Have you ever wondered how we get our English translation of the Bible? Here is a nice snapshot.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx06mtApu8k?wmode=transparent]
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Mr. September...The Beast!
Ethan is finishing another year of baseball. These pictures are nice little snapshot of the Beast doing his thing. Thanks to Jason Brewer for the pictures.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
I Don't Know How She Does It
On Monday I was hard at work when I received a text from my sweet wife. She suggested lunch and a movie. I can't pass those opportunities up, so I agreed. I had never heard of the movie she wanted to see, but it didn't matter, I just like hanging out with her. Then I watched the trailer:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSi3LdUrq18
I immediately began to fear that 90 minutes, I mean this really looked like a serious chick flick.
Afterwards though, I was amazed at the interesting social critique that I had just witnessed. I am of the age where many films from my youth were about dads and kids (think Hook and the like). These films all had a common theme: Dad was a workaholic and sacrificed his family for a ride up the corporate ladder. However, in each film something happens where Dad changes course and becomes a family man to save his marriage and family.
I Don't Know How She Does It was the complete opposite. This time it is Mom who is rising the corporate ladder and sacrificing her family and marriage.
It struck me that this is new. The film doesn't bash on working moms, quite the contrary. But, it does ask the pointed question to these moms, "what's most important?" I find it fascinating that the Dad is now seen as the steady, supportive, rational, and faithful spouse. The Mom is the self-centered, irrational, and nearly un-faithful spouse. The roles have been reversed.
I think that we need to be aware of what is going on here. Pop culture is crying out for Moms. As much teasing as June Cleaver has taken since the feminist revolution, there is a hunger for what only a mother can provide. Men took the heat and from what I can tell, in my peer group, are engaging with their families. Pop culture is now looking at the Mom and asking, "where are you?"
I suppose when it comes down to it we must realize this one thing: We need both. Moms and Dads. We need them working as teams juggling the complexities of life together. We need the pendulum to find its equilibrium on this one.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSi3LdUrq18
I immediately began to fear that 90 minutes, I mean this really looked like a serious chick flick.
Afterwards though, I was amazed at the interesting social critique that I had just witnessed. I am of the age where many films from my youth were about dads and kids (think Hook and the like). These films all had a common theme: Dad was a workaholic and sacrificed his family for a ride up the corporate ladder. However, in each film something happens where Dad changes course and becomes a family man to save his marriage and family.
I Don't Know How She Does It was the complete opposite. This time it is Mom who is rising the corporate ladder and sacrificing her family and marriage.
It struck me that this is new. The film doesn't bash on working moms, quite the contrary. But, it does ask the pointed question to these moms, "what's most important?" I find it fascinating that the Dad is now seen as the steady, supportive, rational, and faithful spouse. The Mom is the self-centered, irrational, and nearly un-faithful spouse. The roles have been reversed.
I think that we need to be aware of what is going on here. Pop culture is crying out for Moms. As much teasing as June Cleaver has taken since the feminist revolution, there is a hunger for what only a mother can provide. Men took the heat and from what I can tell, in my peer group, are engaging with their families. Pop culture is now looking at the Mom and asking, "where are you?"
I suppose when it comes down to it we must realize this one thing: We need both. Moms and Dads. We need them working as teams juggling the complexities of life together. We need the pendulum to find its equilibrium on this one.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Book Review: The Grace of God by Andy Stanley
The The Grace of God
by Andy Stanley seeks to make the marvelous and overwhelming concept of God's grace accesible to the every day, average Christian. Stanley traces the theme of God's grace through out the entirety of Scripture. He begins with Genesis and ends with the Great Commission. Stanley writes with a gentle, every man's approach. There is nothing heady or difficult. One need not worry about finding themselves in the deep end of the pool in this book.
The book broken into 13 chapters all ending in "by Grace". I think the best chapters are the introduction, Chapter 1: In the Beginning, Grace; and Chapter 13: Commissioned for Grace. The beginning and end are very well done. I think that Stanley's approach regarding Genesis 1-3 is very helpful and provides good insight into what is happening in the Garden of Eden. The final chapter is helpful because the church is called to live out its grace mission.
However, I think that in the middle chapters Stanley is filling space. There is not much being said. There is nothing very "new", in the sense that, you can find it written elsewhere. I found myself getting bored and wondering why this book was written when there are other books on the same topic that have been done much better.
Please hear me, there is nothing inherently wrong with this text. It is biblical and orthodox. It's just that other writers like Stott, Packer, Tozer, Edwards, Keller, and Piper have written books that are more engaging, more insightful, and just as accessible.
Would I recommend the book? Sure.
But, I won't read it again. Why? Because it is just too thin. It doesn't grab the imagination or the heart. It doesn't challenge me on every page. It's ho-hum.
by Andy Stanley seeks to make the marvelous and overwhelming concept of God's grace accesible to the every day, average Christian. Stanley traces the theme of God's grace through out the entirety of Scripture. He begins with Genesis and ends with the Great Commission. Stanley writes with a gentle, every man's approach. There is nothing heady or difficult. One need not worry about finding themselves in the deep end of the pool in this book.
The book broken into 13 chapters all ending in "by Grace". I think the best chapters are the introduction, Chapter 1: In the Beginning, Grace; and Chapter 13: Commissioned for Grace. The beginning and end are very well done. I think that Stanley's approach regarding Genesis 1-3 is very helpful and provides good insight into what is happening in the Garden of Eden. The final chapter is helpful because the church is called to live out its grace mission.
However, I think that in the middle chapters Stanley is filling space. There is not much being said. There is nothing very "new", in the sense that, you can find it written elsewhere. I found myself getting bored and wondering why this book was written when there are other books on the same topic that have been done much better.
Please hear me, there is nothing inherently wrong with this text. It is biblical and orthodox. It's just that other writers like Stott, Packer, Tozer, Edwards, Keller, and Piper have written books that are more engaging, more insightful, and just as accessible.
Would I recommend the book? Sure.
But, I won't read it again. Why? Because it is just too thin. It doesn't grab the imagination or the heart. It doesn't challenge me on every page. It's ho-hum.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
One Story, One People, One Mission
In my opinion, One by U2 is the greatest song of the 20th century. That's a big statement, I know. But seriously, listen to this and tell me it's not awesome:
It strikes me that this could be a theme for the people of God. There is a distinct theme of oneness in the Scriptures. Ephesians puts it this way:
This is a great summary of the teaching of "one". Paul highlights this core teaching because it is central to our identity as Christians and it is central to maintaining the authority of Scripture.
I think I would summarize it this way, "One story, one people, one mission."
There is one story. The story of the God of the universe actively pursuing his glory. In the midst of this story we find heartbreak, promises, love, joy, sadness, and redemption. This story is the overarching story. There are many mini stories that make up the chapters of this larger story. We see a Father pursuing his child. We find stories of exile and redemption. We experience a bridegroom sacrificing for his bride.
There is one people. These are the chosen people of God. They were hand picked by him from before the world began. These people come from every tongue, tribe, and nation. These people are called the sons of Abraham. They are people who live by faith not by sight. They are people who have come to the end of themselves and found themselves to be wanting. They are people who though dead have been made alive. These are the people of God, one people, from the beginning.
There is one misson. This one people of God who find themselves in the midst of the one story of God find that they are on a single mission from God. This mission is like nothing that they have experienced before. It is not about what they should be doing or not doing. It is not about rules, laws, or legalism. It is not about going close or going far. It is about finding in their daily lives that they are to be pursuing the very same thing that their God is pursuing - his glory. In doing so they live, act, and do things differently. They become a people concerned about what their God is concerned about. They become a people who press out locally, regionally, and globally joining their God at every turn.
Some may argue that God works differently with his people at different times. They may argue that certain people are more special to God than others. They may state that there is a great distinction between the first 39 and the last 27 books of the Scriptures. I would encourage these people to take a step back and consider Ephesians 4:1-6 and then go listen to a little U2.
It strikes me that this could be a theme for the people of God. There is a distinct theme of oneness in the Scriptures. Ephesians puts it this way:
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
(Ephesians 4:1–6 ESV)
This is a great summary of the teaching of "one". Paul highlights this core teaching because it is central to our identity as Christians and it is central to maintaining the authority of Scripture.
I think I would summarize it this way, "One story, one people, one mission."
There is one story. The story of the God of the universe actively pursuing his glory. In the midst of this story we find heartbreak, promises, love, joy, sadness, and redemption. This story is the overarching story. There are many mini stories that make up the chapters of this larger story. We see a Father pursuing his child. We find stories of exile and redemption. We experience a bridegroom sacrificing for his bride.
There is one people. These are the chosen people of God. They were hand picked by him from before the world began. These people come from every tongue, tribe, and nation. These people are called the sons of Abraham. They are people who live by faith not by sight. They are people who have come to the end of themselves and found themselves to be wanting. They are people who though dead have been made alive. These are the people of God, one people, from the beginning.
There is one misson. This one people of God who find themselves in the midst of the one story of God find that they are on a single mission from God. This mission is like nothing that they have experienced before. It is not about what they should be doing or not doing. It is not about rules, laws, or legalism. It is not about going close or going far. It is about finding in their daily lives that they are to be pursuing the very same thing that their God is pursuing - his glory. In doing so they live, act, and do things differently. They become a people concerned about what their God is concerned about. They become a people who press out locally, regionally, and globally joining their God at every turn.
Some may argue that God works differently with his people at different times. They may argue that certain people are more special to God than others. They may state that there is a great distinction between the first 39 and the last 27 books of the Scriptures. I would encourage these people to take a step back and consider Ephesians 4:1-6 and then go listen to a little U2.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Review: Radical Together by David Platt
Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God
is David Platt's follow up to Radical is well worth the little bit of time that is needed to read it. The best part is the discussion guide in the back. There was nothing new in the text that one didn't find in Radical.
Overall I think that it is well written. It is accessible for any Christian at any point in their walk with God. I think that it's strength lies in the stories and illustrations.
The danger of this text is that of legalism. Platt does a good job of trying to combat this temptation. However, I think that this book in the hands of a young believer could lead to some assumptions about the Christian faith that are not necessarily true. There can also be the temptation to the development of a two-tiered Christianity. Those who live "radical" and those who "don't". Again, I think that Platt tries to hedge this but, as with any writing that calls one to action this is a potential danger.
The first chapter is worth the price of the book. It is entitled "Tyranny of the Good". Platt challenges the assumptions of the church by asking what is "best" as opposed to what is "good". This kind of questioning led his community of faith to abandon many "sacred cows" and focus their time and energy on the taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. I love the subtitle to this chapter, "One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church." This is so very true. Chapter one is the high point of the text and really the only fresh material that wasn't already covered in his previous text, Radical.
Chapter 2 seeks to undo some of the confusion surrounding Radical, that is, whether or not there is a two-tiered Christianity. Platt argues for a "saved from work, saved to work" perspective which is helpful. Though his argument gets a bit muddled in the middle with too many stories. He starts strong and finishes strong but gets a bit sideways. I think that he would would have been left to argue for the position that salvation comes by God's sovereign grace and that this necessarily means that he must be Lord and not simply fire insurance. It seems that Platt was trying to get to this point without opening the "Lordship Salvation" debate.
Chapter 3 highlights the centrality of God's word and is wonderful. Chapter 4 focuses on how God uses broken people to bring about his mission. Chapter 6 reads like an abridged version of Desiring God and as a result is very encouraging.
Yes, I skipped chapter 5 intentionally because it requires a few comments. This is where Platt argues for a global mission. I appreciated his call to reach the world. Reading it, I felt like I was reading Come Help Change the World by Dr. Bill Bright. However, in the midst of this chapter Platt takes a shot at the missional church movement. He does so gently, but I think that his understanding of missional is wrong-headed. He actually goes on to argue for the missional perspective while trying to argue against it. He sees missional as supremely local. This is not a proper understanding. Missional church is one that takes seriously the command to reach Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world. This means that the missional church is seeking to take the gospel locally, regionally, and globally. This is the very thing that Platt argues for!
I would highly recommend this book for a small group or discipleship group discussion. While it is not perfect, it does force us to ask some very difficult questions of ourselves.
Note: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
is David Platt's follow up to Radical is well worth the little bit of time that is needed to read it. The best part is the discussion guide in the back. There was nothing new in the text that one didn't find in Radical.
Overview
Overall I think that it is well written. It is accessible for any Christian at any point in their walk with God. I think that it's strength lies in the stories and illustrations.
The danger of this text is that of legalism. Platt does a good job of trying to combat this temptation. However, I think that this book in the hands of a young believer could lead to some assumptions about the Christian faith that are not necessarily true. There can also be the temptation to the development of a two-tiered Christianity. Those who live "radical" and those who "don't". Again, I think that Platt tries to hedge this but, as with any writing that calls one to action this is a potential danger.
Detailed Review
The first chapter is worth the price of the book. It is entitled "Tyranny of the Good". Platt challenges the assumptions of the church by asking what is "best" as opposed to what is "good". This kind of questioning led his community of faith to abandon many "sacred cows" and focus their time and energy on the taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. I love the subtitle to this chapter, "One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church." This is so very true. Chapter one is the high point of the text and really the only fresh material that wasn't already covered in his previous text, Radical.
Chapter 2 seeks to undo some of the confusion surrounding Radical, that is, whether or not there is a two-tiered Christianity. Platt argues for a "saved from work, saved to work" perspective which is helpful. Though his argument gets a bit muddled in the middle with too many stories. He starts strong and finishes strong but gets a bit sideways. I think that he would would have been left to argue for the position that salvation comes by God's sovereign grace and that this necessarily means that he must be Lord and not simply fire insurance. It seems that Platt was trying to get to this point without opening the "Lordship Salvation" debate.
Chapter 3 highlights the centrality of God's word and is wonderful. Chapter 4 focuses on how God uses broken people to bring about his mission. Chapter 6 reads like an abridged version of Desiring God and as a result is very encouraging.
Yes, I skipped chapter 5 intentionally because it requires a few comments. This is where Platt argues for a global mission. I appreciated his call to reach the world. Reading it, I felt like I was reading Come Help Change the World by Dr. Bill Bright. However, in the midst of this chapter Platt takes a shot at the missional church movement. He does so gently, but I think that his understanding of missional is wrong-headed. He actually goes on to argue for the missional perspective while trying to argue against it. He sees missional as supremely local. This is not a proper understanding. Missional church is one that takes seriously the command to reach Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world. This means that the missional church is seeking to take the gospel locally, regionally, and globally. This is the very thing that Platt argues for!
Conclusion
I would highly recommend this book for a small group or discipleship group discussion. While it is not perfect, it does force us to ask some very difficult questions of ourselves.
Note: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
I Want To Announce My Presence With Authority
In one of the greatest scenes in movie history LaLoosh is on the mound and after being shaken off, Crash Davis, comes to the mound. LaLoosh will only throw his fastball and Davis wants him to throw something off speed. But LaLoosh demands to throw it to "announce my presence with authority". Davis tips the batter as to the pitch and here is what happens...
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20NEbFeXU7w
LaLoosh didn't have authority. What about our faith? Do we have any authority? Is there any authority over us?
"In Christ" and "sovereign grace" two huge topics that we have tried to summarize briefly through their ramifications in our lives. Hopefully we were able to somewhat answer the "so what" of these issues. I just realized that another central issue is our view of the Bible. Is it authoritative? Is perfect? Inerrant? These questions and so many more fly about in conversations in coffee shops all over the place.
I want to take a little different angle on this question. I am more concerned about whether or not the Bible really is the history and narrative of the people of God. If it is then it truly informs us our past and gives us insight into our present and future. It speaks to us in a way that nothing else can. How we deal with this issue determines much about how we interact with the Bible and how we understand ourselves.
To begin with we must ask - Is there continuity in the Bible? Is there one dramatic line of thought from beginning to end? If there is, then we have a text which is timeless and provides us the guideposts and direction we need. If not, then what we have is a loose collection of interesting writings, but nothing truly authoritative.
I tipped my hand. Authority of the text, in my opinion, comes from its internal consistency. If it is not internally consistent then it cannot be trusted to be authoritative.
The Bible is the means by which we come to an understanding of who God is and what he wants from us. If it's found to be without consistency how do we know anything? If it's found to be consistent then it demands from us something more than an hour or so a week.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20NEbFeXU7w
LaLoosh didn't have authority. What about our faith? Do we have any authority? Is there any authority over us?
"In Christ" and "sovereign grace" two huge topics that we have tried to summarize briefly through their ramifications in our lives. Hopefully we were able to somewhat answer the "so what" of these issues. I just realized that another central issue is our view of the Bible. Is it authoritative? Is perfect? Inerrant? These questions and so many more fly about in conversations in coffee shops all over the place.
I want to take a little different angle on this question. I am more concerned about whether or not the Bible really is the history and narrative of the people of God. If it is then it truly informs us our past and gives us insight into our present and future. It speaks to us in a way that nothing else can. How we deal with this issue determines much about how we interact with the Bible and how we understand ourselves.
To begin with we must ask - Is there continuity in the Bible? Is there one dramatic line of thought from beginning to end? If there is, then we have a text which is timeless and provides us the guideposts and direction we need. If not, then what we have is a loose collection of interesting writings, but nothing truly authoritative.
I tipped my hand. Authority of the text, in my opinion, comes from its internal consistency. If it is not internally consistent then it cannot be trusted to be authoritative.
The Bible is the means by which we come to an understanding of who God is and what he wants from us. If it's found to be without consistency how do we know anything? If it's found to be consistent then it demands from us something more than an hour or so a week.
