January 2015 – jtcochran.com

Monthly Archives: January 2015

Three Valuable Insights from With the Clouds of Heaven

With the Clouds of Heaven by James M. Hamilton Jr. is a recent installment in the New Studies in Biblical Theology Series, edited by D. A. Carson. I spent the last week immersed in this excellent biblical theology on the book of Daniel. If you’re interested in an overview of this book and some general insights on it, you can go over to Lifeway’s Pastors Today web-blog to read my review.

Here I wish to go deeper and talk about three insights I especially valued from With the Clouds of Heaven .

I appreciated Hamilton’s conclusion on the Four Kingdoms, a conclusion we see glimpses of in chapter four but in chapter five, Hamilton presents a concise picture. When discussing his interpretation of the seventy weeks and explaining what he perceives about the Messiah being cut off, Hamilton says:

“Jesus was cut off and had nothing, and then in AD 70, the people of the prince who was to come, the Romans, in an instalment in the pattern of fourth kingdom activity, destroyed city and sanctuary (Dan. 9:26). I put it this way because the fourth kingdom is never identified as Rome in Daniel, whereas the first kingdom is clearly Babylon/Nebuchadnezzar (‘you are the head of gold’, Dan. 2:38), and Medo-Persia and Greece are likewise named (8:20-21; 11:1-2). This seems to leave the fourth kingdom open as a type, and the pattern receives instalments from Rome and other wicked nations who engage in this kind of activity, awaiting fulfilment in the Anti-christ.” (131-132)

This, in my opinion, seems to be the most helpful reading of the fourth kingdom. It’s incredibly difficult to trace the demise of the Roman Empire. In some ways, we see vestiges of it throughout all of Western Europe and into America. But that’s not because there is a formalized Empire of Rome today, it’s because we see the same values for which it represents upheld. Ultimately, understanding the fourth kingdom is about understanding power that is opposed to the one that was cut off. Anything that opposes the Messiah stands allied with the fourth kingdom. So, I agree with Hamilton when he later says, “The fourth kingdom is not one kingdom in particular but the wicked world system that has united itself against God and his people” (132).

2. Apocalyptic Literature and Chronology

Hamilton adopts Roger Beckwith’s definition of apocalyptic literature for the sake of his study on Daniel. Here is Beckwith’s definition:

“Apocalyptic is literature akin to prophecy, concentrating on one aspect of prophecy, the revealing of secrets, and setting forth great secrets revealed by God to a favoured saint or prophet, whether above his purpose for the future, about the constitution of nature or about the unseen world, the mode of the revelation being sometimes highly symbolical but sometimes literal and unusually detailed .” (emphasis mine, 86)

In understanding the mode of apocalyptic literature, Hamilton does not attempt to haggle over precise date points, reconciling all of the numbers that are given in the book of Daniel, and elsewhere, regarding the exile, rebuilding of the temple, the Messiah, and the humbling of God’s enemies.

Rather he instructs readers on how to look at “time-reckoning on prophetic terrain” (124). He does this by comparing an interpretation of time in Ezekiel 4 with how time might be understood regarding the seventy weeks. In Ezekiel 4, we are reminded that the time of captivity for Israel in Egypt was 430 years. In turn, the exile to Babylon corresponds to the Egyptian captivity. In other words, Egyptian captivity then is a type for the exile to Babylon. A pattern emerges of captivity followed by liberty, restoration, and new inheritance.

Hamilton concludes, “The symbolic value of the 430 years in Ezekiel 4:5-6 is similar to the symbolic value of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27” (125).

3. The Typological Pattern of Joseph and Daniel

Really, the final chapter of With the Clouds of Heaven is my favorite part of the book. There Hamilton presents an archetypal picture from the narrative of Joseph that is clearly repeated in major exilic characters such as Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, and Mordecai.

This chapter makes a number of substantive connections either in specific phraseology or correspondence of ideas between these exilic narratives and the story of Joseph being sold into slavery, imprisoned, freed, and then exalted.

Hamilton explains that as Israelites heard and rehearsed these stories, they immediately became confronted with God’s pattern and paradigm of redemption.

“Thus, to suggest a correspondence between Joseph and Daniel was to activate in the imagination the whole paradigm that culminated in exodus and conquest. If Daniel was a new Joseph, following on his heels would be (after perhaps a new Egyptian oppression/enslavement) a new exodus led by a new Moses who would mediate a new covenant for the enjoyment of a new Eden conquered by a new Joshua replete with the reign of a new David.

The same paradigm would explain the correspondences between Joseph and Nehemiah, Joseph and Esther, and perhaps even Joseph and Jehoiachin. The multiple instances of a typological pattern pose no problem, as repetitions add to the impression that this is the kind of thing God does for his people. Each instalment in the pattern builds escalating anticipation.” (224).

This last chapter zooms out from the book of Daniel to see God’s grand picture of redemption. S. Lewis Johnson is known for frequently remarking: “The past is a pattern and plan for what God will do again in the future.” This, indeed, seems to be precisely what Hamilton presents in the last chapter of With the Clouds of Heaven .

Meanwhile, we saints, who eagerly await Christ’s coming on the clouds, have the opportunity to enact this paradigm in our missional lives until he so chooses to come.

With the Clouds of Heaven by James M. Hamilton Jr. is riddled with many more insights worthy of exploring. I encourage you to add this book to your library. It is a noteworthy addition.

Trip Lee, Preaching Resources, Revitalization, Burdens Pastors Face.

Emily Whitten. Rapper Trip Lee Calls Youth to Rise above Society’s Low Expectations. (WORLD)

Trip Lee has made a career out of turning people’s expectations on their heads. The hip-hop artist loves to challenge stereotypes, both from inside and outside the church, about what a Christian should look like.

The Deep Things of God by Fred Sanders $2.99.

Phil Newton and Matt Schmucker. Elders in the Life of the Church. Reviewed by Matt Capps.

David Murray. Top 500 Preaching Resources.

These are the most useful online preaching resources I’ve found on the web over the last 5-6 years, all organized under the following headings…

Josh King. Have You Thought about Revitalization? (SEND)

“Have you thought about revitalization?”

My missions professor asked me this question one day as I lamented my lack of clarity regarding God’s leadership in my life.

“What’s that,” I said in reply.

He proceeded to explain that revitalization was the process by which a dead or dying church is nurtured back to health and life.

Chuck Lawless. The Most Frequent Burdens Pastors Face.

In my years of church consulting, I have spent hours talking to local church pastors. Much of the conversation revolves around church structure, vision, etc., but seldom does the conversation stay at that level. Pastors, it seems, long for someone to listen to them. They want someone to share their burdens, even if only for a few minutes.

John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

“The Bible is not antique, or modern. It is eternal.” Martin Luther

Reformed Dogmatics (in 5 Volumes) by Geerhardus Vos

Geerhardus Vos lived from 1862-1949. He taught systematic theology at the Theological School of the Christian Reformed Church, later called Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 1888-1893 before becoming the chair of biblical theology at Princeton Seminary in the fall of 1893.

Published originally in Dutch as Dogmatiek in 1896, Reformed Dogmatics by Geerhardus Vos is now available in English due to the translation and editorial work of a number of people, most notably Richard Gaffin. This project will eventually be available in print from Lexham Press, the print house for Faithlife, the parent company of Logos Bible Software. Meanwhile, Logos users may purchase the digital collection of Reformed Dogmatics for their Logos library here for a fair offering. Only the first three volume are currently available. Those who purchase the five volume set of Reformed Dogmatics will receive volume four and five automatically in their Logos library as those volumes release.

From Richard Gaffin’s preface:

The Reformed Dogmatics of Gerhard’s Vos (1862-1949), here appearing for the first time in English, is a welcome publication for anyone wishing to benefit from uniformly sound and often penetrating articulation of biblical doctrine. It will be of particular interest to those who are already familiar with the work of Vos — the father of a Reformed biblical theology. Few, if any, among them have not experience a growing appreciation of his profound and singular insights into Scripture.

Some might ask what one might learn from Vos that one might not from Bavinck, or, perhaps, how might Bavinck’s systematic theology have had a bearing on Vos? Gaffin, anticipating these questions, says in the preface:

The appearance of the Reformed Dogmatics will disclose substantial affinity with the Reformed Dogmatics of Herman Bavinck. This is to be expected, since the slightly younger Vos (by seven years) considered Bavinck a good friend as well as a close theological ally. The first volume of Bavinck’s work (in Dutch), however, did not appear until 1895, after Vos’ Grand Rapids period. Perhaps the later volumes of the Reformed Dogmatics will shed more light on the question of the influences on Vos’ work.

Over the past month I’ve had sufficient time to work with the first three volumes and glean from them. Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics is exceptional. His line of thinking stems from a profound grasp on logic that is systematically deployed to unfold the riches of God’s revelation. This skill of logic I sense is lost, or minimally rare, in present approaches of delivering systematic theology.

As a reader of this set, I can almost imagine Vos in the classroom posing questions like: “In what way must proof for the Trinity be provided from the New Testament?” (i.3.3) or “Can one prove from the Scripture that the Mediator is truly God?” (iii.3.4). I imagine students painstakingly wrestling with these questions until Vos kindly and mercifully supplies the responses to these questions, responses that he has carefully worked out and corroborated with Scripture and reason.

This set is surely a diamond that has been cleaned and cut by the skillful hands of Richard Gaffin. If you’ve read and been impacted by Vos’s acclaimed Biblical Theology , then you will want to have this set of Reformed Dogmatics sitting alongside your volume of Biblical Theology .

Logos has put together this informative video on Vos and this systematic theology. You may view this video below.

Gay Marriage Manifesto, Being Salty, Seasons & Ministry, 24 Hour Creation?

David Gibson. Top Catholics and Evangelicals: Gay Marriage Worse than Divorce or Cohabitation. (RNS)

A high-profile alliance of conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants is set to issue a sweeping manifesto against gay marriage that calls same-sex unions “a graver threat” than divorce or cohabitation, one that will lead to a moral dystopia in America and the persecution of traditional believers.

The Unbelievable Gospel by Jonathan Dodson $3.99

S. Lewis Johnson. Discovering Romans. Reviewed by Erik Raymond.

Kathleen. Nielson. Have You Been Salty Lately? (TGC)

Recently I had lunch with a new friend, whom I loved getting to know as a sister in the Lord. When you meet someone for the first time, you’re looking to learn all you can—by observing, by listening, by observing how she listens. . . .

Andrew Wilson. Witness, Winsomeness, and Winter.

Four things have happened recently which have made me realise how important, and how relevant, this is to the state of the contemporary church.

Justin Taylor. Biblical Reasons to Doubt the Creation Days Were 24-Hour Periods.

Contrary to what is often implied or claimed by young-earth creationists, the Bible nowhere directly teaches the age of the earth.

Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”

“The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” Martin Luther

Technology Shapes Our Reading, Be Discerning Readers

It’s remarkable how technology has changed how you receive information. In days past, you’d wake up in the morning, go to your front-step, pick up the newspaper, and read it in your recliner. But how many of you do that anymore?

Where do you get your news? I get mine from Twitter and Feedly, and I read it from my phone, tablet, or laptop. Regardless, I’m not in a recliner getting news. Usually, I’m at a desk or on the go.

I’m not a lone statistic. The Pew Research Center recently released the 11 th edition of their State of the News Media study . That study revealed that print media in on the decline and digital news media consumption is on the rise.

“The vast majority of Americans now get news in some digital format. In 2013, 82% of Americans said they got news on a desktop or laptop and 54% said they got news on a mobile device. Beyond that, 35% reported that they get news in this way “frequently” on their desktop or laptop, and 21% on a mobile device (cellphone or tablet).” [1]

Becoming a More Literate Society

Instant and digital access to news and information has the opportunity to make you more literate. The more access you have, the more likely you will take advantage of it. But does this access make you more discerning? You may be reading more than ever with your tablet and smartphone, but are you digesting the right reading – reading that is biblical, edifying, and soul nourishing.

All this access should lead you to ask and answer some critical questions: How do you decide where you get news and what you read? How do you decide where not to get news and what not to read? How is all this reading changing and shaping you? And how do you take advantage of all this opportunity?

Judiciously Reading Literature

These days anyone can create an e-book; anyone can develop a blog; anyone can develop a platform. How should Christians be judicious in deciding who to read and who to trust?

Here are three suggestions:

Read Traditional New Sources.

The names you’ve always trusted and should trust are still around and are going to be around. In the world of Christian journalism trusted websites like Christianity.com , ChristianityToday.com , WORLDMag.com are fixtures for accurate reporting. More recent niche sources like TheGospelCoalition.org , Acton.org , and RelevantMagazine.com have entered into the foray and provide their own slant on news appealing to their particular audience. Then there are all sorts of denominational specific sources. As a Baptist, I go to two cources: the ERLC (Ethics and Religious Leadership Commission) and Al Mohler’s blog for a Baptistic slant on interpreting and responding to news and current events.

Going to bloggers for news and counsel is a new normal. But how do you know whom to read? Is the person credible? Are they trained? Is that necessary? You have to ask and research this.

Metrics like who is read most help. You can view Church Relevance April 2014 list of top 300 Christian bloggers here . There’s a reason for being read most. But that’s not always the best metric; the most popular is not always the most biblical.

You should check their education. If they are a Christian leadership voice, having formal Christian education is a reasonable expectation. Then check their vocation. Are they functioning in Christian leadership? Is the person a pastor or leader of a reputable non-for-profit organization? Check those about pages and look at those bi-lines.

Also, look for bloggers who are syndicated and appear on websites like the ones listed above. This is an indicator of trustworthiness. Large influential websites care to have the right voices championing the right messages.

Fortunately, certain names, like Tim Challies and Justin Taylor are now Christian household names. They’ve developed a reputation for dependability and credibility. For these reasons they’ve set themselves apart from other bloggers.

Rely on Trustworthy Publishing Houses and Book Reviews.

You shouldn’t just read any book. Just because anyone can write an e-book, doesn’t mean everyone should be writing one. You need to check the author’s credibility. Have they pastored long or led a non-for-profit long? Are they known for being above reproach?

Look to the best publishing houses; they’ve already filtered their authors. Look to publishing houses like Crossway , B&H , and Moody , who are known for being trustworthy and biblical. Since they’re not publicly traded, they don’t risk being bought out by secular publishers, who might then compromise their product on doctrine or Christian practice.

Also check out websites like TGC , Lifeway , Books at a Glance , and 9Marks , who offer outstanding book reviews to guide you towards edifying reading and guard you from aberrant writing.

The Christian Reader’s First Responsibility

In spite all this access to great Christian content through websites, bloggers, and digital publishing, our greatest, most important, and primary source for truth, learning, and edification remains to be the Holy Scriptures. Only they are inspired, inerrant, clear, authoritative, and sufficient for all godliness in all of life ( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

Technology is also shaping how we study Scripture. Bible software is becoming affordable and accessible. It’s not just for professional scholars and pastors but for moms, dads, and kids to use in homes. Companies like Logos Bible Software are doing what they can to make it that way, too, by offering payment plans , community pricing , free monthly books , and mobile education . I sometimes ask myself why every home hasn’t invested in an excellent bible software? We have Amazon Prime Accounts, Cable TV, and Netflix. We’re slighting ourselves by not taking advantage of the most beneficial technological resource Christians have access to by not being willing to invest like we do in these other resources. Even if you’re not willing to purchase Bible software for your home yet, you can still take advantage of free resources like Bible Study Tools .

Christians have a responsibility to think critically about where we retrieve news and how we consume literature. We need to go to trustworthy sources and keep our priorities straight. Hopefully, you’ve now learned a thing or two on how to do this well.

[1] State of the News Media 2014 Key Indicators in Media and News. (http://www.journalism.org/2014/03/26/state-of-the-news-media-2014-key-indicators-in-media-and-news/). Accessed 9/18/2014.

Women & Terrorism, Baptizing Masculinity, Marriage & Breadwinning, Human Dilemma.

Christy Vines. Why Women Turn to Terrorism. (CT)

L ong before the terror attacks in Paris and the manhunt for Hayat Boumeddiene , wife of one of the men accused of killing a police officer, women have participated as active combatants in terrorist-related violence.

God Is Love by Gerald Bray $5.99

Elmer L. Towns. The 10 Most Influential Churches of the Last Century. Reviewed by Ed Stetzer. (Pastors.com)

Luke T. Harrington. Baptizing *Masculinity*: The Real Reason Men are Leaving the Church. (CaPC)

I acknowledge this reality, but not to advocate for its destruction; I am not here to tear down evangelicalism. I do , however, want to make the argument that when we look at our contemporary problems we ought to consider the possibility that the seeds were sown at our beginning. Consider, for instance, the much-heralded problem of men leaving the Church .

The dominant narrative at the moment is that, while church attendance is down across the board, men in particular are staying home on Sunday mornings ( some stats here ). And while there has been much hand-wringing over this reality, there has, to my knowledge, been very little serious introspection over it.

Ryan Rindels. Work: Should Husbands Make More Money than Wives? (CBMW)

Being a biblical man involves exercising leadership in all areas of life—finances included.

But can a man be the leader of his home without being the primary breadwinner? What happens when your wife makes more money than you? Is this a nonnegotiable area where no compromise is possible?

Wives who make more money than their husbands are not uncommon today. With statistically more women graduating college than men, and increased employment opportunities, many women take full-time jobs that pay well.

R. C. Sproul. If the Lord Marks Iniquity, Who Should Stand? (Ligonier)

In our day we have witnessed the eclipse of the gospel. That dark shadow that obscures the light of the gospel is not limited to Rome or liberal Protestantism; it looms heavily within the Evangelical community. The very phrase “preaching the gospel” has come to describe every form of preaching but the preaching of the gospel. The “New” gospel is one that worries not about sin. It feels no great need for justification. It readily dismisses the imputation of Christ’s righteousness as an essential need for salvation. We have substituted the “unconditional love” of God for the imputation of the righteousness of Christ. If God loves us all unconditionally, who needs the righteousness of Christ?

Psalm 62:7 “On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”

“The first thing the Bible does is to make man take a serious view of life.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Harris Leaves Pulpit, Asking Wrong Questions at Church, We Are Gomer, Love in Harry Potter.

Lynde Langdon. Josh Harris Leaves Pulpit to Attend Seminary. (WORLD)

Best-selling author Joshua Harris announced Sunday he is stepping down as lead pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md., to go to seminary.

God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment by James M. Hamilton Jr. $5.99

J. Ryan Lister. The Presence of God. Reviewed by J. J. Sherwood.

Stephen Altrogge. We’re Asking the Wrong Question When We Go to Church.

It’s interesting though, that when we look at Scripture, we find very few details regarding the things we should get from church. Rather, we find lots of details about what we should bring to church.

Brandon Smith. We Are Gomer . (TGC)

We often compare the story of Hosea and Gomer to the story of God and Israel, and rightly so. Hosea 3:1 says:

And the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.”

The application is clear: Hosea is called to love this adulterous woman in the same way that God loves his wandering-eyed people. But looking back on the complete canon of Scripture, with the Trinity in view, we can make another comparison: Hosea and Gomer represent Christ and the church.

We are Gomer. And that is immensely comforting.

Jake Meador. The Demands of Love in Harry Potter. (MereO)

Yet for all the imprecision, chaos, and oddity that marks Hogwarts, there is an order to it, else the school wouldn’t function. But it’s the nature of that order that merits close attention. It’s not loose per se. Minerva McGonnagall, one of Rowling’s most enjoyable characters who is played by the delightful Maggie Smith in the movies, is a strict disciplinarian. And when students are given detention or some other form of punishment, it is enforced. But standing behind this order at Hogwarts is the thing Dumbledore speaks of in nearly every extended monologue Rowling gives him: love. And this love causes the school to adopt a radically different order than that of the world outside Hogwarts where the technocratic, bureaucratic Ministry of Magic rules. (Spoilers below the jump) – See more at: http://mereorthodoxy.com/demands-love-harry-potter/#sthash.UgYTKVes.dpuf

Psalm 24:8 “Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!”

“The mightier any is in the Word, the more might he will be in prayer.” William Gurnall

An All-Surpassing Fellowship by David Beaty

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

David P. Beaty. An All-Surpassing Fellowship: Learning from Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Communion with God. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014. 164 pp. $15.00.

Would you like a stimulus to jump-start your urgency for evangelism and fervency for personal communion with God? If so, then you should check out An All-Surpassing Fellowship , David Beaty’s concise biography on Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s life. This 150 pager will whet your appetite on the above subjects as you glimpse the life of one of the most remarkable young men to pastor in Scotland during the Mid-Nineteenth century.

Plagued with chronic health problems, while ultimately dying at the youthful age of twenty-nine, Robert Murray M’Cheyne lived each day as his last. Earnestness characterizes this man’s disposition. With a deep urgency to evangelize, M’Cheyne sincerely agonized over the lost souls of his sheep at St. Peter’s Church in Dundee. He is known to have said to those who were bothered by this urgency, “You will not thank us in eternity for rocking your cradle and lulling you asleep over the pit of hell” (91). Earnest, somber, and serious indeed describe M’Cheyne.

It may come as a surprise to you, but the subject of this biography was no celebrity pastor. He was no traveling itinerant revivalist or evangelist like George Whitefield or Billy Graham. In fact, M’Cheyne actually pastored in the shadow of his peer, W. C. Burns, who was more like the above. Yet, M’Cheyne did so without envy, resentment, or any of the other unbecoming characteristics that might typify one in those circumstances (45).

Beaty says this about him, “M’Cheyne’s influence did not come about because of the revival that shook both the church he pastored and his country of Scotland. Nor has it continued primarily because of his biblical, evangelistic sermons. Rather, M’Cheyne’s enduring influence flows from the depth and vibrancy of his walk with God” (2).

Without getting into too much detail and stealing the thunder of An All-Surpassing Fellowship , I will say that much credit may rightly be given to Andrew Bonar who wrote and edited an account of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s life. In this work, Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne , we have a very personal account of M’Cheyne’s earnestness, eternal perspective, and spiritual communion with God.

To some degree, An All-Surpassing Fellowship is a synopsis and commentary of Bonar’s work, while integrating all the other extant writings about M’Cheyne and honing in on M’Cheyne’s spiritual life. An All-Surpassing Fellowship consists of three parts. Part one is the life of M’Cheyne broken into five chapters. Part two zooms into M’Cheyne’s communion with God in another five chapters. Finally, part three comments and exegetes what today’s pastor may learn from M’Cheyne’s communion with God, likewise in five chapters.

Benefit for Pastoral Ministry

In a previous review , I emphasized the significance of reading pastoral biographies for your heart and ministry. Allow me to reiterate this point. Reading a few biographies a year, or at least one, will expand your appreciation for your calling, give you encouraging glimpses of history, and possibly help you discover a kindred spirit – one from which you might continue to learn. It’s not uncommon to read a biography and then go on to read from the works or sermons of that person. I’ve done this a number of times.

Knowing that not all biographical sketches resonate with all people, having access to a concise primer on an individual, one such as An All-Surpassing Fellowship by David Beaty, helps readers discern whether they might wish to dig much deeper on this person.

Rather than attempting to be another exhaustive account like Bonar’s, which is both biography and a collection of quotes and writings from both M’Cheyne’s diary and sermons, Beaty studies a particular facet of M’Cheyne’s life that in turn serves as a lesson for pastoral ministry. This is the noteworthy component of An All-Surpassing Fellowship .

It’s been said that a pastor’s private life is as important if not more important than his public life. M’Cheyne’s story demonstrates how this is the case. You see, pastors can turn anything into idolatry: prayer, bible study, evangelism, and preaching preparation may be counted among those idols. All of which, may be used as a formula for a successful fruitful ministry rather than the instruments of fellowship with God. We should soberly listen to Beaty’s comment concerning M’Cheyne’s devotional life: “People seek discipline in their devotional lives for varied reasons. Some want more biblical knowledge. Others seek peace for the day ahead. But for M’Cheyne, it was love of God that compelled him to spend time with his Lord” (56). This should drive our fellowship with him as well.

I feel like I read a lot of excellent books. Quite honestly, I am picky about what I read and review. My goal is to put the best writing, most compelling story, and spiritually engaging books in front of my eyes and others. That said, the most thought provoking and introspective writing I’ve read since I began reviewing on this site may very well have come from M’Cheyne’s hand as it has been packaged by Beaty.

Essential Recommended Helpful Pass It By

An All-Surpassing Fellowship compels pastors to consider the urgency of evangelism and the fleeting nature of life.

Is Servanthood Demeaning? My Answer for Crosswalk.com

Crosswalk.com: Is servanthood demeaning? – Joey Cochran from crosswalkquestions on GodTube .

10 Insights for Pastors from An All-Surpassing Fellowship by David P. Beaty

Concise biographies are an incredible resource for busy pastors who are looking for a kindred spirit to learn from. I’ve had the joy of spending the last week with David Beaty’s study, An All-Surpassing Fellowship , which details Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s life and communion with God. Over at Lifeway’s Pastors Today web-blog, you may read my review of An All-Surpassing Fellowship .

Here I thought I’d share ten insights for pastors from Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s approach to ministry and his fellowship with God:

1. Pastors need kindred friends.

In addition to learning under the influence of books and professors, M’Cheyne experienced the joy of fellowship with like-minded friends during his preparation for ministry. These included his childhood friend, Alexander Somerville, and Andrew and Horatius Bonar. (14)

2. Preachers should preach with gratitude and humility for the honor to exposit the Word.

His sense of gratitude for the privilege of preaching the gospel was joined with an awareness of the need for deep humility on the part of those who preach. (15)

3. God leaves no room for competition in pastoral ministry. He wins it all for his glory, so pastors shouldn’t compete with one another. This is learned from M’Cheyne’s response to the Holy Spirit’s work of revival through the preaching of W. C. Burns interim ministry at St. Peter’s Church in Dundee, while M’Cheyne was away on a mission to Jerusalem.

Remarkably, there seems to have been no jealousy whatsoever between M’Cheyne and Burns…Andrew Bonar writes of M’Cheyne’s attitude during this time: “But Mr. M’Cheyne had received from the Lord a holy disinteredness that suppressed every feeling of envy. Many wondered at the single-heartedness he was able to exhibit. He could sincerely say, ‘I have no desire but the salvation of my people, by whatever instrument.'”…W. C. Burns continued to preach throughout Scotland, and the revival seen in Kilsyth and Dundee spread to other towns. (45)

4. Personal communion with God is of first importance for a pastor as he prepares to do God’s work.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne believed there was no greater privilege in life than communion with God. His desire for all-surpassing fellowship with the Lord determined how he spent his time during his few years on earth. (55)

People seek discipline in their devotional lives for varied reasons. Some want more biblical knowledge. Others seek peace for the day ahead. But for M’Cheyne, it was love for God that compelled him to spend time with his Lord. (56)

5. The communion with God through the Word should pour over into the lives of a pastor’s congregation.

M’Cheyne’s love for God was expressed in love for His Word, and he viewed God’s Word as an instrument that conveyed God’s love to him. (59)

But M’Cheyne’s greatest hope for his church was that they would come to know the benefits of God’s Word as he had. (61).

6. Prayer is a pastoral privilege to fellowship with God as he appeals for the Lord to be at work amongst God’s people.

But if we focus only on the need for answers to prayer, we will miss much of the privilege God has given us in prayer. (65)

While M’Cheyne understood the privilege of prayer as fellowship with God, he did not underestimate its immense value in furthering the work of God’s kingdom. In fact, M’Cheyne viewed prayer as the first and most important work in advancing God’s purposes. (66-67)

7. Personal holiness is not only a necessary pursuit but a joyful pursuit for communion with God.

An essential part of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s communion with God was his ongoing pursuit of holiness. His desire to be made more holy was not a legalistic quest to be assured of his salvation. Rather, knowing that he had been freely justified by faith in Christ resulted in love that led to holiness. (75)

M’Cheyne himself made what we might call “resolutions,” but he termed his quest for greater sanctification “Reformation.” (76)

In his Reformation he wrote, “I am persuaded that God’s happiness is inseperably linked in with his holiness. Holiness and happiness are like light and heat…” (79)

8. Pastors should live every day with eternal perspective that fuels evangelistic urgency.

His motto accompanied the seal with the simple words: “The night cometh.” … M’Cheyne’s eternal perspective gave an urgency to his work for the Lord. (85)

To those who were bothered by his urgency, he said, “You will not thank us in eternity for rocking your cradle and lulling you asleep over the pit of hell.” (91)

9. The Holy Spirit is the power of the mission and none other.

A notable result of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s close communion with God was the power of the Holy Spirit that was evident in his life. (95)

M’Cheyne was able to speak to his members about the role of the Holy Spirit with an authority born of his own experience. (97)

10. Pastors should be passionate about communing with God.

Communion with God was not an obligation for M’Cheyne. It was a passion. He believe that fellowship with his Lord was a gift, and one to be cherished. He said “…Covet earnestly the best gifts.” (101)

These ten insights are gleaned from the first two parts of David Beaty’s, An-All Surpassing Fellowship . I didn’t say this in my review but part three is a wonderful integration of application and theological exploration about a pastor’s communion with God. Beaty leverages observations from present day theologians like J. I. Packer, D. A. Carson, and others.

This book is a worthy addition to your library and a quick read. I encourage you to get it!

Mocking Prolife Marchers, Types of Fundies & Evang., Election, When We’re Prayerless.

Matthew Schmitz. Methodist Head of “Human Rights” Mocks Prolife Marchers. (First Things)

T he “Director of Civil and Human Rights” for the United Methodist Church, Bill Mefford, posted a picture to Twitter yesterday mocking the pro-life marchers. Mefford, who works for the Church’s lobby arm, the General Board of Church and Society, ridiculed the marchers by posting a picture of himself standing before them with a sign saying “I march for sandwiches.”

Jesus on Every Page by David Murray $1.99

J. A. Medders. Gospel Formed. Reviewed by Mike Boling. (SoG)

Justin Taylor. 3 Types of Fundamentalists and Evangelicals After 1956.

Yesterday I linked to an address by David Dockery on the state of evangelicalism in the 21st century.

On Twitter, I highlighted the somewhat tongue-in-cheek definitions from Dr. Dockery:

In its most simple terms,

an evangelical is someone who likes Billy Graham; a liberal is someone who thinks Billy Graham is a fundamentalist; and a fundamentalist is someone who thinks Billy Graham is apostate.

Anthony Carter. Election: Unconditional, Eternal, and Loving. (Ligonier)

To understand election is to see it as the act of a sovereign, gracious, eternally loving God. It is a demonstration of His desire to be in a faithful covenantal relationship with a people. Though knowing these people to be disobedient, sinful, and wayward, He chooses to set His affection on them so as to show and exalt His love and mercy throughout eternity. Consequently, divine election has three important elements…

Jon Bloom. What to Do When We’re Prayerless. (DG)

Prayerlessness is not fundamentally a discipline problem. At root it’s a faith problem.

1 Corinthians 15:26 “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

“The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering and the most comfortable way of dying.” John Flavel

Send Him on His Way: Sons and Vocation

Hint: Yesterdays article focused on daughters . Todays focuses on sons. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take all this stuff here and apply it to your daughter. Everything below I’ve done with my two daughters as well.

Hammers, saws, guitars, drums, stethoscopes, and Bibles are all things my son sneaks into his backpack to take to preschool. They are his go to pay items: I mean, besides Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman, Tigger, and Pluto.

And almost every day he tells me one of three things. I want to be at Grandpa and Grandmas. I want to be at Disney World. Or I want to be…Handy Manny, a doctor, a guitar player, or a pastor.

I guess this could go any number of ways. He could do a combo of doctor and handy man and be a surgeon. I’ve suggested that. He’s got a really steady hand, but he doesn’t like the idea of cutting into flesh. I’ve suggested a worship pastor. He’s still trying to wrap his brain around what that is. He is only three after all.

No matter what he does, I’m going to be super proud of him. Why? Because he’s my son. You know what I mean.

As I think about helping your son figure out his vocation — I can’t help but think that it doesn’t matter how young they are — they’re never too young to coach them and help think through what they love to do and what they might do for a lifetime.

Here’s a few things I’ve done with my three year old boy.

Remember take your kid to work day. I do. I loved doing this with my dad. A couple times a year, I’ve taken Asher with me on a road trip of meetings. Last year we went to Evanston to meet our churches church planter there. This year I took him on a tour of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and to meet a friend of mine in Libertyville that also is interested in church planting. Both times were a lot of fun for the two of us. He loved being with dad for a day, and everyone we met loved seeing him. It was fun.

2. Encourage him with his interests.

Is your son interested in tools, musical instrument, books, planes? Whatever he is interested in make sure to reinforce it by giving him access to play, imagine, create with those things. Let his excitement grow and see what stuff he holds interest and what stuff he loses interest in. It’s entertaining to see the cycles, to see what enflames their interests, and help them manage the feeling when interest wanes.

3. Show him the opportunities.

When your son develops interest in a new hobby or has a new idea about a vocation, find ways to open up his world to that hobby or vocation. Look for YouTube videos or shows that talk about that vocation or hobby. Take him to see and meet real people doing that work. When you’re driving and he sees a firetruck, dump truck, train, or plane, go vocation chasing with him. And if he wants to be a storm chaser, use caution my friend. Don’t get too close to a twister.

And don’t forget to expand his world on vocations. Show him about space because we’re going to Mars now and we need more pilots to get us all there. Help him see the power of computers, engineering, the sciences, and the arts. Take him to museums, the zoo, amusement parks, and sporting venues. A lot of these things you might already be doing. Just do them and plant seeds as you do. Ask questions about his interest or what he thinks about the profession or event. Find out what sparks his interest more.

Proverbs 22:6 and Vocation

“ Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Your role as a dad is helping your children in the way that they should go. Yes, altogether too often this text is compartmentalized to the aspect of vocation. That is grievous. This verse is about so much more than vocation. It’s about being a son of God, a husband, a father, and a worker. It’s a holistic verse that covers all of life.

Nonetheless, it is not that it has nothing to do with vocation either. This verse critically point to the role of a parent to love his or her children and raise them to honor God and his or her family. That includes finding a vocation and following the call of that vocation.

Gay Marriage, Ammo Against Porn, Cinema & the American Dream, Giving to God.

On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision by William Lane Craig FREE

N. T. Wright. Simply Good News. Reviewed by Andrew Wilson. (CT)

Dieudonne Tamfu. Ammunition for the Fight Against Porn. (DG)

Paul’s two-fold imperative for the Church is to flee sexual immorality and glorify God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:18–20). Paul gives us seven theological ammunitions that empower us to obey these commands and kill porn.

Wade Bearden. Cinema’s Dismal Look at the American Dream. (CaPC)

I‘m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

Our country lives and dies by this line—politically, socially, and morally. If there’s one quality that seems to embody the American spirit, it’s freedom. That freedom is often symbolized, at least intrinsically anyway, in what we call the “American Dream,” the belief that everyone within our nation’s borders has an equal chance to make something of his or her life, to achieve personal success in whatever form desired—whether wealth, riches, power, fame, or something else.

Ricky Alcantar. How Much Money/Time/Stuff Do I Need to Give to God. (Blazing Center)

In America we’re all about “balance.” We want a “work/life” balance. We want to balance our role in our family, with our hobbies. And we, especially, love us some “me time” – our time to unwind and shop, or watch an uninterrupted football game, or take in a movie, or play a game with our amateur sports club. We look at our calendar, or our budget, and divide our calendar into “My time” and “Family time” and “Exercise time” and perhaps “God time.” In general we see our time as, well, our time, and try to decide how best we should use it.

To pull us out of this mindset I’d suggest asking three questions…

Romans 15:2 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

“We must never edit God.” A. W. Tozer

When She Asks, “Daddy, How Do I Look?”

This is a common refrain of any little girl. She’ll say this after dressing up in her favorite princess dress, putting as many bows in her hair as possible, and all of the costume jewelry she can find. After having completed her adornment she’ll traipse up to you and sweetly but inquisitively ask this question.

You’ll experience a whole cycle of princess dresses from Snow White to Elsa. Those early times of inquisition you’ll be delighted, attentive, affirming.

“Oh my, what a beautiful princess!”

You’ll hem and haw over her. You’ll fill that much needed tank of approval. She’ll squeal with delight and go back off to her room for another wardrobe change, just to play it all over again for you.

Over time, over the years, the scenario begins to play out even more. But both of you will see it differently. It’s possible that she’ll notice you’ve become less enthusiastic, less attentive. You didn’t mean for it to be this way. You’re not any less affirming then you’ve always been. You’re simply distracted.

You’ll probably be sitting at the kitchen table some morning, scarfing down a quick bowl of cereal and burning your throat as you chug down a hot cup of coffee.

You’ll likely be thinking, “I need to get out this door and get to work. I’ve got a long day ahead.”

And then here she comes. But now she’s not in a princess dress. She’s in a blouse with a cardigan, a very cute and ruffly color-coordinated skirt, a pair of tights, her most recent size of winter boots, all accented with an infinity scarf. She’s dressed both smart and modest, sophisticated and stylish.

She might be 5, 5th grade, or fifteen. Regardless, what you say and how you give her attention in this moment matters. If you’re fortunate, in the moment of your distracted breakfast when all this takes place, you’ll have an equally loving wife in the background to remind you:

“Honey, always remember, always remember, how you respond to her when she asks that is crucial.”

And it is crucial! Your daughter craves your approval. Not because that’s where she gets her significance, but because it is a storehouse for honor. She brings honor to you and your family when she models modesty and beauty in tandem. She reflects your family’s values. She reflects her desire to honor her King.

You dad, are given these opportunities, not just to approve your daughter, but to approve and applaud God for the beauty found in one of his precious creatures.

She’s not a distraction; she’s an attraction.

And if you, dad, have emphasized noble character, including modesty and beauty, internal and external, then she will not attract to herself. She’ll attract others to God.

Approve and applaud loudly, enthusiastically, and with gusto every day of your life. She’ll keep returning to this well for water and will not seek after another.

Niger Protests, Drive-By Discipleship, Selma & Christ’s Suffering, “Dad, Look!”.

World Watch Monitor. Scores of Churches Destroyed by Charlie Hebdo Protests in Niger. (CT)

Less than a week after Niger’s president marched alongside dozens of world leaders in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo shooting, Muslim protests in Niger have claimed the lives of 10 people and destroyed more than 70 Christian churches in the desert nation’s two largest cities.

The Unbelievable Gospel by Jonathan K. Dodson $3.79

Matt Chandler with Jared C Wilson. The Mingling of Souls. Reviewed by Aaron Armstrong.

Dave Harvey. What is the Difference Between a Pastor and a Church Planter.

Dan Darling. Drive-By Discipleship.

I fear that much our discipleship is didactic in nature. We’re trying to make a point. So we think that discipleship means writing another blog or sending another tweet to people we barely know. But real discipleship happens off-screen, in private conversations, over a period of many years. It springs from natural friendships.

Derek Rishmawy. Selma and the Sufferings of Christ.

I went to go see the movie Selma with my wife yesterday and, as I predicted, I was wrecked. I do not cry often, nor especially in films, but along with the stories of the martyrs, the history of the struggle against slavery, Jim Crow, and segregation move on my heart. I wept as I have not wept in years. The kind of tears that wrench your gut and stick in your throat for hours. As I went home that evening, just thinking of the various injustices and degradations depicted threaten to bring on another torrent. I was exhausted with the grief and, yes, the heaviness of hope.

Trevin Wax. “Dad, Look!” When Your Kids Invite You Into Their World.

“Dad, listen!” and “Mom, look!”

Due to the busyness of our lifestyles, I hate to admit that sometimes I’ve treated ”look at this!” or “look what I made!” like a distraction, an intrusion into my adult world. I’ve gotten away with giving my kids a passing glance, a quick word (“That’s neat!”), before going back to whatever it was I was focused on.

I’ve been missing out. Our kids aren’t intruding. They’re inviting.

1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.”

“God writes with a pen that never blots, speaks with a tongue that never slips, acts with a hand that never fails.” C. H. Spurgeon

Gospel Formed by J A Medders

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

J. A. Medders. Gospel Formed: Living a Grace-Addicted, Truth-Filled, Jesus-Exalting Life . Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2014. 200 pp. $14.99.

Are you still looking for a devotional read to set the pace for 2015? Is spiritual formation an emphasis that you wish to foster during this coming year? Would you like a stimulus for gospel-rich reflection?

Redeemer Church Tomball pastor, J. A. Medders, provides a meditative tonic for the gospel thirsty entitled Gospel Formed . It’s a two-hundred page work that garners thought provoking and potent word pictures of the gospel. In five parts, Medders encourages readers to reflect on the core of the Christian faith – the gospel. Why? Pointing to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 he submits, “God says the gospel is the most important truth in his word…it’s the head of the pack, the alpha truth, all other truths fall in line behind it.” (34).

This being the case, Christians should be centered on the gospel. It is the focal point of Christian living. Spiritual formation originates and terminates with the gospel. Elsewhere, Medders writes: “We don’t graduate from the gospel. Moving toward gospel-centered living means we never move on from the gospel; rather, its force moves further into our heart” (16). Our worship (part two), identity (part three), community (part four), and mission (part five) ought to find themselves rooted in the mineral rich soil of the gospel. This, then, is why each of the four parts of Gospel Formed , following the gospel starting block (part one), pivot upon the gospel.

In recent years, a new wave of writing has found its central theme and motif in the gospel. The emergence of this grace-fueled writing is often credited to Jerry Bridges and his book, The Discipline of Grace . Others well known for championing gospel-centrality include Jared Wilson, Gospel Wakefulness ; Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional ; Tullian Tchividjian, Jesus + Nothing = Everything ; and many more. Gospel Formed is a welcomed addition to this litany of gospel-centered studies.

One enriching aspect of Gospel Formed is its unwavering commitment to see this movement prosper. Jared Wilson, a forerunner in this new wave of gospel-centered writing, graciously commends this book, saying in the foreword: “We need more and more resources that show us the gospel in its multitudinous glory. This is what we need, now and ever! This is why I am grateful for the growing gospel-centered body of literary work in evangelicalism, and why I am grateful for Jeff Medders’s contribution to it” (10).

Throughout Gospel Formed , Medders conveys that deep, ever-blossoming affection for the gospel – one that he wishes would foster in others – is only through God’s grace. This is yet another commendable quality of Gospel Formed . This book prevailingly points out that heart renovations are accomplished through the Carpenter’s handiwork alone.

Like I said above, Gospel Formed brims with stout and provocative images that engross readers. You can tell that when Medders says, “Be engrossed by grace. Be engulfed in grace. Nothing deserves our obsession like the gospel,” he means it (41). I mean, how else could one look at a bottle of Drano and see a gospel word picture or likewise with high-voltage cables, punch cards, and bunker-busting missiles? What do I mean? Read these quotes:

“Keep dropping the high-voltage cable of the gospel on your heart and it will spark soon enough. It’s the power of God” (66).

“The gospel is like Drano for all that clogs up glad hearts” (88).

“Jesus smashed sin’s scepter, and now he reigns forever” (108).

“Grace isn’t a punch card; it’s a cross” (137).

“Every truth from the gospel is like a bunker-busting missile” (151).

These punchy, picturesque statements are reminiscent of the Puritans, who often artfully crafted arresting images of the Word, sin, or the gospel. It’s evident that, like the Puritans, the gospel has so captivated Medders’s attention that he looks at the world through gospel-tinted glasses. Everything he observes is potentially a vibrant and fresh expression of the gospel.

As I said at the beginning of this section, gospel-centeredness is a trending subject in recent years. Yet, if you poll champions of this movement, you might receive a plethora of definitions for gospel-centeredness. Just glance at pages 18-21 of Gospel Formed to see what I mean; Medders offers a fellowship of such definitions. One beneficial component of Gospel Formed is that Medders distills these definitions into a solitary coherent one:

“Gospel-centeredness means that the person and work of Jesus is the central message in all things; he is our model for all of life and ministry; the Son of God is our motivation in obedience to God’s Word; and Jesus of Nazareth is the means to carry out all that God commands.” (22)

Gospel Formed by J. A. Medders contains all the kindling necessary to ignite your heart with gospel affection.

1st Cent. Markan Fragment, Home Births, Reinke on Holiness, God’s Tapestry.

Owen Jarus. Mummy Mask May Reveal Oldest Known Gospel. (Live Science) HT Denny Burk

This first-century gospel fragment was written on a sheet of papyrus that was later reused to create a mask that was worn by a mummy. Although the mummies of Egyptian pharaohs wore masks made of gold, ordinary people had to settle for masks made out of papyrus (or linen), paint and glue. Given how expensive papyrus was, people often had to reuse sheets that already had writing on them.

Holy Ground by Chris Castaldo .99

Jim Wallis. The (Un)Common Good. Reviewed by Aaron Menikoff. (TGC)

Janie B. Cheaney. Worshiping Home Births. (WORLD)

Idol factories are fired up and working overtime; altars are adorned with people or things or (perhaps especially for women) “experience.” The devotion of some home-birth mavens gives them away: They don’t “trust birth,” they worship it. And like all idolmakers, they’re really worshipping themselves.

Tony Reinke. Regeneration to Resurrection and Holiness in the Middle.

I find it tragically easy to dislocate my pursuit of daily holiness (spiritual disciplines and progressive sanctification) from the broader picture of God’s redemptive plan over my life in Christ. Our hope of future resurrection must not negate the value of our daily progress, just as our daily progress must not diminish our hope for the incredible transformation that must happen to us in resurrection.

Tim Challies. God’s Tapestry.

Most of our good deeds go unnoticed and unmarked by others. I suspect that even we ourselves fail to notice or remember the majority of the good deeds we do. But not God. God sees them all, knows them all, remembers them all, and uses them all.

Psalm 119:160 “The same of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

“We have the truth and we need not be afraid to say so.” J. C. Ryle

What Are Some Specific Traits that Christian Fathers Should Instill in Their Daughters? My Answer for Crosswalk.com

Crosswalk.com: What are some specific traits that Christian fathers should instill in their daughters? – Joey Cochran from crosswalkquestions on GodTube .

Lecrae Confesses Abortion, Boy Retracts Afterlife Story, Cherishing Jesus Foreverness Work, Deep Small Group Prayer.

Tony Reinke. Lecrae Confesses Abortion, Invites Others into the Light. (DG)

On the other side are those who know such deep guilt can only be relieved by the open confession of sin, a story Lecrae Moore lived out firsthand, and a message he’s now willing to share. It was honesty that opened the door of healing for the 35-year-old Grammy Award winning hip-hop artist who has come forward to admit he advocated for the destruction of his own child in 2002.

Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches by James Hamilton $5.99

J. A. Medders. Gospel-Formed. Reviewed by Mathew B. Sims.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra. The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven Retracts Story. (CT)

Days after 16-year-old Alex Malarkey recanted the story that he co-wrote with his father Kevin about a visit to heaven, family members and the publisher are speaking out.

J. A. Medders. Cherishing the Foreverness of Jesus’ Work. (GCD)

Who has done more for us than Jesus? Who’s ever come close? No one loves like Jesus. No one and nothing delivers on their promises like Jesus. The good news of forgiveness from all of our crimes, being made a child of God and a co-heir with Christ, does the heart good . Forever. Jesus has wounded the Dragon, and he is coming back to get his girl, his beautiful church.

Steven Lee. 4 Suggestions to Deepen Your Small Group Prayer. (TGC)

We’ve all been there. Sitting in a living room, having just finished a Bible study, your small group now turns to a time of prayer by soliciting requests. Sally shares about her cat Freckles. Freckles is old and has a bad hip—so she asks for healing for Freckles. You can’t quite imagine the apostle Paul praying for his sick cat, but you don’t want to be a jerk so you join the others by bowing your head and praying for Freckles.

Something doesn’t seem quite right, but you’re not sure why.

“The veracity of God guarantees the trustworthiness of Scripture.” J. I. Packer

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

Our Father and our fathers, The Unconnected in Church, Self-Critical When Writing, Indispensable Value of Practical Theology.

Erik Raymond. Our Father is not like our father.

We all have the tendency to project a concept of fatherhood upon God instead of to receive the image that he projects. This is obviously due to the fact that we all have fathers. Some are or were better than others but none are or were perfect. All of our fathers had significant shortcomings—even on their best day.

The Gospel of the Lord by Michael Bird $3.99

James D. Bratt. Abraham Kuyper: Modern Calvinist, Christian Democrat. Reviewed by John Halsey Wood.

Eric Geiger. The Unconnected in Your Church.

Community implies participation, not merely association. The biblical word for fellowship ( koinonia ) carries the meaning of participation. God desires that His people care for one another, serve one another, love one another, and encourage one another—not that they merely attend the same weekend worship services, face forward, and hear the same messages.

For this reason, a church’s small groups are essential to help people shepherd and care for one another. If all a church cares about is her weekend worship services, she likely has a congregation filled with people who are only associating and not participating together.

Justin Taylor. Why and How to Be Self-Critical When You Write.

In self-criticism the creative use of the theological imagination is tremendously important.

Keep asking such questions as these.

David Murray. The Indispensable Value of Practical Theology.

Reformed Christians are famous (some would say “infamous”) for our emphasis upon theology; especially biblical theology, systematic theology, historical theology, and exegetical theology.

Just look at our creaking bookshelves and impressive libraries!

Critics, though, often ask, “Where’s your practical theology?”

And they sometimes have a point. At times we do struggle to translate the knowledge our heads are bursting with into our vocations, our families, our evangelism, our ethics, and other areas of the Christian life.

Romans 15:20 “And thus I make it my ambition to preach gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation.”

“I will put down all apparent inconsistencies in the Bible to my own ignorance.” John Newton

Stop Trying to Read the Bible in a Year!

Maybe it’s because I am weak. Maybe it’s because I’ve never successfully done it. For whatever reason, anytime people start talking up or talking about reading the Bible in a year, I get queasy, like when there is a strange odor in a room. My mind also immediately wanders to the Aesop fable of the tortoise and the hare.

Yes, I know reading the Bible in a year is ambitious. I know it is a huge accomplishment. I know that it’s a way to flex some sort of spiritual muscle and maybe even etch a new notch in your spiritual belt. Maybe it’s also supposed to be a bucket list item or something; it does seem awfully like running a marathon. Still, what is with our obsession to read the Bible in a year? I’ve just never understood it.

Just Keep Reading the Bible

Here’s the deal. This is what I think would work best for anyone. JUST KEEP READING THE BIBLE. Don’t ever stop.

A beloved professor of mine in seminary shared an anecdote with us. Apparently another professor had been asked to hand in his resignation, the reason was related to a moral failing. My beloved professor, after hearing about what would be, ran into his associate in the copier room. This professor, fairly direct as always asked, “What happened?” The response. “I stopped being in the Word. Never stop being in the Word.” And that was the interchange.

Friends, if you never stop being in the Word, then you will rarely begin your year of Bible reading with Genesis 1:1 on January 1, unless you’re one of those machines that reads Revelation 22:21 on December 31. At least I’ve never done it. I came close once. I think I finished the Chronological Study Bible before the next Valentines Day. I still think fourteen months is pretty good. More so than meeting reading benchmarks with ten bookmarks, focus in on savoring each morsel of the Word. You might stand just as well and it might be just as equally devotional to read one verse from Psalm 119 each day twice for the year.

Read the Bible Meditatively

I’ll be brutally honest with you about my pace. It’s slow. Super slow. Snail slow. This run through of reading the Bible began in October 2013. It’s now January 2015 and I’m in Ezra. I’m a slow plodder, but my aim is to absorb all I can and really chew on it. I want to see it affect me. I’m not so concerned about sprinting my way to the eschaton by December; I’m concerned with having unbroken fellowship with my Lord.

One of the most helpful tidbits I’ve learned about Bible reading is the importance of allowing the reading to draw you into worship. This time through, and really I think this is the reason why it is taking so long, is because I’m taking advice from Donald Whitney. In Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health he says, “Read the Bible daily and do not close it until you know at least one thing God would have you do in response to your reading” (38). In another place, just before, he says, “Read less, if necessary, in order to meditate more. There are astonishing promises attached to the meditation of Scripture” (38).

So that’s precisely what I’ve been doing. I’ve been reading meditatively, looking for the points that affect my heart, draw me into worship, and unleash me for action. Then I spend time rehearsing these truths and nursing upon them as well. I suckle upon them.

The Motive of this Madness

Sure, it’s an overreaction to say, “We should never try to read the Bible in a year.” There is a whole lot of joy that comes from getting the grand picture of the Bible narrative in a single year. There might even be an advantage to reading the whole book twice in a year or reading the Old Testament once and reading the New Testament twice. But don’t cloud your Bible reading with selfish ambition and vainglory. Don’t confuse your Bible reading motive and give into madness. If your driving motive to read the Bible is to get it done in a year, rather than to meet with the living God and become entranced by his glory, then you will burn out, right around now in fact: January 15th.

Most people have about two good weeks within them before they’re schedule becomes a train wreck and everything goes upside down caramel macchiato on them. Then when they get off their race pace, they just give up at the next water station they see and call it quits. The best way to be in the Word is to not see it as a race with a December 31st destination but as an everlasting journey with the Creator.

Let me put it to you this way. Which is a better claim?

I read the Bible in a Year.

I’ve never stopped reading the Bible.

I’m going to go with claim two, wouldn’t you?

Now, with either approach, there is this terrifying risk of slipping into moralism and triumphalism. Whether you’re reading the Bible in a year or reading the Bible all your life, you run the risk of missing the gospel. Don’t miss the brunt of the message! Whether we read in a year, read slowly, or read for a lifetime: we need to read to meet Jesus. The point is not so much for us to be in contact with the Word (the book the Bible) but for the Word (the incarnate, resurrected, and reigning Son of God) to be in contact with us. Christ’s transformational work in us comes through the sacramental power of the Book. Thus, we need to be in the Book and let the Book work its way into us.

I just want to tell you today that you don’t have to get it done in a year. It’s okay. You’re not a super Christian if you read the Bible in a year, nor are you an epic fail if you don’t. It’s okay to go slow. Slow and low that is the tempo. And even vary that tempo if you wish. JUST KEEP READING THE BIBLE for the rest of your life. That’s really what matters.

Slave Owners & Nazis, Christian Code Words, Love the Church, Satan’s Subversive Strategy.

La Shawn Barber. Comparing Christians to Slave Owners and Nazis. (WORLD)

This is how far we’ve come to breaking down all things decent. A person who believes what God says about sin and seeks to live out his faith is no better than an advocate for chattel slavery or a Nazi. (We could say the same about the homosexual lobby using the power of the government to push its agenda.) People who think this way have real power and care nothing about the religious freedom of Christians.

The Crucified King by Jeremy Treat $1.99

Timothy Keller. The Meaning of Marriage. Reviewed by Collin Hansen. (TGC)

Stephen Altrogge. A New Convert’s Guide to Understanding Christian Code Words.

People, this one will make you laugh…at yourself.

Jonathan Leeman. Love the Church More Than Its Health. (TGC)

I remember overhearing a church elder complain about a family who let their unbaptized children receive the Lord’s Supper when the plate of communion crackers was passed down their pew. What struck me was the elder’s tone. It was frustrated and slightly contemptuous, as in, “How could they?! The fools!” But these people were untaught sheep. Of course they don’t know better. And God had given them this elder not to complain about them, but to love them toward a better understanding. At that moment, it felt like this elder loved his vision of the biblical church more than he loved those individuals.

Sam Storms. Satan’s Subversive Strategy in Gospel Proclamation.

It’s so easy for us to walk into an auditorium each Sunday, or to gather during the week for a small group meeting, or to sit down with a few close friends over coffee, or attend a Bible study, and never give a second thought to the profound, invisible dynamics of what is happening unseen and imperceptibly in the spiritual realm. Do you have any idea what is happening when anyone explains Scripture or preaches the gospel? Do you have any idea of the spiritual activity that is hidden, unannounced, yet ultimately responsible for the response in people’s hearts to what is said? Do you have any idea how energetic Satan is to undermine everything that is said, to confuse those who are listening, to distract those who are trying to focus, to divert their attention at some crucial point when it seemed the truth of the biblical text was just beginning to penetrate their hearts?

“The Word of God is perfect, it is precious and pure, it is truth itself.” Martin Luther

Psalm 119:55 “I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.”

Women in leadership roles are no new thing. The Scriptures document leaders like Deborah, the Queen of Sheba, Maacah, Esther, and others who wield power and influence. Other women worked as means of income, some means were more noble than others: Rachel a shepherdess, Rahab a prostitute, Ruth a gleaner, Priscilla a tentmaker, and Lydia a seller of purple goods.

Surprisingly, processing what to think and expect – concerning women in the workplace – is a more ancient discussion than some suspect. Many assume that the First and Second Waves of Feminism in America’s nineteenth and twentieth centuries is the impetus of this discussion. See Margaret Elizabeth Kostenberger’s excellent historical sketch of feminism in Jesus and the Feminists for more on this.

Yet, as early as the fifth century B. C. men have philosophized about women in the work place. The lone example from Plato’s work, Timaeus , demonstrates this. At the beginning of this dialogue four companions rehash the Republic. Socrates says: “Moreover, we went on to say about women that their nature must be attuned into accord with the men, and that the occupations assigned to them, both in war and in all other activities in life, should in every case be the same for all alike” (21).

Complementarianism and the Workplace

Now I don’t assume to be an expert on discussing women in the workplace. Before the onset of this article, I pilfered my meager library of Complementarian resources to see what my tribe says about this subject.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find where Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem or Women in the Church edited by Andreas Kostenberger and Thomas Schreiner touched this subject.

So I turned to the Danvers Statement , the guide stone statement offering the undergirding rationale and public affirmation of complementarity for instruction. Interestingly enough, the Danvers Statement only broaches two spatial realities, “In the church…” and “In the home…” but leaves alone the workplace spatial location.

Is this ambiguity and silence intentional? Is it incidental? I think these are honest questions to ask.

The American Characterization of Female Bosses

Needless to say, a Complementarian view must not be silent on the subject of women in the workplace. A voice needs to be given. Why? Because we have a problem.

I’m not talking about a Complementarian problem. I’m talking about an American problem. We have a problem with the caricature sketch of the female boss. Think about it in film: in your movies and TV shows. What does she look like, the female boss?

I looked through my 600 plus movie collection (don’t judge) and glanced through the TV show category of Netflix recently to refresh my mind on every female character boss portrayed in film. And what did I come up with? Well, to begin, I came up with far too few examples of female bosses – far fewer than probably represent reality.

Then those examples I did find kept on being sketches like Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) from The Devil Wears Prada or Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) from The Proposal . Their television equivalents might be Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) and Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) from The Office . These are portraits of hard, overbearing, and outright mean bosses.

I consulted my wife asking, “Am I off-base here?” To which Kendall responded, “No. Film has a knack for portraying females as butchy bosses.” Both Kendall and I agree that this portrayal is a shameful stereotype that must be turned upside down!

Together, we came across one anomaly, from the groundbreaking show inspiring single moms everywhere during the 2000’s – Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls . She’s the kind of female boss with which anyone would want to work: direct, visionary, tenacious, smart, influential, problem-solving, customer-oriented, sympathetic, and business savvy. We need more portrayals like this. This would make it so much easier, not to answer this question, but to coach anyone on how to work for and with a female boss.

Working for Your Female Boss

Quite honestly, the answer to the question posed in the article title is quite simple. Yes! You can work for a woman. In fact, if statistics bear out accurate, half of you are working for a woman. According to a Pew Research Report from December 2013 nearly the same percentage of women as men are working in managerial and administration roles.

It’s the how that comes as a challenge. Not because she is a female. But because you are a male, and you have a hard time submitting to anything: Jesus, your dad, your teachers, your male boss, or your female boss. Men, in particular, war against submission.

If you’re interested in what I think about how to work for a female boss, then you’ve just been teased. I have a guest contribution running over at the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood later this month for their Men’s channel series on Work. There I will tell you what I think. You’ll just have to wait until then.

In the meanwhile, what do you think about this subject? How would you tackle it? Is my reading of the cultural milieu around female bosses in the media accurate? I’m interested in your thoughts.

Markers of Discipleship, Before Quitting a Pastorate, Biblical Sexuality Catechism, When Prayer Comes Out of the Closet.

Ed Stetzer. Don’t Miss the Three Markers of Discipleship. (CT)

Lately there’s been a lot of talk about spiritual formation and discipleship, and rightfully so.

I think we can all agree there’s a discipleship deficit in many churches. There isn’t a whole lot of discipling going on, even though that’s precisely what we, as Jesus’ followers, were commissioned to do—make disciples.

So leaders are asking questions like, “What should we do?” and “How should we do it?” There are plenty of successful models that have been tried in a variety of contexts. But how can we best make disciples right where we are?

Willing to Believe by R. C. Sproul $1.99

J A Medders. Gospel Formed. Reviewed by Aaron Armstrong.

Nick Batzig. 7 Things to Remember Before You Quit a Pastorate. (Christward Collective)

While it is difficult to determine the precise percentage, almost all studies have shown that the average pastor leaves a church within the first five years of ministry there. Though reasons for this vary from situation to situation, this much we can be sure of: Far too many pastors quit when they begin to come up against the difficulties and discouragements that come along with pastoral ministry. Here are seven things that every pastor must remember when tempted to quit a particular pastoral ministry…

Douglas Wilson. A Chiastic Catechism on Biblical Sexuality.

This is an extremely creative, well thought through catechism. You need to look this over!

David Mathis. When Prayer Comes Out of the Closet. (DG)

Prayer is at the very heart of the Christian life. Not only is it obedience to God’s command, but it is a vital means of our receiving his ongoing grace for our spiritual survival and thriving. And the joy of prayer — communing with God — is essential to what it means to be Christian. Without prayer, there is no true relationship with him, and no deep delight in who he is, but only glimpses from afar.

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

“The Bible is a supernatural book and can be understood only by supernatural aid.” A. W. Tozer

A Word for Writers and Publishing Houses from William Bridge

This quote arrested my attention today as I finish up reading William Bridge’s, A Lifting Up for the Downcast . It’s a very direct word to writers and publishers.

It’s always nice when someone reaches across the shroud of death to bring you a fitting message. I don’t know what the Lord’s plans are for my writing or affection for serving the publishing industry long term. If it’s nothing more than promoting gospel-centered resources through the best reviews I can write, while maintaining my blog, I’m content with that.

Regardless, I like what Bridge says and what it means, especially as I consider how my pastoral calling will work in tandem with my calling to write. If you’re a pastor with writing aspiration, someone who works in the Christian publishing industry, or simply a writer who wishes to provide edifying resources through Christian publishing, you might want to keep this quote. This quote really helps me process, come in alignment, and heed the caution that some of my older mentors and leaders give as they discourage writers from publishing to early.

Yea, the serviceable man is the only man who lives and speaks when he is dead; I mean for God. Some are very active and serviceable for the devil. Whilst they live, they write and print wanton, filthy books, and they speak while they are dead, but it is still for Satan. Others are very active and serviceable for God; while they live, they write and print works of faith and holiness; and they also speak when they are dead.

Let’s be careful of what we write and say that might live on beyond our life. Will it honor the Lord? Will it lead others to a Godward legacy? Pray diligently that your writing and efforts will.

Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down by Tony Merida

This review first appeared at Lifeway’s Pastors Today.com .

Tony Merida. Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down . Nashville: B&H, 2014. 137 pp. $12.99.

Have we inadvertently sensationalized the Christian mission? Have we exalted “rockstar” Christians – those who live radically as missionaries and pastors – leaving ordinary folk believing they can be nothing more than fans? Have we missed that loving justice and doing mercy is an ordinary activity for ordinary people?

Tony Merida thinks so. Now, before you regrettably assume that this is a reaction to the message of David Platt’s Radical , let me dispel this error. Platt and Merida are friends; their messages harmonize. Merida says, in regards to Platt, “Platt has encouraged me for years, particularly with his emphasis on global missions. I hope to echo much of Radical in Ordinary , with some of my own applications” (xi).

Likewise, you might have come across Michael Horton’s recent book, Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical Restless World , and wondered: “How are these two books with same titles distinct? Should I bother with one, the other, or neither?” Now, I admit I’ve read Merida’s book and not Horton’s. But I have interacted with reviews of Horton’s. Knowing Horton’s general knack for popularizing New Covenant Theology and his smart cultural engagement, his is probably the book that wrestles through megachurch, rockstar apostle, and rogue Christian angst with theological acumen.

Merida, on the other hand, doesn’t present a reactive posture – which there’s nothing wrong with; we should react against novelty methods that evaporate like dew. This book is just not about that. Ordinary presents how you, Everyday Ellen and Joe Shmo, don’t have to be Dressey Bessey and Dapper Dan of radical missions. Compassion, hospitality, loving orphans, advocacy, and humility are ordinary demonstration of Christian living, and each of these topics – this remarkable pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina – presents in five sequential chapters.

To simply put the thesis of Ordinary before you, Merida says:

“ Ordinary is a call to, like Job, wear justice. It’s a call to live with a social conscience at all times. It’s a call to care for the vulnerable, not merely on mission trips, but in the ordinariness of our days. It’s a call to conduct our everyday affairs with honesty and integrity. It’s a call to work the character of God deeply into our hearts so that we will care about what God cares about. But it’s not a call to be radical; it’s a call to be ordinary. It’s a call to a new normal.” (10)

One thing I love about Ordinary is how Merida presents this new normal alongside Aristides report to the Emperor Hadrian in AD 125. Aristides tells Hadrian that Christian’s ordinary activities include loving the vulnerable and practicing cheerful, loving hospitality. Non-Christian leaders in AD 125 saw Christians living for a different King, King Jesus, and were astonished by the social transformation that occurred. Though we don’t take our cue from doing what is effective for affecting the world, we do not shy away from doing what the world clearly recognizes as biblical. The question we ought to ask is, “Do world leaders see Christians today as Aristides and Hadrian saw Christians in AD 125? Do they see us faithfully living out our biblical principles?” If not, then we should read Ordinary with an extraordinarily keen level of attention.

Merida doesn’t have to build a bulletproof case from Scripture for compassion, hospitality, loving orphans, advocacy, and humility. Who would argue against those values? Still, he wastes no opportunity to overwhelm with storehouses of texts from both the Old and New Testament. These texts reinforce an attitude of gospel proclamation that produces gospel mission. A singular example from Merida’s second chapter on Kingdom Hospitality suffices. Merida says, “For Jesus, the table was a place for friendship, welcome, gospel communication, and mission” (41). Pages 42 through 48 unpack this principle regarding Kingdom Hospitality from Old Testament through New. Other chapters, similarly, include tables, bulleted sections, or litanies of scriptural evidence to support the proposition undergirding that chapter.

You won’t close Ordinary without hearing about William Wilburforce, a portrait that points to the essential necessity of a humble heart. “William Wilburforce was an ordinary Christian … What made him great? Answer: God-centered humility” (105-106). Though he wasn’t a man of stature, Wilburforce was pivotal in fighting the slave trade. Others throughout Ordinary , who adopted, gave compassion, or advocated for the voiceless will inspire you. But Merida doesn’t stop with touching stories, he unpacks practical principles, even as simple as offering a list of websites to find more information about how you may help (127-128).

The peril of any book that focuses on doing is self-righteousness or self-justification. Not with Ordinary . This review ends with an anchoring concept from the book’s beginning, a gentle reminder for each. Jesus didn’t head to Jerusalem because you loved your neighbor well. It’s quite the opposite. “He’s going to the cross because no one completely loves God and neighbor the way the Bible Demands” (24).

Tony Merida in Ordinary astutely reminds you that humble, compassionate love is ordinary living for every Christian.

Design Should Matter More, Indicators of Evil, On Being Ordinary, Matt Heerema Interview.

C. Christopher Smith. Design Should Matter More to Christians. (RELEVANT)

In compiling this list and in conversations about why it was necessary, I have become convinced that design should matter more to Christians. (And if you think Christians have cornered the market on bad design, you should check out the Lousy Book Covers blog , which features bad design from all genres of the publishing industry.)

The Cross and Salvation by Bruce Demarest $4.99

Jonathan Dodson. The Unbelievable Gospel. Reviewed by Andy McLean. (TGC)

Leslie Vernick. Five Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart. (ABC)

As Christian counselors, pastors and people helpers we often have a hard time discerning between an evil heart and an ordinary sinner who messes up, who isn’t perfect, and full of weakness and sin.

I think one of the reasons we don’t “see” evil is because we find it so difficult to believe that evil individuals actually exist.

Tim Challies. On Being an Ordinary Christian.

One of the more popular blog posts I’ve written, and one that seemed to resonate with many of those who read it, is the one in which I declared the goodness of the ordinary , or really, the goodness of being ordinary. Ordinary has since been a popular theme in Christian publishing, with two books now sharing that title, and a host of others carrying similar ones: Boring , Mundane , Normal , and so on. I’m glad for this new emphasis.

Mathew Sims. Culture Creators: An Interview with Matt Heerema.

One of my favorite ongoing blog series is LifeHackers’ How I Work . Simple questions about how people in a variety of workplaces get stuff done. As I read more and more of these, I kept thinking about wondering about creative people I know and what their answers might be. That got me thinking. Why not host an interview series at my own blog with Christians who are working with excellence, who I admire, and who do creative stuff? I was concerned about getting enough people to host a meaningful series, but the yeses kept rolling in. So here we are.

1 Corinthians 10:14 “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

“God’s mind is revealed in the Scripture, but we can see nothing without the spectacles of the Holy Ghost.” Thomas Manton

Muslims & Blasphemy, Pauline Theology Panel, Reading More, Bible > Moral Stories, Waiting Patiently.

Faatimah Knight. How Muslims Should Respond to Blasphemy. (First Things)

Many think religious believers simply shouldn’t care when confronted with blasphemy. But a lackadaisical indifference to life is no more civilized than excessive or misplaced sensitivity. In the wake of this tragedy it has become clear that free speech is sacred to many—beyond reproach. For Muslims, the personhood of the Prophet Muhammad and all prophets of God are sacred, so how might we negotiate the sanctity of free speech and that of our religious figures?

Gospel Formed by J A Medders FREE

Alistair McGrath. If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis. Reviewed by David Steele.

A Tour De Force Panel Discussion on Paul’s Theology. HT Ben Witherington III

Mathew Sims. 15 Ways to Read More in 2015. (CBMW)

Men especially, as you lead your home, value reading, value books, and value good stories. Doing so will provide gospel in-roads as your shepherd your homes, as you seek to read Scripture to your family, and as you seek to mature as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as you seek to multiply disciples in your sphere of influence. Here’s fifteen ways you can read more in 2015.

Ed Stetzer. The Bible Is More Than Stories of Morality. (CT)

It is safe to say that most churches want their kids and students to learn the Bible. But in reality, as you’ll often hear The Gospel Project team say, it is possible to teach Bible stories without ever teaching the Bible story.

In other words, it is possible to teach the Bible in a way that is not distinctively Christian.

There are many too many approaches to teaching the Bible that teach people values, virtues, and behavior – and that’s it.

Tim Challies. On Waiting Patiently.

Waiting. For an imperfect and impatient person like me, it is one of the most difficult things to do—to wait with hope and patience and faith.

Isaiah 25:8 “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

“The Word is the chariot of the Spirit, the Spirit the guider of the Word.” Stephen Charnock

Is It Wrong for a Christian to Be an Introvert? My Answer for Crosswalk.com

Crosswalk.com: Is it wrong for a Christian to be an introvert? – Joey Cochran from crosswalkquestions on GodTube .

10 Quotes from Ordinary by Tony Merida

During this last week, I’ve really enjoyed sitting with Tony Merida’s book Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down and learning from his wisdom. Here are 10 quotes that I gleaned from this text. If you’re interested in reading more about this book, please visit Lifeway’s Pastors Today , where my review is currently posted.

1. “Jesus himself knows what it means for the righteous to suffer. He was the ultimate innocent sufferer” (6).

2. “The mercy and justice of God meet at the cross, where our redemption comes from” (13).

3. “He’s going to the cross because no one completely loves God and neighbor the way the Bible demands” (24).

4. “You’re never moving in the wrong direction by obeying the Great Commandment” (32).

5. “Hospitality is a culturally appropriate way to do faithful evangelism, and a practical way to do ordinary mercy and justice” (42).

6. “Jesus was separate from sin, but never isolated from people” (47).

7. “How much more should we care about people made in God’s image? Value people because you treasure their Maker. Don’t sit idly by while others mistreat God’s treasured possession” (66).

8. “God uses ordinary people to speak up for the voiceless, and He gets all the glory from the victories” (93).

9. “We can identify with the weak and powerless, for we were weak and powerless before Christ rescued us” (110).

10. “Prayerlessness clearly demonstrates a belief in our own self-sufficiency” (117).

Andrae Crouch, Intergenerational Friendships, Moral Equivalence, Theological Extremism.

Robert Darden. Remembering Andrae Crouch, Dead at 72. (CT)

O n the stage of Waco Hall, I was worried that the world was about to come to an end way too soon and I just wasn’t ready. In 1972, I saw—for the first time—Andrae Crouch and the Disciples performing “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” “Soon and Very Soon,” “My Tribute,” “Through It All,” and “Bless His Holy Name.” I was both mesmerized and a little frightened.

Death by Living by N D Wilson .99

G. K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd. Hidden But Now Revealed. Reviewed by Jennifer Guo.

Joseph Rhea. Why The Church Needs Intergenerational Friendships. (TGC)

A deepening pool of ink has been spilled over the “generational gap” problem. As Western culture ghettoizes within generational borders, how can churches best minister to these increasingly divided tribes? Blend worship? Accommodate with traditional and contemporary services? Target one generation and let the others get used to it or worship somewhere else?

Jesse Johnson. The Ineptitude of Moral Equivalence.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, yesterday a Newspaper office in Paris was attacked by gunmen who murdered twelve people. The specific targets were the paper’s editorial cartoonists, and the motive for their murder was the fact that they had often drawn cartoons disparaging Mohammad.

Albert Mohler. Theological Extremism in a Secular Age.

The war on terror took on a savage new face yesterday when two gunmen entered the headquarters of a French satirical newspaper known as Charlie Hebdo and opened fire, killing 12 people—10 people connected with the newspaper and two police officers.

Psalm 119:24 “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.”

“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.” C. H. Spurgeon

Are You Sailing on a Ship Called Inheritance?

Ever since I was a little boy I dreamed of sailing. As a buccaneer you could see me steer a couch through reefs and storms. Or on a cool clear starlit night I’d lay and read on a black rubber raft in my backyard pool after a long day of rowing in circles. I’d read stories of adventurers like Frank and Joe Hardy, Huckleberry Finn, or Prince Caspian who set sail on adventures and imagine myself in their place. To this day, I have never done more than kneeboard off the back of a speed boat.

Yet I’ve sailed; I’ve sailed for 20 years on a ship called Inheritance. A ship that the Captain recruited me for before I’d ever recognized rudder from sail, before I’d ever floated in embryonic fluid.

This ship sets sail for eternal shores, and it’s for those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. This metaphor of a ship called Inheritance I borrow from The Gray Haven’s recently released album Fire and Stone . The first track of the album, called “Inheritance,” I’ve probably listened to on single repeat for over a month.

David Radford, songwriter and musician from the Gray Havens admits he has an inclination towards sailing lyrics. Fire and Stone is not the first album to raise sails. Their previous album, another good one, Where Eyes Don’t Go , boasts a ship on the cover.

“Inheritance” begins with the creaking of a ship’s keel upon waves and the subtle crash cymbal roll of thunder upon the horizon. The lyrics describe the peculiar engineering that propels this ship to its destination. No sail, no oar for this ship, only assuring golden chains calmly pull it to its end (Rom. 8:30). None of its occupants will be lost to Davy Jone’s Locker. Each occupant confesses they treasure the light that guides the way for the ship and reflect that light with bold confidence.

The subtleties and profoundly smart lyrics of “Inheritance” are representative of the rest of Fire and Stone . Grounded in theological reflection from the likes of today’s thinkers, John Piper or Sam Storms, and yesterdays, C. S. Lewis or Jonathan Edwards, make The Gray Haven’s writing sophisticated and worshipful.

Everyone in our home has their favorite track from the Fire and Stone album. You’ve just heard a little bit about one of mine. Our children love the sassy attitude of “Stole My Fame”; my wife enjoys listening to the piano-driven, whimsical, ballad, “Music, They Call Me.” And I find myself trading back and forth between “Inheritance” and “Songs in the Night.” In a word, for a family who has diversified and eclectic tastes of music, we’ve found Fire and Stone to have a little bit of everything everyone enjoys.

The Gray Haven’s lyrics have the thoughtful wit and metaphoric storytelling of Andrew Peterson. My wife tells me that David Radford reminds her of a cross between Ben Rector, Gavin DeGraw, and Matt Nathanson. David and Licia are just as winsome, gentle, and loving in person as they are in song. I can testify to this having met them at the Words and the Word conference in Louisville, followed by a couple coffees with David here in Chicagoland.

The lyrics to “Inheritance” are below followed by the video for my other favorite “Songs in the Night.” You’ll definitely want to watch that video. It’s so good!

You can visit the Gray Haven’s Bandcamp page and download “Far Kingdom” and “Sirens” for free here , but I encourage you to head over to iTunes today and download this new album for a reasonable price.

There’s a ship that bears the name Inheritance

It’s pulled by golden chains from where it ends

With calm assurance carries on

And those aboard the ship

Were once among the ones who scoffed at it

But not a single one was lost

To it the sealed of the Inheritance

We will treasure and we will hold on

To the light, the light before us

We’ll be confident we’ll be bold if

We know the light is for us

On forever we’ll see and know it

We will ever be lights reflecting

The Inheritance, the Inheritance

The darkness of the waves are death

And death we know was stripped and made

The light creates for those of the Inheritance

The deeper we’re brought down inside

The darkest shadows deeper found

Where joy was full and light was shining down

For those who would believe

No Black Leaders, Skip Church Football?, One You Can Trust, Deconstructed Gospel.

Anthony Bradley. There Are No ‘Black Leaders’ Including Al Sharpton. (Acton)

If there is one thing black progressives and black conservatives have in common it is the shared opinion that Al Sharpton is irrelevant and does not represent “black interests” because there is no person who fills this role. Al Sharpton represents himself and whatever particular non-profit he leads. That’s it. Nothing more.

Edwards on the Christian Life by Dane Ortlund $2.99

J. A. Medders. Gospel Formed. Reviewed by Mike Leake.

Trevin Wax. Would You Skip Church for Football?

But even if we allow for some margin of error, or we take into consideration the halo effect, it’s still stunning how many churchgoers say, “Nope. I won’t skip worship to watch football.” The number of those who would skip is noticeably higher in men (nearly 1 out of 4) than women (1 out of 10), but even so, most churchgoers say their commitment to worship takes precedence over a sporting event.

Jen Thorn. The One You Cannot Trust.

When we are faced with important decisions we should be quick to pray, to seek wisdom in God’s people, and truth in God’s word. In fact we must be careful not to listen to the whispers of our heart until we have first measured everything against the word of God. Know God’s word well. As disciples it is our calling to submit ourselves, our hearts, and our decisions to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

This is a very important lesson to teach to our children. To help them understand and see that our feelings are not always accurate and that our hearts can, and will, lead us in the wrong direction. God word is the only measure for what is right, true and pure (Psalm 19).

Do not follow your heart, but the Maker of your heart.

Jonathan Romig. The Deconstructed Gospel. (GCD)

So what about Jesus’ life and ministry is good news for us?

Just about every Christian I know has trouble answering this question. Usually someone will bring up Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (something I like to call the three days gospel) and how through them God gives us eternal life. That is absolutely true and so beautiful. But what about the other thirty-three years of Jesus’ estimated lifespan? Do those years matter for us too? This is why I break down the gospel into three days and thirty-three years.

Psalm 8:9 “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

“The great argument of Scripture is the glory of God’s own name.” Charles Simeon

Why do people publicize their reading list? That’s a fair question.

Publicizing your reading list can lead others to think you’re braggadocios. But really, there is much more to it for those who dare to make such a list available. In reality, most reading lists I see from my peers are awfully ambitious. They are this way for a reason. We each only have so many days that we get to see the fiery sun set. We each only have so many mornings to rise before it does and read what amount we may before we drudge through the more mundane aspects of life.

Having an ambitious reading list and making it public creates an atmosphere of accountability. Even if no one checks in and asks, “So, how’s it coming along?” Still, we assume that they may. And that, in the littlest bit, stirs us to keep trudging through our reading plan.

Publishing your reading list also creates a record. Sure, I could create a file in my computer, but that won’t be nearly as helpful as this list with all its links. This way I can click through myself and purchase these books if and when the time comes to reading them. Of course, quite thankfully, many of these are already in my library.

Finally, publishing your reading helps others. It helps them find good books to read. Quite honestly, I’ve already snagged one of my 2015 reads from another’s reading list. And I hadn’t heard of the book beforehand either. So, maybe, just maybe, you might find something that captures your curiosity — something, perhaps, that you have never heard of either.

So take a look at these 20 reads I’ll venture through in 2015:

1. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones (Reformation Heritage Books) .

2. Against Heresies by Irenaeus (Hendrickson) .

3. The Marrow of Theology by William Ames (Baker Books) .

4. The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall (Banner of Truth) .

5. A body of Divinity by Thomas Watson (Banner of Truth) .

6. The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter (Banner of Truth) .

7. The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Samuel Bolton (Banner of Truth) .

8. The Origin of Christology by C. F. D. Moule (Cambridge University Press) .

9. Crucifixion by Martin Hengel (Fortress Press) .

10. The Bible in the Sixteenth Century edited by David C. Steinmetz (Duke University Press) .

11. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin (Wings Press) .

12. Nathan Coulter (Port William) by Wendell Berry (Counterpoint) .

13. The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ edited by John Mark Reynolds and Roger Overton (Crossway) .

14. The Sense of Style by Steve Pinker: The Thinking Persons Guide to Writing in the 21st Century (Viking Adult) .

15. The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper (Baker Books) .

16. The Epistles of John by Raymond E. Brown (Yale University Press) .

In addition to these books, I have a goal to slowly start reading through important classics in the Loeb Library. Because my list above is so ambitious, I’ll probably only read four of these this year. Here are the classic works I’d like to read this year from the Loeb Library.

17. Timaeus by Plato (Harvard University Press) .

18. Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle (Harvard University Press) .

19. The Lives of the Caesars: Julius, Augustus, Tiberias, Gaius, Caligula by Suetonius (Harvard University Press) .

20. How to Write History by Lucian (Harvard University Press) .

Heaven Will Never Be Boring, My Husbands Not Gay, The Immodest Girl at Church, 7 Reasons Not to Worry.

David Radford. Heaven Will Never Be Boring. (DG)

In his sermon, “Heaven, A World Of Love,” Jonathan Edwards — in a way that is nothing short of breath-taking — brilliantly unpacks the staggering realities of our joy in heaven.

Here are just a few of these realities…

Pursuit of God by A W Tozer $1.99

Francis Watson. Gospel Writing: A Canonical Perspective. Reviewed by Craig L. Blomberg. (Themelios)

Denny Burk. My Husband’s Not Gay.

TLC will air a special on January 11 titled “ My Husband’s Not Gay .” It follows the lives of several different Mormon men who experience ongoing same-sex attraction but who have also chosen to be married to women. They have families, and they are trying to live out the teachings of the Mormon faith, which prohibits homosexual conduct and encourages conjugal marriage. Watch ABC News’s report about the program above.

Erin Davis. What to Say to That Immodestly Dressed Girl at Church. (True Woman)

When speaking to parents and leaders of teenagers, I often hear a version of this question:

“There is a girl in my church (or a group of girls) who wear totally inappropriate clothes to church. What do I say to her?”

Kevin DeYoung. 7 Reasons Not to Worry.

Worry may be the most common sin among your “regular” folks in the church. Now, you may think that’s not very encouraging. “Great, I worry about everything. And now on top of my worrying I am going to feel bad about worrying and I am going to worry about that.” But be encouraged: If worry is just a part of your personality or part of being a mom (or a student or a businessman or whatever), God may not do anything to help you. But if worry is a sin, then God can forgive you for it and help you overcome it.

Matthew 6:25-34 is one of the Bible’s great passages on worry. Three times Jesus says “do not be anxious” (25, 31, 34). But he doesn’t stop there. Jesus is interested in more than handing down commands. He wants to get at our hearts. And so he gives seven reasons why we should not be anxious.

Psalm 37:11 “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”

“There is a fulness in all Scripture far beyond our conception.” J. C. Ryle

3 Reasons Why I Took a Break from Writing

Every December I take a little bit of time to break from writing. I do this in December for a number of reasons. First, it’s the holiday season where I can redirect my attention on the first Advent of Christ. Second, since it’s the holiday season, it’s very busy. There are a lot of events, traveling, and special times to be with family. Third, December is notoriously the slowest month of blog traffic anyway, which makes it an ideal time to rest from it.

As I return to my normal rhythm of writing, I’d like to encourage other writers to find a time in the year to break as well. There are a number of sweet spots in the year to do this. What’s most important is that you take time to do it. If you want, you can fill in your break with guest contributions. I’ve done that in the past. I didn’t this year, and you’ll find out why in my reason for taking a break.

If you don’t happen to be a writer, then keep reading. You have a hobby or discipline with which you devote much time. The principles below will apply to that interest just as well as they apply to writing. Regardless of what hobby you pursue, building in periodic breaks from that hobby is a healthy strategy.

Here are my three reasons why I took a break from writing.

1. It tested my desire for writing

When I willingly took a break from writing, it caused me to step back and measure what it’s all about anyway. I took time to test the motives of what I was doing. Is it about success, fame, influence, joy, learning? What is my writing about? Is it about me?

It’s easy to get caught up in metrics and to find ones self in the snare for success. Taking a break helped me let go of longing for success, whether in the form of following or views. When I let my blog feed go dead, I sensed my ambition die as well. Letting my blog go dead also prevented my blog from going to my head. I know, that’s a cutesy rhyme, but it’s a mnemonic device reminding me that my writing is not about me nor is it simply for me. It’s for others to learn, to grow, and to go and disciple others.

It’s so easy to stray from these fundamental purposes. The narcissistic tendency is strong within each of us. It’s part of our fallen DNA. So anytime we can kill this self focus, recalibrate our affections away from ourself and outward to others and the Lord, the better it will be for the gospel and the glory of God.

This is why I didn’t ask for guest contributions this year. I just wanted to watch my site flat-line and enjoy the fact that I was okay with it.

Times like these also really help people like me make sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Taking a break is a test. At the end of the break there is always that moment of decision. Do I still want to keep doing this? Would anyone really miss it if it were gone? What’s the point in all this effort and time? Is it really worth my while?

It’s these moments that help us define who we are and why we do what we do. It’s these moments that help us determine what’s most important and how to balance the most important with the less important.

2. It gave me time to focus on my family

Speaking of what’s most important. What’s most important for any leader and pastor is to have a healthy family. Writing takes time. And it’s time that pulls away from family. This can be to the detriment of a family’s health.

There are few things more important than leading your family well and managing your household well. That’s why this concept is an important qualification for every elder (1 Tim. 3:4). If you’re not managing your household well, then you shouldn’t be writing. You don’t have the right to write. There I go with those mnemonic devices again.

Taking a writing break was an immense opportunity for me to place my attention on my family. It helped me evaluate how I was doing at my role as husband and father. Furthermore, taking a break opened up opportunity for me to travel with my family, have fun nights out together, do special projects, and do all sorts of other fun activities with them. Each year, I’ve found this to be refreshing. In many ways, it gives me so much more to write about after my break. My family teaches me much about life, love, and the Lord.

3. It gave me time to rest and read

A final reason why I took a break from writing was to get rest and to read more. Most writers have day jobs. So they are keeping the candle lit pretty late into the night as they tap away on their keyboard. The break from writing let me soak in more knowledge and resources that I might in turn deploy in future writing. Because of my writing break in December, I was able to fit in a couple more reading projects and finish up a couple other ones ahead of time.

Likewise, sometimes I just need to rest my mind from how much I overwork it. Between the tweets, the cranking out of 500-1000 word posts daily, the guest contributions, and anything else on this knowledge worker’s mind — a period of rest is super refreshing. Though I didn’t write, I had time to organize my thoughts and plot a plan for future writing. I considered how I might undertake some of the bigger writing projects in the future. I organized my reading plan for this next year (which you’ll get to see tomorrow), all with the purpose of sharpening my knowledge base and setting up for more thoughtful writing in the future.

I’m a runner. And one thing every runner know is the value of diet and sleep. Runners perform far better when they’ve eaten healthy and have gotten long nights of sleep. Writing is very similar. Writers will write better if they have a steady diet of quality reading and plenty of downtime. In fact, as I’ve watched some of my peers over the last year, I’ve noticed that the better writers write fewer pieces and devote more time to making those pieces shine.

That’s a spectacular idea! One that I think I will attempt.

The Dissolving Family, Families Eating Together, Church & Mental Illness, Pray for Other Churches.

Thomas Kidd. The Church and the Dissolving American Family.

A new Pew report has confirmed what we’ve known was coming for the American family: a majority of American children now live in homes without married parents in their first marriage. The reasons behind this “new normal” of the broken American family are complex but are certainly related to factors including the “sexual revolution” that began in the 1960s, the advent of no-fault divorce, and generational patterns of people having children out of wedlock.

As The Washington Post and virtually all observers note, single parenting (a burden carried mostly by women) is a major feature of this massive change in American family structure.

Worldly Saints: The Puritans As They Really Were by Leland Ryken $2.99

Kevin DeYoung. The Hole in Our Holiness. Reviewed by Blair Smith. (Ref21)

Tim Challies. 5 Reasons We Eat Together as a Family.

Eating dinner together was a tradition Aileen and I adopted and, with only occasional exceptions, is one we maintain today. Here are some reasons we prioritize eating together.

Stephen Altrogge. Making the Church a Safe Place for Mental Illness.

We’re called to bear one another’s burdens, even if we don’t totally understand those burdens. We’re called to lift one another up, to strengthen one another, and to shower the love of Christ on each other. Church should be the safest place for those who struggle with mental illness. It should be a place of refuge amidst the constant misery. Don’t you agree?

So how can we make the church a safe place for those who struggle with mental illness? Here are a few suggestions.

Eric Bancroft. 5 Reasons to Pray for Other Churches. (Ligonier)

When natural disasters take place, churches act lovingly to care for other affected churches. But why must we wait until problems strike and only help in physical ways? I propose that we act now with the greatest resource we have and for the greatest goal: that churches reflect the character of God.

Here are five reasons why churches should pray for other churches in their city…

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

“The Word is an ocean, without bottom or banks.” Thomas Manton

Should Christians Watch Television? My Answer for Crosswalk.com

Crosswalk interviewed me on my views of television. Hear what I think about New Girl, idleness, and Edward’s and Augustine’s cautions about TV. If you’re viewing from a mobile device just click through the link.

Crosswalk.com: Should Christians watch television? – Joey Cochran from crosswalkquestions on GodTube .

Unionizing Professors, Church Trends, Church & Singles, Omitting Christ’s Descent into Hell.

Mark Bauerlein. Why Religious Colleges Should Worry About This New Ruling. (First Things)

Last month, the National Labor Relations Board issued an important ruling that promises to land in the courts. The ensuing decision may be as momentous as the Yeshiva case of 1980, which determined that tenured and tenure-track faculty members have managerial status and cannot unionize. The new ruling opens the way for more professors in post-secondary institutions to unionize, including religious schools.

A Household Gospel by Mathew Sims $0.99

Sinclair Ferguson. From the Mouth of God. Reviewed by Derek Brown. (TGC)

Thom Rainer. 15 Trends for Churches for 2015, part 1.

At the beginning of every year, I attempt to present to you the major trends for congregations for the coming twelve months. I review my predictions from previous years to see how accurate I am. I have come to two conclusions. First, I am far from perfect in my predictions. Second, I do have a decent track record.

Some of my trends are called “tipping points.” Formally defined, a tipping point is the critical moment in an evolving situation that leads to a new and somewhat permanent reality. In simple terms, a tipping point here means that something has changed in our churches to the point that it appears to be permanent.

With that in mind, I present to you my 15 trends for 2015. They are presented in reverse order of their potential magnitude. Today, you will read trends 9 to 15. On Monday, I will conclude with trends 1 to 8.

Lore Ferguson. Church: Set Up Your Singles. (CT)

Local churches are intended to be the incubator for future marriages, not online dating sites and hookup apps. Can God use the common grace of online matchmaking? Absolutely. Is it best? I would argue no. No matter how perfectly crafted our online dating profiles, how strategic our selfies, or how appealing we can make ourselves sound, these sites cannot replace the efforts of those who know and love us in helping us find a spouse. Pew research tells us, “Even today, the vast majority of Americans who are in a marriage, partnership, or other serious relationship say that they met their partner through offline—rather than online—means.”

Mark Jones. Keeping “Christ’s Descent into Hell”. (Ref21)

Rick Phillips has posted a provocative piece on why his PCA church does not recite the full version of the Apostles’ Creed. I was actually surprised to learn that many Southern Presbyterians omit the phrase, “He descended into Hell.” Pastor Phillips makes a strong argument, but one that leaves me unconvinced.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

“Old truths are always new to us if they come with the smell of heaven upon them.” John Bunyan

My 10 Favorite Reads of 2014

I read a lot of great book in 2014. Many of them brand new books that affected me in all sorts of ways. Others, that are not so new books, packed a huge punch for my spiritual life. Still, other books made me look at life from a whole new perspective.

Reading from a variety of genres and from a variety of time periods is inestimably helpful. There is so much that we can borrow from the past to learn for the future. Likewise, there is so much we can learn from another’s perspective that is so very different from our own.

Here are my 10 favorite reads from 2014. They are in no particular order.

1. The Institutes of Christian Religion by John Calvin. Edited by John T. McNeil. (WJK)

2. The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor. (Macmillan)

3. On Writing Well by William Zinsser. (Harper Collins)

4. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses by Richard Bauckham. (Eerdmans)

5. The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni. (Jossey-Bass)

6. Lectures to my Students by Charles Spurgeon. (Hendrickson)

7. Meet the Puritans by Joel Beeke and Randall J Pederson. (Reformation Heritage Books)

8. Is There a Meaning in This Text? by Kevin J Vanhoozer. (Zondervan)

9. The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges. (Banner of Truth Trust)

10. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible: The Pastoral Epistles with Philemon and Jude by Risto Saarinen. (Brazos)

A Poem When Something is Off, Diff. b/t Prot. & Cath., Stylish Acad. Writing, Read the Bible in 2015.

Gavin Ortlund. A Poem for Times When Something is Just Off.

I really enjoyed reading this poem from Gavin. I’ve kinda gone through such a period as he describes over the last few months. So this really resonates with me. I hope maybe it might help you.

Strange Fire by John MacArthur $3.99

Timothy Keller. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. Reviewed by David Steele.

Bryan Chapell. What is the Most Important Difference Between Protestants and Catholics? (Christianity.com)

This 2.5 minute video is a helpful introduction on understanding the distinctions between Protestants and Catholics. Check it out!

Scot McKnight. Stylish Academic Writing.

Putting those two words before the word “writing” creates for many an impossibility or a rarity so infrequent one need not bother. Yet, Helen Sword, in her book Stylish Academic Writing , contends page after page that the two ought to be combined and that academics with a desire to be more stylish and elegant in their writing can do so.

David Mathis. Resolved: To Read the Bible. (DG)

Whether you feel like a beginner, or the grizzled old veteran, one of the most important things you can do in 2015 is regularly read the Bible for yourself.

It is a remarkable thing that we have Bibles we can read personally, whenever we want. For most of the church history, and still today in many places in the world, Christians have not had their own personal copies of the Bible. They had to gather to hear someone read it to them. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” ( 1 Timothy 4:13 ) was all they had for Bible time.

But now, with printed Bibles and electronic options galore, we have priceless access to God’s very words to us, words that we are so tragically tempted to take lightly. Reading your own copy of the Bible daily is not a law that every believer must abide; most Christians have not had this option. But daily Bible reading is an extraordinary means of God’s grace. Why miss this bounty and blessing?

Psalm 11:4 “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.”

“God is a very interested observer of what men say and of what men do in the world.” Ralph Venning

Top 10 Most Affective Christian Books Published in 2014

I review a lot of books — normally one a week — and most of which are published the same year I review them. There are a number of factors that go into a quality book. Reviewers should take into account everything about a book from the cover to the back cover. But one of the most important factors, particularly in a Christian book, includes how the book moves a reader to response. For a Christian book to be successful it must be affective, it must move the reader to response.

This response comes in a number of ways. The reader may be moved to act upon what is learned from the book. The reader may think differently about the subject than he or she did before reading the book. The reader may be stirred to share about the book with others. The reader may be motivated to read more on that particular topic. The reader may influence others by training or equipping them on whatever the book discussed. These are some of the many responses that a reader may have towards a book.

This list is of the Top 10 Most Affective Christian Books Published in 2014 : these books moved me and challenged me in some particular way into action. I think these books might do likewise with you, which is the point in reading, isn’t it?

Last, as I said, I review a lot of books, and I am particular about what I review. I’m a reviewer more than a critic. In other words, I’d rather put good books in front of people rather than deconstruct poorly written or argued books. So, if you wish to check out the bulk of what else I reviewed in 2014, since most of it is really good content, go over to Lifeway’s Pastors Today web blog and find some more excellent reading.

So here are my selections for most affective Christian books published in 2014:

10. The Pastor’s Kid by Barnabas Piper (Cook)

9. What’s Best Next by Matt Perman (Zondervan)

8. Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung (Crossway)

7. Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer (B&H)

6. Faith Speaking Understanding by Kevin J Vanhoozer (WJK)

5. Facing Leviathan by Mark Sayers (Moody)

4. The Stories We Tell by Mike Cosper (Crossway)

3. How Not to Be Secular by James K A Smith (Eerdmans)

2. Prayer by Timothy Keller (Dutton)

1. Real Christian by Todd Wilson (Zondervan)

Stay tuned tomorrow to see my 10 favorite reads of 2014: regardless of genre and year that they were published.

Newsweek & the Bible, Top 10 Bibl. Arch. Discoveries, New Year’s Habits, 10 Q’s for New Year, Why We Feast.

Justin Taylor. The Many Sins of Newsweek’s Expose on the Bible. (RNS)

It is a tradition in American journalism as predictable as Easter and Christmas itself: a cover story purporting to reveal the true story behind the Bible we thought we knew. Newsweek — now in its digital-only form — offers the latest entry in this genre with “ The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s a Sin ,” written by Vanity Fair contributing editor Kurt Eichenwald.

Ordinary by Michael Horton $3.99

Gregg R. Allison. Roman Catholic Theology and Practice. Reviewed by Leonardo De Chirico. (TGC)

Gordon Govier. Biblical Archaeology’s Top Ten Discoveries of 2014. (CT)

A flurry of year-end announcements provided some late-breaking additions to the list of archaeological discoveries made public in 2014. Below are the top ten findings of the broad variety of institutional and salvage excavations taking place in the lands of the Bible.

Joe Carter. Don’t Just Make a Resolution — Make a Habit. (TGC)

Making New Years’ resolution is one of my favorite end-of-year activities. Every year I’m encouraged by the idea that in a mere 12 months I will have become a (marginally) better person. But every year I’m unable to keep the resolve in my resolutions for more than a few months. I’ve tried to be more persistent (Resolution #12 – 1988), develop more willpower (Resolution #9 – 1993), and even “resolved” to keep my resolutions (Resolution #1 – 1998). Nothing ever seems to be effective.

This year I’m trying something different. Instead of just making new resolutions, I intend to make new habits.

Donny Friederichsen. Why We Feast. (Christward Collective)

New Year’s Day, like Thanksgiving before it, is often a time of feasting and celebration. We gather together with family and friends to celebrate new beginnings and the prospects of a new year ahead of us. However, there is much in the way that I have always celebrated at these times that seems borderline gluttonous. If I had to bet, I would guess that many of you are silently nodding your heads with me. Now, at the risk of sounding like the college freshman who has come home from school for the holidays after becoming all-knowing and all-wise through a semester of Philosophy 101 at university, may I raise a fair question for Christians? Is it right to feast so sumptuously and bountifully? Or is it bad stewardship, greedy, and gluttonous? I hope my question has not squelched all possibility of celebrating and feasting because I believe Scripture gives us good reason to celebrate with a bounteous feast. I believe the answer to this question rests in an attitude of worship, the practice of hospitality, and the nature of fellowship.

Don Whitney. Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year. (Christianity.com)

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. “Consider your ways!” ( Haggai 1:5 ) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going.

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

“Scripture is the library of the Holy Ghost.” Thomas Watson