February Book - Prodigal God

And now for the third addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Prodigal God:
Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith
by Timothy Keller
pub. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.


"This volume is not just for seekers... Many lifelong Christian believers feel they understand the basics of the Christian faith quite well and don't think they need a primer. Nevertheless, one of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do... This book, then, is written to both the curious outsider and established insiders of the faith, both to those Jesus calls 'younger brothers' and those he calls 'elder brothers' in the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son." - Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (Introduction)


Book's premise (no spoiler): It's one of Jesus' parables that many of us are quite familiar with. It's the story we call the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). His premise is that we tend to focus primarily on the "younger brother" and secondarily on the father. While it is appropriate and important for us to learn what we can from their examples, we cannot fail to learn from the attitude and response of the "older brother."

This was my introduction into the mind of Tim Keller. I'd never read anything by him or heard any of his sermons. I was actually skeptical of book because of its title (I know I'm not supposed to judge them by their covers, but I do... don't judge me). It wasn't until one of my students asked me about the book that I decided I needed to be familiar with it. I mean, if a teenager is picking up this book, it's probably either really good... or really unsound/ unnecessarily provocative at the least, or theologically dangerous at worst.

What I liked about the book: Just about everything. It's a short book and easy to read. I'm not very smart so those are always wins for me. Aside from its brevity, I thoroughly appreciate what Keller has to say. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't expound beyond saying that like Keller hints in the introduction, the book has rekindled in me a desire to be ever close to the heart of the Father.
What I didn't like about the book: I was a little too long. I know I just said that its brevity appealed to me, but there were a few times where the book was a little redundant. And since I have a short attention span to begin with, I struggled at times to keep my eyes from glazing over.

Favorite passage: In Chapter 7: The Feast of the Father, Keller recalls the time a woman came to him to respond to a sermon in which he had just finished preaching about the fact that we are "accepted by God by sheer grace through the work of Christ regardless of anything we do or have done (pg 120.)"

"She said, 'That is a scary idea! Oh, it's a good scary, but still scary.'

"I was intrigued. I asked her what was so scary about unmerited fee grace? She replied something like this: 'If I was saved by my good works, then there would be a limit to what God could ask of me or put me through. I would be like a taxpayer with rights. I would have done my duty and now I would deserve a certain quality of life. but if it is really true that i am a sinner saved by sheer grace-at God's infinite cost- then there's nothing he cannot ask of me.' She could see immediately that the wonderful-beyond-belief teaching of salvation by sheer grace had two edges to it. On the one hand, it cut away slavish fear. God loves us freely, despite our flaws and failures. Yet she also knew that if Jesus really had done this for her-she was not her own. She was bought with a price (pg 121)."
Random passage: "In that society, most meals did not include meat, which was an expensive delicacy (pg 23)."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

January's Book - Religion Saves

And now for the second addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Religion Saves
+ NINE other MISCONCEPTIONS
by Mark Driscoll
pub. Crossway Books


"Religious people mistakenly think that they are saving people from such things as a fruitless life, sinful sex, bad relationships, unholy humor, wayard churches, evil birth control, and what they call 'strange fire.' However, religion never saved anyone, and religious answers to complex questions are simply misconceptions." - Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church (back of book)



Book's premise (no spoiler): "... we tried an experiment, opening up a section of our church's Web site for people to post any question, make comments about posted questions and vote... for their favorite question. ...And in the end, 893 questions were asked, 5,524 comments were made, and 343,203 votes were cast. I (Pastor Driscoll) answered the top nine questions in a sermon devoted to each. Here in the book we'll start with the ninth most popular question and work our way to the most popular question." - take from the first page of the book's introduction

What NINE questions does Mark answer in the book:

Question 9: Birth Control - There's no doubt the Bible says children are a blessing, but the Bible doesn't seem to address the specific topic of birth control. Is this a black-and-white topic, or does it fall under liberties?

Question 8: Humor - Why do you make jokes in sermons about Mormon missionaries, homosexuals, trench coat wearers, single men, vegans, and emo kids, and then expect these groups to come go know God through these sermons?

Question 7: Predestination - Why does an all-loving, all-knowing, and all-sovereign God will into creation people he foreknows will suffer eternal condemnation - and the Romans 9:20 answer seems like a cop-out!

Question 6: Grace - Of all the things you teach, what parts of Christianity do you still wrestle with? What's hardest for you to believe?

Question 5: Sexual Sin - How should Christian men and women go about breaking free from the bondage of sexual sin?

Question 4: Faith and Works - If salvation is by faith alone, then why are there so many verses that say or imply the opposite - that salvation is by works?

Question 3: Dating - How does a Christian date righteously, and what are the physical, emotional, and mentally connecting boundaries a Christian must set while developing an intimate relationship prior to marriage?

Question 2: The Emerging Church - What can traditional or established churches learn from "emerging" churches?

Question 1: The Regulative Principle - Do you believe that Scripture not only regulates our theology but also our methodology? In other words, do you believe in the regulative principle? If so, to what degree? If not, why not?


What I liked about the book: Just about everything!! I have to admit, I'm a big Driscoll fan. Admittedly, this is the first "book" I've read of his (although I have downloaded and read some of his free e-booklets). But I do listen to his sermons online and I am a regular reader of his church's blog. Pastor Driscoll tends not to pull his punches. He makes no apologies for his theology... regardless of who may be offended. That said, he doesn't offend needlessly. The book itself is pretty thorough yet not too lengthy. Good questions - Challenging/ encouraging answers.

What I didn't like about the book: Only this: Pastor Mark writes like he speaks. He is at times a little long-winded. And his thought train, while perfect for conversation or sermon, can be just a tiny bit confusing to read. Seriously, that's the only bad thing I have to say about this book.

Also, if you're a fan of guys like Bell, McLaren, Pagitt, Chalke, etc... you will HATE chapter 2.

I loved it.

Favorite passage: Hard to say. My favorite chapter is the one on Grace (chapter 6). Try this: "Therefore, my sin is not the hardest part of Christian truth to believe. What I sometimes find hard to believe is that God responds to me with pure grace. I receive grace not despite being undeserving--as one who has not merited grace--but actually as one who is ill-deserving because I am a sinful rebel at war with God (Chapter 6 - pg 110)."

Random passage: "Proverbs makes fun of all kinds of people, especially the sluggard, who, by definition, is someone so lazy that he experiences devolution on his way to becoming a slug (Chapter 2 - pg 54)."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Shadow Proves the Sunshine

Below is a copy of an email that I recently sent to 15 FIGHTERS!!

---------------

I'm gonna be really honest with you right now. I know there are quite a few names at the top of this email, but that just makes what I'm about to say all the more real.

This morning I was spending time praying and my heart became very heavy. As someone who ministers to teens, it is easy to become discouraged when I think of the direction most young people are headed. I know I'm 28, and that seems old, but I wasn't a teenager that long ago. But things sure are different now. When I was in high school, I was only offered booze once and I was NEVER offered drugs. That's not to say that there weren't a ton of teens doing that stuff, but it was fairly easy to stay away from it. Teens today are just bombarded with temptation and pressure. I haven't even mentioned sex yet. Almost ALL of my friends thought sex was something special. Most of my friends made a commitment to abstinence and most of those kept that promise. It seems like most young people have given up the fight and just want to blend in with culture.

Anyway, let me get to the point. If you're receiving this email it is because God brought you to mind today. Either you are a teen who I currently have the blessing of ministering to/ with - OR - I've had that privilege some time in the last ten years. God brought you to my mind to encourage me today. Like I said, my heart has been heavy at the thought that we are losing the battle for the lives of young people... but I'm wrong. When I think of you, I am reminded that there are young people who are in the fight. There are students who refuse to be typical. And the world is different... better because of it!

Here's what I think is happening. The Darkness is showing itself to be what it has always been... Darkness. It has stopped trying to look like the Light because it doesn't have to. People don't have to be fooled into Darkness. They simply want it. And while that breaks my heart, there is one good benefit. The Darkness makes the Light all that much brighter! The Darkness proves that the Light is there. How would we know what Sunshine is without Shadow.

Well you, my friends, are Sunshine. You may not always feel like that's true of you, but I know that is true of you. My heart was strengthened and given courage at the thought of you today. And know this, I am in this fight with you... and we will win.

Perspective

Say what you will about the Bush family. This is one of the kindest and most loving things I've heard in a long time.

If I have not love

I am terrified to share my faith. I'll be the first to admit that telling a stranger about Jesus scares the dittles out of me. I can always come up with a an excuse like, "I'm too busy... I'll be late to work." (I work at a church, by the way) =or= "I don't want to offend this person." =or even better= "What if I tell this person about Jesus and I make it seem lame? I'd rather someone cooler come along to share the Gospel with this person." (that's an actual fear of mine... lame? YES!)

Well I was exploring the blogosphere today and found this video on another blogger's site (you must visit this blog, by the way).


The guy in the video is Penn Jillette (of the magic duo Penn and Teller). Penn is an outspoken athiest. You might call him a super atheist. Mr. Jillette himself has said, "I believe there is no God. I'm beyond atheism."

If you're like me, and you can come up with a thousand reasons to not tell others about Jesus... then heed the words of the Super Atheist.



How do you get over the fear?

Leading the Charge

This is an article I came across in Relevant (sept/oct 2008). I found it especially encouraging and energizing... especially during this current political frenzy. Read and Enjoy.

"Leading the Charge"
by Cameron Strang

Let's get this out of the way up front: I'm not a politically motivated person. Which is why I felt a tad out of place meeting Barack Obama this summer. And talking to John McCain. And doing countless interviews about faith and [the] shifting political views of our generation.

Yet I have unwittingly found myself thrust into the political arena, a place where people are vehemently passionate about their ideologies and platforms. It's an entire industry built around being right an proving your opponent wrong, and winning at all cost. It's a continual power struggle and- from my humble vantage point- seems a bit flawed.

I'm someone who tries to think independently and objectively, rather than simply follow what the pundits tell me to think. Because of that, I've realized I cannot fully embrace either political party. Both sides of the aisle have some great ideas and goals. But both also have areas where they simply get it wrong.

I know the power of politics and the importance of the process in our world. But I also know that, historically, real [and] lasting change has started first at the grassroots level long before it was ever legislated. Cultural mindshifts influence Washington, not the other way around.

Many Christians traditionally have voted Republican because of their justifiable conviction to protect the lives of the unborn. Now, many younger Christians are voting Democrat because of their justifiable desire to see our nation, the most prosperous in the world, address issues of poverty, global aid and the environment.

The problem is, many Christians vote these convictions, but that's largely where their personal involvement in the issues stops. Are the government leaders we vote for meant to do our jobs for us?

If God has given you a heart for the poor, or to see a reduction in the number of abortions, or promote peace, or help the sick, or to stand for strong moral values, or to be a better steward of the environment, then your personal focus needs to be on that- whether or not the President shares your same values.

The Bible reminds us to pray for our leaders, but it also talks about praying for those who persecute us. Thought I can't foresee any situation where this would be the case, what if one day every value Christians stand for, even religious freedom itself, was legislatively removed? Christians in China and many other parts of the world face this reality every day. Would it change us?

Dare I say, it might actually spur the Body of Christ here into greater action. Could it be that the loss of religious freedoms would ultimately be the best thing for American Christians because it would cause us to stand on our own feet rather than relying on the government to legislate our faith and values for us?

I've heard that only 5 percent of people who attend church regularly actually serve in any way. I've read that if every Christian in America actually tithed 10 percent of their income, we would have enough financial resources to wipe out global poverty.

There's more power lying dormant in pews across the nation than any government could hope to provide, and that's where our focus should be.

Many Christians want to overturn Roe v. Wade, but I don't hear nearly as many leading the charge on a national adoption movement. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, where are all of those babies going to end up? Christians should be focused on personal action regardless of legislation, not just waiting for the right number of Supreme Court justices to come along.

I'm not saying don't vote. Do. Vote your convictions and let your voice be heard- that's one of the perks of living in a democracy. But don't let politics breed division, or make you see people in a different light.

If you have a passion for an issue, rather than judging someone who doesn't share that passion or viewpoint, just go do something about it. Give your life to it. Be the change you want to see.

We need to pray for our leaders and our country, but always remember that our leaders and country do not define us. We are the generation that will shape the direction culture, government and social action will take in the next 50 years. It's not up to Washington, it's up to us- and I say it's time we step up and lead the charge.

But that means with our lives, our finances and our actions every day. Not just Nov. 4.

Reckless Abandon

Here's another great and challenging article by the folks over at Relevant. It was inspired by the tragedy that took place between Korean missionaries and the Taliban just this past July. I'm just going to put a little taste here for you. Follow the link to the rest.

- Enjoy -


"You might wonder how that kind of logic sits with Christ followers like the original Apostles, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer, or Jim Elliot. Each of them, and many more, allowed their faith in God to lead them directly into harm’s way, and nearly all of them paid for it with their lives. So it seems that something fundamental to our message, and its delivery, has changed. Has our over-developed world of liability insurance and denominational actuaries and class-action lawsuits watered down ancient Scripture’s warning that this was all supposed to be dangerous in the first place? When Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble,” He wasn’t talking about losing the right to pray in school or losing our 501(c)(3) IRS tax advantages.
Matthew 24:9 says, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (TNIV)." Click on the picture to read on...