation falls upon a pastor search committee.

Jonathan Pearson. 3 Times We Need to Put Our Phone Down. (FaithVillage)

It doesn’t seem like a big deal 99% of the time, but the other 1% it’s a huge deal.

You see, sometimes I like my iPhone . . . too much. For the most part, I’m good at using it as just a tool. I use it to make phone calls, make notes, organize, communicate and be productive. The other times, I use it to kill time or play an occasional game. All of that is fine. All of that is in the 99% of the time that it’s not a big deal.

Jeremy Lelek. Ten Simple (But Critical) Questions to Consider in Marriage Counseling. (ABC)

I am going to be using these question in future assessments for marital counseling. Check them out.

Romans 6:11 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

“No sin against God is little, because it is sin against the great God of heaven and earth.” John Bunyan

Does Your Tribe Use These Sexy Buzzwords to Connect? Why It’s Time to Stop (ChurchLeadersDOTcom Guest Post)

There are four words that I’d like to strike from our Christian conversations. There are probably more, but these four keep coming to my mind.

They’re kind of buzzwords these days. They are the following businessy terms: connect, tribe, sexy and brand.

Here’s how they get used.

Connect : “Hey bro, it was so nice to connect with you today.”

Tribe : “Yeah man, I’m part of that reformed tribe, if you know what I mean.”

Sexy : “Well, having Sunday school isn’t really a sexy way to do church.”

Brand : “I really am having a hard time developing my brand.”

It’s true these terms are most frequently used by pastors, and they love using them at conferences. In fact, I practically drown in this trendy lingo any time I interact at a conference.

Sadly, I am now seeing these terms trickle down into everyday Christian conversation about everyday Christianity with everyday Christian folk. Pastors have popularized this terminology through their Christian books, blogs, social media and word-of-mouth usage.

And I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve found myself, at times, caught up in the game.

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AT CHURCHLEADERS.COM…

Big Bang Problems, Sin Projection, Church Disillusionment, Recapping Sermons w/Kids.

Julie Borg. The Big Bang’s Big Problem Bedevils Researchers. (WORLD)

If the Big Bang theory is correct, our universe should not exist, according to research published last month by physicists at King’s College in London. The shocking discovery implies the universe should have collapsed less than a second after it exploded into existence.

The Storytelling God by Jared Wilson $0.99

Eric Metaxas. Amazing Grace. Reviewed by Linda Finlayson.

Tim Challies. Behavior Both Odd and Ugly.

I am a sinner. And as a sinner I exhibit all kinds of behaviors both odd and ugly. The more I come to know myself, the more I see the ways in which I am a product of my sin, in which I view the world through the lens of my sin. When I look outward, and when I look at others, I see them through sinful eyes and interpret them through a sinful mind. As I do that, I fall into the trap of sin projection .

Jason Helopoulos. Disillusionment with the Church.

I would contend that many of our disillusions with the church are based upon a wrong ethic. We misunderstand the true nature of fellowship in the gospel community. And therefore, we wrongly apply the ethic of other communities to the church.

Joe Holland. 8 Tips to Talk to Your Kids about the Sermon.

Let me introduce you to the most important rule when talking to your kids about a sermon: They retain more than you think they do. The second most important rule is like it: They understand more than you think they do.

Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

“Every yielding to sin is a welcoming of Satan into our very bosom.” Thomas Brooks

10 Quotes from PROOF by Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones

1. “Grace matters to us because we’ve seen over and over how people’s lives are changed when they drink deeply from this thirst-quenching well. Grace matters because we’ve tasted it — just a bit — and found that only grace satisfies” (19).

2. “When a church proclaims God’s undiluted grace, the deadly delusions of human religion are drowned in a flood of gospel-fueled freedom and intoxicating joy” (23).

3. “The message of planned grace begins with the truth that God is a loving Father who chose us personally and specifically before time began” (33).

4. “Your salvation was secured from beginning to end through a single-handed work of sovereign love” (58).

5. “No one should be written out of God’s story, because no one…is too dead to be made alive” (60).

6. “God’s choice to adopt us as his children had nothing to do with anything we might do and everything to do with what God determined to do before time began” (76).

7. “Outrageous grace isn’t a favor you can achieve by being good: it’s the gift you receive by being God’s” (83).

8. “Some people experience God’s saving grace like a flower that buds slowly over time. For others…grace is a volcanic eruption that hurls them to the ground without warning and rearranges their lives” (100).

9. “Forever grace means that God preserves us in his grace and that we persevere by this same grace” (111).

10. “Perseverance is not perfection; it is a new direction” (116).

Unsafe Sex, Evangelism as Practice, Personal Testimonies & Evangelism, Inerrancy.

Andrew Branch. Unsafe Sex: Planned Parenthood’s advice for teens. (WORLD)

Two new investigative videos from pro-life activists show Planned Parenthood workers giving underage girls advice about sadomasochistic sex. The discussions included topics such as bondage, asphyxiation, and whipping.

Undercover investigators with the pro-life group Live Action have received similar advice at each of seven Planned Parenthood centers they visited, communications director Drew Belsky told me. Live Action wants legislators to eliminate taxpayer funding for sex education at Planned Parenthood.

The Great Evangelical Recession by John S Dickerson $1.99 .

Hannah Anderson. Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God’s Image. Reviewed by Wendy Alsup. (TGC)

Jesse Johnson. Evangelism as Practice, Not a Program.

A few years ago, when I was an outreach pastor at Grace Church in Los Angeles, I was at a meeting with a group of outreach pastors from other large churches in the country. The topic was what our churches do to transform our communities. When the question about what we “do for evangelism” was lobbed my way, I knew what the expected answer would look like: a list of programs. People around the table, many of them pastors at some of the most extreme program-driven and seeker-sensitive churches in the country, looked over to me. They were curious about what Pastor MacArthur’s church does to impact our community.

Richard Phillips. Should We Use Our Personal Testimony in Evangelism? (Ligonier)

A personal testimony does not replace a biblical proclamation about Jesus, but it is an important complement. And it requires that we have a close relationship with the Lord. If we are not excited about God’s Word, if we are not warmed by close fellowship with God, and if we are not humbled by Christ’s suffering on the cross for our sins, we will not be very effective witnesses. Yet it is essential that we be able to give such a witness.

Dave Jenkins. Teaching, Feelings, Opinions, or the Inerrancy of the Bible. (Servants of Grace)

Christians have a superior Word than what is offered by human opinion. The Church has a superior Word because of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the reason why His Word is inspired, inerrant, sufficient and authoritative. It is because of this reason that Christians should dedicate their entire lives and ministries lives to studying, proclaiming, contending, and defending the Truth for all of their days.

2 Timothy 4:5 “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

“Always and everywhere the servants of Christ are under order to evangelize.” J I Packer

Five Books on the Lord’s Supper

Here are 5 books that will launch you into studies on the Lord’s Supper.

1. The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Schreiner and Matthew Crawford

2. The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread by Robert Letham

3. Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre

4. Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord’s Supper by Ben Witherington III

5. The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson

Free to Be a Christian College, Female Modesty, Earnest Preaching, Biblical Theology/Identity/Discipleship.

Denny Burk. Are Christian Colleges Free to Be Christian?

Are Christian colleges still free to be Christian in this country? You may think that an unserious question, but if you’ve been paying attention to recent events surrounding Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, you know it’s a very pressing question indeed.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever $0.99

Nate Larkin. Samson and the Pirate Monks. Reviewed by Tim Challies.

Jani Ortlund. Modesty, Beauty, and Men. Why Should We Care? (True Woman)

We live in a day of exhibitionism, and summer exaggerates the desire for more skin to be shown. Yet, our appearance is one of the most powerful ways we have of sending a message about the condition of our hearts. Do we ever ask ourselves, “What message am I sending?” We hear exhortations to be modest in the way we dress. With different opinions swirling around about necklines and skirt length, how should we understand biblical modesty?

Joe Thorn. 4 Characteristics of Earnest Preaching. (Christward Collective)

I have always been drawn to those who can speak with creativity and with conviction. This was true before my conversion, and is especially true today. Since my conversion, I find myself hungering to hear the word preached. When it comes to preaching, there are two basic things that I want to hear from a preacher: the word of God and earnestness . If he doesn’t bring the word of God, he has nothing to say. If he isn’t earnest, I’m tempted to not believe him. As I evaluate my own preaching, and coach other preachers, I find that earnestness is one of the areas that needs the most attention. A man’s earnestness in preaching is often the hand that grips the hearer and brings him along side the preacher to the truth proclaimed.

Michael Lawrence. Biblical Theology, Identity, and Discipling. (9 Marks)

Identity matters. It matters in our culture, which is awash in identity politics and the unimpeachable claims that identity provides. And it matters among Christians. We call people to live up to and live out the reality of who they are in Christ: an alien and stranger, salt and light, a member of the body of Christ or bride of Christ, a temple of the Spirit, a new creation, and so on. We encourage one another to put on the new self .

1 Timothy 2:9 “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control.”

“Modesty is the lifeguard of chastity.” Thomas Fuller

Explicit Social Media: Adamo, VH1, and Crowdsourcing

An article from the Huffington Post puts a finger on a real problem concerning social media and morality. The article concerns Blogger, Courtney Adamo, whose Instagram account became temporarily blocked after Adamo posted a picture of her daughter with shirt upraised, exposing her belly button.

In this instance, Instagram admits to getting it wrong. A spokesperson from Instagram told Huffington Post, “This is one reason why our guidelines put limitations on nudity, but we recognise that we don’t always get it right. In this case, we made a mistake and have since restored the account.” Instagram should be commended for erring on the side of caution. Protecting children from abuse is noble, admirable, and everyone’s responsibility.

But how did this happen? How did this blogging mummy have her account blocked? Users of Instagram reported the account. Then it was reviewed by agents of Instagram, who concluded that the account was abusive according to Instagram guidelines.

The problem is that making such determinations is rather complicated. There is a mixed level of subjectivity and objectivity in every one of these decisions. Ultimately, a public outcry drove both decisions. The first to block the account. And a second time to bring the account back. Popularity determined policy; democracy drove decision. Crowdsourcing was ultimately leveraged to determine what was socially and morally acceptable.

This is all well and good with the Adamo case study. I think Instagram and the people made the right call. When good was called evil, people responded. But what about in situations where debauchery is celebrated and propriety is forsaken? What if everyone stays silent when evil is called good?

You see, there is a snowballing of virtue into moral debauchery that cannot be objectively stopped by current guidelines. The subjective understanding of truth and morality must be tapped into.

Right now, Twitter viewers will see a promotional advertisement for a new VH1 show, Dating Naked. Here’s how VH1 advertises the show :

These days we’re supposed to be more “connected” than ever, but it’s actually harder than ever to truly connect. Online dates, blind dates, and the latest in ridiculous dating apps all make it hard to see people for who they really are.

A new social experiment provides daters with a radical dating experience where before they bare their souls they bare everything else first. Each week on a primitive island resort, far from the masks of modern society, daters will go on exotic dates and be naked every step of the way.

We will follow along as two primitive daters each go on a total of three naked dates, including their first date with each other. At the end of this experience they’ll choose which of their naked dates they would like to continue dating back home. Clothing will of course be optional.

Naked daters will bare their soul and a whole lot more in this groundbreaking dating experiment. (Accessed on 07/15/14 from http://www.vh1.com/shows/dating-naked/ )

That’s right. A person is sent on three filmed naked dates. This passes as entertainment and “a social experiment”. The show will be filmed in such a way that all the standards concerning explicit content are met. No nipples and no private parts will be viewed. Everything is entirely suggestive.

Likewise, the show will be promoted through social media channels abiding to guidelines of both the social media channel and the FCC.

Are these promotions explicit? Are they abusive? I guess not according to VH1, Twitter, and the FCC. VH1 has found a way around the rules.

What if there was another social experiment working against Dating Naked? What if thousands and hundreds of thousands reported and blocked these promotions? Would the show be canceled? Could crowdsourcing be leveraged to stop this?

And is this the new norm for truth? Because this is the technique that society had adopted, should it be exploited? And what happens as society devolves into calling evil good (VH1) or calling good evil (Adamo)? What should be the determinative test for truth?

It’s clear that Christians have a real dilemma on their hands, especially as we keep playing by all the new rules.

Female Bishops?, Evangelical Morality Acceptable in US?, Millennials & Marriage, Marrying Young is Still Good.

Melissa Steffan. Church of England Set to Ordain Female Bishops. (CT)

The Church of England will allow women to become bishops for the first time after a vote passed the General Synod by 81 percent, more than the required two-thirds majority. The House of Laity, which rejected the legislation in 2012, voted 152–45 in favor. The House of Clergy passed the motion by 162–25, and the House of Bishops voted for the measure 37–2.

To Live Is Christ to Die Is Gain by Matt Chandler FREE

Craig Blomberg. Can We Still Believe the Bible? Reviewed by Michael Kruger.

Alan Noble. Is Evangelical Morality Still Acceptable in America? (The Atlantic)

Is evangelical Christian morality still viable in American public life? This is the question lurking in recent debates over religious-liberty issues, from the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision to the Christian bakers who object to baking cakes for gay weddings . In discussions of these cases, objections to same-sex marriage and contraception are described as a retreat from “secular society.” And in some cases, evangelicals actually have retreated: Since the Boy Scouts of America decided to allow openly gay Scouts to participate, a “Christian” alternative has been created, giving Christian parents a “safe” space where they can send their kids. But these incidences of retreat have actually been rare. Ultimately, the idea that evangelical Christian morality is incompatible with modern life isn’t sustainable.

Derek Rishmawy. What Are Millennials Really Saying About Marriage? (CaPC)

A nother week, another story on millennials comes out. This time we have one about millennial attitudes towards marriage. According to a new Pew study, almost 70% of my peers think that “Society is just as well off if people have priorities other than marriage and children” as opposed to almost 30% who think that ”Society is better off if people make marriage and having children a priority.”

Greg Gibson. 5 Reasons Why Getting Married Young is Still a Good Thing. (Servants of Grace)

Not to beat the proverbial dead horse, but getting married young is still a good thing. Aye, it is an incredible thing. A noble thing. A thing to be admired from the mountaintops. So, now that I have my conclusion out of the way, let me tell you why getting married at a young age is such a formidable joy. Let me note first, though, that marriage is not necessarily a mark of having arrived. I know many men and women who practice manhood and womanhood at a high degree in their singleness. Nonetheless, I digress…

Hebrews 13:4 “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.”

“Marriage is not a concession to our sinfulness; marriage is a provision for our holiness.” J A Motyer

Gospel-Centered Library / Guest Contributions

All Things for Good by Thomas Watson (9Marks Review)

A mother thrust into single parenthood because of a tragic car accident. A father loses his job. A son or daughter diagnosed with cancer. A tornado eats a city. Yet another school shooting occurs.

All of these circumstances stir us to ask: Where is God in the midst of suffering? Why does he permit affliction? Why do I struggle with sin?

If you’re looking for help with these questions, I recommend Thomas Watson’s All Things for Good . Thomas Watson, a man acquainted with affliction, lost four children in their youth and wrote this book one year after the Act of Uniformity ejected 2,000 pastors from their pulpits, himself included.

All Things for Good is a rigorous exposition of Romans 8:28 , “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (KJV). Watson treats this passage over a series of nine chapters.

Chapters 1-3 focus on the verse’s first part, covering how the best things work, how the worst things work, and why all things work for good. Chapters 4-6 explore the significance of “to them that love God,” examining love itself, the tests of love, and concluding with an exhortation to love. Chapters 7-8 attend to effectual calling, and chapter 9 concludes this discussion by looking at God’s purpose for all good things.

Click here to continue reading at 9Marks.

Facing Leviathan by Mark Sayers

This review first appeared on Lifeway’s Pastors Today web blog.

Mark Sayers. Facing Leviathan: Leadership, Influence, and Creating in a Cultural Storm . Chicago: Moody, 2014. 240 pp. $14.99.

Part personal testimony, historical narrative, biblical exegesis and theologically informed cultural engagement, Facing Leviathan connects a lot of dots. And, I’m serious: this book swept me away in its narrative! Mark Sayers, senior leader of Red Church and cofounder of Uber ministries, is a vivid storyteller.

Facing Leviathan weaves the plot of Sayer’s leadership disillusionment, burnout, and bipolar diagnosis into a narrative of the 19 th -21 st century battle between the emerging post-modernity and modernity outlooks. You’ll learn about the subtle message beneath 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , the bohemian movement in France, Igor Stravinsky, the rise of Hitler, and how it all connects to leadership, influence, creativity, and our “society of the spectacle”. This book unlocks so much about arts, culture, history and how it all relates to our Christian worldview and leadership culture.

Sayers pits two leadership styles against one another: the genius (organic) and the hero (mechanical) model. Sayers says, “A Christianity that attempts to model itself on the hero or the genius will be a faith that has little potential to speak good news to the West” (29). Why? Both models are fundamentally pagan – requiring an overhaul of biblical proportions – one that climaxes with the leader on the cross. To set a biblical portrait against a cultural landscape, Facing Leviathan retells the story of Jonah.

A revolution has begun. God has defeated chaos. Leviathan was beaten. God had taken the chaos and sin that exists in the human heart upon himself. Like Jonah, He had plunged into the abyss as a sacrifice. Yet unlike Jonah, He would not remain distant. He must withdrawal, but He will return. (200)

Facing Leviathan is one of those paradigm-shattering books that leave you reeling. I don’t re-explore many books after re-shelving them, but I’ll return to Facing Leviathan . Page after page offers memorable quotes: some of which you’ll find boldened, underlined, and in huge font. For instance, “In the worst cultural storm, there is always a kernel of good news, a Hebrew in the hold, a person of God ready to be awoken” (85). Or “Ironically, when the leader discovers that they can do nothing in their own power, a new kind of power emanates from their life: they gain spiritual authority” (131). Powerful statements such as these unsettle the pagan deceptions that have slinked into your organizational culture. You’ll re-evaluate how you lead, influence, and create in light of Facing Leviathan’s narrative.

Furthermore, Sayers draws you out of the “Christian bubble” – if you happen to be in one – into a lucid world of arts and culture. Facing Leviathan entices you to expand your artistic horizon. I left this book hankering to visit museums, listen to classical composers, and read classical pieces of literature.

Finally, this book is a case study of cultural exegesis. Sayers’s theologically thick (multiperspectival, multilayered, multidimensional) readings of scripts, memes, trends and root metaphors are a showcase for pastors. Pastors with a penchant for Sayers’s lead in cultural exegesis should read part one of Kevin Vanhoozer’s (editor) Everday Theology as a companion to Facing Leviathan . Importing all of this into your pulpit ministry is an achievable goal.

Facing Leviathan is a creative cultural engagement that directs biblical leaders to keep their eyes on the cross.

Christopher Mitchell Passes, Christian Identity, Rest B/C You Can, Analyzing P22.

Timothy C. Morgan. Died: Christopher Mitchell, Top Lewis Scholar, Biola Professor. (CT)

Biola University, La Mirada, California, today announced that Christopher Mitchell, a nationally known C.S. Lewis scholar and professor at the university’s Torrey Honors Institute, has died unexpectedly. He was 63.

Yawning at Tigers by Drew Dyck .99

Herbert Bateman. Interpreting the General Letters. Reviewed by Michael Boling. (Servants of Grace)

Ed Welch. Christian Identity: Counseling a Person Who Is a Victim and Perpetrator.

Jonathan Parnell. Rest Because You Can. (DG)

The hysteria of that exodus is meant to distance us from the deplorable conditions of Israel’s servitude, not distract us from their significance in the story of God’s salvation. But chances are, by the time we get to Exodus 20 , after walking through the plagues and crossing the Red Sea, we’re prone to forget the impossible workload that was shackled to Israel’s feet.

Larry Hurtado. NT Papyri as Artifacts of Early Christianity.

I devoted this past week heavily to carrying out a fresh and more thorough analysis of “P22″, remnants of a papyri copy of the Gospel of John likely from sometime in the 3rd century. “P22″ (or P.Oxyrhynchus 1228) is two fragments of this manuscript, housed in the Glasgow University Library. It’s reasonably well known among NT textual critics, I suppose, included in lists of early NT papyri, and its readings cited in critical apparatuses. But, to my knowledge, there has not been a detailed autopsy analysis of the papyrus for a long time, perhaps not since Grenfell and Hunt published the papyrus in 1914 (in The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Volume X ). Indeed, I rather suspect that all subsequent references to P22 have been based on Grenfell & Hunt’s publication, and particularly their transcription of its text.

1 Corinthians 12:26 “If one member suffers, all suffer together.”

“Suffering Times are Teaching Times.” William Bridge

Book Monsters of My Making

In seminary I remember returning home from a long day of work and study to find books scattered in front of one of my bookshelves. They were all books from the bottom two shelves. One of them was still open — a paperback with pages bent. To say I was a little annoyed might be an understatement. I felt that my library was in impending danger. I had a little book monster, a one year old Chloe, that would slowly destroy all my precious academic theological works, or so I feared.

My fears grew six months later. Not only had Chloe discovered books, but she was now wielding crayons. I returned home from a long Wednesday of youth ministry — we now lived in Tulsa — to find a stack of books with a few having pages of crayon scribbling. I was vexed, deeply vexed. What would I do? For a time we utilized the bottom shelves for toy storage. But after a while that just wouldn’t work; I needed those shelves for books. But I had a book monster problem.

And then Asher came around: book monster two. He swiftly attacked the books. After all, book monster one needed an accomplice. Chloe mentored Asher into all things book monster. During this stage we excelled at redirecting their book-play to their children books.

As Chloe became verbal, she communicated the motives of her book monster activities. I also leveraged the skills of observation. These kids weren’t being malicious; they were mimics.

After all, every evening we would sit and read children books. And just before naptime they would normally read a book or two with mom or dad. Kendall and I fostered these little book monsters — observant book monsters that watched papa book monster consume books during their naptime or after bedtime. I mean what kid stays in bed. They always found excuses to “check on mom and dad.” So they would see me — highlighter or pen in hand: underlining, notating, staring, commenting in the margins — slowly devouring book after book.

It took a long time, but I finally understood why Chloe would scribble in my books and her books. Because I scribbled in mine, and she saw it — Asher too.

Now, I have no explanation for the chewing of books. Every one of our children have literally cut their teeth on books. That’s not something that they’ve mimicked.

As the years have past, my perspective on my books has altered drastically. I’m no longer possessive or protective of them. I also don’t get angry like I used too. I’ll be honest. I got upset. They were my books. That’s my stuff. I didn’t want my kids touching them at first. Oh, how my perspective has changed!

We’ve got three kids now, and I no longer think my books are in jeopardy because of my book monsters. Sure, there will be some casualties. I have had to throw one or two books away during the last six years; it’s a small sacrifice.

Chloe now walks around with a book wherever she goes. She’s just now starting to read. She starts Kindergarten this Fall, but she can already read a number of her storybooks. She can pick out words in new books all the time. Asher’s quickly closing in on her because he has the advantage of watching her do it. Most days the two of them crawl out of bed surrounded by Leapfrog Tag pens and stacks of books.

They also have their favorite books of mine. I never can figure out what draws them to certain books. Asher loves grabbing my first edition of Oswald T Allis’s Prophecy and the Church ; Chloe gravitates to Fracis Schaeffer’s True Spirituality, and she has thumbed through Jaroslav Pelikan’s volume 3 of The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine innumerable times. It has a purple binding.

Fostering A Legacy of Book Monsters that Love Scripture

Yesterday, I did my daily reshelving. I’m pretty sure I muttered under my breath that I’m a librarian for three: Chloe, Asher and me. As I did so, I felt a little hand on my leg. One year old Adalie had one hand on me and the other hand on a book. She pulled it off the shelf, and opened it up. Librarian for four.

I’m glad. My kids will never love Scripture unless they love reading first. Small, faithful steps, steps that will lead them to Scripture for the rest of their lives.

Theology Proper & Moral Witness, Should Christians Take Vacation?, Pastor’s Kid Interview, Mystery & Contradiction.

Derek Rishmawy. Recovering an Engaging Doctrine of God for the Church’s Moral Witness. (Canon and Culture)

Kevin Vanhoozer opines that while a number of theologians have gotten around to speaking of God himself, for the most part there’s a bit of a theological famine on the subject. “Theologies” of sex, art, dance, money, literature, and so forth abound, but God gets the short shrift ( Remythologizing Theology: Divine Action, Passion, and Authorship , pg. xii). From where I’m sitting, the same thing could easily be said of the Evangelical pulpit–God gets plenty of mention, but usually it’s to suggest parishioners consider casting him in a (major!) supporting role within the drama of their own self-improvement.

If I may temporarily adopt the English penchant for understatement, I’d like to suggest that the contemporary loss of the doctrine of God is a bit of a problem, particularly for the Church’s public, moral witness.

Four Views on Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) $3.79

Kelly Bean. How to Be a Christian Without Going to Church. Reviewed by Gavin Ortlund. (TGC)

Joe Thorn. Should Christians Take Vacation. (Christianity.com)

Summer is here and I hope you are planning on taking a vacation. I have read several reports that claim Americans work more hours, take fewer vacations, and retire later, than those in any other industrialized country. And anecdotally I can see what the men and women in our church are doing. We are always working, and seldom resting. As a pastor I encourage the church to take vacation seriously, not because it is directly commanded in Scripture, but because it is a means by which we are prepared to do what God calls us to. To get the most out of your vacation three things must be known and embraced.

Brandon Smith. The Pastor’s Kid: An Interview w/Barnabas Piper. (GCD)

Barnabas Piper has written a book, The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity , hoping to use his experience to encourage PKs to trust in Christ and to seek community in the midst of public and private struggle. It is also an instructive book for those of us who want to love our pastor’s kid better.

Barnabas was kind enough to answer a few questions for GCD, and I hope it will encourage you to buy the book .

Douglas Wilson. Mystery and Contradiction.

T he other day I said this about logic: “if it is a wooly-mindedness that is embraced on purpose, it is heresy. This is because denying the law of non-contradiction is the royal gateway to every heresy imaginable.” Given the incoherent nature of the days we live in, I thought it was neccessary to unpack this a bit.

The law of non-contradiction says — and you would think says uncontroversially — that A cannot be not A in the same way, and in the same respect. It is not violated when Smith is a boy and then later is not a boy. That is not a contradiction because he is first a boy and then not a boy at different times. It is no contradiction.

Romans 5:3 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”

“Suffering so unbolts the door of the heart that the Word hath easier entrance.” Richard Baxter

Being the Spiritual Leader During the Most Important Shift (CBMW Guest Post)

Every family has a different rhythm. Some fathers have the pleasure of coasting home at five o’clock. Other fathers return home as the sun rises. Still, others have an office in the home.

Fathers – regardless of your rhythm – the most important shift of your day is not at work. It’s when your whole family is together functioning as a little church in the home.

A Little Church in the Home

What do I mean by being a little church in the home? Jonathan Edwards, during his farewell sermon to 1 st Precinct Northampton, said, “Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief of the means of grace.” Having practiced family worship for years now, I humbly submit that Edwards is right. Bountiful grace flows from the practice of viewing your home as a little church.

If you wish to have a little church in your home and lead your family during this most important shift of your day, here are a few suggestions.

READ THE REST OF BEING THE SPIRITUAL LEADER DURING THE MOST IMPORTANT SHIFT OVER AT CBMW…

Chicago, Ready to Launch, New John Piper Poem, Pastors & Time Management.

Cal Thomas. Chicago: A Town That Won’t Let You Down. (WORLD)

Frank Sinatra’s song about Chicago, “My Kind of Town,” “the town that won’t let you down,” seems dated in light of last weekend’s shooting spree that left 16 dead and dozens wounded in 53 separate incidents. According to the Chicago Tribune , “The victims were among 82 people shot between Thursday afternoon and early Monday.”

Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Four Views edited by James K Belby $3.03

Timothy Keller. Center Church. Reviewed by David Steele.

Trevin Wax. Jesus-Centered Parenting in a Child-Centered World.

This is a great interview with J D Greear about the new book Ready to Launch, a book by Mr. and Mrs. Greear about preparing children for adulthood.

John Piper. The Tender Rain of Christian Teaching. (DG)

Less people know than should that John Piper is also a poet. This article includes his newest poem, “The Tender Rain of Christian Teaching”, inspired by Deuteronomy 32. This article includes the audio reading from Piper as well.

Thom Rainer. What Effective Pastors Do With Their Time. (Pastors Today)

Leadership gurus will tell you that a primary skill of an effective leader is the ability to manage time for maximum productivity. Out of curiosity, our research team asked over 200 pastors to provide us an hour-by-hour calendar of a typical 168-hour week for them. Keep in mind that 168 hours represent all the hours in a week, so their reports included such mundane items as sleeping and eating.

Zechariah 7:9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.”

“Mercy in the promise is as the apple in the seed.” William Gurnall

Five Books on the Holy Spirit

Here are 5 books that will launch you into studies on the Holy Spirit.

1. The Holy Spirit by Sinclair B Ferguson

2. The Holy Spirit by John Owen

3. God’s Indwelling Presence by James M Hamilton Jr

4. He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit by Graham A Cole

5. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit by George Smeaton

Obscurantism, Terrible Habits, Slippery Slopes, Missional Motherhood.

Ed Stetzer. Beware of Obscurantism. (CT)

“I can’t go to your church, I’m not a Republican.”

That was what a pastor friend of mine heard from a neighbor to whom he was reaching out. He eagerly replied, “You don’t have to be!” to which his friend responded, “But everyone at your church is.”

That’s hard to argue when it is true.

So, why does that matter? Well, it matters in a way that might surprise you. You see, this is not a blogpost about politics, but about the gospel—and the need for it to be clearly understood.

Calvin on the Christian Life by Michael Horton .99

N T Wright. Finding God in the Psalms. Reviewed by Jill Firth.

Denny Burk. 9 Terrible Habits You Need to Stop Immediately.

A productivity expert at Time magazine offers “ 9 Terrible Habits You Need to Stop Immediately .” This is not written from a biblical point of view, but there are nevertheless some wise, adaptable things to consider in this not-to-do list. The “terrible habits” are listed below. Click here to read the explanation for each one.

Richard J Mouw. Our Slippery Slopes. (First Things)

M ost of my arguments with defenders of the legalization same-sex marriages have been friendly ones. I have some strong views on the subject, based on my adherence to what I believe is the Bible’s teachings on the subject. But I also care deeply about preserving a pluralistic social order, where individuals and groups have the opportunity to live out their deepest convictions—however disagreeable to people like me—within a framework of a shared commitment to the common good. So, many of my arguments on this particular subject have been efforts on my part to get clear about what the expansion of the concept of marriage to include same-sex unions will mean for the social fabric.

Gloria Furman. Missional Motherhood’s One Message.

Is living “on mission” compatible with motherhood? I spoke on the subject of “Missional Motherhood” in a workshop at the TGC women’s conference in Orlando. I made that case that our mission to obey Jesus’ “Great Commission” to make disciples everywhere (Matt. 28:18-20) doesn’t merely rise to the top of the list of our priorities, but it informs the way we think of everything, including motherhood.

Daniel 9:9 “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.”

“The candle of mercy is set up not to play by but to work by.” Thomas Brooks

Free Content is Best Content

I provide free content for readers. Obviously, it’s not the “most professional” content out there, but I’d like to think I have something to say worthy of listening. My philosophy is to edify. I’m not trying to earn a buck. My aim is to widen the scope of ministry.

As a curator of posts — I do this daily thing called View-Worthy (check it out sometime) — I get a little annoyed when I want to share an interesting post and find out that there is a price wall to the content. In other words, to finish reading the content you have to become a member/subscriber of the site. This creates friction and prevents the spread of your message.

Of course, I understand that this is a commercial industry and you have to follow a business model. I just think this particular business model is not the best one. Ultimately, it will fail. And just so you know, I’m all about membership programs. I think Christ and Pop Culture has a great system. They don’t do a price wall for individual posts. You get a limited views a month, and it’s a generous amount. Then your membership offers perks like a free resource and a magazine. That’s a model I approve and appreciate.

My difficulty is when Feedly draws me into an article at a major site and then I discover that I can’t read it or share it because I know my readership won’t all have a membership. Guess what? That site now runs the risk of becoming marginalized.

It’s fundamental micro-economics. There is no end to the supply of free content out there. As a contributor of free content to a number of sites, I understand how content is harvested. There is too much free content supplied and there is too much free content available for reading. There really isn’t enough demand for a price wall.

Furthermore, if you are going to add a price wall, you better offer something tangible for people to walk away with. Our digital society likes the idea of ownership, even of digital content. And quite honestly, people still like to walk away with something tangible. If your price wall doesn’t offer some sort of physical tangibility, then it is unlikely you will draw people into your program.

Finally, we have a poverty of time on our hands already. I only have time to read four articles on web-blogs a day anyway, which I think is above the average for most people. These sites don’t realize that any article with a price wall will not be shared via social media. Fundamentally and directly: price walls for individual articles is a barrier that will not be penetrated.

Do you agree? What would lift the barrier or obstacle for you? What traits does a media provider need to have in order to validate price walls such as I am discussing? What are other business models that a media provider can utilize?

Theology of Shepherding, Evangelicals & Cities, Character Before Platform, Handling Conflict.

Bobby Jamieson. Biblical Theology and Shepherding. (9 Marks)

How would you write a pastor’s job description? Where would you look for models? Maybe you’d ask a few other local churches for theirs and make a few tweaks to reflect your own church’s schedule and programs.

That assumes, of course, that everyone already knows what a pastor is supposed to be and do. But how do we know what a pastor’s fundamental role is?

Certainly we should look to Scripture to tell us what a pastor is.

Is There a Meaning in This Text? by Kevin Vanhoozer $3.99

Bruce Baugus. China’s Reforming Churches. Reviewed by Jason Helopoulos. (TGC)

Kevin DeYoung. Evangelicals and Cities: A Discussion in Need of Clarity. (TGC)

I liked what DeYoung says here. It’s not nit-picky. And it speaks into bigger problems about trendiness.

Derwin Gray. Instead of Building a Platform, Build Your Character. (Pastors.com)

Pastor, words like “platform” and “influence” are important.

But if we aren’t careful, in our desire to build our platform and influence, we can end up building our EGO.

As leadership gurus Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges say, “EGO stands for ‘Edging God Out’.”

Mark Altrogge. 6 Questions to Ask Ourselves in Conflict.

In this fallen world, conflict is inevitable. Husbands and wives, parents and children/teens/adult kids, roommates, co-workers, brothers and sisters in Christ, believers and non-believers – we all sin against each other at times – at times intentionally but many times unintentionally. We have misunderstandings, fail to keep promises, do things that annoy or even hurt others. Sometimes we can overlook others’ sins. At other times we must address them. Sometimes we are the ones who are confronted.

Here are 6 questions I have found helpful to ask myself when I find myself in conflict…

Philippians 2:21 “For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

“A Selfish spirit is unworthy of a Christian.” Joseph Alleine

The Pastor’s Kid by Barnabas Piper

This review first appeared at Lifeway’s Pastors Today Web Blog .

Barnabas Piper. The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith And Identity . Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2014. 160 pp. $12.99.

The pastor’s kid (PK) life is filled with unique challenges. Perhaps no PK understands this better than Barnabas Piper, son of the celebrated pastor and prolific author, John Piper. Barnabas, a life-long PK and talented writer, describes the complex life of PKs in his book, The Pastor’s Kid .

Rather than posing as a research or pastoral ministry expert, and certainly with no desire to hurt, Barnabas writes honestly and frankly to PKs, pastors, and congregants, gingerly putting a finger on a tight muscle in the Church. He massages the tension with insights from dozens of PKs; he serves as a voice for many wishing to see a better way out of this tight spot.

PKs have a bad reputation – one that comes with its reasons. They live inside a fishbowl, ogled by everyone in the church. And it’s not an environment of their choosing; they’re just along for the ride. Piper points out, “Dad and Mom might be following God’s call, but these kids are just following Dad and Mom. What choice do they have?” (26). Having the freedom to flounder in the fishbowl is not a luxury granted to PKs. And developing an identity of one’s own is difficult in these circumstances.

Though The Pastor’s Kid doesn’t promise to fix your kid, it doesn’t leave them helpless either. Without bemoaning the PK life by casting blame on pastors and churches, The Pastor’s Kid effectively directs all to apply grace to the PK dilemma. If ever you feel burned by this book, John Piper’s foreword suggests, “Take a break from the heat, and jump in the pool of chapter eight. There is a stream of grace that runs through this book…but it becomes a pool at the end” (12). That’s exactly right! Each consecutive chapter kindly, not spitefully, presents concern and vision for PKs to find their way.

Pastor, here are three reasons why you must read The Pastor’s Kid .

First, Piper invites you into the inner workings of PKs; you’ll learn how PKs think! Just as Piper says, “Pastors need to be aware of their children’s struggles and take the necessary steps to create supportive, safe, strong, open spaces for them” (143). You might be a PK, yourself, so you might get the picture, but many pastors aren’t. You’ll learn the tricks of the trade and to read whether yours is an onion, politician, chameleon or rebel without a cause (cf. 64-72). I found this book to be an inestimable resource to get how my kids tick.

Second, you’ll be reminded that your son or daughter needs freedom. PKs need margin to be sinners and freedom to find their way. Piper writes, “The constant pressure to be something, do something, and believe something creates enormous confusion for PKs” (60). The crushing weight PKs feel often comes through legalistic, perfection-driven, expectations from parents and congregations. PKs are expected to be carbon copies of their parents. But that’s just not possible.

Third, The Pastor’s Kid reorients parenting towards a life-altering lens of grace. Though pastors preach grace often, there is no place where they lack it more than in parenting. Piper reminds us: “PKs struggle with grace. We have seen it so often skewed or hidden or distant. But Jesus showed everyone the markers of true grace. Such markers are what can make grace real to the jaded and damaged PK. We need these from our parent and our churches alike” (87-88). More than anything, PKs need grace, and Piper applies it abundantly.

There’s much more to say, which is why you must read Pastor’s Kid . Pastor, read The Pastor’s Kid , and read it with your kids!

The Pastor’s Kid provides a compelling testimony of God’s grace to and for PKs.

Sleepovers?, Patriotic Churches, Psalm Shaped Parenting, Meditation

Tim Challies. Why My Family Doesn’t Do Sleepovers.

James Dobson believes that children should not participate in sleepovers. The world has changed, he says, and has become too dangerous to allow your children out of your sight for so long.

Jared Wilson. The Storytelling God. Reviewed by Dave Jenkins. (Servants of Grace)

Aaron Armstrong. I Want a Patriotic Church.

One of the things I love about being Canadian is we’re not a terribly patriotic bunch. Don’t get me wrong; we don’t hate our country, and we’re more or less quite happy to be here. But even at the best of times, like on Canada Day 1 , we shoot some fireworks, have some concerts… but it’s pretty unusual for churches to share a message like “What’s right about Canada,” whereas in America, this is apparently pretty common.

Scott James. Psalm Shaped Parenting. (CBMW)

I sat at my desk with coffee in hand and the Psalms opened before me. It was early in the morning and I could hear the kids beginning to rattle around in the adjacent room. Just as I was keying in on a particular verse, one of my little guys shuffled into the study still wiping the sleep from his eyes. He plopped down on the couch in front of me and eased into the morning by chatting me up about his grand plans for the day. I confess that part of me wanted to guard my “quiet” time by shooing him from the room, but I decided long ago that I want my kids to have memories of dad reading the Bible, not memories of dad shutting the door on them. So we talked a bit, sipped some coffee together, and when the conversation lulled I went back to Psalm 18.

Jen Thorn. The Forgotten Discipline of Meditation. (Time Warp Wife)

Much of our spiritual coldness is not because we aren’t “doing” but because we aren’t “dwelling.” It’s one thing to quickly read a verse or two and then run out the door never to think about it again. But in Col. 3 Paul tells the church to “ set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Setting our mind on the things that are above is Meditation.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“A man’s heart has only enough life in it to pursue one object fully.” Charles Spurgeon

10 Quotes from Recovering Redemption by Chandler and Snetzer

1. “We can never grasp the extent of our depravity until we recognize the excellencies of our created dignity” (16).

2. “But what you really have — what all of us have, by birth — is more than anything a heart problem … As we like to say it, ‘the heart of our problem is the problem of our hearts.’ … We need to let God get down underneath what we think needs changing, so that He can bring full restoration and redemption to us where we truly need changing” (37-38).

3. “But God bring the rebirth. He restores what can’t be restored. He takes what is brittle and broken and beyond all hope, and infuses His own life into dead spaces” (59).

4. “Sin can’t be trained; sin must be killed” (71).

5. “He does some of His best work amid our worst pain. Our senses are never more awakened to our need for His love than when our need is most exposed” (95).

6. “Vivification. Mortification. They’re quite literally a matter of life and death. They’re what come together in God’s training curriculum to help you transmit the gospel from the theological study right into your living room” (105).

7. “Guilt is more about what we do ; shame is more about who we are ” (119).

8. “I’m wise to be a good steward, but I’ll never be my own rescuer. The worth thing you can do with fear and anxiety is to pretend you’re too strong to have them. The best thing you can do is just to let Him be in charge of them” (147).

9. “If you’re a Christian, your life was rooted deeply in death before God reached down and remade you” (153).

10. “The reconciliation He’s brought about for us, when well examined and understood, begins to beat out a new rhythm in our heart, a joyful celebration of His undeserved grace and mercy” (171).

Sara Grossman. Why You Should Leave Religion Off Your Resume. (CNN)

If you’re applying for a new job, it may be best to leave religion off your resume, according to a new study.

Job applicants who mentioned any form of faith affiliation on their resumes were 26% less likely to be contacted by employers than candidates who didn’t, according to the study conducted by sociologists at the University of Connecticut.

Jesus the Evangelist by Richard D Phillips FREE

Steven P. Miller. The Age of Evangelicalism. Reviewed by Thomas Kidd. (TGC)

Eric Parker. Family Worship in the Platt House. (Radical)

Family Worship from Radical on Vimeo .

Ed Stetzer. How To Receive Criticism: 2 Types of Critics Who Can Teach You. (CT)

It’s a hard balance—you want to receive criticism, but not from every single person. The fact is, being a leader attracts criticism—if you want everyone to like you, go sell ice cream.

However, I’d encourage you to consider receiving criticism not just from people who like you, but also from those who don’t. In other words, you can receive criticism from unfriendly and friendly critics.

Thom Rainer. Seven Characteristics of Highly Evangelistic Christians. (Pastors Today)

For over twenty years I have been researching and studying churches, primarily those in North America. I had the joy of serving as senior pastor in four churches where God blessed with evangelistic growth. I have written over twenty books about the church in America.

I am not giving you my credentials to impress you, but simply to share that my life’s passion has been leading and learning about evangelistic churches. At this point in my life and ministry, however, I realize that I have not given sufficient attention to one of the primary characteristics of evangelistic churches.

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

“Who more innocent than Christ? And who more persecuted? The World is the world still.” John Flavel

Five Books on Christology

Here are 5 books that will launch you into studies on Christology.

1. The Origin of Christology C F D Moule

2. The God Who Became Human: A Biblical Theology of Incarnation (New Studies in Biblical Theology) by Graham A Cole

3. The Deity of Christ (Theology in Community) edited by Christopher Morgan and Robert A Peterson

4. The Cross of Christ by John Stott

5. The Fountain of Life by John Flavel

Elise Hilton. What You Need to Know About ISIL in Iraq. (ACTON)

Strategy Page has an excellent piece on Iraq’s ISIL and the political crisis there. Here are some of the most salient points.

Dave Jenkins. The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield. (Servants of Grace)

Nate Claiborne. Greg Thornbury: Modeling Cultural Engagement with a Strong Theological Foundation. (CaPC)

When one thinks of Greg Thornbury, the word “polymath” comes to mind. While he was at Union University, he was professor of philosophy, dean of the school of theology, and vice president for spiritual life. He is also a singer, songwriter, and electric guitar connoisseur. Russell Moore calls him ”Jonathan Edwards meets Rolling Stone magazine.” The American Spectator said he is ”America’s First Hipster College President,” after he was appointed the sixth president of The King’s College in New York City . He’s the kind of guy comfortable with a World Cup game playing in the background while he lectures a summer seminar in the history of philosophy. Reach out to him on Twitter , and he just might give you a cosmic high five .

Josh Bishop. When The Transgender Issue Comes Home. (TGC)

A close friend called to tell me that I had a new brother. After nearly 20 years as four sons and one daughter, my family scratched another tally mark in the ledger column already chock-full of boys. “Have you heard about Jessah?” she asked. “She just announced on Facebook that she’s transgender.”

My new brother, it would seem, is my sister.

David Mathis. Do You Pervert the Grace of God. (DG)

Sometimes the grace of God needs defending. Not as much from the world and the devil as from ourselves.

Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

“By suffering God’s will, we learn to do God’s will.” Thomas Case

An Interview with Barnabas Piper about being a PK

I’ve never been a PK, but I know a whole bunch of them. Each PK has his or her unique story. Like any good epic, their story will have high points and low points. And PK’s are no flat characters. They each have strengths and weaknesses. I know this all too well because I am raising three PKs of my own. I want to raise mine well, and I want to raise them with the same teachable and humble posture by which I first learned Christ.

So, when I discovered that the son of John Piper was writing a book ( The Pastor’s Kid ) as a life-long PK about PKs for PKs, pastors and their spouses, and the Church, I knew I wanted to give this book careful study. In the process of reading and reviewing this book, I reached out to the author and invited him to interview about being a PK. Piper charitably accepted my offer.

This isn’t one of those generic “What’s the book about?” and “Why should you get the book?” type interviews. I’m sure there will be plenty of those. And no doubt, Barnabas, I , and PKs everywhere desire for this interview to stimulate reading of The Pastor’s Kid. But we also want to give you a little bit more that the run of the mill interview. So, here’s a glimpse into the life of the quintessential PK, Barnabas Piper.

A little about Barnabas Piper:

Barnabas Piper is a PK, the son of well-known pastor John Piper. He writes for World Magazine at WoldMag.com and blogs at BarnabasPiper.com. He also writes regularly for the popular blog, the Blazing Center . He and his wife live in the Nashville area with their two daughters.

As a PK, did you ever watch 7th Heaven or Footloose? Why or why not?

I was raised without a TV, so while I didn’t watch those shows I very well could have been on a reality TV show. It would have involved a lot of me reading and wondering what other kids watched on TV. Actually, I’ve always been skeptical of any media portrayal of a pastor’s family whether it is produced by ABC or Sherwood Baptist church. They just can’t get it even close to reality.

What have been your most humorous responses to typical PK questions? How did others react to your response?

I occasionally make up stories about my dad just to see what people say. In college I convinced someone my dad had a large dragon tattoo across his shoulders. I have suggested at times that he is a Nirvana fan and that he loves to watch ice dancing. (To be clear, neither are true.) When asked if John Piper is my dad, I have, on occasion, also claimed I was related to Don Piper, author of 90 Minutes in Heaven. Mostly though, I try to be nice.

Favorite memory as a PK with your dad at Church? Why?

We lived within walking distance of church, so all the times I walked to or from church with him are really fond memories. It was 10 minutes of time to talk, enjoy a beautiful day, or commiserate about how we might die of exposure from Minnesota winters. Also, when I was in elementary school, our church built a new sanctuary and turned our ancient one into a gym. It was tiny, funny shaped, and had floppy basketball rims. But once or twice a week a group of guys would play ball there after early morning prayer meetings, and I loved playing with him and them. He is super competitive and was a pretty fair athlete. And he made it clear that the rule of the gym was no blood, no foul.

Donuts. Donuts are how you survive Sunday mornings. There can be no sugar free or no-carb diets. They also allow you to stuff your face to avoid answering unwanted questions from old ladies or Sunday school teachers. And, I mean, they’re donuts.

On a more serious note, be kind to people. They will get in your business, ask nosy questions, pester you, demand things of you, but almost none of that is intended to make your life miserable. To quote a very important figure in our faith, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Also, you are not any more special than anyone else, so make sure to leave your high horse at home. Your last name, your Bible knowledge, and your notoriety within the church all add up to make you exactly equal to everyone around you. Treat people with respect.

Last, go to your parents with your difficulties. I wish I had done this, but instead I kept them to myself. Your parents love you. They want your best. Even if they handle it poorly, it is worth trying and worth being open with them if you are frustrated at church stuff or struggling with your faith. God gave them to you and you to them; don’t disregard that.

If you were to suggest three Scriptures for a PK to memorize — Scriptures that would help them in “PK moments” — what would they be? Why?

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord.”

It’s hard to give specific scriptures to lean on given how scripture connects differently with different people. The things that encourage me most are those phrases or passages that bring me back to the person Jesus. It’s not commands or reminders of what I ought to do, but of who He is. For me these are often individual phrases that echo in my mind and move my heart.

Matt. 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Mark 2:17 “…Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick . I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 9:24 “…I believe; help my unbelief!”

Luke 22:42 “…Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Much of your book discusses how the Church and parents should handle and care for PK’s. But there is a lot a PK can do for the Church and his or her parents, too. What’s one thing that a PK can do to serve and care for his or her church? What’s one thing that a PK can do to care for and encourage his or her father?

I think the best thing PKs can do for the church is be involved and to serve with happiness. Regardless of all the challenges, church is a wonderful entity. It means something to those in the church to see the pastor’s family involved in normal ways – nursery, retreats, fellowship dinners, whatever. And honestly, those are enjoyable things. I loved being a part of serving in the church while growing up, whether it was service projects, youth group stuff, missions trips, or event set up and volunteering. It is a place of friendship and a place to bless the church around you.

Joyfully engaging in the church is a blessing to a PKs parents too. Pastors pour themselves into the church and often face great difficulties there. When PKs fight them on that front too it must be crushing. One other thing PKs can do is communicate well with their parents, even if it is about differences. To do it well means to do it with respect and humility as well as openness and clarity. This helps set reasonable expectations. It helps your parents know what you are passionate about and with what you have difficulties. It can open doors to a stronger, healthier relationship rather than a distant one built on assumptions or communication hurled back and forth.

If you’ve enjoyed this interview with Barnabas Piper, look for my review of the The Pastor’s Kid this Friday at Lifeway’s Pastors Today web-blog and order The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity now.

Emily Belz. Hobby Lobby Wins Big, But Questions Linger. (WORLD)

Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties won big at the Supreme Court on Monday when the court ruled family-owned businesses have religious freedom protection from Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate. But the decision left many questions unanswered as the court said the government could find alternate ways to provide the objectionable contraceptives to the companies’ employees. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood don’t have to cover Plan B and Ella, but now other objectors will wait and see what the federal government decides to do next.

One Perfect Life by John MacArthur $2.99

David Robertson. Magnificent Obsession. Reviewed by Josh Davis.

Tim Challies. Televisions Rape Epidemic.

I don’t watch a lot of movies these days, largely because it’s rare that I can find something that promises to reward me more richly than spending the same amount of time in a good book. That said, I do enjoy the occasional miniseries when I can catch it on Netflix or iTunes; I guess I find it easier to part with forty minutes than two hours. Even with that limited exposure there’s something I have observed and something that has spelled the end of my interest in more than a few shows: Rape is in.

E Stephen Burnett. How to Glorify God with Wizards, Captain America, and Spiderman. (CaPC)

My spiritual mentors include Jesus Christ; the Apostle Paul; pastors Paul Valentine and Colby Willen at Providence Community Church in Lexington, Kentucky; several usual-suspect Johns (Calvin, Piper, MacArthur); and Harry Potter, Captain America, and Spider-Man.

This is no joke. I couldn’t be more serious. Though God first reveals Himself in the Bible, and in its preaching, He also gives us echoes of His Word and reflections of His image in secular novels and films.

Joe Carter. 9 Things You Should Know About Anglicanism. (TGC)

Last week the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) held their annual provincial assembly. The ACNA is part of a growing reform movement that feels orthodox Anglicans have been “squeezed out of the Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada by successive changes to historic Christian teaching and Anglican practice.” To gain a better understanding of this tradition, here are nine things you should know about Anglicanism and the Anglican Communion.

Luke 22:42 “saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

“A man’s heart is right when he wills what God wills.” Thomas Aquinas