Thabiti Anyabwile, a former Muslim and now Christian shared these two poems. The first is of of a Muslim man criticizing Christianity in favor of Islam. The second, which was later released, is a strong defense of biblical Christianity against that poem, but importantly, demonstrates the flaws in the Muslim's own poem. Interesting viewpoints here.
30 April 2012
Introducing: Sewing Grace
My oldest daughter Grace has a heart for Haiti. We took her with us when we went in February and I think she was more at home than Heather and I were. Were it not for her parents insisting otherwise, I am quite certain she would have happily stayed at the orphanage while we went to the hotel.
She recently came up with an idea to combine her love for sewing with her love for Haiti. She started a website, Sewing Grace, where she is featuring her products. Her intention, as it currently stands, is to make skirts, and eventually some other things. Specifically, when someone orders a skirt from her, she will also make a skirt for a girl in Haiti.
Give her website a look. We are still working out some of the details, but she is very excited and I am very proud of her.
She recently came up with an idea to combine her love for sewing with her love for Haiti. She started a website, Sewing Grace, where she is featuring her products. Her intention, as it currently stands, is to make skirts, and eventually some other things. Specifically, when someone orders a skirt from her, she will also make a skirt for a girl in Haiti. Give her website a look. We are still working out some of the details, but she is very excited and I am very proud of her.
28 April 2012
Stop capitulating on science
Christians must stop capitulating to the idea that Christianity is only about faith/values. Christianity is about faith and values, but it is not only about faith and values. Christianity is also grounded in reason and truth--it presents a full-orbed, robust worldview.
In a similar vein, most modern science is also involved in the pursuit of truth, yet it requires faith--faith in philosophical naturalism. As atheist Michael Ruse has said, "I must admit in this one complaint that the biblical literalists are absolutely right. Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."
Unfortunately, philosophical materialists have continually worked to recast religion as subjective feeling, but evolution as objective truth. Most materialists would flatly reject the idea that they hold religious beliefs.
Historian Jacques Barzun wrote, the so-called warfare between science and religion should really be seen as the warfare between two philosophies and perhaps two faiths."
Perhaps the question we all should be asking is which worldview system--which religion as it were--best accounts for all of life.
In a similar vein, most modern science is also involved in the pursuit of truth, yet it requires faith--faith in philosophical naturalism. As atheist Michael Ruse has said, "I must admit in this one complaint that the biblical literalists are absolutely right. Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."
Unfortunately, philosophical materialists have continually worked to recast religion as subjective feeling, but evolution as objective truth. Most materialists would flatly reject the idea that they hold religious beliefs.
Historian Jacques Barzun wrote, the so-called warfare between science and religion should really be seen as the warfare between two philosophies and perhaps two faiths."
Perhaps the question we all should be asking is which worldview system--which religion as it were--best accounts for all of life.
26 April 2012
Being a normal Christian
Stephen Altrogge posted a timely essay on being a normal Christian.
He writes, "There are a lot of blog posts and tweets and status updates that remind me of all that I should be doing. I need to more missional, more missions minded, more focused on the Holy Spirit, more authentic with my neighbors, more committed to the cause of adoption, more careful with my eating habits, and more committed to ending sex trafficking in America.
"And don’t get me wrong, each of these things is truly biblical. It’s right and good to reach out to the community and to adopt children and to reach the unreached people groups and to fight against horrific things like sex trafficking. But I can’t do all these things at one time with equal intensity and fervor. I’m a pretty limited guy. I’m married and I have three little girls who want to play with dollies and puzzles. I have a yard that needs mowing and a grandpa that needs visiting and people in my church who I need to pray for. I battle physical anxiety from time to time, which puts real physical limitations on what I can do. Most of the time I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water.
"So I think I might just be a normal Christian from now on."
Read the rest here.
He writes, "There are a lot of blog posts and tweets and status updates that remind me of all that I should be doing. I need to more missional, more missions minded, more focused on the Holy Spirit, more authentic with my neighbors, more committed to the cause of adoption, more careful with my eating habits, and more committed to ending sex trafficking in America.
"And don’t get me wrong, each of these things is truly biblical. It’s right and good to reach out to the community and to adopt children and to reach the unreached people groups and to fight against horrific things like sex trafficking. But I can’t do all these things at one time with equal intensity and fervor. I’m a pretty limited guy. I’m married and I have three little girls who want to play with dollies and puzzles. I have a yard that needs mowing and a grandpa that needs visiting and people in my church who I need to pray for. I battle physical anxiety from time to time, which puts real physical limitations on what I can do. Most of the time I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water.
"So I think I might just be a normal Christian from now on."
Read the rest here.
25 April 2012
apologetics resurces for kids
This morning, on Facebook, I wrote "If all we give them is a 'heart' religion, it will not be strong enough to counter the lure of attractive, but dangerous ideas. Young believers also need a 'brain' religion--training in worldview and apologetics--to equip them to analyze and critique the competing worldviews they will encounter when they leave home."--Nancy Pearcy.
Ratio Christi has put together a list of apologetics resources for kids at various stages of development that you can find here.
Ratio Christi has put together a list of apologetics resources for kids at various stages of development that you can find here.
God is a creative artist
Jon Acuff writes beautifully this morning about God's love of beauty.
“The world didn’t have to be beautiful.”
Have you ever thought about that?
Jellyfish didn’t need to look like canopied dreams, flying underwater with a grace that shames ballet dancers.
Sunsets didn’t have to look like paint sets exploded against the wall, slowly falling down the horizon.
The tide on this planet didn’t need to dance with the pull of a glowing sphere thousands of miles away.
God didn’t have to make the world beautiful.
Read the whole thing here.
“The world didn’t have to be beautiful.”
Have you ever thought about that?
Jellyfish didn’t need to look like canopied dreams, flying underwater with a grace that shames ballet dancers.
Sunsets didn’t have to look like paint sets exploded against the wall, slowly falling down the horizon.
The tide on this planet didn’t need to dance with the pull of a glowing sphere thousands of miles away.
God didn’t have to make the world beautiful.
Read the whole thing here.
Does the Kindle Kiss Poorly?
I read this article by Aimee Byrd, "Why the Kindle is a Really Bad Kisser" this morning and I laughed out loud at several points. This is a humorous essay, in part because she is quite right about most of her Kindle experience.
She starts out, "Kindle and I had our first date this morning. What a letdown! It was the kind of date where you feel compelled to kiss and tell.
"First of all, I love real books, so I knew that Kindle was going to be inferior. I knew I would miss holding my book with a cradled bend in its pages, perfectly spooned in my hands. I knew it would be difficult to give up paper, with its glorious smells and textures. I knew that Kindle would be lacking in intimacy. But I was willing to temporarily sacrifice all that I knew for $4.99."
Read the rest here.
She starts out, "Kindle and I had our first date this morning. What a letdown! It was the kind of date where you feel compelled to kiss and tell.
"First of all, I love real books, so I knew that Kindle was going to be inferior. I knew I would miss holding my book with a cradled bend in its pages, perfectly spooned in my hands. I knew it would be difficult to give up paper, with its glorious smells and textures. I knew that Kindle would be lacking in intimacy. But I was willing to temporarily sacrifice all that I knew for $4.99."
Read the rest here.
24 April 2012
Book Review: Evangellyfish
I first encountered Wilson in the documentary Collision where he engaged in a series of debates with well-known atheist Christopher Hitchens. They were both exemplary wordsmiths, so it was a joy to watch. But I digress.
Evangellyfish presents the story of a pastor of a mega-church, Chad Lester, who is caught in the middle of a scandal of mega-proportions. There is a certain irony that even though he is happily involved in a number of sinful behaviors, he is being accused of a sin he perceives to be much more egregious. He wonders how he could ever be accused of that sin because he would never do that. The book then follows the unfolding of this scandal, the responses of church leadership, and the reaction by the leader of a Reformed Baptist congregation, John Mitchell.
Along the way, Wilson appears to call many of us to task. He challenges many of the prevailing notions in evangelicalism such as the lack of pursuit of holiness, our reliance upon Oprah-esque psychobabble, and the lack of biblical grounding in too many churches.
The book is funny, satrical, and convicting. If you are looking for a fun read, you may enjoy this novel.
23 April 2012
Koukl on Colson
Greg Koukl is one of the people I consider most influential to my own thinking. I have learned a lot from his materials. Today, he shared his thoughts about Chuck Colson. He wrote,
On Saturday while at a conference in Seattle, I was waiting to do my next presentation when I received a text message from Melinda. It simply said, “Chuck Colson is in Heaven.”
After a few moments of deep, very mixed emotions of sadness and happiness, the first phrase that came to my mind was, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I texted that single line back.
Though I knew Chuck—we had worked together a number of times—we were really more colleagues on a first-name basis than friends. Even so, it was hard to be around him at all and not be influenced by him.
I first met Chuck in the early 90s when I was interviewed in D.C. as a potential writer for Breakpoint. I didn’t get the job, but I did have a brief audience with Chuck. Though he was entirely gracious and cordial, I was a bit tongue-tied, being in the presence of genuine greatness. And Chuck Colson was a great man, in all the important ways.
We had both become Christians the same year (1973), and when Born Again eventually came out I devoured it. It was a vivid testimony of the power of God to take a powerful and prideful man and transform him into a powerful and humble servant.
Around ten years ago I heard Chuck reflect that his years were numbered, so he resolved to redouble his efforts, dedicating his remaining time to do anything and everything he could to build the Kingdom of God. He didn’t want to waste a moment or squander an opportunity. He wanted to leave a legacy, not for his sake, but for Christ’s sake.
When Chuck fell critically ill, someone on our staff wondered who would replace him. I simply said, “No one.” I didn’t mean Chuck Colson was indispensable. Nobody in the Kingdom of God plays such a role. I simply meant he was utterly distinctive, making a singular contribution at a defining moment in history.
Chuck Colson was a man I looked up to. He was someone I learned from, not only from his books, but even more from the example of a life well-lived, a man laboring faithfully for Christ. I was instructed by his stature as a Christian statesman, and by his tireless, humble, service for the cause of Christ.
Chuck Colson didn’t just run the race well. He finished the race. May we each, by God’s grace, do as well as he, and hear—as he did—when we cross the line: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
On Saturday while at a conference in Seattle, I was waiting to do my next presentation when I received a text message from Melinda. It simply said, “Chuck Colson is in Heaven.”
After a few moments of deep, very mixed emotions of sadness and happiness, the first phrase that came to my mind was, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I texted that single line back.
Though I knew Chuck—we had worked together a number of times—we were really more colleagues on a first-name basis than friends. Even so, it was hard to be around him at all and not be influenced by him.
I first met Chuck in the early 90s when I was interviewed in D.C. as a potential writer for Breakpoint. I didn’t get the job, but I did have a brief audience with Chuck. Though he was entirely gracious and cordial, I was a bit tongue-tied, being in the presence of genuine greatness. And Chuck Colson was a great man, in all the important ways.
We had both become Christians the same year (1973), and when Born Again eventually came out I devoured it. It was a vivid testimony of the power of God to take a powerful and prideful man and transform him into a powerful and humble servant.
Around ten years ago I heard Chuck reflect that his years were numbered, so he resolved to redouble his efforts, dedicating his remaining time to do anything and everything he could to build the Kingdom of God. He didn’t want to waste a moment or squander an opportunity. He wanted to leave a legacy, not for his sake, but for Christ’s sake.
When Chuck fell critically ill, someone on our staff wondered who would replace him. I simply said, “No one.” I didn’t mean Chuck Colson was indispensable. Nobody in the Kingdom of God plays such a role. I simply meant he was utterly distinctive, making a singular contribution at a defining moment in history.
Chuck Colson was a man I looked up to. He was someone I learned from, not only from his books, but even more from the example of a life well-lived, a man laboring faithfully for Christ. I was instructed by his stature as a Christian statesman, and by his tireless, humble, service for the cause of Christ.
Chuck Colson didn’t just run the race well. He finished the race. May we each, by God’s grace, do as well as he, and hear—as he did—when we cross the line: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
What happened to critical thinking in science?
Marvin Olasky, writing at World Magazine, discusses the recent controversies in Tennessee over evolution. He writes, "The sky is falling! Many interest groups and journalists raced to tell
that to the public when a modest but important bill became law in
Tennessee early in April. The law instructs teachers and administrators
to 'create an environment within public elementary and secondary schools
that encourages students to explore scientific questions, learn about
scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills, and respond
appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about
controversial issues.'
"What's not to like? The law, similar to one in Louisiana, also protects teachers who help students (I'm quoting from the official legislative summary) 'understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught. ...' Oh, here's the problem: Evolution is one of the theories that can now be analyzed and critiqued."
I have been saying for years that children are not taught to think critically. Logic is sorely missing from education. They learn facts, trivia if you will, to then regurgitate on examinations. Even most doctor of philosophy (i.e., PhD.) have no training in philosophy or logic. This is law proposes that children should "develop critical thinking skills." I agree with Olasky, what's not to like. Perhaps more to the point, what are organizations like the American Association for the Advancement of Science afraid of? That it will be discovered that the emperor is wearing no clothes?
Read the rest here.
"What's not to like? The law, similar to one in Louisiana, also protects teachers who help students (I'm quoting from the official legislative summary) 'understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught. ...' Oh, here's the problem: Evolution is one of the theories that can now be analyzed and critiqued."
I have been saying for years that children are not taught to think critically. Logic is sorely missing from education. They learn facts, trivia if you will, to then regurgitate on examinations. Even most doctor of philosophy (i.e., PhD.) have no training in philosophy or logic. This is law proposes that children should "develop critical thinking skills." I agree with Olasky, what's not to like. Perhaps more to the point, what are organizations like the American Association for the Advancement of Science afraid of? That it will be discovered that the emperor is wearing no clothes?
Read the rest here.
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