November 2011

That God Would Make us Dangerous

This morning we had Dr. Charles Woodrow preach at Grace Fellowship Church. For over 20 years, Dr. Woodrow has served as a missionary to Mozambique. Our church has been supporting him in this work for the past several years. In his sermon he quoted Jim Elliot—not the Elliot quote we all know (“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”), but one that I hadn’t heard before. I thought it was worth sharing.

We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the twentieth century does not reckon with. But we are “harmless,” and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are “sideliners” — coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!

Weekend A La Carte (11/19)

Hipsterification - “On the streets of Franklin and Nashville and almost every town throughout America now, hipsters scuttle by on scooters, zip around in Zipcars or Smart cars, roll by on fixed-gear bikes or walk about in snazzy high-top sneakers and longboard shorts. They snap Instagram photos of each other -- in black skinny jeans and T-shirts with funky epigrams…”

$5 DVD Sale - Desiring God is having a $5 DVD sale. So I guess it’s a good time to stock up for Christmas. 

The Internet Kills Productivity - “The Internet is the world’s greatest productivity tool, but also the world’s greatest time suck. Even email, which has put all executives on communication hyper mode since the BlackBerry, wastes a lot of time…” This article gives 3 simple tips that will help.

Identical Snowflakes - Here is a fascinating scientific explanation as to why no 2 snowflakes are the same. “Now, it's not a law of nature that no two snowflakes could be truly identical. So, on a very technical level, it's possible for two snowflakes to be identical. And it's entirely possible that two snowflakes have been visibly indistinguishable. But probability dictates that this is incredibly unlikely. ”

Inferno - This book review is so well written it just makes me want to read the book. Or at least buy it and leave it sitting on my bookshelf.

24 Hours in Photos - This is amazing (and you’ll need to click and look at the photos): “This installation by Erik Kessels is on show as part of an exhibition at Foam in Amsterdam that looks at the future of photography. It features print-outs of all the images uploaded to Flickr in a 24-hour period…”

Brave - The trailer for Pixar’s next film.

Praying without faith is like shooting without a bullet; it makes a noise but does no execution. —Francis Burkitt

Free Stuff Fridays

Free Stuff Fridays
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Crossway, a ministry and publisher that is well-known to you, I’m sure. Crossway is offering up a package of some of their new and exciting products. Actually, they are offering up 5 prize packages, each of which will contain the following 3 products:

My copy of Lit showed up just a couple of days ago. I actually read it several months ago and wrote this little endorsement for it: “Tony Reinke does not just read, but he reads well, and these are two very different things. If you are not much of a reader, consider Lit a part of your education. Tony will teach you to read, to read widely and to read well. If you are already an avid reader, consider Lit an investment that will instruct you in how to read better. In either case, this book will be a blessing to you.”

I’m also looking forward to reading Work Matters. Here’s what the publisher says about it: “Work. For some this word represents drudgery and the mundane. For others work is an idol to be served. If you find yourself anywhere on the spectrum from workaholic to weekend warrior, it's time to bridge the gap between Sunday worship and Monday work. Striking a balance between theological depth and practical counsel, Tom Nelson outlines God's purposes for work in a way that helps us to make the most of our vocation and to join God in his work in the world. Discover a new perspective on work that will transform your workday and make the majority of your waking hours matter, not only now, but for eternity.”

Giveaway Rules: You may only enter the draw once. Simply fill out your name and email address to enter the draw. As soon as the winners have been chosen, all names and addresses will be immediately and permanently erased. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway closes Thursday at noon.

Note: If you are reading via RSS, you'll need to click through to see the form.

A La Carte (11/18)

Forgiveness - Russell Moore writes about what forgiveness is and isn’t. “The most difficult math problem in the universe, it turns out, is 70 x 7. Perhaps the hardest thing to do in the Christian life is to forgive someone who has hurt you, often badly. But Jesus says the alternative to forgiving one's enemies is hell.”

Wallpaper - National Geographic has an amazing collection of wallpapers suitable for computers and mobile devices. 

The iPod Generation - This isn’t good. “Are the iPod Generation Ruining Their Hearing For Good? Pardon? What you say? Apparently the ear-bud touting masses are ruining their hearing, one Justin Bieber song at a time. Because one in five Americans over the age of 12 have hearing loss in at least one ear.”

Fathoming Amazon - This infographic shows just what an immense and immensely powerful company Amazon has become. Did you know, for example, that Amazon’s warehouses have more square footage than 700 Madison Square Gardens?

The Face of Modern Slavery - This is just horrifying and very hard to take. But what do we actually do about it? What can we do? “When I write about human trafficking as a modern form of slavery, people sometimes tune out as their eyes glaze over. So, Glazed Eyes, meet Srey Pov.”

Mohler and Wallis - Al Mohler and Jim Wallis recently debated social justice. You can watch it here.

Nothing lies beyond the power of man if it is within the will of God. —James Crowther

Take the Red Bowl Challenge

Red Bowl Challenge

Next week most people in the USA will celebrate by eating turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and squash, pumpkin pie and cylinders of cranberry goodness. We all have much to be thankful for. Which is why we are announcing a special holiday challenge that will give back to those in need, when we have plenty. From Thanksgiving Day until New Year's Day, we are asking everyone we know to team up with the good folks over at Rice Bowls to feed children in 52 orphanages across the globe. But we are not only asking, we are going to reward the biggest giver with a big gift!

Our hope is that more than 1,000 churches and gospel ministries will partner with Rice Bowls during this holiday season. To help motivate the givers, we are giving away a FREE Church Plant Media website (valued at $1,000 one time + $50/month) to the church or gospel ministry that sponsors the most meals between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day.

If you don't need a new website, then the FREE website will be yours to give away in January!

Will you take the Red Bowl Challenge?

  1. Fill out the form to order 1 red bowl for your church or gospel ministry.
  2. Fill the bowl - inspire everyone to donate between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day.
  3. Send the funds to Rice Bowls by Friday, January 6th and feed some kids!
  4. The biggest giver will be given a FREE Church Plant Media website in January.

Who can win the free website?

Any gospel-loving church or ministry in the USA that provides the most meals can win. This challenge is designed for congregations and para-church ministries to pool their resources and feed children. The only stipulation that we have in order to win the free website is that participants affirm our Gospel Agreement.

How many meals will be given to orphans?

With the help of over 50 Christian orphanage partners across the globe, Rice Bowls is able to provide 4 meals for every US dollar. That means you can provide 250 meals for the price as a 16-pound Turkey. We're not saying don't eat the bird... but we would love your help in feeding the children too!

Why is it an awesome time to give now?

The holidays are a great time to celebrate and give thanks for all that the Lord has done for us. That's why we have teamed up with Rice Bowls to challenge churches and ministries to take part. In fact, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, Church Plant Media has committed to give a percentage of every website sale, directly to the Red Bowl Challenge. If we all work together, we can do something amazing for orphaned children around the world in the name of Christ.

When will Church Plant Media announce the winner of the website?

We will announce the final meal total along with the website winner on this blog after the 1st week of January. If you have questions, please call Rice Bowls at 866-312-5791, and ask about the Red Bowl Challenge.

To learn more about the Red Bowl Challenge go to: www.redbowlchallenge.org.

On Being Gospel-Centered (CK2:23)

  • Tim Challies
  • 11/17/11

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Joe ThornThe phrase “gospel-centered” is fast entering the Evangelical mainstream. We are encouraged to be gospel-centered or to preach the gospel to ourselves. It is easy to say but, in my experience, far more difficult to do. This morning David Murray and I spoke with Joe Thorn about this very thing.

Joe Thorn is Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL and is the author of the great little book Note To Self. We took the opportunity to ask Joe what it means to be gospel-centered, whether the gospel truly applies to all of life, and then to give some practical pointers for how to preach the gospel to yourself in joy and in pain. Speaking personally I found it very, very helpful. So why don’t you give it a listen? It will take less than 30 minutes of your time and I think you’ll be well-rewarded for the effort.

If you want to give us feedback or join in the discussion, go ahead and look up our Facebook Group or leave a comment right here. You will always be able to find the most recent episode here on the blog. If you would like to subscribe via iTunes, you can do that here or if you want to subscribe with another audio player, you can try this RSS link.

A La Carte (11/17)

Internet Busy-Body - The Resurgence looks at a new kind of busy-body. “Busy-body. That term is power-packed with negative associations. The “town gossip” picture in my head is not the busy-at-home lady, but instead is the woman who knows facts about other's lives and is stocked with random trivia. Instead of working in her home and for her family, the busy-body is more concerned with the actions, thoughts, and juicy tidbits about others.”

Lost in Translation - Western product names that get lost in translation to Chinese.

A Moral Monster - Michael Horton: “Among the caricatures of Calvinism is the widespread claim that it renders God the author of evil, suffering, sin, and even the fall of humanity itself. In his recent book Against Calvinism, Roger Olson carefully distinguishes the official teaching of Calvinism from where he thinks it logically leads. However, there are over three dozen statements in his book about Calvinism leading by good and necessary logic to a deity who is a ‘moral monster,’ indistinguishable from the devil.”

Without a License - I’ve heard a lot of people wonder how Steve Jobs got away with years of driving without a license plate. This article provides an explanation.

Books on Sale - Westminster Books has a couple of new books deeply discounted. 

Jeopardy - It’s been a long time since I watched Jeopardy, but rumor has it this is the first time anyone’s ever gone all-in on back-to-back daily doubles. Fun.

The heart is heated by meditation and cold truth is melted into passionate action. —Donald Whitney

The Crushing Weight of Glory

I’ve had it on my heart this week to write about hope and joy. To do that I’ve gone looking for the hope that sustained the Apostle Paul as he endured trial after trial in his ministry. My logic here is simple: If Paul suffered greatly and found joy, those of us who suffer lightly in comparison should be able to find the same joy. A couple of days ago I showed that Paul found hope in the promise of resurrection and yesterday I showed that the resurrection was not an end in itself, but the means to the greater end of coming into the presence of God.

I want to wrap this up today and show how Paul progressed even from here. Even coming into the presence of God was the means to another end and here is why. With a resurrected body and in the presence of God he could now join in the most complete and heartfelt praise and worship of God. He knew that as he shared the gospel, the power of the gospel would continue to save souls. Each of these people would be added to the throng that would worship the Lord in that final day. Thinking about sharing the gospel despite pain and persecution he writes, "We speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving” (2 Corinthians 4:13). The math here is simple: the more people who hear the gospel, the more that can be saved. The more people who become Christians, the more people who can join with one voice in glorifying the Father for who he is and for what he has done. And some day all those who have been redeemed will gather together to praise the Lord.

Here is what the Apostle John wrote after seeing that day in a vision:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'

There is a great throng, a huge crowd of people, so many that John couldn't number them, people from all times and places, from all people and races, standing before the Lord and crying out together in praise to him. Paul knew of that day, he believed in that day, and he longed to participate in that great worship. 

What was pain, what was persecution, what was suffering and nakedness and sword and hunger and all the rest, in comparison to joining with all of these people, all of these Christians, and joining that congregation in praising the Lord?

There is just one more component: the promise of glory. Resurrection will bring us to God's presence. God's presence will cause us to break out in praise. Do you see how Paul builds this? Resurrection to presence to praise and finally to glory. All of this praise will bring glory to God. Again, in verse 13 says: "We speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God." This is the ultimate goal, the ultimate end, in it all. We are justified to bring glory to God. We are resurrected to bring glory to God. We come to God's presence to bring glory to God. We offer praise to bring glory to God. Paul's ultimate hope was not in escaping pain or experiencing a new body; it was the opportunity to glorify God.

Keep Reading →

A La Carte (11/16)

7 Misconceptions about Submission - Mary Kassian addresses some of the common misconceptions that arise in the context of submission and biblical womanhood.

Cowper’s Letters - “Reading about his descriptions of his depression produced an effect in me which is difficult to describe. I don't really have a category for what Cowper endured. I found myself looking for a hidden happy ending, a ray of sunshine amidst the darkness and gloom, or at least some kind of lesson to be learned from it all - some theological brackets which could wrap around his experience and interpret it. Nothing like that emerged.”

Navigating the Holidays - “Hello, my name is Erin, and my parents are divorced. Sometimes, I feel like I’m a member of a club that I can’t get out of, even if I fail to pay my dues. It’s the Adult Child of Divorce Club, and there are times when being a member is no picnic.”

Why Abuse Goes Unreported - It’s a question a lot of people are asking in the light of recent scandal. Why does abuse so often go unreported? “But while child abuse experts say that catching perpetrators in the act is rare, child abuse goes unreported and uninterrupted more often than not. And given the unexpected nature of seeing a man sexually abusing a child, even well-meaning eyewitnesses might freeze up.”

Being Offended For Someone Else - This is a modern-day phenomenon I’ve noticed as well. “I've noticed the phenomenon of someone getting personally offended on behalf of someone else, who, in fact, has not been personally offended.  A complaint has been filed against Catholic University for being insensitive to Muslims-basically by being a Catholic university-even though no Muslims have complained.”

Easter is to our faith what water is to the ocean, what stone is to the mountain, what blood is to the body. —Raymond Linquist

Enjoy Messiah This Christmas Season

Around this time last year I let you know about a new book that provides background and commentary for Handel’s Messiah. And now I want to encourage you to take in a performance of Messiah this Christmas season. And just to get you started, I’ve done some of the work, at least for those of you who live in a few major cities.

Messiah is one of the last distinctly Christian cultural events. Think about it: every year thousands and thousands of people pack concert halls to hear people sing Scripture set to music. They hear prophecies of a coming Messiah, they hear of his birth, they hear of his death and resurrection and they hear of his coming return. It is a remarkable thing. I almost feel a responsibility to support this kind of an event. I try to go every year and always enjoy it immensely.

I think you should do the same. It’s really quite easy to find a performance. I typed a few cities into Google and quickly found performances in:

New York - New York Philharmonic. Avery Fisher Hall. December 13, 14, 15, 16, 17  $31-$132

Toronto - Toronto Symphony Orchestra with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Roy Thompson Hall. December 14, 16, 17, 18, 19. $38 - $107

Atlanta - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus. Atlanta Symphony Hall. December 1, 3. $29 - $59

Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Orchestra with the Philadelphia Singers Chorale. Verizon Hall. December 18. $29 - $124.

Los Angeles - Los Angeles Master Chorale. Disney Hall. December 18. $24-$114.

I could go on and on. These are just the major events in major cities. Countless smaller churches, choirs and orchestras will also be offering performances.

So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets, buy the book, and prepare to have your soul stirred.