There’s been a lot of talk lately about the “culture wars” and their legacy and what damage they have done to the witness of the church. The problem with many of these arguments is not that they’re too critical of the culture war, it’s that they’re not critical enough of the “culture war.” In other words, they accept — lock, stock and barrel — the conceptual construct of the “culture wars” that was developed in liberal lore and passed on... Read more
At the end of last week, I published the first installment and the second installment in the Introduction to “Jeremy Lin: The Reason for the Linsanity.” Please consider whether anyone you know might enjoy receiving this book and hearing the story. * INTRODUCTION – THIRD INSTALLMENT * The objective of this book is to understand the Linsanity phenomenon. In order to understand the Linsanity, however, one must understand Jeremy Lin. Where did he come from? What made him the player... Read more
Yesterday I posted the first portion of the Introduction to Jeremy Lin: The Reason for the Linsanity (now available at Amazon in print and digital versions). Below is the second, middle installment. * INTRODUCTION – SECOND INSTALLMENT * The seven-game winning streak was a vision to behold. Jeremy entered the game and the momentum slowly started to build. The buzz at Madison Square Garden became a roar, and the roar became a riot. By the fourth quarter, Jeremy was punctuating... Read more
Over the next several days, I am going to publish the Introduction to Jeremy Lin: The Reason for the Linsanity (available in paperback and Kindle editions) in installments. If you’re a follower of this blog, a friend, or a fan of Jeremy’s, or even if you just love an inspiring story of overcoming against impossible odds or want to show your children a true role model, please consider purchasing the book for yourself or as a gift. * INTRODUCTION –... Read more
Matt Drudge has made me (through his frequent links) a regular reader of the Daily Mail, from whence comes this story about a truly disturbing Colombian drug nicknamed “Devil’s Breath.” Apparently Scopolamine keeps you conscious but effectively renders your inhibitions mute: Demencia Black, a drug dealer in the capital of Bogota, said the drug is frightening for the simplicity in which it can be administered. He told Vice that Scopolamine can be blown in the face of a passer-by on... Read more
Note: This is a special essay in memory of Chuck Colson, not the usual “fragment.” * * * The first time I was invited to preach at “Trenton State” (the max-security New Jersey State Prison in Trenton), I was asked if I would tell the story of my broken neck and how God shaped and provided for me through the experience. So I prepared a twenty-minute sermon and arrived early Sunday and went through the security process to enter the... Read more
With all the talk in Christian circles about the calling and forming of leaders, you might think that “leadership” was a major theme of Jesus’ teachings. It wasn’t. Jesus never calls for leaders. He calls for followers. Consider this video from Derek Sivers, which he presented at TED: From the transcript: “Being a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower... Read more
Changes are afoot at Patheos.com — at the Evangelical Portal — and at Philosophical Fragments. In brief: Patheos has unleashed its new design – check it out. Better image and video capacity, a more intuitive architecture, more advanced tools that will keep you abreast of other content at the site. Some of the most interesting developments are still to come. Visit the homepage, visit the Library, the Faith and Family space, Patheos Press, and the Book Club. Let me know... Read more
On Tuesday I posted Part 1 (“When Jesus is Everything, There’s Nothing to Fear“) of my interview with Tullian Tchividjian, grandson of Billy Graham and head pastor at the renowned Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Below is Part 2: * * * So our relationship with God in Christ is the “one thing needful,” and you speak of how this liberates us because we don’t need the approval of others. We don’t need anything because we already... Read more
I’m hoping to start using this blog not only for full-length commentary posts, but for bulletin board material, keeping people abreast of interesting opportunities or pointing to great articles and such. So let’s get started. Act One, which seeks to cultivate Christian film artists (writers, directors, etc.), is holding its second annual Screenplay Competition. Got an idea for a movie? Get it ready for the June 1 deadline (May 1 is the Early Bird deadline), but be sharp. Act One... Read more
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