Britt Merrick, a pastor I respect and admire, has just released a new book: Godspeed. I haven’t read it but wanted to pass along word. Here’s a teaser: In his new book Godspeed, innovative young pastor Britt Merrick challenges readers to leave behind the mundane and the meaningless to join God’s grand purpose—His plan to restore, redeem, and renew the world. God’s mission to save the world started with Jesus, but it doesn’t end there. Jesus, in turn, sends us.... Read more
This from Politico: The percentage of Americans who identify themselves as “pro-choice” is at the lowest point ever measured by Gallup, according to a new survey released Wednesday. A record-low 41 percent now identify themselves as “pro-choice,” down from 47 percent last July and 1 percentage point down from the previous record low of 42 percent, set in May 2009. As recently as 2006, 51 percent of Americans described themselves as “pro-choice. Meanwhile, 50 percent of Americans now consider themselves “pro-life,”... Read more
“Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). I think many evangelicals know that they should pray. They rightly expect that God will lead them as they do so. But they might struggle to affirm how important wisdom is. Learning from situations, being trained in godliness by mentors, and especially having one’s mind and heart shaped by Scripture–this is what the “getting” of wisdom looks like. It is unbelievably good for... Read more
Good word from Proclamation Trust, a great UK ministry promoting excellent preaching, on determining your preaching call: There is little in scripture explicitly about the feelings or desires of the people set apart for word ministry. When Paul speaks of those who aspire to the pastoral office (1 Timothy 3:1) he does not make it clear whether the candidates coming forward in Ephesus were to be encouraged or discouraged in their desire. On the one hand, some desire to enter... Read more
This from an elegant piece entitled “Looking for Release” in the Image Journal, a compendium of faith-driven writing and reflection. How do you handle encounters in adulthood with people who hurt you in your childhood? Allison Backous considers the question. Here’s a powerful selection: Dayne eventually left my mother. She wept for weeks, and never heard from him again. But my sister and I saw him years later, when I was home from college, filling up my gas tank at... Read more
Just read through the USA Today op-ed piece by Jonathan Merritt, a young evangelical leader. A talented writer, Merritt started an evangelical climate change initiative that drew the signatures of many movers and shakers a few years back. In his piece, entitled “New Form of Christian Civic Engagement,” Merritt makes the case that a new evangelical political theology is upon us. It’s more moderated than years past and is focused less on abortion and more on creation care and social justice.... Read more
Reflecting on the recent death of his wife, R. C. Sproul, Jr. wrote this on Twitter: “I wish I had held her hand more” That’s all he said. That one got to me. Husbands, hold your wife’s hand more. Love her more dearly. Kiss your kids. Sacrifice your work and career to put them first. (A recent film, We Bought a Zoo, tackled a similar theme in a moving way. This song seemed to fit this little message–the film has... Read more
Sometimes you have to step away from all the serious blogging. Sometimes you have to watch an awesome movie trailer. That’s just what you have to do. Read more
Junior Seau, football hall-of-famer and former New England Patriot, is dead. It appears that he committed suicide. Seau was 43 and had an ex-wife and three children. This is the latest in a growing line of NFL suicides, and Seau is the sixth member of the 1994 San Diego Chargers team to die from suicide, alcohol or drugs (two other Chargers died in freak accidents). It is not immediately clear that Seau killed himself because of brain trauma and resulting... Read more
Francis Chan offered some surprising thoughts at the Verge 2012 conference recently. Speaking on the church gathering, he said the following at the conference in Austin: If I just read the Scriptures, I wouldn’t even think so much of the gathering. You know–Like, my first thought wouldn’t be, “Let’s have a gathering.” Out of the Scriptures, I would think, “I’m on a mission. Like, I love this God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and now I’ve got... Read more
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