Archive - Misc RSS Feed

Flotsam and Jetsam (7/11)

July 11, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

Good Reads

  • 11 Reasons Why Working with Kids Is Not Second Rate Ministry: Sadly, children’s ministry in the local church can often be seen as second rate ministry, not much more than crowd control and waiting out the clock. This can be seen on the occasions when members looking to move on to bigger and better things will see children’s church or AWANA as merely something to cut their teeth on. Or when the church leadership, in a desperate attempt just to fill the volunteer gaps, will try and make children’s ministry as burden-less and non-committal as possible. Then, of course, there are those who take a shift with the kiddos just because they feel like they have to do something to serve.
  • 10 Cliches Christians Should Avoid: We Christians have a remarkable talent for sticking our feet in our mouths. When searching the words most commonly associated with “Christian,” the list ain’t pretty. I think part of this can be attributed to a handful of phrases that, if stricken from our vocabulary, might make us a little more tolerable. Yes, these things may mean something to you, but trust me, non-Christians don’t share your love for these tried-and-true cliches.
  • Is the Web Driving Us Mad? Tweets, texts, emails, posts. New research says the Internet can make us lonely and depressed—and may even create more extreme forms of mental illness.
  • 5 Practical Thoughts on Rest: In practical terms, how do we figure out how much time we need for Sabbath rest, and how do we spend that time? The following are a few suggestions or guidelines, by no means exhaustive.

Continue Reading…

Flotsam and Jetsam (7/9)

July 9, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

via xkcd

Good Reads

  • Women Bishops Vote Set to Be Suspended: An historic vote to ordain women as bishops is almost certain to be suspended for months after the Archbishop of Canterbury admitted the Church had “backed itself into a corner”.
  • Get to Know Charles Spurgeon: Perhaps my favorite dead mentor is the great English Reformed Baptist Bible preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892). His biographies have provided some of my most enjoyable and formative reading.
  • How Good Books Can Change You: Ever read a book that’s changed your life? You’re not imagining it — the process of digesting a character or a series of events actually turns you into a different person.
  • The Secrets of Failure: From global warming to our tangled financial system, some things are just bound to go wrong. Luckily, a new book claims to discover the key to bouncing back.

Continue Reading…

The “Thoughtful Guy” Rap

July 7, 2012 in Humor with 2 Comments

It can be difficult being one of those people who just sit around and think really deep thoughts all day long. If you’re one of those guys (or gals), you’ll appreciate this.

Flotsam and jetsam (7/6)

July 6, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

most accurate pie chart ever

Good Reads

  • Complementarianism for Dummies: I’ve read several posts on the internet lately from people who misunderstand and/or misrepresent the complementarian view.  I was at the meeting, 25 years ago, where the word “complementarian” was chosen.  So I think I have a good grasp on the word’s definition.
  • The Mormon Lens on American History: a growing cadre of young scholars of Mormonism are enjoying their own turn in the sun, and not just on the nation’s op-ed pages. Books relating to Mormon history are appearing in the catalogs of top academic presses, while secular universities are adding courses, graduate fellowships and endowed chairs.
  • 10 Real Reasons Pastors Quite Too Soon: Over 1,700 pastors leave the ministry every month. This staggering number includes some of the brightest, most inspiring pastors in the country. To prevent the continued flight of our pastors, we need to understand the cause of the problem.
  • 5 Questions to Ask of a Book: In general, a good book will not simply repeat what others have said before, but it will somehow advance the discussion, either by bringing truth to bear in a new way or by taking into account contemporary issues or emphases.

Continue Reading…

Your Dog’s Plans for the Fourth

July 4, 2012 in Humor with 0 Comments

Flotsam and Jetsam (7/2)

July 2, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

Good Reads

  • 10 Tips on Solving Mysterious Bible Passages from Sherlock Holmes: Gaining insight into hard passages of the Bible is often an exciting adventure. But don’t forget that the Bible is less about a mystery to solve and more about an Author to know. As you tackle some of the tougher texts, don’t glory in your knowledge. Glory in God, who graciously reveals Himself through His Word.
  • Thinking Inside the Box: Any good leader who has experience with thinking outside the box knows the practice is not that much fun. Despite its limitations, the current box is largely comfortable. Nobody inside will worry that the box is falling apart, because everyone has found his or her corner, curled up and relaxed.

Continue Reading…

Sunday Morning Prayer (Westminster’s 8 Questions about Prayer)

July 1, 2012 in Church History, Prayers with 1 Comment

On July 1, 1643, the Westminster Assembly convened for the first time. The purpose of the assembly was to reorganize the English church after the English Civil War had begun between Charles I and Parliament. In many ways, the Westminster divines saw themselves as completing the reformation  of the English church, which they thought had been only partially accomplished by the Anglican church.

To guide their reforming efforts, the Westminster Assembly produced a number of important works, including the Westminster Confession, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and the Westminster Larger Catechism. In the latter document, the Westminster divines answered a number of questions about prayer. So, to commemorate the anniversary of Westminster, this morning’s “prayer” is actually a reflection on 8 questions about prayer.

Continue Reading…

Flotsam and jetsam (6/29)

June 29, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

seahorse

Good Reads

  • 5 Reasons to Study Old Testament History: Shakespeare said that history is “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” The Christian view of history is quite a contrast; we believe God ordained it, organizes it, and moves it towards a meaningful, definite, and certain purpose.
  • Why the Bodily Resurrection Matters–Especially to Women: We live during a time when women are encouraged to detach from our bodies. Some women do this by putting on male behavior and dress in male-dominated workplaces, while other women detach by using their bodies as sexual power tools. In the face of this ungodly dualism that undermines the holistic self, the Christian response should be more than a defensive reaction. It should be redemptive.
  • Syria’s Threatened Christians: Watching their once-shielding dictators fall like dominos across the region, Christians have suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of history.

Continue Reading…

Flotsam and jetsam (6/27)

June 27, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 0 Comments

Good Reads

  • 5 Problems with Unconditional Forgiveness: While automatic forgiveness sounds like an antidote to bitterness, this is not the case. Those who try and simply dismiss grave offenses, apart from resting in the justice of God, often encounter emotional and theological problems. Here is an incomplete list of problems that sometimes arise from unconditional forgiveness.
  • Why Evangelicals Can’t Write: Evangelicals obviously do write, and publish, reams upon reams of prose.  What they have not tended to write is anything recognized as having literary value by the literary world.
  • You’re a Calvinist, Right? The one thing I wish Calvinists would stop accusing Wesleyans of is…Being anthropocentric in their soteriology. Caring more about human free will than God’s glory. [You really should read this outstanding interview with Fred Sanders, a Wesleyan theologian, on what he thinks about Wesleyan theology and Calvinism.]

Continue Reading…

Flotsam and jetsam (6/25)

June 25, 2012 in Flotsam and jetsam with 1 Comment

Good Reads

  • 22 Rules of Storytelling, According to Pixar: On Twitter, Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coats has compiled nuggets of narrative wisdom she’s received working for the animation studio over the years. It’s some sage stuff, although there’s nothing here about defending yourself from your childhood toys when they inevitably come to life with murder in their hearts. A truly glaring omission.
  • Hell Is Not Filled with People Who Repent of Sins: People who end up in hell do not repent, from what the Bible tells us, said respected New Testament scholar Don Arthur (D.A.) Carson on Sunday at The Gospel Coalition National Women’s Conference in Orlando.
  • The Unfortunate Link between Cultural Castigation and Pitiful Preaching: Advocacy groups are looking at church sermon videos and finding plenty that will enflame the “middle” against those who believe that homosexual behavior is sin….Not surprisingly, videos of unhelpful remarks in churches have surfaced. And, these outrageous videos don’t help.

Continue Reading…

Page 19 of 119« First...10«1718192021»304050...Last »