This is an example of bad journalism. Agree with him or not, Jonah Goldberg barely had a chance to share his views on CNN’s Piers Morgan show. Here is another example of bad journalism: Martin Bashir ambushing Rob Bell last year. Not good, though I agreed with the stern critique of Bell. Christians stand for better journalism than these examples. We don’t ambush people; we don’t steamroll them to make our points; we listen respectfully and disagree respectfully. We stand... Read more
You know how there’s a ton right now on “The Gospel and X?” Not all of those pieces are helpful, because some of them don’t move from theology to practice. Good thinking and preaching always bears down on everyday life. I was deeply encouraged, then, to read this excellent post on “How the Gospel Overcomes Gluttony.” It’s by a personal trainer from Maine named Matt Wallace. Check it out: Having worked professionally as a personal trainer for over 15 years, I... Read more
The Wall Street Journal confirms one of my suspicions (and classroom practices!): writing notes by hand in class is good for you. Read this: Using advanced tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development. It’s not just children who benefit. Adults studying new symbols, such as Chinese characters,... Read more
Very much enjoyed this Wall Street Journal piece from Anna Quindlen on writing. She gives many practical thoughts: If I go out for lunch and interrupt my rhythm, I’m sunk. I think that all of those lunches were what diminished Truman Capote’s output. Or maybe it’s that he talked too much about his work. If you talk it, you won’t write it; it’s as though the words turn into vapor in the air. If you write other stuff, you won’t... Read more
Just posted a short essay entitled “Ghosts of New England” on the perils and prospects of gospel ministry in New England at Gospel Alliance New England. My friend Josh Cousineau, a church planter in southern Maine, runs the site. Here’s a snatch: The sight that always catches my attention, though, are the churches, or rather the church buildings. They always draw my eye. They are invariably noble. Sheer white, usually. Two hundred years have passed, and still their spire is... Read more
[bandcamp album=3968476305 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti] Steve Forst, one of my students at Boyce College, just clued me in to a rapper I had never heard of: Through Hymn. He specializes in hip-hop on church history. You never know what to expect with under-the-radar rappers. It took me one listen, though, to know that Through Hymn is the real deal. He is an excellent rapper. His production is polished and sharp, and his content is straight-up historical theology and church history,... Read more
Audio from the 2012 Band of Bloggers panel is now live and listenable. Justin Taylor, Collin Hansen, Tim Challies, and Timmy Brister all contributed wisdom to a diverse array of topics. I moderated the panel. We had a blast. Here was the event’s central topic: Six years ago, two movements began to gain significant traction–blogging and the young, restless, and reformed. Additionally, 2006 was the inauguration of the Band of Bloggers fellowship, and since that time God has brought gospel... Read more
Denny Burk has just announced the release of the latest Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. Here are the contents and Burk’s introduction to the journal: The Spring 2012 issue of The Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is now online, and you can download the entire issue from the CBMW website. This issue includes articles from Russell Moore, John Piper, and more. There are several book reviews, including Heath Lambert’s take on the controversial book Real Marriage. Owen Strachan has contributed an excellent article about the... Read more
It’s good to see Gerald Green, a former draft pick of my Boston Celtics, back in the league and flying high. On this dunk, his head was above the rim. Read more
Recently in Manhattan I had the opportunity to sit down with venerable pastor and author Eugene Peterson and interview him. Peterson has championed a rich reading life on the part of pastors over the years, and I had the chance to talk with him about how to cultivate such a life. Not everyone will agree with all of Peterson’s stances and theological ideas, but I commend his comments to you. A selection from the pastor: Good writers are people who... Read more
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