D.A. Carson “Word Within the Word” Ryan Center Conference Audio

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audio, bible, children, Children Desiring God, christian, christianity, conference, D.A. Carson, Hebrews, hermeneutics, kids, new testament, old testament, parenting, scripture, Union University

D.A. Carson and Children Desiring God

A small group from our church traveled to Union University last weekend to hear D.A. Carson lecture on how New Testament writers used the Old Testament text.  Were they guilty of taking Old Testament passages out of context?

Carson approached his topic by focusing on three different passages in Hebrews, one in each plenary session.    The audio files for those lectures are now available:

Plenary 1: D.A. Carson

Plenary 2: D.A. Carson

Plenary 3: D.A. Carson

Another highlight of the weekend was the breakout sessions led by Children Desiring God founders David and Sally Michael.  I’ve included links to those files below.

I’m working a lot of overtime right now, but when I have time I want to say a little more about one of the other breakout sessions.  Here are the Children Desiring God messages:

David and Sally Michael – Breakout Session 1

David and Sally Michael – Breakout Session 2

David and Sally Michael – Breakout Session 3

Adoption and Infertility: An interview with my pastor’s wife

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adoption, children, family, infertility, interview, kids, random thoughts, women, women's health, women's issues

A little over a year ago my pastor and his wife were filling out stacks upon stacks of forms, preparing to become adoptive parents.  Several years of trying to have a baby and struggling to come to terms with infertility had preceded sitting in front of those stacks of paper, and many joys have followed it.

Not long after I began blogging I mentioned the decision that William and Glenna made to be as transparent as possible with our church as they dealt with the ups and downs of infertility and adoption.  You can read more about that here.  (Incidentally, I still highly recommend browsing through the archives of Glenna’s infertility blog.)

As with everything else in life, their journey hasn’t been nearly as black and white as my first paragraph might suggest.  Their lives did not consist of only struggles before adoption, and only joys afterward.  It almost goes without saying that life is always much more complex than that.

Recently Glenna participated in a panel discussion on the topic of infertility and adoption for TotallyHer, a popular website for women; there she discussed the maze of emotions that have accompanied their experiences.  I think you’ll find her observations in the interview helpful and at times moving.  Read Does Adoption Make Infertility all Better?

Comments are encouraged!  If you have any experience yourself with infertility or adoption (not necessarily both), I’d love for you to share your thoughts or any insights you’ve gained from your experience in the comments.   Perhaps, if she’s able to do so, Glenna can participate in the discussion, as well.  Thanks!

Tony Kummer strikes again

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blogging, blogs, blogs and blogging, christian, christianity, promotions, religion, Tony Kummer

In the span of just a few days the unsleeping (undead?) Tony Kummer has managed to work his way into 2 of my last 3 blog titles.

Actually, as Tony knows, I really appreciate him and I want to let you know about another one of his blog projects.  Tony describes his latest project as “a categorized blog aggregator similar to Alltop and Popurls – except the focus will be on niche topics popular among Christian blogs.”

You might want to bookmark My Christian Blogs and become a regular visitor.  Tony says he has some really big promotions planned for this summer.  And when Tony says big, I think he means BIG.

Why blog?

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Band of Bloggers, blogging, blogs, blogs and blogging, christian, christianity, Tony Reinke

One of the things I’ve done ever since I first began blogging is question my motives.  Why am I doing this?  What do I hope to accomplish?  Is this a good use of my time?  I may one day decide that I shouldn’t be blogging, and just walk away from it.  Until then, I think it’s helpful to ask tough questions. Why we do whatever we do is of extreme importance.

But it’s important to ask not only whether we should blog, but also how we should approach the task.  What do we want to communicate?  Who is our target audience?  Who are we actually reaching?  Tony Reinke addressed some of the “how” questions in his message to the Band of Bloggers meeting in Chicago this week, and has posted the manuscript on his blog.

Tony outlined three basic principles for being a good steward of your blog, and concluded by saying that if you do these three things well, you won’t have to find your audience; your audience will find you.

1. Identify your passions
2. Research
3. Share

You can read Tony’s brief manuscript here.

Do you know why you blog and what you want to accomplish?  Who are you trying to reach, and why?  How do you view (and handle) the responsibility that comes along with being a blogger?

Tony Kummer never sleeps

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blogging, blogs, blogs and blogging, books, christian, christianity, contests, devotional, devotionals, faith, free, giveaways, inspiration, religion, Tony Kummer

Tony Kummer Never Sleeps

At least, that’s my theory.  I don’t know it to be a fact, but I think it certainly must be true. Otherwise I don’t know how he could accomplish as much as he does.  It’s at least theoretically possible that he’s a zombie (since it’s well documented that zombies never sleep) but I’m unable to confirm that at this time.

I only know Tony through blogs and social networking sites.  Our paths first crossed several years ago when I bookmarked one of Tony’s projects, Said at Southern, at a social bookmarking site and we developed a casual online friendship.  Since then, I’ve discovered that Tony has developed a number of other websites.  You can find links to a few of those here.  In addition to all of that, Tony has a full-time ministry, a wife, and four children.  Hence, my theory that he never sleeps.

Giving Away $400 Worth of Books

In order to promote one of his most recent projects, Tony’s created a nice giveaway.  Just follow this Devotional Christian link to find out more about the contest and enter.  The drawing will be held on June 1.  The grand prize winner will get to choose $200 worth of books from Westminster Bookstore.  Sweet.

Giving “hot chocolate” a whole new meaning

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chocolate, dark chocolate, Easter, family, food, Lindt

I like dark chocolate.  And I like hot peppers.  Thanks to Lindt it’s now possible to enjoy both at once.  The company sells a chocolate bar that combines “Lindt’s finest aromatic dark chocolate with the well balanced spice of premium red chili.”  It gives “hot chocolate” a whole new meaning!

I know it sounds like a somewhat freakish combination, but it’s really pretty good.  You may be wondering at this point whether this is some kind of an advertisement, or if I get a commission from Lindt.  Actually, my wife got me one of these bars for Easter, and the only purpose in writing about it is so that I can say that my wife is one of the most thoughtful people I know.  I love you, baby.

Tradition vs. Traditionalism

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books, christian, christianity, church, church history, faith, history, Jaroslav Pelikan, religion, tradition

I wish I had enough money to buy all the books I want to read, and enough time to read all the books I might buy. I’m afraid I have even less of the latter than I do of the former.

I enjoy reading Church history, among other things. For a while now I’ve wanted to buy and read some of the works of historian Jaroslav Pelikan. That desire was inflamed today when I heard the following quote by Pelikan.  Some of you may be familiar with it, but I wasn’t.  I thought it was brilliant.

Tradition is the living faith of the dead, traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.

In one succint statement Pelikan captures both the immense value and the imminent danger of tradition.  That one sentence describes much of what’s right and much of what’s wrong with the church.

Tradition may serve as a useful means to an end, but it is a terrible end in itself.  It can be a good servant or a harsh master.  It can undergird and strengthen churches, or undermine and kill them.  That’s probably true of societies as well, but I’m thinking particularly in this post of the role tradition plays in our churches.

Tradition is good, but when it hardens into traditionalism, it turns deadly.

How have you been affected by tradition?  How has it affected your church or your denomination?  Has it been a good servant or a harsh master?

I’d like to hear your thoughts.  Be as expansive as you’d like.

Vampires and Zombies on my iPod

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Audio Adrenaline, CCM, christian music, House of Heroes, music, vampires, zombies

There were vampires and zombies on my iPod a few days ago.  It wasn’t intentional.  I inherited the iPod from my daughter.  Most of the music on it is hers, which is fine, because we like a lot of the same things.  So when I went to the YMCA to work out that morning, I put the iPod on shuffle, got on the treadmill, and listened to some good, mostly familiar music.

After a while, though, a song I didn’t know came on.  I had to look at the display to see what it was.  The song was called “Make a Face Like You Mean It (Vampires)” by House Of Heroes.

Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

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Charles Wesley, Christ, christian, Easter, hymns, Jesus, joy, music, religion, resurrection, singing, worship

Not much time to blog this weekend, but there is time to rejoice!  We’ll be singing this hymn at church later this morning.  I can’t wait to gather with God’s people and join my voice with theirs in singing praises to our risen Savior.  Have a blessed Easter!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

(Charles Wesley)

Into your hands I commit my spirit

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bible, books, christian, christianity, cross, crucifixion, death, Easter, Good Friday, James Montgomery Boice, Jesus, religion, scripture

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.  (Luke 23:46)

Commenting on this passage James Montgomery Boice points out that…

From very early in the history of the church, preachers have noted that Jesus’ last words show that he was in total control of the situation, as he had been in every moment of his life.  For these are not the words of an exhausted man, as if Jesus merely died from dehydration, loss of blood, shock, extreme fatigue, or suffocation.  Not at all.  They record a deliberate act of dismissing his spirit.

There was Jesus, hanging on a cross,

Is it necessary to believe in the resurrection of Jesus to be saved?

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1 Corinthians 15, christian, christianity, Easter, gospel, Jesus, John 3:16, religion, resurrection, Romans 10, salvation, the gospel

Since it’s Easter week, I want to resurrect a discussion I participated in over at Evangelical Village a week or so ago (unfortunately, the site and the original discussion are no longer available.)  It began when my friend Matt posed a simple but important question:

“What must a person know in order to be saved?  What theological knowledge must a person know in order to become a believer?”

Let me say up front that I don’t want anyone to think I’m being critical of Matt here.  I love my brother, I recommend his blog, and I know that he was doing what he always does very well–asking thought-provoking questions, and involving others in the discussion.  I appreciate that.

The thrust of the post was that it probably isn’t necessary to “know” much to be saved, but you do have to “believe.”  One commenter gave the example of the thief on the cross.  He knew very little, but he believed in Jesus and was saved.

In the original post Matt had asked:

Sing “Hosanna” (or the ants will get to)

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children, christian, christianity, humor, Jesus, kids, music, Palm Sunday, Passover, praise, religion, singing, Taylor Sorenson, worship

Palm Sunday

My youngest son likes to listen to music at bedtime.  Sometimes it’s whatever’s on his Shaker, sometimes it’s a CD, but most of the time it’s just one song, played over and over (and over) until he falls asleep.

A couple of weeks ago he chose a song by Taylor Sorenson entitled “Sing (or the rocks will get to)” and listened to it several nights in a row.  It’s based on Jesus’ response to the Pharisees when they wanted him to silence his disciples as he rode into Jerusalem.  (I’ll get to the ants in a minute.)

You know the story.  A large crowd had gathered for the Passover feast.  They heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  They were overjoyed and went out to see him.  As he rode into the city, some cried out “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12).  Others shouted praise and spread their cloaks on the ground in front of him (Luke 19).  The Pharisees just wanted all of them to shut up.

I love the vivid word pictures the Bible paints, especially when it comes to worship.  In his response to the Pharisees in Luke 19:40, Jesus painted one of those powerful word pictures.  He turned to the disgruntled Pharisees and said, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

What about the ants?

“but if you do not forgive others…”

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bible, christian, christianity, discipleship, forgiveness, hard saying, Jesus, Matthew 18, parables, paradox, religion, the Lord's prayer

The most pointed words in the Bible on the subject of forgiving others come directly from the lips of Jesus.  They’re so pointed, in fact, that we’re tempted, for various reasons, to dull their razor sharp barbs.

I want to look briefly at two examples from Jesus’ teaching on the subject of forgiveness.  These are genuinely hard sayings—not in the sense that they’re hard to understand (they’re actually easy to understand), but in the sense that they’re hard to accept at face value, and hard to reconcile with other truths we hold dear.

Forgiveness, Don Henley, and me

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christian, Don Henley, Eagles, forgiveness, Heart of the Matter, music, random thoughts, video, youtube

Years ago I went through an experience so painful and so personal that I can’t elaborate on it here.  It was gut-wrenching, beyond my ability to put into words, and beyond anything else that I’ve ever experienced.  I was deeply wounded; and for a while at least, I was angry at those who had hurt me.

I found help in the most unexpected place.  It came in the form of a song.  It wasn’t a “Christian” song, but it was a Godsend.

The song was “Heart of the Matter” by former Eagles member Don Henley.  It broke me.  And it helped me get down to the heart of the matter.  It was about forgiveness.