It seems to be trendy to post a summer reading list, so like a lemming, here I go with mine:
- The Cross of Christ (John Stott)
- The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Leon Morris)
- Pierced for Our Transgressions (Jeffery/Ovey/Smith)
- In My Place Condemned He Stood (Packer/Dever)
- Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die (John Piper)
- The Cross He Bore (Frederick Leahy)
- A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War (Victor Davis Hanson)
- Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations (Alex and Brett Harris - audiobook)
- Hebrews: Reformed Expository Commentary (Richard Phillips)
Most of the above titles are on my list because I’m planning an adult Sunday school class for my church this fall on the subject of the cross. (To clarify: I don’t know if the class will actually be approved by the powers-that-be. I’ve proposed the class, and gotten a “maybe” as a response; I’m preparing the materials over the summer so that I’ll be ready to go if the class is green-lighted.) I plan to focus on the different ways the Bible talks about what was secured for believers (or on behalf of believers) on the cross - justification, propitiation, reconciliation, etc.
The Hanson title is my “beach reading” book - or it would be if any beach time were in the works for the summer. Instead of the beach, I’m getting a new baby girl. (I’ll take that trade!) I like ancient history, and I like Hanson’s work in general. (I’m one chapter in already, and am enjoying it very much.)
I picked up the audiobook version of Do Hard Things the other day while I was at a bookstore to pick up a computer book for a work project. It’s targeted at teenagers, but 1/3 of the way through the book, the Harris boys are doing a fine job of challenging this 36-year-old. When I’m finished with it, I’ll probably give the CD’s to my church’s youth group. (Drew - you want it?)
I’m also starting to study my way through Hebrews, and the Phillips commentary will be a good resource for that.
I’ll post reviews as I get through each of the above works. (I’ve read a few of them before, but I plan to tackle them again this summer.)
Tags: books • cross • Hebrews • reading
June 29 2008 | 1 Comment »
As usual, John Piper’s words are used by God as a 2×4, applied directly to my forehead:
I suspect that the reason the Ten Commandments begin with the commandment “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) and ends with the commandment “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) is that they are essentially the same commandment. They bracket the other eight and reveal their source.
Read the whole thing.
Tags: commandments • coveting • John Piper • sin
June 25 2008 | No Comments »
No, I’m not dead.
Just super busy, with offspring #4 on the way (and trying to make an early delivery, which is NOT good) and business going gangbusters.
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June 23 2008 | No Comments »
When I left for the Together for the Gospel conference last week, I was planning to post to this blog frequently, and maybe even upload some video. In my backpack was a huge stack of newly-minted business cards, which I hoped to distribute to raise my company’s profile so I could (eventually) get some business from churches. However, while sitting in the airport getting ready to leave Seattle Monday night, I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to change my plans. The laptop stayed in the bag, and I gave out less than 10 cards - and only then because my email address was on them. I didn’t go to T4G as a business owner or a citizen journalist, but as a Christian.
I also decided to wait until a week after my return had passed before posting my reflections on the conference. Had I posted during or immediately after the event, I would have gushed about Sproul’s or Piper’s message (which were excellent, as were the others), or about how much the worship moved me (apparently, hands were raised, which isn’t something I’m prone to do). In the week since I’ve been back, I’ve relistened to five of the eight messages (I’m going in reverse order, so I’ve reviewed the sermons by Mahaney, Piper, Mohler, Sproul and Dever, with Macarthur, Anyabwile and Duncan still to go) and spent a lot of time thinking and praying. The usual “conference glow” has largely subsided.
And one week later, I can say this with complete confidence: T4G 2008 changed my life.
By God’s providence, the Wednesday speakers - Macarthur, Dever, Sproul, and Mohler - together set forth a glorious picture of the Gospel. They together pointed out areas where the Gospel is under attack in our day, and held forth the glorious truth of Jesus dying in our place, bearing our just punishment and satisfying the wrath of His Father, becoming a curse for us. (As Sproul so powerfully put it, “the gospel is our only hope - and it is hope enough.”)
And then Thursday morning, John Piper spoke on how that same gospel spurs us on to radical sacrifice. One of the texts Piper used was Hebrews 13:12-14:
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
At T4G, God stirred my heart. I want to go outside the camp - no, I want to go to Jesus outside the camp. I want to bear his reproach.
I used to me a little angry with my church because it seemed that I rarely get opportunities to teach (and never to preach), even though the feedback has been uniformly positive whenever I’ve done so. I think I see now why God orchestrated my forced sabbatical - there was a lot of pride in me that needed to be dealt with. I’m not saying that I’m now pride-free (that likely won’t be the case until I’m with Jesus), but at least now I see it and I hate it for the destructive sin that it is.
If God wants me to teach the gospel to a few 5 year olds, I’ll do it. If God wants me to go back to school, I’ll do it. (Granted, He’ll have to supply the means to do so - I do have a family that relies on me!) I’m not putting any parameters or limits on this. I’ll suffer if I have to. I’ll do without if I have to. I’ll look like a fool if I have to. I’ll take any opportunity that God brings my way to proclaim His gospel, because it is the world’s only hope. And it is hope enough!
Here I am, Lord. Send me!
Tags: gospel • John Piper • preaching • RC Sproul • t4g • teaching
April 25 2008 | 1 Comment »
On his blog, CJ Mahaney offers some great advice for pastoral teams attending Together for the Gospel as a group. Having the entire pastoral team attend events like this together must surely beneficial - my church’s pastoral team (and several lay elders) attended this year’s Shepherd’s Conference as a group, and the feedback was very positive from all who attended.
However, I’m going to T4G by myself this year, and I certainly don’t want to miss out on the comradery just because no one else from my church is coming. I’m already planning to do some things that will help me meet new people - attending the Band of Bloggers event, sharing a hotel room with a pastor I’ve only met via email, etc.. Anyone out there have additional ideas?
Tags: CJ Mahaney • t4g
April 11 2008 | 3 Comments »
From an Reuters article:
Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday.
Wow - what a jumbled mess of misconceptions, all wrapped up in one sentence. A few reminders for our friends at the Holy See:
- Christianity has several branches, not all of which are contained in or represented by the Roman Catholic church.
- Islam also has at least two main branches (Sunni and Shia), not to mention smaller branches like Wahhibism.
- If you compare the number of Christians worldwide (Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox), we still outnumber the Muslims by quite a bit.
- The numbers aren’t nearly as interesting as the rate at which the numbers are changing - the first derivative, if you will. The real problem for the Vatican isn’t bragging rights for the largest group, but the fact that the number of Muslims is growing much more quickly than the number of Catholics.
Tags: catholicism • islam
April 01 2008 | No Comments »
Random thoughts from a Tuesday morning:
- For Easter, my wife bought me an iTunes gift card, which I promptly spent on albums by Jeremy Casella (10,000 Angels) and Andy Gullahorn (Reinventing the Wheel). I recommend both highly.
- Today is the day of the “big ultrasound” - if the baby cooperates, we’ll know whether a boy or a girl is coming in late July. We’re taking our three kids with us today to watch, which should be interesting! To be helpful, I told my 3-year-old son that copious quantities of blue goo was involved. Not sure if that will prove to be a good idea or not…
- I’ve been listening through John Piper’s sermon series on the new birth, and I’m almost caught up with the podcast. In the sermon I listened to yesterday, Piper pointed out an interesting relationship between I John 1:8 and I John 2:1. The verb translated “we have” (the Greek echomen) in both is a present active indicative, which indicates a continuous state of affairs. The first verse makes it clear that we have sin - that sinfulness is my condition right now. The second verse tells me that Christ is my advocate right now - to the same extent. Right now, as I type this on my computer, two things are true about me: I am sinful, and Christ intercedes for me. Those twin truths keep me from pride on the one hand and despair on the other.
- I’m thinking about buying a Flip camcorder - they get really good reviews. Anyone out there have any experience with this device?
Tags: Flip camcorder • jesus • John Piper • music
March 25 2008 | No Comments »
This song by Sandra McCracken just came up in my iTunes rotation, and the lyrics perfectly sum my feelings right now:
No more my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done
I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of Thy Son
No more my God
No more my God
No more my God
I boast no more
Now, for the loss I bear his name,
What was my gain I count my loss
My former pride I call my shame
And nail my glory to His cross
Yes, and I must, I will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus’ sake
O may my soul be found in Him
And of His righteousness partake
Amen, amen
The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before Thy throne
But faith can answer Thy demands
By pleading what my Lord has done
Tags: easter • good friday • lyrics
March 21 2008 | No Comments »
I’m floored at God’s provision.
Like many others, I’ve been trying to win a ticket to the Together for the Gospel conference by answering the questions posted at the T4G blog. In fact, my wife and I had decided that I would go only if I won a ticket. Today, Mark Dever posted the winners of the last questions I’d submitted an answer for - and I wasn’t a winner.
I didn’t take it well, frankly. I was discouraged, depressed, and angry. Very little work got done this morning. I spent an hour pouring out my heart to my longsuffering wife, but we both agreed that it wasn’t God’s will for me to go this year.
But apparently God had other ideas. When I finished my gripe session (calling it for what it really was!), I heard a beep on my phone, telling me that I had just received an email. That email, it turned out, bore news that I had a ticket to T4G reserved in my name! (I won’t go into the specifics, but someone associated with T4G had blessed me in ways that make no sense apart from God’s leading.)
So, why did God do this? I can think of a few reasons:
- To keep me from sinning further with my bad attitude
- To encourage me with the event itself
- To make it clear that His provision is sufficient for me
- To make it clear that His power is greater then I give him credit for
- To refocus me on His grace on Good Friday
So, with immense gratitude to my Father, I have a plane ticket and hotel to book.
Tags: t4g
March 21 2008 | 1 Comment »
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