Good Reads

• Do People Who Commit Suicide Go to Heaven? The real value in this one is what it says about how not to answer this question.

• How to Call for a Gospel Response Like a Calvinist. Yes, Calvinists can do evangelism too.

• NYT takes a look at Millennials in Church.

• Do Roger Olson and I Worship the Same God? C. Michael Patton has some good thoughts on theological rhetoric and the difference between the Calvinist and Arminian views of God.

Other Info

• The most recent 9Marks is on revitalizing dying churches, and it looks like it has some great articles.

• Apparently Google is now indexing Facebook comments. I hope you’ve been following the rule of not posting anything on the internet that you wouldn’t want everyone to read.

• You aren’t depressed; our brains just aren’t equipped for 21st century life.

 Just for Fun     

• 10 fun things you didn’t know Google would do if you asked. (The barrel roll is pretty cool.)

Good Reads

• Here’s a good example of intellectual “modesty” gone awry: Rob Bell’s Replacement Speaks out on Bell and Hell. If he’s right, anything we believe is on pretty shaky ground.

• Trevin Wax confesses that he used to be a heretic: Confessions of a Former Apollinarian.

• Steve Jobs’ Legacy: Kingdom Work? Scot McKnight explains why “‘kingdom’ is perhaps the flabbiest term being used by Christians today.

• Tim Raymond argues that the Battle Behind the Battles of the Reformation was putting the Bible in the hands of the people.

Other Info

• Michael Jensen has some good advice on quoting.

• What Does the Average Megachurch Look Like? (INFOGRAPHIC)

• iMonk offers some interesting thoughts on The King Jesus Gospel.

 Just for Fun     

• How Siri will answer your stupid questions soon.

• CT takes a look at sex trafficking in Portland. And, on a similar note, here’s a great post from a Western alum on Portland Christians fight human trafficking with love.

• U.S. Seminaries Consider Radical Changes: schools all over the country are looking at major curriculum revisions.

• Dorothy Sayers on the Contemplative Vocation of the Artist. (HT Chris Armstrong)

• Chad Hall has some great thoughts on The Power of Dialogue and the fact that theologians often fail to realize the importance of having productive conversations instead of destructive arguments.

Other Info

• Deal of the Day: Jared Wilson is giving away two copies of his book Gospel Wakefulness.

• Matthew Lee Anderson offers a recap of the debate between Al Mohler and Jim Wallis on social justice and the church.

• And, here are 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about James Bond

Good Reads

• The Real Battle of St Paul Cathedral: The Occupy Movement and Millennial Politics. This is a fascinating reflection on how Capitalism, the Occupy Movement, and the Church are all attempts aim to live out particular visions of the future in this present time.

• Thabiti Anyabwile lists the Gospel indicatives and imperatives in Galatians.

• The LA Times has an interesting piece on sorcery and Catholicism in the Philippines.

• Craig Blomberg looks at True Church Discipline.

Other Info

• CT reports that HarperCollins is buying Thomas Nelson, a move that will place 50% of Christian publishing in the hands of one company. And, Andrew LePeau from IVP shares some thoughts on the move.

• How much does the internet weigh? Apparently the internet has weight (electrons) and someone actually calculated it.

• How Cell Phones Shape the Lives of College Students [Infographic]

 Just for Fun     

• And, if you’re looking for suggestions for next Halloween, here’s how to carve a pumpkin using explosive gas!

one pumpkin to rule them all

Good Reads

• Michael Jensen has 20 Theses on Why the Reformation Is Not Over

• The Desert Mothers Didn’t Change Diapers. But Maybe They Should Have.

• Andy Crouch takes a look at A New Kind of Urban Ministry.

• Sarah Flashing tells us, Don’t Give Up on Women’s Ministry.

Other Info

• 7 Burning Halloween Questions: Answered!

• Here’s a gallery of some pretty amazing carved pumpkins. Let’s just say they’re a little more impressive than what my daughters and I managed the other day, but I still like ours better.

• Here’s an interesting infographic on the hottest Halloween costumes of 2011.

• And, who needs scary Halloween costumes when we live in a world populated by snakes big enough to swallow an adult deer.

 Just for Fun     

• And, here are  9 Essential Geek Books You Must Read Right Now.

The 10-year hobbit reunion

Good Reads

• Apparently evangelicals aren’t the only ones with a hipster movement: To Be Young, Hip and Mormon.

• Michael Hyatt offers 5 Truths to Remember When Your Pastor Falls.

• An iMonk posts initiates a conversation on The Top Ten Things People Hate about the Catholic Church.

• Timothy Dalrymple asks, Are Christians Losing Their Generosity?, reflecting on some sobering statistics about Christian giving patterns.

• Dan Wallace comments on what it really means to Avoid Every Appearance of Evil.

Other Info

• A New Social Justice Index Places U.S. Near the Bottom

• Here are some great Resources for Reformation Day

• Christianity Today looks at The Story Behind the Mars Hill Trademark Fight

• Netflix uses 32.7% of internet bandwidth, with other real-time entertainment apps accounting for almost another 30%.

 Just for Fun     

• And here are The 25 Worst Halloween Candies. If you’re going to hand out candy, you really need to do better than this.

Good Reads

• Hermeneutical Hall Passes: “Have you ever read the New Testament and wondered if the apostles would have passed a contemporary hermeneutics course?”

• Martin Marty takes a look at American Baptists and the fact that “Baptist” is a far more diverse category than most people realize.

• Is the Lack of Boredom Killing Our Creativity? Great question.

• Thom Rainer presents 5 Warning Signs of Declining Church Health.

• Why Is Killing Okay But Not Sexuality? James McGrath has an interesting reflection on whether we should view differing perspectives on homosexuality in the same way that we treat differing views on pacifism – i.e. legitimately different perspectives on challenging moral issues.

Other Info

• Brian LePort has an interesting interview with Matt Mikalatos, author of the new Night of the Living Dead Christian.

• A new study shows that pastors’ salaries rose slightly this year and that “women are compensated 28 percent less than men across all paid positions in the church.”

• The Vatican has released a statement calling for radical reform of the world’s financial system.

• File this in the “useless but interesting trivia” section of your brain: The Most Popular Halloween Costumes (1985-1993)

• Check out The All-Digital Library (HT Tim Challies)

 Just for Fun     

• And, check out these illustrations from the Hobbit that were never published.

wet koala is angry

Good Reads

• Martin Lloyd Jones on The Terrible Danger of Trusting Your Faith, but Not Jesus

• Preaching the Incomprehensible Word: Daniel Kirk offers some good thoughts on Barth’s high view of preaching and its necessity.

• Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the iPod, Mashable looks at the 5 ways the iPod has impacted culture.

• Derek Ouellette compares N. T. Wright and Scot McKnight on the Gospel.

Good Reads

• If you haven’t read this yet, you should: John Stott: Four Ways Christians Can Influence the World.

• Kevin DeYoung explains How to Articulate a Christian Worldview in Four Easy Steps.

• How can a congregation “submit” when it is the final authority? 9Marks looks at How Congregations with Authority Submit to Elders.

• Michael Patton offers his #4 theologian: Athanasius.

Other Info

• Deal of the Day: John Byron is giving away a copy of Bruce Fisk’s A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus; and Louis McBride has a number of great books to give away.

• The 25 Worst Cities to Be Young.

• Here are The 15 Most Interesting Women of Ancient Rome

 Just for Fun     

• And, from the Onion: New Decoy Website Launched To Lure Away All Moronic Internet Commenters

Good Reads

• Richard Dawkins explains Why I Refuse to Debate with William Lane Craig.

• Are we doing too much “application” in our sermons? Steven Smith argues that today application has replaced exhortation and, as a result, today’s sermons lack urgency.

• Church Matters: According to Mary DeMuth, many have stopped going to church because they think any time you hang out with other Christians, you’re doing “church.” She disagrees.

• Here’s a nice introduction to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.

Other Info

• Here are some great comics on religion in a digital age.

• The Death of Christianity in the Middle East offers some  sobering statistics.

• Someone wants to make it possible to ride a cloud.

 Just for Fun     

• And, I know you’ve been anxiously waiting for Jedi Turtles.