I confess that I took an impromptu week off from blogging last week. It was a family vacation week anyway – a quick trip to Western Kansas to see my family, then a trip to Disney with my wife’s side of the family – but I had a blogging schedule for each day and planned to keep things up to date. On the heels of the flap over the N.T. Wright book, it felt like I should just leave the... Read more
Months ago I was asked to write six chapters to accompany a video series – a work for hire thing. The House Studio packages these great small group resources consisting of a set of video talks by a well known scholar and a short chapter written by some unknown author interacting with the video, some of the theological issues at stake, and discussion questions for the group. They have produced several – Stanley Hauerwas, Walter Brueggemann, Shane Claiborne – all... Read more
I’m so glad I’m not in the music game anymore. It’s a tough way to make a living. First you have to learn to play music. Find other musicians with whom you can actually get along (harder than you might think). Then you have to learn a whole new skill set – producing songs for live shows. Once you figure that out you become your own booking agent, manager, road manager and merch salesman. Plus your shows are terrible... Read more
I love to talk about words. 10 Great Words You Should Know & Use part 1 & part 2 & part 3 have been big posts here at Paperback Theology. I love to talk about the words we use not as an expert, but as an observer and lover of culture.. That’s why I was excited when David Brooks, whom I think is one of the most thoughtful conservatives in the media, wrote an interesting column in the NYTimes a... Read more
I am at Conception Abbey on retreat for a few days. This morning I pulled one of my old favorites and read for awhile. It’s not a stretch to say that the book Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas has had a tremendous influence upon my life. I’m not sure I’ve spent more time in one single book, and I return to it time and again. I see RA as a kind of field guide for ecclesiology. It’s not a straight... Read more
I confess that I just finished Metaxas’s biography of Bonhoeffer for the second time. This time I listened to the audiobook. It’s the second time I’ve re-read an old favorite using the audiobook in order to save time. I confess that I’m beginning to really love audiobooks and am seriously thinking about making an audible.com investment. My only hesitation is that many of the nerdy theological books I want to read are not on audiobook yet. I confess that I’m... Read more
The Rich Mullins movie “Ragamuffin” looks like it is somewhat finished. The facebook page for the movie says the movie is in the can and they are currently shopping for a distribution deal. From the trailer itself, I’m pretty hopeful this could be good. The actor who plays him is a little too good looking & doesn’t seem to want to imitate the accent (Rich had this nondescript accent, part hick, part midwestern amish?). Still the trailer gets me going... Read more
My friend Scott told me about this video the other day. I think I’ve watched it five times since then. It’s so funny. I want to be friends with these guys. So enjoy a little Friday Funny, then get back to work! Read more
I’m up to my ears in a new book that I’m writing for Zondervan. It’s going to be called Shrink & I’m trying to make the case for faithfulness and virtue (over and against success & results), as the central leadership pursuits of those involved in ministry of any kind. As part of my writing I’m using some of Bonhoeffer’s work. One of the things he was sold on was the idea that we should not be in pursuit of principles that... Read more
I’ve been pretty tough on Mark Driscoll in the past. I don’t like being that way about any other pastor. But I think he represents something truly dangerous to the gospel. I grew up with a lot of folks very much like him among the Southern Baptist circles in which I was reared – heavy bravado, always right, constantly leading through size and position. It’s a tired script. I know what it means to be a man, and I don’t... Read more
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