Asides for 2006.11.08
- Justin Taylor provides info on what happened
- Tim Challies’ reflects on the scandal
- Slice of Laodicea (Ingrid) responds to Challies’ post
- Carl Trueman @ Reformation21b log reflects on Haggard’s sin
- Mark Driscoll gives advice to pastors in light of scandal/tragedy
- John Piper reminds us how Christian leaders should avoid sexual sin is helpful
Asides for 2006.11.03
Canada now has 3.5G wireless, as Rogers launches HSDPA in the GTA!! (HT)
Try the new search engine called Ms. Dewey–she’s pretty purrtty! Try searching for President Bush, gmail, or Yo Mama and she’ll give you some attitude =D (HT)
At the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary last week, C.J. Mahaney came to speak 3 messages:
- “Grace and the Adventure of Leadership” (1 Cor. 1:1-9)
- “Leadership in the Local Church”
- “Cravings and Conflicts” (James 4:1-2)
Leadership and humility synonymous in Scripture, Mahaney tells..
This week’s Chapel services featured John MacArthur speaking the Mullins Lecture series:
‘Headship of Christ under assault’ MacArthur says…
+ Article in TIME reports on “How to Get Teens Excited About God“,
& check out this video of Elmo singing/dancing to Nelly Furtado’s Promiscuous!
Happenings around the church
Worship: Former Southern Baptist seminarian & friend Shuling Lee also shares about authentic Christian worship in today’s postmodern culture.
Scot McKnight finds Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas to be a great example of a church that is both contemporary and traditional, missional and theologically grounded, spontaneous and liturgical.
Mark Dever was recently in Toronto speaking on Worship in the New Testament and in the Puritans at the International Baptist Conference.
Ladies: GirlTalk shares about the images of Distorted Beauty that affects today’s young women.
Books: John Piper’s new book What Jesus Demands from the World is avail free in PDF; Vern Poythress‘ new book Redeeming Science is also free on PDF.
October 31: Challies shares about Halloween, and calls for a Reformation Day.
Last but not least, Jonathan Edwards is my Homeboy t-shirts are here!
Asides News Update
Reformation Theology led me to a great article that has revealed to myself that I am very much reformed=D After every paragraph my mind quickly came up with defenses for the sovereignty of God and the infalliability of Scripture, and interesting enough, the paragraph after was quite elaborately in exegetical prose what I was just thinking! All in all a great article answering “Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart, or did Pharaoh?“
CT has listed what they think is “The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals“, and my o my, everybody has opinion about the standings, what’s on the list and what should have been! The managing editor tells of the reasoning behind the selection of the top 500, and Challies reflects on the list. Justin Taylor asked Jim Hamilton, Sam Storms, C. J. Mahaney, Erik Thoennes, & Phil Ryken for their top picks.
JT also kindly is giving a 40% discount off of Crossway’s unabridged more accessible version of John Owen’s “Overcoming Sin and Temptation” (use the coupon code BTWOW)!
Mark Driscoll just concluded a great preaching series on 1 Corinthians and Spiritual gifts–I haven’t listened to it all but I highly recommend! Josh Harris, alternatively, just started in August preaching from 1 Corinthians.
Interesting online quiz: “Which Reformed blog are you?“ My top 3 were Pyromaniacs, Challies, & Adrian Warnock (I thought I’d be Worship Matters!).
Asides for September 25
Reformed! Baptist Press reports on a recent study that only 10% of Southern Baptist pastors considers themselves 5 point Calvinists! Tom Ascol comments on the issue. September’s Christianity Today suggests that Reformed theology/Calvinism is making a come back! YAY =D They’ve also a good summary of Calvinism.
Na: New Attitude (of Josh Harris fame) has recently revamped their site & released the date of their 2007 conference! Many good sermons avail free from 2006 conference;-)
Muslims & Christians: Albert Mohler & John Piper comment on the Pope’s slip-up.
Flickr Pro users: can get 10 free MiniCards from Moo.com!
PC WORLD Magazine: email me for a FREE 1yr subscription (US only).
Asides for September 21
Job interview with the City of Peterborough this afternoon went good=D
From the USA? Email me for a FREE 1yr subscription to PC WORLD Magazine!
Theology: Free seminary courses via MP3/pdf from Covenant Theological Seminary & BiblicalTraining.org.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: just redesigned their website–check out their Chape Messages every Tues & Thurs! President Al Mohler has a great article on “The Marks of Manhood“.
Prayer: Challies has a review of Yancey’s new book “Prayer“–not recommended! Reformation21 has a great review of Packer’s book “Praying“–recommended!
Mark Driscoll: who’s about to celebrate his church’s 10th anniversary, has a good analysis of the feud between Chuck Smith Jr & Sr.
Sale! MonergismBooks is having a moving sale: books, audio cds, Bibles!
In the news this week
I’ve declined the Ottawa job offer, fyi.
Also, check out 11 things to make everyone dislike you & shipwreck your faith!
Download a free sermon from the WorshipGod06 Conference, titled “Sanctification through Serving” (promo code FREEDOWNLOAD).
Tim Challies reviews Dan Southerland’s book “Transitioning“, which aims to help churches move from traditional to Purpose Driven; not recommended (as is the PDC methodology)!
Chris Tomlin’s new CD “See The Morning” is being released on Sept. 26!
5th anniversary of 9/11
It was 5 years ago on this day… let us take a moment and pause, and reflect. (See also CNN for coverage)
New and free this week
If you didn’t hear: Jars of Clay new album “Good Monsters” and is available for free via streaming audio. Listen to it here or here!
Derek Webb’s “Mockingbird” album is also available free here!
Get a free copy of John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life from the Billy Graham Association.
Mark Dever’s Capitol Hill Baptist Church is now podcasting; Great sermons, including a series on Biblical Theology!
Pulpit Magazine (the online magazine from MacArthur’s Shepherd’s Fellowship) has moved to: www.sfpulpit.com!
Links for the long weekend
I’ll be going away on a short vacation with my family this long weekend; we’ll be going on a (shopping) bus tour of Detroit & Chicago. I’ll see y’all back on Tuesday! For now, check these out:
John Piper’s Desiring God Ministries has just released their new website!
Canadian blogger Tim Challies is writing a his 1st book to be published by Crossway titled “The Discipline of Discernment“. Can’t wait to get it!
A new cheap, evangelism tool: full sized ESV New Testament for 50cents! Spread the Word!
Happenings this week
Boundless has a really good article about “Blogging Responsibly“–especially as Christians!
Mark Dever @ the T4G blogs shares about evangelism & the need to be clear!
A new video sermon has been posted to New Attitude; Eric Simmons (of Covenant Life Church) speaks about our mission to reach the world next door.
Reformation21 has a great article about Calvin’s view of missions.
Albert Mohler talks about the controversial issue of women in the pastorate within the SBC.
Phil Johnson contends that though the unity that Christ called for was not organizational, we can still have unity that transcends denominations.
And anybody wanna play Fantasy Church with me?!?
Church, books & Calvinism
Mark Discoll provides 10 easy steps on destroying your church/denomination.
LifeWay Christian Stores, a branch of the SBC & one of the world’s largest Christian bookstores, has removed numerous non-Christian books from its Website.
Christian Research Service also has a master list of seemingly “Christian” books/authors you should AVOID!
And the coolest thing this week: the latest issue of Christianity Today has an great cover story on Calvinism, titled “Young, Restless, and Reformed: Calvinism is making a comeback–and shaking up the church.” (Link coming soon)
In the news
You know you are NOT reformed if you think… the Canons of Dort are like the Guns of Navarrone… Arminians are the people who run convenience stores… unconditional election is a practice of communist dictatorships!
Reformation Theology has a great post on Penal Substituationary Atonement–a doctrine so vital for the purity of the Gospel that, to deny it is to corrupt the good news of salvation in Christ.
Also, Phil Johnson has posted recently about the use/misue of Guilt by Association (GBA) by Christians.
Humble orthodoxy with Justin Taylor
If you’re trying to figure out what ”humble orthodoxy” really means, check out the New Attitude conference blog. They’ve kindly posted a new series titled “11 Questions with Justin Taylor” to help in this.
The Church at Brook Hills
Dr. David Platt is the 28 year old Senior Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills. Featured this week in an article at Christianity Today, David holds 2 bachelors, 2 masters & 1 doctorate degree, and pastors 4,300 people. Considered one of the youngest senior pastors of a megachurch, I at first thought this guy was one of those seeker-sensitive, purpose-driven, church growth “communicator”-types who follows the foot-steps of Hybels or Warren. But reading further into the article, this guy apparently has a great command of God’s Word, desiring that his preaching be saturated in the Scriptures! What more?–Brook Hills is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention!
Prayer, Church membership, WorshipGod06
Dana Olson (of Prayer First) provided insight on making prayer a ”habit” for serving others:
H–Honor God. Begin with a simple sentence or two of praise and adortation to God for His glory.
A–Ask specifically. Bring the person’s need to the throne of grace.
B–Bless. Ask God to bless them in ways other than just the specific item prayed earlier.
I–In Jesus’ name.
T–Touch as appropriate.
(HT: Justin Taylor)
Elsewhere, Mark Dever at the T4G blog has been writing about church membership and the mistake Southern Baptists have made in regards to it. His remarks are very timely as a certain church in the SBC is considering a policy change that would allow persons to join the church without baptism–a change which would be totally contrary to what it means to be Baptist in the first place. SBTS president Al Mohler has been writing furiously defending the long standing tradition and Biblical principle (ie: here and here).
Also, be sure to check out Tim Challies‘ notes & Bob Kauflin’s reflection on the WorshipGod06 conference.
ABCs of Abstinence
At the “A Word to the Wise” blog on the book of Proverbs, they have posted a practical ABCs list of tips on abstinence / sexual purity. They have a listing of A-K; here’s the first 3:
Acknowledge responsibility for your body, know how to control you own vessel.
Beware of back rubs, one step of intimacy always leads to the next.
Commit to your decision, set boundaries early and refuse to cross them.
Reform & Resurge 2006
Reform & Resurge was a conference that existed to provide encouragement, guidance, and instruction for the church and its leadership.
Mark Driscoll has kindly posted the mp3s and videos of the main session messages from this year’s conference for free! Topics covered were very relevant for today’s Christian–check them out–many excellent speakers too!
Posting from Windows Live Writer
This post is submitted from the new Windows Live Writer beta, installed on my Acer 1694WLMi running Windows Vista beta 2 build 5472. Download it here!
WL Writer is a desktop blog publishing program that publishes WYSIWYG to any blogging platform!
