Osama Bin Laden was wicked. Osama Bin Laden was feared. He was also, it turns out, kind of pathetic. Among the items American forces pulled out of the terrorist leader’s compound last week are videos of Bin Laden, wrapped in a blanket, watching himself on television. As ABCNews reports, the warlord is seen to be “a vain pathetic old man.” When I read this in the New York Times, I immediately thought of 1990s song “Mr. Jones” by the band Counting Crows: “When I look at the television, I want to see me staring right back at me.”

And what the old fox wanted to see was not just himself, but a younger version. American forces confirm that Bin Laden was dying his beard, to manage his image in order to appear more vibrant to his supporters around the world.

We shouldn’t really be surprised. The nature of evil, ultimately, is narcissism. . .

Read the rest here.

I have always been impressed by the standard of excellence in everything that Morningstar does.  I am sure that attendees at this conference will be blessed.

For more information, visit the web site: Grace and Truth Ladies Conference web site

Some years ago I decided that I wanted to write a book about trees, and more particularly the strangely central role that trees play in the Biblical story. That role meant, necessarily, that they would find their way, profoundly, into Western literature, and I wanted to say something about that too. But I love trees as they are in themselves, as material things in the material world, so I did not want them to take on a purely symbolic or metaphorical significance.

Though I wrote and even published some thoughts about trees, I couldn’t get the story to come together, no matter how hard I tried. My thoughts didn’t want to coalesce, refused to become a book; they remained scattered and disjointed. Moreover, I knew that if I ever succeeded in weaving them together, the resulting book would demand images — and more images than a cost-conscious publisher would be likely to tolerate.

Only after a long period of worrying over this did I come to the conclusion that my thoughts, such as they were, didn’t belong in a book, but rather constituted a website. So I contacted my friendBrad Cathey, a gifted designer, and he made a site for me.

It’s called Gospel of the Trees. Please check it out.

To get to my favorite coffee shop here in Louisville, I pass a lot of bumper stickers intended to make people like me angry. One of them says “Born Okay the First Time.” Another says “If You Don’t Like Abortion, Don’t Have One.” And, of course, there are several of the Darwin fish, those metallic signs with the early Christian symbol sprouting legs.

These bumper stickers have spawned an entire industry in American evangelicalism, countering these arguments, with “right back at you” ridicule. I understand the temptation, because some of those bumper stickers used to rile me up too. I would roll my eyes and think how stupid the argument was in front of me. Why does the Wicca devotee really need to tell us, “My Other Car Is a Broom”? Why does the anti-procreation guy have to announce, “My Labradoodle Is Smarter Than Your Honors Student”?

Read the rest here.

J. Michael Thomas:

Anne Lamott, in her book, “Traveling Mercies” retells an old story about a man getting drunk at a bar in Alaska. He’s telling the bartender how he recently lost whatever faith he’d had after his twin-engine plane crashed in the tundra.

“Yeah,” he says bitterly. “I lay there in the wreckage, hour after hour, nearly frozen to death, crying out for God to save me, praying for help with every ounce of my being, but he didn’t raise a finger to help. So I’m alone with the whole charade.”

“But,” said the bartender, squinting an eye at him, “you’re here. You were saved.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” says the man. “Because finally some dumb Eskimo came along.”

It seems that often times we just don’t get when God is trying to help us out.

The rest here.

What are the Millennials like?

First, they are a hopeful generation. In our study, about 96% of Millennials indicated that they can do something great. A generation of optimists, for sure! One conclusion might be that Millennials are naïve and disconnected. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Millennials, largely, are realists who know that all is not well in the world. But, they believe they can have a role in changing it and making a difference with their lives.

Second, they are a relational generation. Perhaps this is why social networks like Twitter and Facebook are thriving in our culture. Millennials want to communicate and connect with others, there is no doubt about it. Relationships at work and with friends are valued highly, but so also are family relationships. I was encouraged to find that 9 out of 10 Millennials said their parents had a positive influence on them.

Third, they are a generation of learners. I’ve already mentioned that they value education, but more should be said. There are reasons why Millennials are receiving undergraduate degrees at a rate that surpasses all previous generations. Many in our study indicated two main reasons why they frenetically pursue education: parents and pragmatics. Millennials listen to their parents’ advice, especially regarding education. But Millennials also desire to get ahead, and one factor that separates them from each other in the work force is education.

Fourth, they are a less religious generation. I have to admit that this aspect grieves me, but motivates me as well (imagine the missiological implications!). Only 13 percent of the Millennials considered in our study said that spirituality of any type was important to them. One out of ten. Most Millennials don’t even think about religious matters at all. This generation is not antagonistic toward religion, especially Christianity, but rather agnostic toward all aspects of religion.

Read the whole thing here.

To “resolve” is to determine to start doing (or to stop doing) something. It’s all about habits, really—breaking bad habits and starting good habits. I don’t set resolutions. The reason I don’t is because I find that my habits usually change only once I have a goal in view. So I tend to put the emphasis on goals. I tend to get better results by setting a target first. That’s why I am not a resolution guy, more of a goal guy.

In 2010 I set out with one big goal: to write a 55,000-word book. So on January 4, 2010 I sat at my desk, opened a new Word document on my computer, and began writing a book. It was really frightening at first, but as the days and months passed and the book began to take shape, I started to realize the incredible potential of 12-month project.

The lesson I learned from the experience is that 365 days is a period of time long enough to achieve one BIG goal. I guess I knew this. I’m reminded of this importance of long-range goals by a quote that I keep on my computer desktop from Mark Dever. He says, “Young men tend to overestimate what they can accomplish in the short term and underestimate what they can accomplish in the long term.” Over time I have discovered the deep wisdom of those words

Read the rest here.

As the end of the year approaches, we eagerly look forward to 2011 and make resolutions. The challenges of 2010 fade as we dream of new possibilities next year. But it’s also worthwhile to reflect on what’s changed in the last 12 months. The discipline allows us to transcend the constant, daily internet noise and take stock. So I’ve compiled a list of the top ten theology and church stories from 2010 in the United States. This list includes many of the most-read and most-discussed stories on TGC’s site. But I’ve also applied subjective analysis of stories that have shaped evangelical life, thought, and mission. Before the calendar turns, let’s take one last look back on 2010.

10.) Crystal Cathedral Files for Bankruptcy

The famed Southern California church made headlines in recent years due to a messy transition between founding pastor Robert Schuller, his son, and then his daughter. Still, when church leaders announced in October that they had incurred $55 million in debt, media couldn’t resist pointing out the obvious failure of the church’s hallmark “Possibility Thinking.” Lest you be tempted to rejoice in Schuller’s downfall, consider that his ministry has already spawned a thousand Crystal Cathedrals small and large across the United States and around the world.

9.) BioLogos Stirs Debate Over Evolution

National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins launched BioLogos in late 2007 with money from the John Templeton Foundation. This year BioLogos reignited the evolution debate among Christians in earnest. Thecontroversy began last spring. Venerable Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke resigned from Reformed Theological Seminary-Orlando after recording a video for BioLogos in which he said Christianity risked becoming a cult if the “data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution.” Then BioLogos picked a fight with Al Mohler, a young earth creationist. Neither side appears willing to retreat.

8.) Philip Ryken Becomes President of Wheaton College

Some stories flare hot for a day, a week, or even a month. But other developments bear the potential to simmer for decades. That’s the sort of influence beloved university presidents can wield with the support of their board of trustees. Ryken served his alma mater on its board before taking over as president in 2010. Students sported “I’m Likin’ Ryken” T-shirts to celebrate their president’s return to Wheaton. Ryken’s career change also left vacant the senior pastorate at one of the most prominent evangelical churches in the country, Tenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia.

7.) Liberty Removes Ergun Caner as Seminary President

Ergun Caner has developed a reputation as an outspoken, provocative educator, apologist, and speaker. He has captured attention with dramatic stories of his childhood and conversion. But it turns out those stories are filled with contradictions. Liberty University investigated the seminary president and demoted him this summer. But they retained him as a theology professor, leaving one major question unanswered: Was Dr. Caner raised in Turkey as a Muslim terrorist trained in jihad?

6.) Matt Chandler Fights Malignant Brain Tumor

Chandler suffered a seizure on Thanksgiving 2009 and learned his grave diagnosis later that year. His prognosis improved a great deal in 2010. He spoke candidly about his fears and doubts, but he consistently expressed faith and hope in the God who is sovereign over all things. Christians surrounded him with prayer, as at the Together for the Gospel conference in April. His model of suffering caught the attention of several major mediaoutlets, giving Chandler an opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and declare his dependence on God.

5.) Glenn Beck Grabs the Religious Right’s Megaphone

Read the rest here.