Monthly Archive for August, 2010

God, the Gospel, and Glen Beck

Published on August 31, 2010 in Politics. 8 Comments

We ought to be concerned that a Mormon television star is increasingly seen as an evangelical leader. 

Dr. Russell Moore interacts with Beck’s role in a recent Washington D.C. rally:

A Mormon television star stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial and calls American Christians to revival. He assembles some evangelical celebrities to give testimonies, and then preaches a God and country revivalism that leaves the evangelicals cheering that they’ve heard the gospel, right there in the nation’s capital.

The news media pronounces him the new leader of America’s Christian conservative movement, and a flock of America’s Christian conservatives have no problem with that.

If you’d told me that ten years ago, I would have assumed it was from the pages of an evangelical apocalyptic novel about the end-times. But it’s not. It’s from this week’s headlines. And it is a scandal. . .

The rest here.

The thoughtful Ross Douthat reflects here.  Regarding Beck’s invitation for Mormans and evangelicals to partner together, Douthat concludes:

Whether or not this is a conscious strategy on Beck’s part, I’m pretty sure that neither serious evangelicals nor serious Mormons should be terribly enthused by his Jesus-and-George Washington ecumenism. But one person who may be regarding it with a certain amount of guarded optimism is Mitt Romney.

Feel like quitting?

Published on August 30, 2010 in 2 Timothy and suffering. 0 Comments

If you feel like giving up, then meditate on Paul’s words to Timothy 2 Timothy 2:11-13:

The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

Lock paraphrases the passage:

Who shares Christ’s death His life shall share:

They reign with Him their cross who bear:

Who Him deny He will deny:

Though all our faith fall, He cannot lie.

W. Lock quoted by Mounce.

How the church prepares us for judgment day

Published on August 29, 2010 in Church. 1 Comment

Trevin Wax gives a good reason that we should be motivated to be at church today.

One reason that Christians need to be part of a church too often goes unmentioned.

I need the church in order to be prepared for the Day of Judgment!

It is frightening to think that I would allow myself to be the sole judge of my spiritual condition here on earth. I know how easily I deceive myself. Am I so bold as to say I am the best judge of my spiritual character? No… I need the church to affirm my faith in Christ, to assure me when I doubt, and to lovingly rebuke me when I err. Judgment day is coming!

Have you ever noticed that older people tend be more faithful to church than young people? This isn’t true everywhere, of course. But even in multi-generational churches, it’s often the older people who are the most faithful.

There may be a variety of reasons for this fact, but I think one reason is clear: people who are older know that the Day of the Lord is drawing near. Either Jesus will soon come back, or they will soon go see Jesus. And the closer you get to the end of your life, the more likely a Christian is going to realize the seriousness of walking with Christ.

Why is that so many people showed up at church after September 11?

Why is the youth group room filled whenever a young person is killed in a car crash?

Because, for a moment, we are shaken out of our slumber.

The rest here.

Saturday Links (though you’ll need a passport)

Published on August 28, 2010 in Recommended Links. 1 Comment

Darryl Dash almost always has a good set of Saturday Links.  He’s in Canada though.  So, you’ll need your passport.  (Click here).

It’s football season here, so not much happening today on my blog.  My oldest son (red #77 – - note that red #47 had an impressive block) played in his first high school game last night.

Kick return blocking 1

A video about why I wrote Unpacking Forgiveness

Published on August 27, 2010 in Forgiveness. 1 Comment

I mentioned previously that I am speaking at Peacemakers National Conference September 16-19.  Today they put up a short video of me explaining why I wrote Unpacking Forgiveness.

Watch it here.

The Big Picture: Remembering Katrina Five Years Later

Published on August 27, 2010 in suffering. 0 Comments

The devastation was beyond comprehension.  See the rest at The Big Picture.

 

Notice I am not sharing this on a week we have pulpit supply at the Brick church

Published on August 27, 2010 in Stupid Stuff. 1 Comment

Speed Bump

HT: Darryl Dash

What is the Bible basically all about?

Published on August 27, 2010 in biblical theology. 0 Comments

If you have 3.5 minutes, you can learn a great deal from this.

HT: Collin Hansen who post anticipating he 2011 Gospel Coalition Conference.

In the wrong place emotionally? Memorize a Psalm in order to be moved.

Published on August 26, 2010 in Psalms, Sabbatical and Scripture Memory. 4 Comments

If you need to be moved from one place emotionally to another: (1) Identify a Psalm that relates to your experience.  (2) Systematically memorize it over a period of time.  (3) As you do so, experience the movement of the Psalm and be transported by the Spirit in conjunction with the Word.

Psalms are poetry.  This means that they are truth to be experienced.  The idea with poetry is not that we simply learn objective truth.  Rather, poetry, particularly in the case of the Word of God,  transports us through an experience.

You might respond, “Well, when I read Psalms, it doesn’t make that much of a difference.”

We cannot experience poetry with a quick read.  Rather, we need to hear the Words – - to reflect on them – - to prayerfully take in delight at pondering the images.  There is no better way to accomplish this than through memorization.

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But, how does one go about memorizing?  As I have posted in the past (see these posts), a system is needed.  (This post provides a concise summary of my approach).

Below are two pages from my moleskin that picture how I went about memorizing Psalm 65 this summer.  While you wouldn’t be able to read my writing even if it was larger, you can see that my basic approach was to mediate on the Psalm by saying it over and over again.

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If you were to turn to the next page, you would see notes that I made while memorizing the Psalm – - ways that the Psalm moved me.

I appreciated this Psalm initially, but nowhere near the degree to which I savor it now.

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Why Psalm 65?

I chose Psalm 65 initially because of verse 6, “The one who established the mountains being girded with might.”  I was staying in the Lauterbrunnen valley (see below) at the time, arguably the most beautiful valley in Europe.  My goal was for the poetry of the Word of God to interpret the beauty for me so that I could move from the place of initial awe to one of worship.

What I discovered by memorizing the Psalm – - was that this is a Psalm about joy and happiness.  Indeed, the place where it moves the prayerful “meditator” is to one of celebration.

One of my favorite things to do in the Lauterbrunnen Valley was watch this cog wheel train wind its way up the side of the mountain.  It was as though I was watching a life-toy train.  What a joy to meditate on the truth that the Triune God established these mountains, being girded with might (Psalm 65:6).

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Which is the right Psalm for you to begin memorizing?  There are only 150 to chose from.  So it shouldn’t take that long to identify one.

Mohler on NY Times Magazine on “Failure to Launch”

Published on August 25, 2010 in Culture and Parenting. 0 Comments

One of the things I appreciate most about Dr. Mohler’s leadership is his interaction with current issues.  Dr. Mohler writes:

The New York Times Magazine addresses an important question in its August 22, 2010 cover story — “What Is It About 20-Somethings?” With this cover story, the venerable newspaper gives cultural attention to a phenomenon some now call “failure to launch.” In her article, writer Robin Marantz Henig probes this issue with care and insight. In all probability, this cover story will be discussed for years to come.

The reason for this becomes clear once you read the essay. Henig lets her readers understand the scale of the issue — we are not talking about a passing phenomenon that is linked to the economic recession. We are talking about a major change in the way young people move toward adulthood . . . if they are moving toward adulthood.

As Henig summarizes:

It’s happening all over, in all sorts of families, not just young people moving back home but also young people taking longer to reach adulthood overall. It’s a development that predates the current economic doldrums, and no one knows yet what the impact will be — on the prospects of the young men and women; on the parents on whom so many of them depend; on society, built on the expectation of an orderly progression in which kids finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and eventually retire to live on pensions supported by the next crop of kids who finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and on and on. The traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain un tethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options, traveling, avoiding commitments, competing ferociously for unpaid internships or temporary (and often grueling) Teach for America jobs, forestalling the beginning of adult life.

The focus of Henig’s article is on young people in their 20s — a period she describes as a “black box.” As a generation, they are constantly moving residence (one-third move each year), changing jobs (average is seven jobs in their 20s), and moving back home with parents (one-third at least once). Two-thirds cohabitate with “a romantic partner” and delay marriage until their late 20s.

Henig cites one sociologist who calls all this “the changing timetable for adulthood.” How big a change? Consider this: In 1960, the vast majority of young adults had accomplished the five standard milestones used to measure adult status. These milestones include completing school, leaving home, getting married, having a child, and establishing financial independence. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, less than one-half of all young women reached these milestones by age 30 in 2000. Even more concerning — less than one third of all young men did.

The rest here.