When I moved to Louisville, Kentucky from Dallas, Texas, it didn’t take me long to figure out that I had passed from football land to basketball land. It’s one of the main cultural differences between the north and the south. Once you get north of Nashville, football decreases, and basketball increases.
-
-
Life’s Biggest Questions
I was happy to receive Erik Thoennes’ new book Life’s Biggest Questions: What the Bible Says about the Things That Matter Most. The title pretty much gives the book away. It’s a primer in basic Christianity. It’s designed to give the broad outlines of the Christian worldview. At 176 pages, the book is not laden with impenetrable theological jargon but is written in a style that is accessible to just about any reader. J.P. Moreland describes the book this way:
-
Willie Nelson in 1965
My aunt came across this old footage of Willie Nelson performing at the Grand Ole Opry in 1965 (see above). It just so happens that the medley of songs that he sings here are some of my all-time favorite Willie Nelson tunes. The medley includes “Hello Walls,” “Night Life,” and “Funny How Time Slips Away.” It also includes what I still consider to be the best version of “Crazy.” In the introduction to “Crazy,” he mentions his thankfulness for the late Patsy Cline. He then gets choked-up while trying to sing the song. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that with him before. All four songs are available on “The…
-
The New ESV-Hebrew Bible Is Here!
I just received in the mail Crossway’s new Hebrew-English Old Testament that displays the ESV Old Testament alongside the Hebrew text. I have been really enthusiastic about receiving this volume because the diglot options for the Hebrew Old Testament are pretty limited. Now, Crossway has given us the standard critical text of the Hebrew Bible text (BHS) laid out next to one of the best translations in English. You can order one now at Amazon.com. The actual size of this Bible is a little bit bigger than what you see in the promo picture. In fact, its size is almost identical to the ESV Study Bible.This is an outstanding resources.…
-
Republicans Retreat from Same-sex Marriage Issue
From Politico.com: It’s been one of the swiftest shifts in ideology and strategy for Republicans, as they’ve come nearly full circle on same-sex politics. What was once a front-and-center issue for rank-and-file Republicans — the subject of many hotly worded House and Senate floor speeches — is virtually a dead issue, as Republicans in Congress don’t care to have gay marriage litigated in the Capitol. Even more than that, Republican leadership has evolved, too. It has quietly worked behind the scenes to kill amendments that reaffirm opposition to same-sex unions, several sources told POLITICO. It’s not like the GOP has become a bastion of progressiveness on gay rights, but there…
-
On Harry Potter
At the behest of my good friend Jim Hamilton and after seeing a recommendation from Andrew Peterson, I decided to make my way through the seven books of the Harry Potter series. I just finished the final book today, and I have to say that it was more than worth it. The stories are moving, filled with pathos and triumph. Very few books move me to tears, but these did. I would rate the series right up there with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I know that many Christians have expressed concerns over the years about the magical elements in the Potter series. Nevertheless, I don’t see the magic…
-
Kevin DeYoung talks about blog comments
Kevin DeYoung has a helpful post today about commenting on blogs. You should also check out his previous post “The Ten Commandments for Commenting on Blogs.” Wootini!
-
Are Your Sermons Too Long?
Here’s a bit of wisdom from the Prince of Preachers on sermon length: Brethren, weigh your sermons. Do not retail them by the yard, but deal them out by the pound. Set no store by the quantity of words which you utter, but strive to be esteemed for the quality of your matter. It is foolish to be lavish in words and niggardly in truth. –C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, p. 71 There is no intrinsic value in an overlong sermon. Nor is there anything to boast about that a congregation has become conditioned to endure them. What constitutes a long sermon is a relative term anyway, isn’t it?…
-
Jason Meyer Selected as Candidate to Succeed John Piper
The elders at Bethlehem Baptist Church have selected Jason Meyer as the candidate to succeed John Piper as the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Justin Taylor has the whole story here, as well as a good deal of background information on Jason. Jason is a fantastic preacher and a godly man. This is great news for a great church.
-
A New Book on Jeremy Lin
Ted Kluck has a new e-book out on Jeremy Lin titled, Jeremy Lin: Faith, Joy, and Basketball. Kluck says, “among other things the book is an analysis of Lin’s ascension, a celebration of the gospel, and a love letter (albeit a very short love letter) to the NBA.” Here’s the table of contents: Introduction: An Open Letter to the Reader: What Does All of This Say About Us? Chapter 1: A Cultural Oddity: Lin and Shifting Racial Paradigms (or What Kind of NBA Superstar will Jeremy Lin Be?) Chapter 2: New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks – Sunday, February 19, 2012 Chapter 3: Jeremy Lin in the Context of Tim…
