I have just finished reading a good book on Patrick Henry by David Vaughan. In this book Vaughan recounts Henry’s life and seeks to draw lessons in leadership. In a chapter entitled “Humility” Vaughan gives a powerful warning. “Fame is dangerous, of course, because it is deceptive. At the heels of popularity there lurks pride […]
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Patrick Henry on the Value of Reading
Patrick Henry one of the truly great men involved in the founding of the US and arguably the greatest orator of his day gave this encouragement regarding reading: “Cultivate your mind by the perusal of those books which instruct while they amuse. History, geography, poetry, moral essays, biography, travels, sermons, and other well-written religious productions […]
Local Paper on “Church”
The local paper here ran a story this weekend entitled, “It’s time we gave selfish ambition a swift kick – out of church.” I was pleased to find this in our paper. The author might be downplaying the role of doctrine (hopefully not), but she is surely right about how consumerism has infiltrated popular thinking […]
Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the OT
Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the OT By Christopher J. H. Wright (IVP, 2006), pb. 159 pp. I have perused this book today as part of a broader review project, and I am impressed. You know right away that this topic is useful since it combines two areas where our understanding in the church tends […]
Preaching and Imagination
Too often when people join these two words they mean something speculative, preaching about things we don’t really know. That is not what I am talking about. I have in mind preaching in such a way that you draw your hearers into the biblical world so that they see, feel, experience it anew so that […]
Einstein, God & Humility
Several weeks ago on a shopping trip to Wal-Mart, my boys and I were able to do one of our favorite things on such trips- slip away to the book aisles! On this occasion I had the opportunity to thumb through Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Einstein. I was particularly intrigued to find a chapter […]
James Stewart and the Missionary Church
Those who have read this blog for some time will know of my appreciation of James S. Stewart, the prominent Scottish preacher and New Testament scholar (previous posts). I am currently working on an encyclopedia entry on Stewart, and have come across another great quote. In his book on preaching, Heralds of God, Stewart stated: […]
Amend ETS
Denny Burk (Criswell College) and I have been working on a proposal to amend the constitution of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). Recently I commented on my proposal from 2001 for a more “evangelical” doctrinal statement. Denny has taken this suggestion and has done the lion share of the work in putting together a formal […]
Tell Me About Heaven
Tell Me About Heaven, by Randy Alcorn Illustrated by Ron DiCianni (Crossway, 2007), hb., 64 pp. Ages 5 and up This is a great book about heaven. It is well written, nicely illustrated and theologically sound. Alcorn really does a good job in demonstrating the “tangibleness” of heaven. Too often people think of heaven as […]
