Book Notes-February 2010

1. The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande (2009). Gawande, who wrote his first book during his surgery residency, is a masterful writer. Although this book was not as good as his previous 2, it is still a worthwhile read discussing the importance of using checklists. 3 stars.

2. The Great Divorce by CS Lewis (1945). In this brief story, Lewis presents his view of the afterworld. From it comes the excellent quote, "There are only 2 kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'" 3.5 stars.

3. Foundations for Soul Care: A Christian Psychology Proposal by Eric Johnson (2007). Johnson wrote this proposal for a distinctly Christian psychology. It has taken me nearly a year to read, but it was well worth my time. I had to read it with a dictionary in hand, but I appreciated his deep command of the Bible as well as modern psychology. He seems to be on to something and I cannot wait to see how this "Christian Psychology" develops. 4 stars.

4. Words from the Fire by R. Albert Mohler Jr. (2009). Dr Mohler writes of the importance of the 10 commandments to modern day Christians. I appreciated his approach to teaching these and plan to study them more myself. I particularly liked his thoughts on the 3rd commandment, which entails not taking the name of God in vain. 3.5 stars.

5. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (1678). Although I struggled with the language of this book, not often reading works from the 1600s, it is a beautiful Christian allegory, firmly rooted in scripture. I understand why this was once the second most widely read Christian book after the Bible. It is a worthwhile read for all believers. 4.5 stars.

6. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes (1630). I came across this title as I read the Eric Johnson book mentioned above and saw it mentioned a few times since. It was almost suggested as a Puritan approach to depression. Although I can see its application to that, it is a much broader book in my opinion. I found many worthwhile ideas and quotes as I read this brief, but excellent book. 4 stars.

7. Who is Jesus? by RC Sproul (1983). I received this book as a part of a set for making a donation to Ligonier ministries. It provides a good apologetic regarding the life of Jesus. 3 stars.

If you are going to read one book from this list, read the The Pilgrim's Progress. It is a classic.

Christ is the Hope of the Church

I found this passage in Richard Sibbes's The Bruised Reed. It really struck a chord with me.

If we look to the present state of the church of Christ, it is as Daniel in the midst of lions, as a lily amongst thorns, as a ship not only tossed but almost covered with waves. It is so low that the enemies think they have buried Christ, with respect to his gospel, in the grave, and there they think to keep him from rising. But as Christ rose in his person, so he will roll away all stones and rise again in his church. How little support has the church and cause of Christ at this day! How strong a conspiracy is against it! The spirit of antichrist is now lifted up and marches furiously. Things seem to hang on a small and invisible thread. But our comfort is that Christ lives and reigns, and stands on Mount Zion in defence of those who stand for him (Rev 14:1); and when states and kingdoms shall dash one against another Christ will have care of his own children and cause, seeing there is nothing else in the world that he much esteems. At this very time the delivery of his church and the ruin of his enemies are in progress. We see nothing in motion till Christ has done his work, and then we shall see that the Lord reigns.

Christ and his church, when they are at the lowest, are nearest rising. His enemies, at the highest, are nearest their downfall. The Jews are not yet come under Christ's banner; but God who has persuaded Japheth to come into the tents of Shem (Gen 9:27) will persuade Shem to come into the tents of Japheth. The 'fullness of the Gentiles' has not yet come in (Rom 11:25), but Christ, who has the uttermost parts of the earth given to him for his possession (Psa 2:8), will gather all the sheep his Father has given him into one fold, that there may be one sheepfold and one shepherd (John 10:16). The faithful Jews rejoiced to think of the calling of the Gentiles and why should we not rejoice to think of the calling of the Jews?

The gospel's course has hitherto been as that of the sun, from east to west, and so in God's time it may proceed yet further west. No creature can hinder the course of the sun, nor stop the influence of heaven, nor hinder the blowing of the wind, much less hinder the prevailing power of divine truth, until Christ has brought all under one head, and then he will present all to his Father: 'These are those thou hast given to me; these are those that have taken me for their Lord and King, that have suffered with me. My will is that they may be where I am and reign with me.' And then he will deliver up the kingdom, even to his Father, and put down all other rule, and authority, and power (I Cor 15:24).

...
His closing prayer:
The Lord reveal himself more and more to us in the face of his Son Jesus Christ and magnify the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the midst of our corruptions, and sanctify the consideration of our own infirmities to humble us, and of his tender mercy to encourage us. And may he persuade us that, since he has taken us into the covenant of grace, he will not cast us off for those corruptions which, as they grieve his Spirit, so they make us vile in our own eyes. And because Satan labours to obscure the glory of his mercy and hinder our comfort by discouragements, the Lord add this to the rest of his mercies, that, since he is so gracious to those that yield to his government, we may make the right use of this grace, and not lose any portion of comfort that is laid up for us in Christ. And may he grant that the prevailing power of his Spirit in us should be an evidence of the truth of grace begun, and a pledge of final victory, at that time when he will be all in all, in all his, for all eternity. Amen.

Understanding Grace Carditively

Since becoming a Christian, I have professed to understand grace and I believe I do. Indeed, I know that it is by grace I am saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Many times, though, my understanding is in my head, as is my personality. God designed me as a thinker. I more easily process thoughts and concepts than emotions and feelings. Getting grace from my head to my heart has been a daunting task.

Eric Johnson (Foundations of Soul Care, 2006) writes of this process, differentiating the cognitive from the carditive. "Carditive internalization begins with the processing of biblical/gospel discourse in such a way that one's affections are engaged" (p. 503). I cherish the times when God allows me carditive internalization. This week was such a week.

Over the past several days, I have been struggling to understand Galatians 5. Paul contrasts law and grace, works of the flesh and fruits of the spirit. Verses 16 and 24 really challenged me. Verse 16 reads, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" and verse 24 reads, "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." As I read the works of the flesh described in verses 19-21, I saw myself; not just as I was, but as I am. I was left with the question, am I walking with the Spirit? If I am, why do I still gratify the desires of the flesh? Completely overcoming the flesh seemed impossible to me. I will always have a little more anger. A little more idolatry. A little more flesh.

I found a brief phrase in The Pilgrim's Progress that captured my recent feelings about Galatians 5. Hopeful tells Christian, "Another thing that hath troubled me ever since my late amendments, is, that if I look narrowly into the best of what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself with the best of that I do; so that now I am forced to conclude, that notwithstanding my former fond conceits of myself and duties, I have committed sin enough in one day to send me to hell." I have always been a sinner and I will continue to be a sinner, despite my own best efforts. I can claw and fight, but no matter my efforts, I will still be separated from God by an infinite divide.

God, in his infinite graciousness, aided my carditive processing today through pastor Doug. Doug was preaching about heaven, specifically Revelation 21-22. This passage promises a new heaven and a new earth--a completely new existence. Yet, 21:8 reads, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Reading this verse, I was again back to my feelings regarding Galatians 5.

In the last 5 minutes of his sermon, though, Doug mentioned Romans 5:20. This passage was not the focus of his sermon, but I was emotionally overwhelmed the moment I heard it. God used Doug to share a verse that went right to my heart. Romans 5:20-21 reads, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

We were given the law so that we realize how impossible life is without Christ. My sin will increase every day, adding to my debt. Yet, even in my sinfulness, Christ paid the penalty. It has nothing to do with my ability. I will never measure up. And He will grant me eternal life anyway. Greater love has no one than this.

Let My Words Be Few

A sarcastic person has a superiority complex that can only be cured by the honesty of humility.-Lawrence Lovasik

For all of my life, I have loved to talk. With people, around people, at people. As a young boy, my mother had a shirt for me that said "Motomouth" and people laughed often because it was true. I don't ever recall a time when this was not true. I have always been quick to speak.

Unfortunately, with a quick tongue often comes impetuousness. Speaking, before thinking, can lead to trouble. As a junior high and high school student, I was occasionally subjected to attacks by older students because I would make what I felt were quick-witted, comedic comments. I have a way of quickly spotting verbal inconsistencies in people and can turn a phrase to make a joke out of nearly anything. This "ability" was often my downfall. I inherited this skill from my father; get-togethers are peppered with witty observations, often at the expense of others.

This is the heart of sarcasm. It literally means "to tear the flesh." I have previously written on this topic, noting my appreciation for gentler sarcasm (if there is such a thing), yet issuing a caution that we must be careful with our words.

I still struggle with this most days. My default setting still calls up sarcastic comments. At times I still make them, though through God's grace, I have done so less often. I continue to work on being slow to speak and quick to listen--to God and to others. I have been amazed at how much more likely people are to open up when they feel heard, rather than criticized.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.-Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

For the love of reading

Today, Trevin Wax had a post on setting a reading goal. He had many good suggestions.

Here are the things I would suggest:

1) Read widely. Trevin suggests this as well. I think it is beneficial to read in multiple genres. Read someone who disagrees with you. Read fiction. Read biographies. Read academic works.

2) Read out loud. Certain books just cry to be out to be read aloud. Children's tales, for example (hey read to and with your kids). I also read passages of the Bible outloud when I am trying to catch the meaning better.

3) Have access to a dictionary. A book I am currently reading is fond of using the words illocutionary and perlocutionary, which reminds me I need to go look them up.

4) Read with a pencil in hand. Write notes in a pad or right in the book.

5) Talk to others about what you are reading. It will help you to encode it and may encourage them to read.

6) Read actual books. Reading on the Internet, in my experience, leads to skimming and a cafeteria approach to reading. Go deep. With paper.

7) Don't be afraid of old men (or women). Don't be afraid to read old books. They often have a lot to say. Start with the Puritans.

Book notes-January 2010

I have seen a few bloggers recently providing brief notes about the books they've read. I find their lists provide me suggestions for new things to read. Plus, Kevin DeYoung commented that it helps him keep track of what he has read. Finally, I have had several people ask for book recommendations.

Here are my January books.

1. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney. In his forward, JI Packer stated that this is a book that she be read three times in succession. I agree. Whitney describes many different spiritual disciplines (e.g., fasting, prayer) rooting them solidly in the Bible, yet also provides practical advice for how to incorporate them. I'll probably read it again next month. 4.5 stars.

2. The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Stearns. You can read my more extended review here, but briefly Stearns, who is the director of World Vision, issued a stern call for action. He asks us to really dig deep and think about how we are serving the poor. Best book of the year, so far. Not sure it will be dethroned. 5 stars.

3. Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll. In his typical style, Driscoll uses his knowledge of contemporary culture and solid theology to talk about Jesus. A worthwhile read. 4 stars.

4. Forgotten God by Francis Chan. Chan's sophomore offering was very good. He discusses the Holy Spirit and how He moves in our lives. He talks about how different churches approach the concept of the Holy Spirit (some flat out ignoring Him, some casting aside orthodoxy in favor of the Spirit only). You can check out more here. 4.5 stars.

5. Discover Your Spiritual Gifts the Network Way by Bruce Bugbee. OK, is this really a book, or just a booklet? It is a mere 65 pages. I decided to include it because I thought it was the best approach to understanding spiritual gifts that I have read. I really liked the inclusion of observer ratings. 4 stars.

6. NoS Diet by Reinhold Engels. This book describes a no-nonsense approach to weight loss. You eat 3 meals per day--no sweets, no snacks, no seconds--except on days that begin with S. Except on days that begin with S (Saturday, Sunday, Special days). I have lost about 20 pounds this year so far following this. Nearly all the information is available on his website. 3.5 stars.

7. An Uninvited Guest by Jeana Floyd. Heather asked me to read this book, which was written by a breast cancer survivor. It helped me to understand Heather's perspective on this journey. 3.5 stars.

8. Chosen by God by RC Sproul. At our small group recently, we got into a discussion about predestination much too late at night. I have always taken a more Calvinistic (rather than Arminian) view of predestination. This book was written by an Arminian turned Calvinist who is now the poster boy for the Reformed view. This book helped me to understand the Calvinist view a little better (and why most Reformed thinkers reject "hyper-Calvinism"). Definitely worth a read. 4 stars.

If you are going to read one book from this list, read The Hole in Our Gospel.

In retrospect

A dear friend emailed today, reminding me that I have been lackadaisical in providing updates about the status of our family. I feel as though we have been at sea in the midst of a storm. During the roughest patches, it seemed as though my sole responsibility was to make sure our small boat stayed afloat. As the storm clears, my first inclination has been to catch my breath and appreciate the break rather than let the people on solid ground know that our vessel is still aright. But here we go.

Heather is now 3-1/2 months post-diagnosis. Things moved rapidly from diagnosis to mastectomy to chemotherapy. In fact today, she completed her 6th of 8 treatments, so we are on the downhill side. From my perspective, her first treatment was the worst and they have progressively improved such that there are days she feels nearly normal. She is much less prone to fatigue and is almost never nauseous now. She lost her hair, which was trying, but she grows more confident day by day. Having cancer has given us an open platform to share our faith. We pray that this experience allows us to share God's word and that it may take root in those who do not know Him.

Tessa has now been home with us six weeks. As I previously wrote, I have been stunned at God's timing and providence. Tessa came home to us much sooner than she should have. Potential road blocks were cleared with ease, which can only be attributed to the power of prayer. Her adjustment to our family has been remarkable. She consistently sleeps through the night, eats well, and seems to genuinely love all of us. When I enter the house after work, her face exudes joy.

Interestingly, as many of you know, despite its relative rapidity, our adoption journey was somewhat circumlocutious. We initially set out to adopt a large sibling group, then considered state special needs adoption, followed by the pursuit of a healthy African-American infant from Alabama, and eventually settling on adopting a child with Down syndrome. We found a description of Tessa (healthy Ethiopian infant, probable mosaic Down syndrome) on a registry and without any additional knowledge felt compelled to pursue her. Early indicators certainly led us to believe she would have delays and likely DS, but within hours of meeting her, it was reasonably evident that she did not. We did have the birth-to-three program perform and evaluation and she seems to be developmentally on target with no hint of DS. She will likely walk soon, has already learned two signs (more and milk), and has a host of verbal sounds.

Grace and Ian have weathered this storm like champions. Grace is about midway through a program called CLIMB a cancer support program for kids. Ian has also been in tow, mostly because they serve good food like McDonalds.

So, on this cold January afternoon, I turn and retrospect over the past several months. My writing demonstrates that I have experienced have experienced a host of emotions. My emotions today are these:

Gratitude. I am deeply grateful for a God who loves me unconditionally and who allowed me to deepen my trust in Him through these few months. I am grateful for a wife who has handled the double shot of breast cancer and a new baby with amazing grace. On my prayer card for Heather, I wrote Proverbs 31:25 at the top, which says, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, she laughs at the time to come." Although there are days she does not feel particularly strong, or dignified, or confident enough to laugh, I see all of those characteristics in her. I am proud to call her my wife. I am grateful for three children who remain steadfast through this storm, unapologetically loving us and each other.

Peace. Though anxieties over every day life still creep in from time to time, I have felt more at peace. At the beginning, looking ahead to the trials, I felt a strong sense of apprehension. I knew I needed the Father, but I did not know what it might feel like to trust Him over time. Could He really help me overcome the difficulties? He patiently carried me along, reminding me that my trust in Him was well-founded and that no matter the outcome of trials, He will be at my side. Today, that leaves me feeling peaceful and confident in His sovereignty.

Joy. Life, in Christ, appears somehow richer to me now. Both loss through cancer and gain through adoption remind me daily that my joy is found in Christ. No matter how deep I may go or how high I may ascend, Christ is there and He is my joy. May that ever be true.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Trust the Architect

I am presently reading The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, a favorite author of mine. In this book, he talks about the immense complexity of certain tasks, our error rate as humans, and the benefit of using checklists, or a written set of rules to follow.

Gawande writes of contemplating the construction of a high-rise medical complex. "The building, he said, would be 350,000 square feet in size, with three stories underground in addition to the eleven stories above. It would cost $360 million, fully delivered, and require 3,885 tons of steel, thirteen thousand yards of concrete, nineteen air handling units, sixteen elevators, one cooling tower, and one back up emergency generator. The construction workers would have to dig out 100,000 cubic yards of dirt and install 64,000 feet of copper piping, forty seven miles of conduit, and ninety-five miles of electrical wire--enough to reach Maine." (p. 52). On the following page, he posed the question, "So, as I looked up at this whole building that had to stand up straight even in an earthquake, puzzling over how the workers could be sure they were constructing it properly, I realized the question had two components. First, how could they be sure that they had the right knowledge in hand? Second, how could they be sure they were applying the knowledge correctly?" (p. 53).

My immediate thought was, "they would need to trust the architect." The architect would be responsible for having the most complete knowledge of the building site, the building itself, and how it would be constructed. Further, the architect would prepare a set of written documents (i.e., blueprints) that would need to be followed to ensure that the building stood. The workers would need to assume that a) there was an architect and b) that he was trustworthy. Indeed, the workers may have just a vague notion of the final design. If they proceeded without design, the results would be disastrous.

In answer to the second question, the workers could be sure they were applying the knowledge correctly by a) knowing their roles, and b) trying to understand the blueprints and be faithful to them. If an electrician elects to do the work of a plumber, the knowledge may be incorrectly applied. Rather, the electrician should employ his gifts to the project as he has studied and trained for them. Neither the electrician nor the plumber, however, should lose sight of the fact that they are essential parts of the building--it won't get built without them.

Naturally, this is a great metaphor for the Christian life. There is an Architect, he has given us a written plan, we each have roles, and yet, we each are part of the building process.

Job 38:4-7 reads, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" God is our divine architect who laid the foundation of the earth. He understands the whole design, even when we do not.

God also provided us with a set of trustworthy blueprints, the Bible. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Just as a blueprint does not encompass the whole knowledge of an architect, so God's word to us does not capture all of His knowledge; rather, it provides us what we need to know for the work at hand.

We each have our roles. Paul told the Corinthian church, "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." (I Corinthians 12: 12-19). God gifts each one of us (you can read more in Romans 12) and I think we need to work to discern our gifts and build upon them. In the same way that the best person to lay bricks is a mason, the most effective teacher has a gift of teaching. We each need to learn our role in the body.

Finally, we are all focused on a common purpose--building. We have been given trustworthy blueprints by the Architect and we each have our roles. Though we may not know what the finished product will look like, the Architect does; the only thing each of us needs to focus on is completing the task he or she was given.

Roundup-1/21/10

Mark Rogers writes of doing missions when death is on the line.


The kind of Christian who gets offended when a clerk at Target says “happy holidays” rather than “merry Christmas” when checking out, probably won’t consider moving to a city where Christians are gunned down on Christmas Eve or shot at a wedding. Yet that is exactly what needs to happen. Algeria is 99% Muslim and 99% of the ethnic Malay people are Muslim. Their constitution declares that to be a Malay you must be Muslim. If the Malay, or the Algerian, or the Yemeni, or the Moroccan people are going to believe, thousands of believers need to leave their culture and enter these places with the gospel. Those who go must be prepared to be slighted, to be looted, to be hated, and even to be killed.


I have often pondered how I would fare up under such circumstances. Christians around the world die daily for the cause of their faith. In fact, we are told we will be persecuted for our faith, it should not be a surprise to us. As Rogers points out, hearing "happy holidays" is not persecution. May God raise up people to preach his word throughout the globe.

++++++++++++++++++
Michael Patton, in Parchment and Pen, provides an interesting contrast between the story of David and Goliath and the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. David had absolute faith that he would overcome Goliath; the 3 boys did not know the outcome, but trusted God anyway.

Patton writes, "Remember, God has made a lot of promises, but there are also a lot of promises that he has not made. Don’t read promises into Scripture. Try saying this next time Goliath is at your door, “If it be so, God can deliver me, but even if you strike me dead, I will not abandon my faith because I will not place my faith in something God has not promised. You may raise some eyebrows, but you will be representing truth much more faithfully."

++++++++++++++++++++

Another interesting Bible memorization website.

++++++++++++++++++++

Trevin Wax interacts with a commentator on his blog about proselytism. Basically, if we believe Christianity is objectively the only way to God, we should proselytize.

++++++++++++++++++++

John Acuff over at Stuff Christians Like wrote about Caring too much about Failure. He makes several great points, but his recommendations to learn to fail gloriously and "it's not about failure, it's about obedience" really struck a chord.

Round-up: 1/18/10

Biblical illiteracy was described as a problem on Justin Taylor's blog.

To make a real difference in people’s lives, biblical literacy programs will have to do more than simply encourage believers to memorize a select set of Bible verses. They will have to teach people to speak the language of faith; and while this language is of course grounded in the grammar, vocabulary, and stories of the Bible, living languages are embedded in actual human communities that are constituted by particular habits, values, practices, stories, and exemplars. We don’t memorize languages; we use them and live through them. As Paulo Freire reminded us, literacy enables us to read both the word and the world. Language mediates our reality, expands our horizons, inspires our imagination, and empowers our actions. Literacy therefore isn’t simply about possessing a static ability to read and write; it is a dynamic reality, a never-ending life practice that involves putting those skills to work in reshaping our identity and transforming our world. Biblical literacy programs need to do more than produce informed quoters. They need to produce transformed readers.

We all need to get into God's word. I Peter 3:15 says, "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

++++++++++++++++++

Adrian Warnock presents John Piper's sermon to the Village Church, where Matt Chandler preaches. Matt Chandler, as you may have heard, was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. Chandler has handled this truly graciously. I pray that we do.

+++++++++++++++++

Justin Buzzard, on The Gospel Coalition Blog, writes of Oswald Chambers "4 years of hell on earth."

Friend, the hell you’re walking through right now just might lead to heaven. God has not abandoned you. He’s stripping you of false lovers so that you can know him. You were created to know, love, worship, adore, and enjoy God. Praise him that he loves you enough to not let you settle for anything less than him.

+++++++++++++++++
Thabati Anyabwile also on suffering (seems to be a theme this week):

So, death must be conquered. We must be set free from our fear of it. But neither the conquering of death or courage in its face comes from self-help maneuvers. The grip of death is too strong, our hearts are too weak. To defeat it we must be delivered, rescued, liberated, saved. We need a strong man stronger than all men.

+++++++++++++++++

An article from the New York times documents the folly of living for one's career and salary. What attorneys once thought was a golden ticket is disappearing, leading to greater incidence of depression. Luke 12:13-21 talks about building bigger barns. Their barns are burning.

+++++++++++++++++

Tim Challies engaged in a 3 letter exchange with atheist, Luke Muehlhauser. It is reasonably cordial and well worth the time to read. I always wonder how atheists and Christians can look at the same information and come away with drastically different conclusions.

+++++++++++++++++

Doughnut Upside Down Cake: Any recipe that includes the phrase, "I simply looked through a classic recipe [for pineapple upside-down cake] and replaced every instance of 'pineapple' with 'doughnut'" must be a good recipe.


++++++++++++++++++

Adrian Warnock on getting back to the book of Acts.

Social gospel cares for poor. Prosperity gospel cares for me. Green gospel cares for the earth. Charismatic gospel cares about tongues. The real gospel has Jesus at the centre.

++++++++++++++++++

A truly pro-life, pro-family church welcomes the disruption of children in the foyer, rejoices at the sight of new faces in children’s church and smiles at the thought of families from different countries and backgrounds joining us in praise to God. Read more here.