I recently came across a great comment from one of J. R. R. Tolkien’s letters (written in April 1959). Tolkien is advocating reading books with more difficult books to children rather than confining the reading to easier books. Tolkien states: “A good vocabulary is not acquired by reading books written according to some notion of [...]
Archive of entries posted on June 2009
Public Sin Should Cause Us to Beware
There has been a lot of conversation about the revelation that South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford had been having an affair. I think one of the most important thing those of us at a distance should do in these situations is to take them as warnings to ourselves. The most recent newsletter from Shepherd Press [...]
Charge to New Pastors of Grace Church
As I mentioned in the previous post, we had the privilege of launching a new church, ordaining two new pastors, installing a third to serve with them this past weekend. I had the opportunity to give the charge to these men, and thought I would share it with you as well. I love ordinations where [...]
Launch of New Church
I am privileged this morning to assist in leading a special service to launch Grace Community Church (SBC) in Martin, TN a church plant from Cornerstone Community Church (SBC), where I serve. In this service we will officially constitute the new church, ordain two new pastors and install Chad Davis, who has been serving as [...]
Summer Reading, A T Robertson
In light of recent posts here on reading and particularly on reading history and fiction, I thought this comment from A. T. Robertson was pertinent. Robertson was a giant in the land as a scholar and a preacher. This quote comes from an interview with Frank Leavell in “The Baptist Student†in 1932. “ ‘For [...]
A Father’s Wish, by Edgar Guest
A Father’s WishBy Edgar Guest (in When Day Is Done) What do I want my boy to be?Oft is the question asked of me,And oft I ask it of myself–What corner, niche or post or shelfIn the great hall of life would ISelect for him to occupy?Statesman or writer, poet, sageOr toiler for a weekly [...]
In the Time of Noah
In the Time of Noah, N. D. WilsonIllustrated by Peter BentleyThe Old Stories Series(Canon Press, 2007), hb., 33 pp. This is a nicely told, well illustrated rendering of the story of Noah. Like its series counterpart The Dragon and the Garden, however, it will surprise most readers fairly quickly. The distinctiveness of this series is [...]
Crabb on the need for involvement in people’s lives
Since college I have appreciated the writings of Larry Crabb. Today I read a note from a friend in which he included an excerpt from Crabb’s book, Inside Out. I have pasted in below a smaller portion of the excerpt where Crabb makes the point that exposition alone is not enough for our pastoral work. [...]
Kids’ Bible Dictionary
Kids’ Bible Dictionary, by Jean Fischer(Barbour, 2009), pb., 159 pp.Ages 8-12 This is a colorful and well-illustrated dictionary which aims to define and explain key people places and things which children will encounter as they read the Bible. Each entry ends with scriptural references where you will find the word or concept. The author is [...]
Sergeant York and the Great War
Sergeant York and the Great War: His Own Life Story and War Diary, Alvin YorkOriginally edited by Tom Skeyhill, 1930Edited by Richard “Little Bear†Wheeler(Vision Forum, 2005), hb., 209 pp. Originally Skeyhill edited York’s diary into publishable form and in this edition Wheeler has included photographs and some history of World War I. I like [...]
