Rick Santorum, Meet My Son

A woman writes about why she wishes she would have aborted her own child.

These issues can be quite complicated and we should have compassion on those who watch others suffer.  Especially the unthinkable:  Watching your own child suffer.

But I am left to ask:  Is the child still created in the Image of God?  Is that worth anything?  Is there sanctity and value simply because a human being is still a human being, no matter how broken?

Undoubtedly, if one does not hold to the Christian worldview it is easy to come to the conclusion that abortion might be the right choice.  But if we say that abortion is the right choice where does that leave us? Who gets to decide which child and for what reasons should be selected to be eliminated?  We all know the horror stories but what about those that are not so horrific?  Just because someone might have a more challenging life due to a birth defect or the like, should they be a candidate for termination?  Wouldn't you want the option to choose life for yourself?  Who are we to say to someone, "Since you don't have any legs, you probably shouldn't be allow to live."  Sounds like a scary cultural path to go down.

Remember this post?  I would encourage you to go back and read it again.  It derived the most traffic I have ever seen from one post on this blog.  Does this speak at all to the issue that this woman is writing about?  I think it does.

Let me know what you think.

Get Insulted by Luther!

"The reward of such flattery is what your crass stupidity deserves. Therefore, we shall turn from you, a sevenfold stupid and blasphemous wise person."

Click here for more!

Running and the Christian Life

ThinkChristian.net:

Running is one of the worst things ever invented. It is such a bad thing that judged on its own demerits, running must be deemed to be a powerful argument against the existence of God (after all, some philosophers claim evil things as evidence there is no God). This must be why God deigned to add grace, so that we might "run and not grow weary."

I say this as someone who, in the words of bluesman Willie Dixon, was “built for comfort” and “not for speed.” The problem of running, at its core, is that it is hard. It tires you out. It makes your lungs ache, your body sore and drains away at your mental resolve with every stride. I’m speaking here of running for its own sake, since running only really becomes acceptable when done for some other good purpose, like tackling a running back or making a layup on a fast break. In these cases running is a necessary evil. Some of the best sports, in fact, are those like golf that don’t require any running at all.

St. Francis of Assisi famously called his body “Brother Ass,” a balky, troublesome thing that represented a drag, shall we say, on his spiritual development, an impediment and a constant temptation to slothfulness. There’s a certain inertia that attaches to bodily life in this world, a tendency that makes us want to rest and be comfortable. Running is decidedly uncomfortable.

And it is the difficulty of running that is perhaps what makes it such a good image of the Christian life.

Read the rest.

For Those Who Would Aspire to be a Celebrity Pastor

This Should Chill You To The Bone

Joe Carter:    

The Article: After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?

The Source: Journal of Medical Ethics

The Authors: Australian philosophers Alberto Giubilini and Francesa Minerva

The Gist: Since it is currently permissible to kill prenatal children because they are only potential persons and do not have full moral status, then we should be able to kill postnatal children for the same reason.

The Excerpt:Abortion is largely accepted even for reasons that do not have anything to do with the fetus' health. By showing that (1) both fetuses and newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons, (2) the fact that both are potential persons is morally irrelevant and (3) adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people, the authors argue that what we call 'after-birth abortion' (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.

The Bottom Line: As the authors note, an examination of 18 European registries found that between 2005 and 2009 only 64% of Down's syndrome cases were diagnosed through prenatal testing, leaving about 1,700 infants to be born with the condition. Since the mothers would have likely killed the child in utero, why should we not permit them to kill the child after the birth?
Sadly, this is not a reductio ad absurdum intended to show the illogic of abortion but a serious philosophical argument made in defense of infanticide: ". . . we claim that killing a newborn could be ethically permissible in all the circumstances where abortion would be."
This article---which, it should be noted, was published in a respected journal---shows that once we discard the Christian principle of inherent dignity of humans, anything we decide to do to an infant becomes "ethically permissiable."

YSK Rating: Necessary reading. While this argument isn't new, it is gaining traction in academic bioethics.

The Key to Contentment

Labour to be spiritually minded. That is, be often in meditation of the things that are above. ‘If we be risen with Christ,’ say the Scriptures, ‘let us seek the things that are above, where Christ is, that sits at the right hand of God.’ Be much in spiritual thoughts, in conversing with things above. Many Christians who have an interest in the things of Heaven converse but very little with them; their meditations are not much upon heavenly things. Some give this as the reason why Adam did not see his nakedness, they think that he had so much converse with God and with things above sense, that he did not so much mind or think of what nakedness was. Whether that were so or not I will not say, but this I say, and am certain of, the reason why we are so troubled with our nakedness, with any wants that we have, is because we converse so little with God, so little with spiritual things; conversing with spiritual things would lift us above the things of the world. Those who are bitten or struck by a snake, it is because they tread on the ground; if they could be lifted up above the earth they need never fear being stung by the snakes which are crawling underneath. So I may compare the sinful distemper of murmuring, and the temptations and evils that come from that, to snakes that crawl up and down below; but if we could get higher we should not be stung by them. A heavenly conversation is the way to contentment.

- Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (pp. 219, 220)

(HT:  Joe Thorn)

The New Channel Surfing

The TV will soon be dead or re-imagined.

Covenant Eyes blog:

According to a recent survey from Pew Internet, people are far more likely now than ever to go online for no particular reason other than to pass the time or have fun. Some 58% of all adults (74% of all adults who use the Internet) say they use the Internet this way. This is almost double what it was 10 years ago.

Is It Right for a Christian to Take Anti-Depressants?

Russell Moore writes well on this topic.  His conclusion:

There are some Christians who believe any psychiatric drug is a spiritual rejection of the Bible’s authority. I’m not one of them. But there are other Christians who seem to think, with the culture around us, that everything is material and can be solved by material means. I don’t think that’s right either.

Keep working with your doctors to treat your depression. If you’re not happy with the treatment or with the side-effects, seek some additional medical opinion, and listen for wisdom in a multitude of counselors. As you note in your question, sometimes the side-effects of these drugs are awful. Communicate with your doctor, and read up to ask the right kinds of questions.

But spend time too with those who know you and love you, and ask if there’s more behind this than simply serotonin reception. God doesn’t want you to be simply, in the words of one observer of the current pharmacological utopianism, “comfortably numb.” He wants you to be whole.

Read the rest.

Lone-Ranger Christians

Timmy Brister:

Lone-ranger Christians are at best disobedient and dysfunctional. They are disobedient because numerous commands of Scripture require us to be in regular contact with other believers (“one another” commands). They are dysfunctional because the needs they have are not being met by the God-ordained means of gifts of the Holy Spirit through each member of His body. Perhaps what exists behind of this is a denial of neediness–a determination of making it by self-determination and independence. Sadly, this state of existence is far too common in the church today.

God knows what we need before we ask Him. God has made provision through the distribution of the Spirit’s gifts through the work of ministry when each member is equipped and working properly. As we have our needs met through the ministry of others, we are also meeting the needs of others by the gifts given to us for their good.

Read the rest.

Don't Assume

Kevin DeYoung:

It may be the best known Bible verse in our culture: “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matt. 7:1).

As one of our society’s most popular verses, it is also one of the most misunderstood. Too many people, non-Christian and Christian, take Jesus’ words to be a blanket rejection of all moral evaluation. But given that Jesus alludes to his opponents as dogs and pigs five verses later, it’s safe to think Jesus wasn’t condemning every kind of judgment. We see from the rest of the Gospel that Matthew 7:1 is not inconsistent with strong criticisms, negative statements, church discipline, and warnings about hell. Judgmentalism is not the same as making ethical and doctrinal demands or believing others to be wrong.

And yet, after all the necessary qualifications, we must not mute this important command. As sinners, we are apt to assume the worst about people. We are eager to find favorable comparisons that make ourselves look good at the expense of others. We are quick to size people up and think we have them figured them out. But I have learned over the years–both as the giver and receiver of judgmental assumptions–that it’s best not to assume.

Read the rest.  It's a VERY good reminder.

The 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2012

You know who #1 is, but the rest of the list is interesting.

Notice how many technology companies are in the top 10.

What If I Totally Screw Up a Major Life Decision?

(HT:  Dane Ortlund)

Is It True? That is the Ultimate Question

From Matthew Parris, an atheist, writing for the Spectator in the UK:

Beware (I would say to believers) the patronage of unbelievers. They want your religion as a social institution, filleted of true faith. It is the atheists, who think this God business matters, who are on your side.

As an unbeliever my sympathies are with fundamentalists. They seem to me to represent the source, the roots, the essential energy of their faiths. They go back to basics. To those who truly believe, the implicit message beneath ‘never mind if it’s true, religion is good for people’ is insulting. To those who really believe, it is because and only because what they believe is true, that it is good. I find David Cameron’s remark that his faith, ‘like Magic FM in the Chilterns, tends to fade in and out’, baffling. If a faith is true it must have the most profound consequences for a man and for mankind. If I seriously suspected a faith might be true, I would devote the rest of my life to finding out.

As I get older the sharpness of my faculties begins to dull. But what I will not do is sink into a mellow blur of acceptance of the things I railed against in my youth. ‘Familiar’ be damned. ‘Comforting’ be damned. ‘Useful’ be damned. Is it true? — that is the question. It was the question when I was 12 and the question when I was 22. Forty years later it is still the question. It is the only question. (my emphasis)

Read the rest.

(HT:  T-Bitty)

Witnesses Not Stargazers

There was something fundamentally anomalous about their gazing up into the sky when they had been commissioned to go to the ends of the earth. It was the earth not the sky which was to be their preoccupation. Their calling was to be witnesses not stargazers. The vision they were to cultivate was not upwards in nostalgia to the heaven which had received Jesus, but outwards in compassion to the lost world which needed him. It is the same for us. Curiosity about heaven and its occupants, speculation about prophecy and its fulfillment, and obsession with ‘time and seasons’ – these are aberrations which distract us from our God-given mission. Christ will come personally, visibly, and gloriously. Of that we have been assured. Other details can wait. Meanwhile, we have work to do in the power of the Spirit. 

- John Stott, The Message of Acts, 51.

(HT:  Timmy Brister)

"Corrections need to be overwhelmed by affirmations"

Some great wisdom here from Sam Crabtree from his book, Practicing Affirmation.

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

(HT: Mark Wolter)

Contemporary Tolerance is Nothing of the Sort

D.A. Carson:

The notion of tolerance is changing, and with the new definitions the shape of tolerance itself has changed. Although a few things can be said in favor of the newer definition, the sad reality is that this new, contemporary tolerance is intrinsically intolerant. It is blind to its own shortcomings because it erroneously thinks it holds the moral high ground; it cannot be questioned because it has become part of the West's plausibility structure. Worse, this new tolerance is socially dangerous and is certainly intellectually debilitating. Even the good that it wishes to achieve is better accomplished in other ways.

Read the rest.

Get the book here.

AmazonMP3 Deal

I had this on vinyl in 3rd grade.  Hands down the best record of the 80's.  You can get it digitally for $3.99 today.  I'm in.

When Good Desires Morph Into Idolatry

[Many] desires are normal and natural and become sinful only by abuse. Good and lawful desires become corrupted when they are desired inordinately. When you want something good (such as desiring your spouse to love you, or your children to honor you, or your boss to treat you with respect) so much that you are willing to sin in order to fulfill your desire (or to sin as a result of your desire not being fulfilled), your desire becomes idolatrous. Such desires are sinful not because some new verse suddenly appeared in your Bible that says, ‘You shall not want your spouse to love you,’ or ‘You shall not desire your children to honor you,’ or ‘You shall not try to please your boss.’ They are wrong because you have longed for them too intently. What may have begun as a legitimate God-given desire has now metastasized and mutated into an inordinate one.

- Lou Priolo, Pleasing People, p. 37

(HT:  Joe Crispin)

Slum Dwellers

The Big Picture Blog:

One billion people worldwide live in slums, a number that will likely double by 2030. The characteristics of slum life vary greatly between geographic regions, but they are generally inhabited by the very poor or socially disadvantaged. Slum buildings can be simple shacks or permanent and well-maintained structures but lack clean water, electricity, sanitation and other basic services. In this post, I've included images from several slums including Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya, the second largest slum in Africa (and the third largest in the world); New Building slum in central Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; Pinheirinho slum - where residents recently resisted police efforts to forcibly evict them; and slum dwellers from Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi, India. India has about 93 million slum dwellers and as much as 50% of New Delhi's population is thought to live in slums, 60% of Mumbai.

See the pictures.   

Bully - A New Documentary

Bully - Trailer No. 1

A statement from the director:

I made BULLY for kids to see – the bullies as well as the bullied. We have to change hearts and minds in order to stop this epidemic, which has scarred countless lives and driven many children to suicide. To capture the stark reality of bullying, we had to capture the way kids act and speak in their everyday lives – and the fact is that kids use profanity. It is heartbreaking that the MPAA, in adhering to a strict limit on certain words, would end up keeping this film from those who need to see it most.

(HT:  JT)

A Response to an Open Letter to Praise Bands

Luke Larsen writes with some good qualifications to an article that I posted to a few days by James Smith concerning cautions for church music leaders.

Dunks of the Day

Very cool video editing too.

Do You Use “Gospel” as an Adjective More Often than a Noun?

Eric McKiddie:

Did you know that you can make anything gospel-centered just by adding the word “gospel” in front of it?

There is contextualization. But then there’s gospel contextualization.

There is church growth. But then there’s gospel growth.

There are the arts. But then there are gospel arts.

Gospel centrality has morphed from a movement to a culture. And cultures, as we know, have their own languages. Gospel-centered pastors have a gospel language.

This is a good thing, by the way. It’s a sign that pastors and churches want to be driven by the gospel.

It’s also helpful. It’s much easier to say “gospel contextualization” than “contextualizing for the sake of spreading the gospel of Jesus, since the Son contextualized to us through the incarnation.”

But, like all good things, the language of gospel centrality comes with its own potholes and roadblocks that we need to steer clear of.

Read the rest.

I was just talking to a couple of guys about this this morning.  I think the people at my church can state the buzzwords, but do they really know what they mean and the implications?

This Modern Life

The Best Chess Player in the World

This is crazy.

"I love it when I see my opponent suffering." Awesome. (RSS, click through to view.)

$1 million verdict rendered against doctor in fetus death

Again we see the subjective nature of the horror of abortion.  How stories like this don't get out more is beyond me.  So let me get this straight...  If the woman wants the baby we can prosecute.  Is she doesn't want the baby then we can kill it with no penalty.  There is no intrinsic value.  Just subjective value based on preferences.

I call this logic crazy.  It's the world we live in.  It needs to stop.

Iran Sentences Pastor to Execution for Converting to Christianity

The GC Blog:

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani faces imminent execution for charges of abandoning Islam and refusing to recant his Christian faith, the American Center for Law and Justice reports. 

The 34-year-old husband and father of two, whose case was temporarily delayed in December, may now be executed at any moment without warning, according to a new---and apparently final---trial court verdict. Unfortunately, many of the details surrounding the case remain unclear.

Read more. Pray.

Getting Through Challenges To Missional Community

Jonathan Dodson has a helpful article here.  He writes:

The popularity of missional community is rising among evangelicals, and yet, the American church is nowhere near a missional tipping point.

I’ve faced missional highs and missional lows. Along the way, I’ve considered a number of things that are absolutely necessary for us to endure the transition to missional church. How should we respond to the challenges of missional community? Here are three things to keep in mind as you lead in God's mission.

Read the rest of this short and helpful article.

February Book Giveaway From Crossway

This month we'll be giving away three books. They are:

• The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books
• Understanding Scripture: An Overview of the Bible's Origin, Reliability, and Meaning
• The Joy of Calvinism: Knowing God's Personal, Unconditional, Irresistible, Unbreakable Love

Click the links to see the authors and descriptions.  

If you want to be entered in the random drawing, sign up for the RSS feed, my Twitter AND share on Twitter, FB or link on your blog and email me to let me know. If you don't have any of those means of sharing just email me anyway and let me know you want in.  Winners announced on Monday.  

A Cat, A Mask, Some DubStep, and Sharp Video Editing

Here is a worthless yet enjoyable 30 seconds for you.

What is depressing is that this video will probably get way more hits than a long heartfelt post that I pour two hours into. Ah... The joys of the internet.

Will Dolphins Soon Have More Rights Than The Unborn?

Nancy Flanders:

The Helsinki Group, comprised of philosophers, scientists, and animal welfare groups have created a declaration of rights for dolphins, which they hope will soon become law. They call dolphins “non-human persons” and have concluded that the first right dolphins should receive is the right to life. 

In addition to the right to life, the group proposes that dolphins not be removed from their natural environment. They claim that dolphins are not the property of any state, corporation, human group, or individual, that they should be protected under international and domestic law, and that no state, corporation, human group, or individual should “engage in any activity that undermines these rights, freedoms, and norms.” 

The reason for this bill of rights for dolphins, the group says, is that advancements in science have now made it clear that dolphins are intelligent and complex. Because of this, the Helsinki Group believes they have the right to life. If this declaration of rights does become law, it would mean that dolphins could not be kept at parks or used for entertainment. It would also mean that the privacy of whales would be protected during whale watching excursions. Killing one of these animals would be considered murder.

Read the rest.

Sounds crazy, huh?  I am all for valuing what God values.  God clearly values all of his creation.  We should to, but does this not shine a huge light on the issue of abortion?  

If you are willing to bend over backwards to protect a dolphin you would think that you would bend even farther to protect a human in the womb?  Sadly, this is usually not the case.  

Once again, it demonstrates that the controversy surrounding abortion has very little to do with personhood but rather the autonomy of bigger, more powerful persons over those who threaten that autonomy.  

Multiply Everything

Ed Stetzer:

LifeWay Research conducted a study in 2008, interviewing senior pastors in various denominations. Of the 1,004 individuals in the sample, almost all (85 percent) of the Protestant churches indicated that their churches are involved in a missions in some way, from things like congregational prayer at least once a month to conducting short-term mission trips. 

When it came to the mission field of church planting, however, only 28 percent indicated that they directly participated in helping a new church. Because that is a fairly broad description, further clarification was needed. Of that group, 52 percent explained that they gave a one-time gift, provided ongoing partnership, equipment, rent, or a mission trip to a new church plant.

Only 12 percent of that 28 percent, however, were actually churches that acted as a "mother church," or accepted direct financial responsibility for a new church as a primary sponsor. That means that in the previous twelve months, only 3 percent of the Protestant churches surveyed accepted primary responsibility for starting a new church. That's definitely a cause for strong concern.

The reality is that we won't see a church multiplication movement until we have all kinds of churches getting involved in primary participation. If we want to "go viral" in church planting, several qualities need to be in place.

Read the rest.

Get Ed's book here.

This is a one of the huge reasons I am excited that The Vine is a member of the Acts29 church planting network.

Some Stats on Sex

(via)

Jeremy Lin and the Challenges of Stardom in the Age of the Internet

Charles Pierce with some insight here that transcends Jeremy Lin.  He writes:

The Accelerated Age has taken the phenomenon out of the phenomenon of being a phenomenon. It used to have some build to it. It used to take a while. Even the simultaneous ascendancy of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird seems today as though it came to us all by wireless radio. Now, anything great that happens suddenly becomes so freighted with instant significance that the essential parts of it that are not crushed entirely are simply buried. In the case of Jeremy Lin, it took almost no time at all for the phenomenon to become commodified. He's already become a self-contained universe of images, most of which he did not seek, and none of which are under his control. He's been made into a vessel into which people have placed the precious illusions that they'd otherwise keep protected in bubble wrap and romance, deep in their childhood hearts. He's come to symbolize everything about sports that nostalgics need sports to symbolize. And he's trying to learn how to succeed as a point guard at the highest possible level of his sport — and that has to be the hardest part for him.

Can't he just be a player now, for a while, anyway? Can't he learn how not to turn over the ball nine times in a game? Can't he learn that he can't just pound the ball on the perimeter the way he does? Can't he have some space to figure out for himself and his teammates how things are going to be for the Knicks when they get their entire roster back together and everybody has to adjust, especially him? These are not easy lessons. Can't people simply refrain for a while from using him and his success as an excuse to take their pet theories about America out for a walk around the various green rooms and radio studios?

Of course not.

Read the rest.

"He Wants Pakistan Itself"

"If we begin with all authority, we end with all nations. If we begin with an invisible and very spiritual authority, then we end with small collections, in every nation, of believers in this invisible and very spiritual authority. But Jesus did not want a small collection of struggling churches in Pakistan; He wants Pakistan itself. He is happy to begin with the small beachhead in an unbelieving nation, but that beachhead must not confuse itself with the coming occupation" -(Doug Wilson, Heaven Misplaced, p. 82.

Does that sound imperialistic to you? In my mind I can hear my college religion professor saying how this is exactly what is so offensive about Christianity.  The language of "occupation" is not really that winsome these days (unless you are chilling on Wall Street right now.)

But if you take your Bible seriously it's hard to imagine how to understand the mission of God any other way. But it's not a mission of coercion and force, it's a mission of inviting all peoples into greater depth of life and satisfaction than they have ever know.  Ever eaten the Bread of Life?  Jesus said it's all about him.  We simply go to all nations and invite all those who are hungry.

LEGO Church

This would be one way to get my kids pumped about church.

More here.

What to Say When Someone Says “The Bible Has Errors”

Jonathan Dodson writes in the conclusion to his post:

So, when someone asserts that the Bible has errors, we can reply by saying: “Yes, our Bible translations do have errors, let me tell you about them. But as you can see, less than 1% of them are meaningful and those errors don’t affect the major teachings of the Christian faith. In fact, there are 1000 times more manuscripts of the Bible than the most documented Greco-Roman historian by Suetonius. So, if we’re going to be skeptical about ancient books, we should be 1000 times more skeptical of the Greco-Roman histories. The Bible is, in fact, incredibly reliable.” 

Contrary to popular assertion, that as time rolls on we get further and further away from the original with each new discovery, we actually get closer and closer to the original text. As Wallace puts it, we have “an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the biblical documents.” Therefore, we can be confident that what we read in our modern translations of the the ancient texts is approximately 99% accurate. It is very reliable.

Read the rest.

Go Beyond the Sex Questions

Trevin Wax writes a helpful post with three points:

• Recognize the legitimacy of the questions.
• Go beyond the surface of the questions.
• Challenge our culture’s obsession with sex.

Read the rest.

What Does Your Personal Experience Tell You About The Veracity of Your Faith?

C. Michael Patton:

Why do you believe in God?

“Because I know deep in my heart that he exists.”

Why do you believe Christ rose from the grave?

“Because I have experienced the same power in my life.”

Why do you think the Bible is true?

“Because it speaks to me in places that no other book has.”

Why do you believe God loves you?

“Because I was healed of a disease.”

These are all common answers that are given by well-meaning Christians concerning the validity of their faith. However, I have made the argument that these type of answers are not good apologetics outposts for the faith and can be very misleading and, sometimes, destructive.

Read the rest of this very important article.

Real Books Won't Die Out Anytime Soon

Kevin DeYoung writes well on this issue. I find myself agreeing with him completely when he writes:

The other problem with ebooks is their bland sameness. This is why I can’t make it much farther than two books on any electronic device. The books don’t feel like anything. The font is the same and the white space is the same. There is no variance in paper or size or weight. Each book, when read on an ereader, loses its personality. I can’t quite explain it, but I simply couldn’t read the new Jeeves and Wooster book I downloaded for my iPad. On my computer screen–looking and feeling like the last book I read–there was no joy in Wodehouse, no novelty, no new experience to be had. It was just another PDF or Word document sent my to inbox.

Read the rest. 

He touches here on the whole sensory experience that is found in reading a real book. The touch, smell, look, and feel. That is hard to replicate on an iPad. I think in the future there will be much room for both models and both models will have their specific uses.

New MuteMath Video - "Allies"

Get their new record here. It's amazing. One of my favorites of 2011.

A Post For Pastors and Music Leaders To Consider

James Smith:

1. If we, the congregation, can’t hear ourselves, it’s not worship.

2. If we, the congregation, can’t sing along, it’s not worship.

3. If you, the praise band, are the center of attention, it’s not worship.

He also writes:

Please consider these points carefully and recognize what I am not saying. This isn’t just some plea for “traditional” worship and a critique of “contemporary” worship. Don’t mistake this as a defense of pipe organs and a critique of guitars and drums (or banjos and mandolins). My concern isn’t with style, but with form: What are we trying to do when we “lead worship?” If we are intentional about worship as a communal, congregational practice that brings us into a dialogical encounter with the living God–that worship is not merely expressive but also formative–then we can do that with cellos or steel guitars, pipe organs or African drums.

Read the rest.

Personally, I would add some qualifiers to this article but in general I think it provides a very helpful means for discussion.  Keep in mind that the three bullet points above will be answered differently by different people.  There are no hard and fast rules for evaluation of those items in your local context.  From church to church it will look different and we should be ok with that.

(HT:  Denny Burk)

A Unique Approach to Productivity

Many people are very serious these days about "getting things done".  I just ran across this article that explain the Jerry Seinfeld approach.  Sounds quite interesting and most of all, simple.  I like simple.

Check it out.

An Essay on Why David Brooks Is Wrong on Jeremy Lin

Owen Strachan has a good post reflecting on a recent article by David Brook that claims that humility and true greatness can't co-exist.

An Apologetic of Thankfulness

Doug Wilson:

Paul attributes darkness of understanding to a hardness of heart. This is why we should aim for the heart. And the thing we should be shooting at an ungrateful heart is several clips of gratitude bullets.

We all know enough to thank God for our food, but we often get stuck there. I suggest branching out a bit, especially around the unbelievers we are seeking to win. This means figuring out how to express thankfulness for really good sneezes, a Styrofoam cup of truck stop coffee, the way it feels when you pull your socks all the way up, the tricks your smartphone does, the way the clouds can do that, not to mention the way those birds are fooling around in the tree, your wife’s neck, the happy task of mowing the lawn, and steaks on the grill. And by all these things, I am not talking about “happy about,” but rather “thankful to.”

Dante Rossetti once summed it up nicely: 'The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank.'

An apologetic of gratitude is one which helps create those moments, and which presses the point when it happens. And a good way to press the point is by chuckling and saying to your friend, “You know what’s cool? A narwhal’s horn, that’s what.”

Read the rest.

25 Minutes of Pure Musical Pleasure

Right here.

Popular Songs Re-Imagined in Silly But Fun Ways

The Glory of the Nerf-Hoop Dunk-a-Thon

This is so awesome.

If I would have had a video camera in 1990 there is no way that I would have ever done anything like this... oh wait... right... I would have done this but probably twenty times over... everyday... for a year straight.

Anyone else feel me?



(HT: 22 Words)

A Great Example of Why C.S. Lewis is Still Being Read Many Years After His Death

Questioner: Materialists and some astronomers suggest that the solar planetary system and life as we know it was brought about by an accidental stellar collision. What is the Christian view of this theory?

Lewis: If the solar system was brought about by an accidental collision, then the appearance of organic life on this planet was also an accident, and the whole evolution of Man was an accident too. If so, then all our present thoughts are mere accidents—the accidental by-product of the movement of atoms. And this holds for the thoughts of the materialists and astronomers as well as for anyone else’s. But if their thoughts—i.e., of Materialism and Astronomy—are merely accidental by-products, why should we believe them to be true? I see no reason for believing that one accident should be able to give me a correct account of all the other accidents. It’s like expecting that the accidental shape taken by the splash when you upset a milk jug should give you a correct account of how the jug was made and why it was upset.

(HT:  Randy Alcorn)

The FAQs: The Contraceptive-Abortifacient Mandate

Helpful post here from Joe Carter.

One helpful question and response:

I don't oppose contraceptives, so why should I care about this issue?

There are two reasons that all Christians, regardless of their view on contraceptives, should be concerned about this mandate.

The first is because it forces Christians to pay for abortion-inducing drugs. The policy currently requires coverage of Ulipristal ("Ella"), which is chemically similar to the abortion drug RU-486 (mifepristone) and has the same effect (to prevent embryos from being implanted or, if already implanted, to die from lack of nutrition). Additionally, RU-486 is also being tested for possible use as an "emergency contraceptive." If the FDA approves it for that purpose, it will automatically be included under the mandate.

The second is that it restricts religious liberty by forcing religious institutions to pay for contraceptives and abortifacients even if the employer has a religious or moral objection to such practices.

How Many Different Ways Can You Use Jeremy Lin's Name on the Cover of a Magazine?

Deliver us From This Coldness!

Ray Ortlund:

The problem is not reformed theology per se. Inherent within that theology is a humbling and melting and softening and beautifying tendency. The problem is when that theology is not allowed to exert its natural authority. Instead, in the name of reformed theology, our own native religiosity creates a culture at odds with that theology. And our religious culture, whatever it is, reveals what we really believe as opposed to what we think we believe. If we are cold, hard, harsh and ruthless — and can we say this does not occur among those who wave the reformed banner? — if we are ungracious in our relationships and ethos and demeanor and vibe and culture, then we are betraying the doctrines of grace and only using them for covert purposes of self-exaltation.

O God, deliver us from this coldness!

Read the rest.

What Would the End of Football Look Like?

Grantland has an interesting piece that looks at the potential demise of the sport of football in the US.  It begins with this:

he NFL is done for the year, but it is not pure fantasy to suggest that it may be done for good in the not-too-distant future. How might such a doomsday scenario play out and what would be the economic and social consequences? 

By now we're all familiar with the growing phenomenon of head injuries and cognitive problems among football players, even at the high school level. In 2009, Malcolm Gladwell asked whether football might someday come to an end, a concern seconded recently by Jonah Lehrer. 

Before you say that football is far too big to ever disappear, consider the history: If you look at the stocks in the Fortune 500 from 1983, for example, 40 percent of those companies no longer exist. The original version of Napster no longer exists, largely because of lawsuits. No matter how well a business matches economic conditions at one point in time, it's not a lock to be a leader in the future, and that is true for the NFL too. Sports are not immune to these pressures. In the first half of the 20th century, the three big sports were baseball, boxing, and horse racing, and today only one of those is still a marquee attraction.

Read the rest.

The Glory of the Stay-At-Home Mom

I'm sure there are some Moms out there who can relate. I know my wife would at times relate to the "actual" picture. She is a queen amidst the chaos.

How to Guard Against the Love of and Maximize The Blessing of Money

John Piper gives fives ways:

1. I study to see and savor the supreme value of Jesus above all earthly things.

2. I pray that this would free me from the love of money.

3. I trust in God’s promises for every need to be met (for my family and the church)

4. I set aside electronically our regular gift to the church, and then add spontaneous gifts in the worship services.

5. Finally, I put protections in place against bigger barns and I turn the prosperity of my fields into blessings for others.

Read the rest to read his helpful explanations.

Here is What is Coming To Your Apple Computer This Summer

The changes keep coming and all the devices are becoming more and more similar.

Bill Simmons on #Linsanity

America's best basketball analysis, Bill Simmons, answers emails about #Linsanity.  They touch on many interesting issues pertaining to his rise to stardom.

Should Christians Impose Their Morality on Society?

Alan Shlemon writes for STR.org a short and helpful article to clarify this issue.   His conclusion:

Christians have the right, as well as any citizen, to impose their morals on society. To try to limit their role in public policy is an illegitimate attempt to silence dissent. It’s a group’s way of saying, “Just go away,” while at the same time imposing their own moral vision on society. It’s not only unlawful, it’s un-American.

Read the rest.

Rome, Obama, and Calm Assurance of Things to Come

You have probably observed the recent firestorm of publicity responding to the changes proposed by the Obama administration concerning contraception and religious institutions other than churches.

Chuck Colson has written that the issue of contraception is in fact only a symptom of a greater root issue:

Because what's really at stake here is whether or not there is any limit to government power. 

That's the point made by Daniel Henninger in his excellent piece . . . in the Wall Street Journal. "The American Catholic Church," he writes, "is now being handed a lesson in the hierarchy of raw political authority." 

But the question for all of us, Henninger writes, "is whether anyone can remain free of a U.S. government determined to do what it wants to do, at whatever cost." 

Friends, the answer to that question depends on whether we the people, and especially we Christians and people of all faiths will rise up and say, "Enough! You may not intrude on our religious beliefs, you may not prohibit us from living out our faith."

I join the chorus of voices that are grieved and outraged at the current proposal and the implications therein for people of faith. It signals an unprecedented shift in the relationship between government and religion that should be vigorously resisted through written persuasion, the voting booth, and if necessary, civil disobedience. Much has already been written along these lines. (See here, here and here.)

In no way should we minimize the current controversy. In my estimation, the current response from many thoughtful writers is warranted---indeed, necessary. But with any potential crisis that looms on the horizon due to the collision of Christianity and secular culture, we have centuries of church history to inform and perhaps, temper our response. Reflecting on church history does not censor our response but should define the tone.

Alarmist Media

Media in our culture tends toward alarmism. When media moguls smell fear they see dollar signs. But Christians are different. We have not been given a spirit of fear. And a view to church history should fuel hope in spite of challenging circumstances.

Let's remember that Christianity emerged in the shadow of a political regime that was the most ruthless force of bloody domination the world had ever seen. Said plainly, the Obama administration is child's play compared to the Roman Empire. Unlike the situation today, there was no limit to their power. Remarkably, contrary to Roman will, Christianity became the most explosive religious movement the world had ever seen. The mere fact that Christianity exists is a miracle of God and testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Though we no longer live in the shadow of Rome, our culture is dark and will probably grow darker. But whether we lose our jobs because we refuse to participate in the abortion industry or, God forbid, one day an anti-Christian government actually murders children in the streets, the light of Christ will never be extinguished.

So let's respond to a political regime that is unjust and out of bounds. We have to. But as we do, our tone should not be driven by fear or panic, since we are receiving a "kingdom that cannot be shaken" (Heb. 12:28). There is no dichotomy between vigorously fighting for justice and a confident, quiet assurance that the sky is not falling. Let's embrace both. We fight for justice, but we know that even when the battle is lost, victory belongs to our God in the greater war. So let's proceed with hope, love, patience, and a superior vision that looks to the past to inform our future.

This article is cross posted at The Gospel Coalition Blog.

For the Shameless Apple Fanboy

You know you want one.

The Middle-Aged White Guy's Guide to Christian Rap

This is quite clever and probably helpful for many of you out there.  Click over to read more at Challies.com.

Facebook Now a Branch of the CIA

Is The New Testament Reliable?

Craig Blomberg:

The New Testament (NT) contains four biographies of Jesus (the Gospels), one history book of the early church (Acts), twenty-one letters (Romans to Jude), and an apocalypse (Revelation). While the letters and the apocalypse contain references to historical events, the Gospels and Acts are written as straightforward historical narratives. These are the NT books about which it makes particularly good sense to ask the question, "Are they historically reliable?" Twelve lines of evidence converge to suggest strongly that the answer is "yes."

Read the rest for his list of reasons.

#Linsanity!!!!

Check out that game winner from last night. This kid has had more media attention in the last seven days than perhaps anyone in the nation. And to then step up and drain this shot is unbelievable.

Some Questions to Ask Before You Contribute to the Next Online Controversy

Timothy Dalrymple has a helpful post here. He suggests that before we crank out that heated blog post or FB rant in response to this or that swirling around on the internet we should ask some questions. They are:

• Am I responding to a controversy or creating one?
• Have I fully digested and assessed this issue?
• Do I really have anything important to add to the conversation?
• Assess your motives.
• Remember the power of compassion.

Click over to read his explanations of each point.


I would add:

1.  Have you solicited feedback on your piece from someone who is willing to not be a "yes man"?
2.  Are you saying anything unique?
3.  Have you given enough time to let the issue settle a bit?  Time oftentimes brings perspective.
4.  Have you considered the hypothetical objector and answered their concerns?
5.  Have you written in such a way that it would read well out loud with the person sitting in front of you that you are seeking to address?  Is it charitable?

Personhood

A great new video from Abort73.com.

Grace Means Saying, “I’m Sorry”

Here is a really good example of public repentance.  The Gospel informs this kind of response and I commend the author for it.  May we be willing and able to follow his lead in light of internet gossip.

More on this here.

The Struggle Against Abortion Isn't One Big Institutional Battle

Mike Cosper:

The struggle against abortion isn’t one big institutional or governmental battle; it’s 1.2 million small battles annually. It’s a battle for the hearts and consciences of mothers who feel like abortion is their only option. Often, they are overwhelmed by the prospect of a child, the pressures of poverty, and an ignorance of the resources available to help with the medical costs and the needs of a newborn. They face pressure from family members and the gaping absence of fathers. At its core, abortion is a selfish and sinful decision, but it’s one made all the easier by desperation (“I have no options”) and propaganda (“it’s a woman’s right to choose” or “it’s your body”). 

In the face of such pressure, women don’t need an ad campaign or a political movement. They need a friend. They need someone to make themselves available, providing avenues to resources and hope.

Two Beautiful Examples

In my own city, this battle is being led groups like A Woman’s Choice, Necole’s Place, and Scarlet Hope. These organizations aren’t led by politicians or lobbyists. They aren’t political action groups. You don’t really need any special training to help them in their cause. They show up in the lives of women who are in trouble and they offer love, grace, help and the hope of the gospel. 

Over the years, A Woman’s Choice has seen countless women choose life. They’ve shuddered abortion clinics. They’ve provided medical care, facilitated adoptions, and educated mothers in need of help through Necole’s Place. I would daresay they’ve done far more to end abortion in Louisville than any politician.

In a somewhat different vein, Scarlet Hope has been serving our city by helping women who work in the sex industry. They show up in clubs, serve meals, share the gospel, and offer help. Women are leaving that predatory world and finding hope in Christ.

The soldiers in this battle are mostly women. Some of them look a lot like my mother. Their weapons are casseroles and sweet tea. The workers of Scarlet Hope sit in the green rooms of strip clubs, fixing the worker’s hair, praying for their children, and quietly opening the exit door to club life. At A Woman’s Choice, they provide ultrasounds and medical care. More than that, they provide a listening ear and a caring presence. It’s a classic example of the subversive power of the gospel; the battle against Satan, sin and death being waged by church ladies bearing cupcakes and Mary Kay.

Read the rest and subscribe to Mike's blog.

"I Will See To It That You Are Never Alone"

Doug Wilson:

In his essay on membership in The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis says this: "in the first place, when the modern world says to us aloud, 'You may be religious when you are alone,' it adds under it's breath, 'and I will see to it that you are never alone.'" I thought of this when I was pondering the outrageous behavior of the Obama administration, continuing down to the present, with regard to Catholic institutions having to make the payments for contraception. "you may have religious freedom in every area where the federal government does not have jurisdiction, and by the way, the federal government has jurisdiction everywhere and in everything."

Read the rest.

Cheap eBook Alert

(This one is a must-have)

Francis Schaeffer
True Spirituality
$3.99 

John Piper
This Momentary Marriage
$3.49

Heaven (For Kids)
Randy Alcorn
$3.99

Linsanity: The Basketball Star No One Wanted: Jeremy Lin's Unlikely Triumph

Owen Strachan with a great post on Jeremy Lin and his rise to stardom.  I hope it lasts.

Here is a video of a day in his life:

Cheap eBook Alert

The Transforming Power of the Gospel
Jerry Bridges
FREE