Category Archives: Commentary

“Thank You, and I Am Not A Christian.”

Several weeks ago, I removed all specific references to where I work from this web site. Without violating that, I want to tell you a story from yesterday, when our high school had its 104th graduation ceremony. For the past 30+ years, our school has taken many internationals and children of internationals as students. AContinue reading ““Thank You, and I Am Not A Christian.””

Riffs: 5:09:07: Apologetics and the Naming of Evil

Ravi Zacharias writes an outstanding response to the Virginia Tech killings, and uses the moral necessity of “naming” evil as a powerful apologetic. Much of what Ravi is saying struck me when I wrote this piece on the abuse and murder of a child several years ago: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.Continue reading “Riffs: 5:09:07: Apologetics and the Naming of Evil”

Review: Static by Ron Martoia

Books that translate the insights of N.T. Wright into the language of non-scholars are proliferating. Ron Martoia’s Static joins that conversation with one of the most readable books you’ll find on the intersection of recent New Testament backgrounds, the meaning of key Biblical concepts and the missional, evangelistic ministry of Christians in a world whereContinue reading “Review: Static by Ron Martoia”

Riffs: 4:30:07: Daily Sex With Pastor Mark

UPDATE: TSK goes through the rumor mill and separates fact from fiction from bullxxxt. (If I was in Seattle I could say that.) I listened to Mark Driscoll’s “Banned Video” presentation, wrote two posts, scraped both, and then tried to figure out what’s bothering me. I finally think I have it. If you haven’t watchedContinue reading “Riffs: 4:30:07: Daily Sex With Pastor Mark”

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: How Generational Insights Have Gone Overboard

Nothing has been more common in the various debates regarding the future of evangelicalism than the prevalence of generational characteristics put forward as absolute law. In fact, the word “generation,” a good Bible word that emphasized both continuity and discontinuity, has come to mean a kind of discontinuity that renders the average church helpless toContinue reading “Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: How Generational Insights Have Gone Overboard”

Jesus Has Left The Room: Pharisees, Zealots and Culture Warrior Youth Ministry

UPDATE: Frank Turk hits it into the upper deck on this story. I’d welcome other links as well. Areopagitica had the first post I saw on it. UPDATE II: Six months ago, Restless Reformer and BHT fellow Travis Prinzi was on this story. Jeff Sharlet says he will post the whole story at his siteContinue reading “Jesus Has Left The Room: Pharisees, Zealots and Culture Warrior Youth Ministry”

Stupid Evangelical Tricks: Two Ways to Do Church

I’ve been opining about worship music for a long time. One of my favorite IM essays on the subject is “Looney Tunes: The Goofy Theology of Some Worship Leaders.” But you don’t have to go to the extreme to find some fairly weird assertions about music and Christians. Take Rick Warren’s famous assertion that worshipContinue reading “Stupid Evangelical Tricks: Two Ways to Do Church”

Gospel Relevance=Gospel Application

Studying Acts with my students, it’s freshly clear to me that the immediate struggle of the early Christians was not only, or even particularly, theological, but practical. How do we live out, in the church, family, community and world, the significance of Jesus NOW? What kind of behavior, actions and community appear in “”the KingdomContinue reading “Gospel Relevance=Gospel Application”

Blogging from “Worship and Arts” Part 1

I’m going to try and blog the conference a bit. (Thursday morning, 9:09 a.m.) I’m at the “Worship and Arts” conference sponsored by Campbellsvile University. (Actually at a local church) Small crowd. Michael Card is the main teacher. John Mark Macmillan- who I’ve never heard of- is leading worship. He brought a band. It’s prettyContinue reading “Blogging from “Worship and Arts” Part 1″