Not everyone is adopting a formalized Bible-reading plan for 2009

Nick Norelli

255th Christian Carnival

The 255th Christian Carnival went up yesterday at Parableman, but I’m told it’s still up today. (Be sure to use chains if you drive … there will be snow. Parking is around the back, next to Woolworths.)

Some of the posts featured:

• Save Your Christmas
• Fasting: Keeping It Secret In Our Culture of Food in America
• Stewardship 101
• 5 Inspirational Bible Quotes To Enhance Your Day

Brister on ‘missional prayer’

Timmy Brister has begun a series of posts which addresses prayer as a part of the church’s mission:

“Paul and the early church prayed in accordance with the Father’s will, for the glory of Jesus, and because, as [John] Piper explained [in Let the Nations Be Glad!], prayer was ‘primarily a walkie-talkie for the mission of the church.’ A church with a domesticated prayer life will inevitably be a church in maintenance mode rather than in missional mode.  Simply put, if you want to know if a church is on mission, listen to their prayers and feel their hearts.
 
Absorb yourself in the prayer life of Jesus and the prayers of Paul for the churches and consider prayer in a new light–not just a spiritual discipline but missional devotion … “

Where to give?

At Boundless, Heather Koerner explores the question, “Should Christians give their time and money to Christian organizations only — or should they just give wherever they deem appropriate?”

Mark Driscoll on solitude

The first of a series of posts is here.

“As we study the spiritual disciplines, we learn that there are two sides to every discipline. On one hand, there is a contemplative practice, and on the other, there is a corresponding active practice. A healthy relationship with God involves both being and doing.”

Thanksgiving/Weekend Walkabout, Nov. 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

26 posts from the week that escaped mention (almost!):

Advent on your iPhone - Father Z

“Those of you who have an iPhone may want to know about a fun application for Advent for $0.99.”

The Blind Spot of the Spiritual Formation Movement - Craig Brian Larson

“Read books on spiritual formation and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who lists listening to the preaching of God’s Word as a first-order spiritual discipline.”

Check out free downloads from Christian music artist Josh Garrels - Joanne Brokaw

“Like other indie acts with a blatant faith message but an unconventional delivery … Garrels doesn’t quite fit the typical Christian music mold.”

The Day I Schmoozed - Amy Scott:

“Just tell her what she wants to hear.”

Evangelicals Adopting Advent - Cathy Lynn Grossman (HT: SharperIron)

“They’re giving a new, personalized spin to the prayers, candles and calendars to track the building excitement, and set a spiritual tone day by day.”

Faith and Politics - Doug Pagitt

“I was asked by the folks at Conservative Reformed Mafia blog to discuss my thoughts on faith and politics in light of my interest in running for the Minnesota State Legislature. I responded to questions with a video …”

Gordon Brown sells the nation’s soul to Satan - Cranmer

“As Gordon Brown has already sold the nation’s soul to the EU, all further treaties with the Devil are subject to EU scrutiny.”

Helpful Books on Justification - Mark Driscoll

It’s Time to Rethink the Issue of Homosexuality - Ken Silva

“Yes, you read that right; I do believe the time has come to rethink how we’re handling the issue of homosexuality in the Body of Christ. But maybe not like you think.”

The Jelly Bellies of Christendom - Prodigal Jon

“Super Sweaty Pastor – usually wrapped in a monogrammed handkerchief, these beans are slightly salty and super sticky from perspiration, taste like licking a Thompson Chain Reference and smell like a locker room”

Kids and Philanthropy: Teaching Your Children To Be Charitable - Beth Kanter

Logos360 Announced - The Wait Begins - ChurchCrunch

“It is, without question, simply a matter of time before we see what’ll it’ll really do to the digital landscape for Church Management Software.”

Meditations on Thanks and Giving - Carolyn McCulley

“As I prepare for Thanksgiving, one image is burned into my mind …”

National Geographic on Qeiyafa - Todd Bolen

“Much of the story reports what has been covered elsewhere, but there are some problems with the article.”

Of Crusaders and the West - Joshua Claybourn

“Our understanding of society and the individual certainly has its roots in the Crusaders.”

Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day October 3, 1863 - Abe Lincoln/Worship.com

“In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict …”

Q 2009 - Greg Atkinson

“Q is a gathering where church leaders and cultural influencers from the fields of business, politics, media, education, entertainment and the arts are exposed to the future of culture and the church’s responsibility to advance the common good in society.”

Recessions Are Good? - Rob Moll

“Recessions, before the Great Depression, were often viewed as good things.”

Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints (review) - Rebecca Writes

“I’ve reached the age where I think more and more about getting old, and I’ll let you in on a secret if you promise not to tell …”

Twilight (Book Review) - Tim Challies

“Admittedly, this is my first foray into fiction written for teen girls.”

An Unwanted Detour - Suzanne Hadley:

“A week later I sat in a doctor’s office trying to hold back tears.”

Video Interviews with John Lennox - Justin Taylor

“Creator or the Multiverse?”

What is the Church Year? - Mark Daniels

“The Church Year is a human invention. Observing it won’t make us better than anybody else. Nor does keeping it ’save’ a person from sin and death. But …”

50 eXcellent Blog Footer Designs - Hongkiat.com (sorry, had to reach for this one)

“In the eye of a visitor, the footer is perhaps one of the most unnoticeable section but to a designer who knows how important user experience, navigation and designs, they are treated the same.”

You May Be a Hyper-Calvinist If … - Phil Johnson

“Within the militantly Arminian sector of the Southern Baptist Convention, it seems there are still those who insist that ‘by the definition of Phil Johnson,’ James White is a hyper-Calvinist …”

Zane Hodges (1933–2008) - Dan Wallace (I mentioned Hodges’ passing, but it means much more coming from an accomplished Greek scholar):

“Zane taught Greek and New Testament courses at Dallas Seminary from 1960 to 1987. I took him for more courses than from any other NT prof, and learned a great deal from him. His skills with the Greek text were breathtaking. I never knew a professor who could sight-read as well as Hodges (except for Johnson). And he thought through his positions well. I didn’t agree with him on everything; in fact, I would say that I disagreed with him on most of his positions. I was always a bit nervous coming into his class because I wasn’t sure what he would say that hour that might rock my world. But I enjoyed immensely how he structured the courses, how he argued his positions, and how charismatic he was in the classroom. He was a superb preacher and very persuasive. His electives always had the highest enrollment by far of any NT electives at DTS. … Zane Hodges will be dearly missed. But he now knows the joys of his Savior and is finally home.”

Inhale – exhale – now muse …

Idol Chatter’s Donna Freitas is skeptical about what some consider a valid contemplative spiritual practice: slow blogging:

“In our evermore fast paced online world, figuring out how to experience certain technological endeavors as spiritual practices makes total sense–in theory.”

Praying and fasting in tough times

Jeff Krieger shares some insight at ChurchCrunch:

“Let me just say this right off. I don’t like to fast. I like food. When I walk into PF Chang’s, they yell my name a la “Norm!” on Cheers. I am not fat, mind you. I just like to eat. So, fasting … not really high on the list.
 
There are over 92 verses in the Bible related to and calling God’s people to fast …”

Memorize Scripture with Challies

Tim Challies started a group memorization program from his blog yesterday. “Every Sunday,” he writes,

“I will send an email reminding you of the verses we are memorizing and providing some kind of challenge or encouragement. I hope to provide tips for memorizing these passages, interviews with people who have memorized vast quantities of the Scripture, and other useful information. I will also post this weekly information on my blog where we can discuss it.”

Six Bible study essentials

… brought to you by Mark Driscoll, at the Reformation Theology blog. Number 2:

“2. Have some good Christian books.

If you want to build a reference library, the first book you should buy is A Commentary and Reference Survey by John Glynn. That book will tell you which other books are the best resources available for in-depth Christian study and anyone who is serious about studying should have a copy of this book.”

Be quiet

At the Tapestry blog, Gail Seidel describes a “retreat of silence” she took part in, and tells why she appreciates such experiences:

“Some of my friends were incredulous. ‘How can a group of women be silent for that long, for any amount of time?’ One of my relatives emailed me and asked, ‘Just what does one do on a silent retreat, like – what’s the purpose?’ One colleague even ventured to look at me as if to say, ‘YOU, silent?’

Until this first silent retreat I had not experienced the phenomenon before of stopping to enter into silence and waiting for that length of time, simply being present to the Lord and whatever he might want to say to me …”

Seidel is Mentor Advisor for Spiritual Formation in the Department of Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Dallas Theological Seminary.

“Listening to Music for God’s Glory”

At the Worship Matters blog, Bob Kauflin shares “six handles to help us think more concretely and biblically about the music we listen to.” Here’s the first …

“1. Submission (Prov. 19:20)
If you’re living at home, that means submission to your parents. If you’re an adult, that means submission to those who are spiritually mature and know you best. Listening to music is not a right. It’s a privilege to be earned.”

Audio: Ken Silva on Rob Bell and contemplative spirituality

Here’s a link to the Fighting for the Faith podcast featuring Silva:

“[Host Chris] Rosebrough and Silva discuss the way Bell makes a big mess in his sermon as he attempts to exegete — Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. On this program they show you how Bell ends up doing the exact things he says these ‘dogs’ do. And in doing so Bell thereby actually ends up identifying himself as one of those ‘dogs.’”

“How we became debt free”

Amy Scott has begun a series of posts explaining how she and her husband got rid of their debt:

“In this series, I want to write freely without disclaimers. We never had extraordinary circumstances, like a $500,000 hospital bill, and so I am not writing to fix anyone’s life or to tell you what to do with an impossible situation. These are the things that belong in God’s hands. Yet, most people are drowning because the faucet was left on, and not because a tidal wave came out of nowhere.”

“What faith orientated material(s) do you study during the week?”

David Porter wants to know:

“1.) Write a post on your own blog and send back a track-back.
2.)  Simply leave a comment on this post.
3.)  Leave a comment on this blog w/ a link back to your post.”

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