Take a Moment...

How to start a blog...

An online magazine worth checking out...

What would it take for you to change your mind?

Al Mohler on Mark Driscoll...

Why is God so silent in my life?

Top five most viewed blog posts (2011)

1. My review of Rob Bell's Love Wins.

2. Some thoughts I had regarding Rob Bell's departure from Mars Hill.

3. Are liberals just as arrogant in their theological underpinnings as they claim conservatives are?

4. I think my dear friend Ryan Graham is called to play the guitar.

5. People really need to relax when Mark Driscoll speaks.

There you have it...

If you've read this blog once, or every week, thanks for engaging with me as I think through various topics.

Stay tuned for more next year.

God bless!

Take a Moment...

3 book/reading lists worth considering: Please read books!

Trevin Wax compiles his top 5 weather videos of the year...

The five conundrums of Calvinism...

The 45 most powerful images of 2011...

The dark side of theology...

Take a Moment...

A little Christmas thinking: Was Jesus born at an inn? and Was Jesus a carpenter?

How to disagree the right way...

10 words we have to stop misspelling...

Michael Bird has a few great posts on Christianity and paganism: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three

10 ways to bring the gospel home this Christmas...

Take a Moment...

Christ and Culture Once More...

Why your podcast should not be your pastor...

Some year-end thoughts on the "Young, Restless, and Reformed"...

The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism...

Peter Hitchens on Christopher Hitchens...

Rob Bell's parting epistle to Mars Hill...

My 2012 Reading List

I’m currently trying to finish four books before the end of the year: Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert's "What Is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission", Christopher Hitchens' "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything", Darrin Patrick's "Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission", and N. T. Wright's "Justification: God's Plan & Paul's Vision".

And, I think I’ve decided that I want to read approximately 20 books next year.

If you’re interested, here’s the list:

1. Bible (duh)
2. Tolkien's "The Hobbit"
3. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"
4. Yousef and Brackin's "Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices"
5. Piper's "Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God"
6. Noll's "Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind"
7. Witherington's "Is there a Doctor in the House?: An Insider's Story and Advice on becoming a Bible Scholar"
8. Gupta's "Prepare, Succeed, Advance: A Guidebook for Getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and Beyond"
9. Dawkins' "The God Delusion"
10. Piper's "God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself"
11. McKnight's "The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited"
12. Jeffery, Ovey, and Sach's "Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution"
13. Payne's "Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul's Letters"
14. Saucy's "Women and Men in Ministry: A Complementary Perspective"
15. Webb's "Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis"
16. Bird's "The Saving Righteousness of God: Studies on Paul, Justification and the New Perspective"
17. Bird's "Introducing Paul: The Man, His Mission and His Message"
18. Barclay and Gathercole's "Divine and Human Agency in Paul and his Cultural Environment"
19. Carter's "The Roman Empire and the New Testament: An Essential Guide"
20. Kim's "Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke"

Lastly, my goal is to begin reviewing, at least, some books upon completion. With that said, I am considering this to be a list in flux, specifically for the purpose of allowing “hot reads” to enter the list for reviewing purposes.

Take a Moment...

Must we believe in the Virgin Birth?

I gave some advice for the young and aspiring theologian last week...here are some additional thoughts on seminary from a graduating seminarian...

Tebow, Calvin, and the Hand of God in Sports...

More noteworthy books...

A quick and easy lesson in hermeneutics...

Take a Moment...

Some additional thoughts on the "New Calvinists"...

The Achilles heel of Inclusivism...

Why studying the Bible won't (necessarily) change your life...

God can do anything he wants...

Do I have to write my own sermons?

Take a Moment...

Why we need Jesus?

Getting inerrancy wrong...

Why Rick Warren's church is cancelling Sunday services...

Your spiritual life depends upon killing sin...

If Jesus isn't real, how can you be made at a myth?

Take a Moment...

Women, Stop Submitting to Men...

Some foreign language expressions worth knowing...

Does Antiporn = Anti-sex?

How to Talk with People about the Gospel...

Some thoughts on Genesis 6:4...

Some Advice for the Young and Aspiring Theologian

Last year I completed my Master’s degree, and, by God’s grace, I am going to begin my Ph.D. in New Testament studies in 2013 (which, right now, seems far away, but I think it will be upon me before I know it…). With that said, I have a few advisory items for the young and aspiring biblical studies/theology student:

1. Read Helmut Thielicke's "A little exercise for young theologians".
2. If you have the means, get a formal biblical/theological education (e.g. M.Div, MTS, D.Min, Ph.D.), it will give you more “street cred”.
3. Complete as much education as possible before getting married.
4. Once you are married, complete as much education as possible before having children.
5. Read and pray.
6. Do not go to the same school for more than one degree (i.e. do not go to Moody Bible for both undergraduate and graduate education). It will be most beneficial to “mix it up”.
7. Complete your Master’s degree at an evangelical seminary.
8. Do not complete your Ph.D. at an evangelical seminary.
9. Read just as much literature from those you disagree with, as you do from your theological “buddies”.
10. Begin the task of writing now. Whether it is blogs, articles, or books, get started now. This exercise will benefit you in the end.
11. Learn the languages (e.g. Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and German – for starters).
12. Read and pray. A lot.
13. Do not be afraid to be wrong (i.e. stay humble).

Take a Moment...

Celebrity Pastors: Top of the Heap or Overexposed?

HCSB vs. ESV vs. NIV...

The Public Reading of Scripture...

3 Things You Need to Know about Sin...

Joel Osteen gets a reality show...