5 Ways Blogging Has Made Me a Better Writer

Academics spend considerable time writing: dissertations, journal articles, books, reference letters, memos, and even blog posts. But most of us receive very little training on how to write well. They teach us how to find good information (research) and how to record that information in our footnotes and bibliographies. But everyone seems to assume that if you’ve made it all the way to “academic” status, you must know how to write.

That’s what I used to think. I was wrong.

I’ve begun reflecting on what I’ve gained from blogging. And some of the most important lessons so far have been about writing. To be honest, I’ve learned more in the last two years about how to write well than I learned in any of my college or seminary classes.

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John Chrysostom on harming oneself

January 27th is one of the feast days for John Chrysostom (347-407), so I thought we could honor this day by reading part of a wonderful sermon he wrote: No One Can Harass the Man Who Does Not Harm Himself. (As a side note: every sermon written by Chrysostom is wonderful! He was called Golden Mouthed after all!)

Thus in no case will any one be able to injure a man who does not choose to injure himself: but if a man is not willing to be temperate, and to aid himself from his own resources no one will ever be able to profit him. Therefore also that wonderful history of the Holy Scriptures, as in some lofty, large, and broad picture, has portrayed the lives of the men of old time, extending the narrative from Adam to the coming of Christ: and it exhibits to you both those who are upset, and those who are crowned with victory in the contest, in order that it may instruct you by means of all examples that no one will be able to injure one who is not injured by himself, even if all the world were to kindle a fierce war against him. For it is not stress of circumstances, nor variation of seasons, nor insults of men in power, nor intrigues besetting you like snow storms, nor a crowd of calamities, nor a promiscuous collection of all the ills to which mankind is subject, which can disturb even slightly the man who is brave, and temperate, and watchful; just as on the contrary the indolent and supine man who is his own betrayer cannot be made better, even with the aid of innumerable ministrations.

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Flotsam and jetsam (1/27)

Good Reads

  • The New Black Theology: Accordingly, the new black theology is best described as the new theology, no (dis)qualifying adjective necessary. In it we see Christian theology at long last incarnating the material conditions whereby the good news becomes good news. (On a related note, you should check out Anyabwile’s Where Does Blackness and Whiteness Come From?)
  • Depression and Serotonin: If you have been a pastor for longer than one week, you have probably counseled someone who was taking medication for depression. This presents a consummate pastoral dilemma because pastors want to bring the Bible to bear on all of life, and at the same time, we didn’t go to medical school.
  • Grace and Truth Beyond the Elephant Room: We need charity and clarity. But civility is not a love-fest. We will disagree – strongly at times. Why? Because theology matters. The stakes are high. Bad theology hurts people.
  • Why Evangelicals Don’t Like Mormons: The real issue for many evangelicals is Mormonism’s remarkable success and rapid expansion….Put simply, the Baptists and Methodists, while still ahead of the Mormons numerically, are feeling the heat of competition from Joseph Smith’s tireless progeny.

Book Giveaway – The Historical Jesus: Five Views

IVP has kindly provided me with some great books to give away so we can celebrate the launch of the new blog design/domain. Thanks!

So every Thursday, I’m announcing a new book giveaway. And this week’s book is The Historical Jesus: Five Views edited by James K. Beilby and Paul R. Eddy.

The Historical Jesus: Five Views provides a venue for readers to sit in on a virtual seminar on the historical Jesus. Beginning with a scene-setting historical introduction by the editors, prominent figures in the Jesus quest set forth their views and respond to their fellow scholars.

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This Week’s Winner! (Reading Scripture with the Reformers)

Thank to everyone who entered the contest to win Timothy George’s Reading Scripture with the Reformers. And in keeping with the feline theme of this givewaway, I selected this week’s winner by poking my wife’s cat in the head while it was curled up in front the fire and counting how many seconds it took for it to leave the room. (Actually I used a random number generator. Poking the cat was just for fun.) And this week’s winner is Andrew.

Congratulations Andrew. Send me an email and we can make arrangements for me to get the book to you.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another great giveaway courtesy of IVP. And thanks again to IVP for sponsoring these giveaways. They’re greatly appreciated!

Flotsam and jetsam (1/25)

Good Reads

  •  How Our Words and Actions Change the Lives of Children: A life can be literally launched with as little as a single word, an uplifting comment, a well-timed hug, a tender prayer, a compliment, the holding of a frightened hand, or the gentle wiping of a tear — all in just a minute.
  •  We’re on the Cusp of a Golden Age in Apologetics: I’m very optimistic about the future of Christian apologetics. Apologists are effectively refuting the recycled objections of the atheists while at the same time presenting a clear and compelling affirmative case for the truth of Christianity.

Gregory of Nazianzus takes our error away

Gregory of Nazianzus hardly needs an introduction. He is a Saint, Church Father and the Church Doctor of the Theologians. He, along with Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, helped formulate many Church doctrines, especially concerning the Trinity. He was the first person to coin the term perichoresis, which is essentially a description of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing together in love throughout eternity. Today (Jan 25) he is honored by the Church, and I have selected an excerpt from Oration 29.20, It is truly on of my favorite descriptions of Jesus:

As man he was baptized, but he absolved sins as God; he needed no purifying rites himself – his purpose was to hollow water. As man he was put to the test, but as God he came through victorious – yes, bids us be of good cheer, because he has conquered the world. He hungered – yet he fed thousands. He is indeed “living, heavenly bread.” He thirsted – yet he exclaimed: “Whoever thirst, let him come to me and drink.” Indeed he promised that believers would become fountains. He was tired – yet he is the “rest” of the weary and the burdened. He was overcome by heavy sleep – yet he goes lightly over the sea, rebukes winds, and relieves the drowning Peter. He pays tax – yet he uses a fish to do it; indeed he is emperor over those who demand the tax. He is called a “Samaritan, demonically possessed” – but he rescues the man who came down from Jerusalem and fell among thieves. Yes, he is recognized by demons, drives out demons, drowns deep a legion of spirits, and sees the prince of demons falling like lightning. He is stoned, yet not hit; he prays, yet he hears prayer. He weeps, yet he puts an end to weeping. He asks where Lazarus is laid – he was man; yet he raises Lazarus – he was God. He is sold, and cheap was the price – thirty pieces of silver; yet he buys back the world at the mighty cost of his own blood. A sheep, he is led to slaughter – yet he shepherds Israel and now the whole world as well. A lamb, he is dumb – yet he is “Word,” proclaimed by “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” He is weakened, wounded – yet he cures every disease and every weakness. He is brought up to the tree and nailed to it – yet by the tree of life he restores us. Yes, he saves even a thief crucified with him; he wraps all the visible world in darkness. He is given vinegar to drink, gall to eat – and who is he? Why, one who turned water into wine, who took away the taste of bitterness, who is all sweetness and desire. He surrenders his life, yet he has power to take it again. Yes, the veil is rent, for things of heaven are being revealed, rocks split, and dead men have an earlier awakening. He dies, but he vivifies and by death destroys death. He is buried, yet he rises again. He goes down to Hades, yet he leads souls up, ascends to Heaven, and will come to judge quick and dead, and to probe discussions like these. If the first set of expressions starts you going astray, the second set takes your error away.

How to Reject a Rejection Letter

I’ve started shopping my gospel book around to various publishers, and that means that I’ve also started receiving rejection letters. The system has been rather neatly arranged so that you always hear the bad news first. Granted, that only works out well if you ever actually receive any good news.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ll understand why this letter jumped out at me. If you’re facing rejection of any kind, I’m sure you’ll appreciate it too.

 

Becoming a blogger – Was it worth it?

I’m almost at the end of of my second year of regular blogging. Before that, it was more a resource for my students than a true blog. And blogging regularly for two years takes a fair chunk of time. So, as I’ve looked back over the last two years, I’ve wrestled with the question of whether it has really been worth it. And the answer is definitely yes.

Over the next few days, I’m going to explain why. I’m sure there’s more that I could add to this list, but here are the four main reasons that I think two years of blogging has definitely been worth it.

1. Blogging has made me a better writer.

2. Blogging has made me a better teacher.

3. Blogging has helped me stay sharp.

4. Blogging has helped me connect with a broader community.

I’ll explain each of these more in subsequent posts. So stay tuned.

A Two-Talent Christian in a Five-Talent World

I was doing everything I could, everything I knew how to do. But it wasn’t enough.

It seemed so easy for others. As far as I could tell, they were teaching the same lessons, singing the same songs, and planning the same events. But their ministries were so much more effective: packed meetings, thriving small groups, huge mission trips, changed lives. They were getting it done.

I think I was doing my best. But what if my best wasn’t good enough?

I’ve heard many sermons on the Parable of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30). You know the story. Some rich guy takes off on a trip. And before he goes, he entrusts a lot of money (talents) to his three servants: one gets 5 talents, the second gets 2 talents, and the third gets 1 talent. After his long journey, he returns and discovers that the first two have doubled his money. So he blessed them with even more responsibility. But the third was a bit of a lazy coward, and he simply hid his money while the master was gone. He gave the master his original money back, but no more. And the master was displeased to say the least.

Like the parable, most of these sermons I’ve heard have focused on two things: (1) the faithfulness of the first two servants and (2) the unfaithfulness of the third servant. And there’s a lot of good stuff in there. But I’ve always wondered about something else: What about the second servant? What was he thinking?

Read the rest here.

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