EXAMPLE OF CREATIVITY
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God, What on Earth are You Doing?
HOW TO DISAGREE
COURAGE IN THE ORDINARY
Two books I’ve read back to back for interviews referenced this brief article:
http://thewell.intervarsity.org/blog/courage-ordinary
TASTY, BUT ACCESSIBLE COOKIES
Strobel has put the Jonathan Edwards cookies on a lower shelf while not allowing the treats to taste “store bought.” Formed for the Glory of God is a well-written, accessible, and a beautiful treatment of the spiritual life.
One quote to give you a feel: “The cross is not an event to leave, nor is it a starting line; it is the path itself.”
AND NOW THIS…
Brian Regan is very funny and I’ve never heard him use crude humor. In any case, here is some of his comedic magic:
SO SIMPLE, SO NEGLECTED
Watching the video I posted yesterday reminds me of a simple, yet widely neglected truth: Christians must wrestle with the beliefs of their faith. We are now embarrassed to say doctrine and theology. Sounds too impractical. If people come to that tragic conclusion, it is either the teacher’s fault or it could be the student’s fault. But it is never the subject of vibrant and life-giving theology. And notice how I felt compelled to modify theology. Maybe I am too defensive!
What happens when we mainly attract people to church with the social benefits, yet they don’t really understand much of what the Christian faith is about? Well, if they get troubled and want to ask probing questions, they might be told good Christians don’t struggle with such things. I’ve heard my share of such horror stories.
Christianity is true, but rightly understood it is beautiful, compelling, worth everything we are and have.
GRAB A STRONG CUP OF COFFEE
Warning, and I am serious: Make sure you are ready spiritually to listen to the eighteen minute clip below. Bart is the son of the famous, Christian speaker Tony Campolo. Bart started many ministries, but recently became the first secular humanist chaplain at USC.
Below is the article followed by his short talk. This is the kind of stuff that motivates me to put together a new seminar called “Listening to Skeptics and Doubters.” Here is the brief description of that course/seminar. If you know of a church or any organization who would be interested in having it, drop me a note at davidgemoore@gmail.com.
As Christians we understandably are quick to answer the questions raised by detractors of the gospel.
In this course/seminar/talk (all options are available), I will certainly offer responses to the objections raised by those outside the Christian faith, but I seek to do something more.
My approach follows somewhat in the spirit of Christian philosopher, Merold Westphal. He patiently allowed Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche to bring their various cases against Christianity. Then he did what most Christians don’t: he conceded that some of their concerns were valid. Professor Westphal offered answers, but first he gave ample time so these three “masters of suspicion” could speak freely.
We will look at five challenges to the Christian faith from the nineteenth century. All five challenges remain with us today:
*Critiques of Christianity from writers like Emerson and Melville along with the serial doubter, poet Emily Dickinson.
*New challenges due to immigration of moving from a largely Protestant nation to more of a “banquet” of religious options.
*Processing the carnage of the Civil War, numerically a 9/11 every day for about seven years!
*Attacks on the Bible from radical scholars which caused many to lose confidence in the Christian faith.
*A new paradigm of origins thanks to Charles Darwin.
WHAT A LOCAL CHURCH CAN BE AND DO
I am currently reading Scot McKnight’s terrific, new book, Kingdom Conspiracy. Stay tuned for my interview with Scot.
In Scot’s book, he mentions Pastor Wayne Gordon. Watch the ministries of Lawndale Community Church. Wonderful example:
ONLINE LEARNING
Daniel Bonevac teaches philosophy at the University of Texas. Our youngest son, Chris, who has majors in classics and philosophy, is currently taking a class with him.
Bonevac taught a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to 35,000 people! He mentioned in the interview below that a Stanford class on artificial intelligence had nearly 170,000 folks enrolled!
I am not sure yet what to think about MOOCs, but it does seem to be the, or a least a wave of the future.
PERSEVERE AND BE READY!
“Man of God, if you want to serve God and cannot find the propitious occasion, wait awhile in prayer and your opportunity will beak on your path like a sunbeam. There was never a true and valiant heart that failed to find a fitting sphere somewhere or other in His service. Every diligent laborer is needed in some part of His vineyard. You may have to linger, you may seem as if you stood in the market idle, because the Master would not engage you, but wait there in prayer, and with your heart boiling over with a warm purpose, and your chance will come. The hour will need its man, and if you are ready, you as a man, shall not be without your hour.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon
HT: George Grant