For those of you who followed the tornadoes that wreaked destruction on portions of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky this past weekend, here’s a story about a southern Indiana family who survived the onslaught.
John Piper had something to say about the tornadoes. Chaplain Mike Mercer had something to say about what Piper said.
John Fea on Bruce Springsteen’s spiritual vision for America.
David VanDrunen reviews Scot McKnight’s The King Jesus Gospel.
Denny Burk posted the video of Mark and Grace Driscoll’s appearance on The View.
Remember Thief in the Night? Dean A. Anderson does.
Mars Hill Refuge posts commentary from an anonymous former Mars Hill Church leader on the church’s call to reconciliation.
Southeastern Seminary professor Kenneth Keatley posts his concerns with BioLogos teaching on creation/evolution, part 1 and part 2.
Tim Keller on creation, evolution and Christian laypeople, part 1 and part 2.
Fuller Seminary’s Burner blog with summaries of two recent Eugene Peterson interviews, on prayer and simplicity.
Ben Irwin says handle Leviticus with care.
Crossway Books’ blog posted a portion of Greg Forster’s book The Joy of Calvinism, titled Where TULIP Goes Wrong.
Michael D. Bobo: “Losing gracefully, patiently and faithfully is a necessary experience for the Church.”
Phil Johnson on how to tell if your repentance is deep enough (HT).
Are you ready for the combination of Doritos and Taco Bell???
A book review I recently wrote for the Alternate History Weekly Blog.
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I think I posted this before, but wanted to repost it in case I hadn’t…and I say this being too lazy to look back and see if I actually did
http://www.russellmoore.com/2012/02/28/is-it-right-for-a-christian-to-take-anti-depressants/
A Cool Ranch Doritos taco would be like the best food thing ever.
while i probably do agree with most of Piper’s thoughts, the most insightful comment for me was the question asked by Chaplain Mike, “Why do some preachers think everyone has this obsessive need for explanation and answers at times like this?” there’s a disconnect somewhere . . . Xenia’s “Lord have mercy” suffices when we can’t fix things or even help
thank you again BrianD for some good stuff to look into once more
God keep
Brian,
And here I thought I was the only one what read alt histories. I usually go to .
Taco Bell and Doritos–the perfect synthesis for potheads
it was BOUND to happen, all paid for by change found under sofa cushions and scrounged from under the car seats of an ’87 Toyota Corolla…
… you mean this Doritos/Taco Bell fusion hadn’t happened already?
WTH, apparently not…
David, how were you introduced to the genre?
Did you all know Taco Bell is going to serve breakfast, too?
I remember when Taco Bell had good prices back in the day but now they are expensive like all the other mainstream chains
Thanks for the creation/evolution links. Isn’t it wonderful how this discussion amongst Christians has, uh, evolved, in such a healthy direction – from the ranting of the utterly uninformed to serious and responsible discussion between devout Christians?
Would that the secular scientific community would be so accessible and reasonable on the topic.
But they are, after all, quite busy trying to find all the missing fossils.
I think they’ll find the missing fossils in the Lutheran churches…
I’d laugh, except we lost a 91-year-old member of my church last night.
Big big Springsteen fan. Love the new album – quite simplistic in it’s take on the “rich vs. poor” conflict- but the music soars nonetheless. But I have a problem with anyone relatting Bruce to a Christian mindset. As a fan for almost 40 years- I know that Bruce has embraced “all roads to Heaven”, found sympathy for the motives and beliefs of a suicide bomber in “Paradise” off the Rising, and generally rejcted and despised his Catholic roots (song stories on various tours).
I would love to sit face to face with Bruce and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His message of “social justice” means nothing if we don’t have Jesus, and thus lose salvation. I wonder if Bono- who in his autobiography proclaimed Jesus as the only Way- a Way he and two other U2 bandmates have openly accepted- has ever shared his Faith with his brother in arms- the Boss.
Social justice without accompanying preaching of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is just Peace Corps relief work. We are called first to preach the Gospel to the unbeliever, that is how we bring freedom to the captives.
Brian,
I’m a little into conlangs and concultures, so I’ve always found althistories very interesting.
First day on my new job…I’ll be missing in action for a while.
Will be checking in as I’m able …
“Social justice without accompanying preaching of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is just Peace Corps relief work. We are called first to preach the Gospel to the unbeliever, that is how we bring freedom to the captives.”
We are called first to love God with our whole being, then to live our neighbor as ourselves.
Love.
I will also say as a card carrying Calvinist…that Mercer makes some excellent points.
The greatest love we can show for our brother is to share with them the gift of eternal life, ahead of feeding clothing and housing. I am not excluding those- but as we do those things- it should be in the name of Christ with the accopmanying sharing of the Gospel.
This is an argument put forth only by someone who has adequate housing, food and clean water.
Why can’t the gospel be preached all while meeting someone’s immdeiate needs such as food, drink and clothing? As far as housing goes, even Jesus said that he had nowhere to lay his head. I know how that feels as I was homeless in New York City and Miami back in 1992. I mean we were given the great commission by Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:58-And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Mark 16:15-And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
We understand that the greatest needs are spiritual, but the hungry person just wants food. A little compassion allows us to delay the sermon at least until the 3rd bite of sandwich.
I just ate four Doritos Locos Tacos with a buddy of mine. I loved it, and love that I can continue to taste them as I suck on my orange stained fingers!
Hard to argue with Mercer.
Too bad Piper isn’t more Lutheran and less whatever-it-is-he-is.
You don’t shove Law down someone’s throat who needs to hear Gospel.
We don’t deserve to be heard until we take care of the immediate needs first. In that moment, we are absolute hyporcrites to talk about the love of a Savior who gives up everything to come to where we are and save us from sin and death, when we are witholding food, water, shelter etc while persuing our own agenda of forcing them to listen to us.
What are we afraid of? That if we don’t preach at people while they are down and out, that they will walk off without us getting a chance to make our “pitch” to them if they are healthy and secure?
Isn’t our God big enough to reach them once they have shelter over their heads and food in their bellies?
London – good stuff.
I have always said here that the big difference between a Calvinist and a Lutheran is that the Calvinist will always look at scripture as explaining the sovereignty and power of God, while the Lutheran looks to scripture to explain the mercy of God.
You can see that in real life in the way that Piper and Chaplain Mike look to scripture to explain disaster.
Definitely agree with Mike Mercer on that one. I farewelled Piper a few weeks ago, and I’m glad I did it. His words are becoming more and more toxic.
Chaplain Mercer is a real treasure. He’s a Lutheran studying for ordination.
The contrast between him and Piper couldn’t be stronger. Can’t help wondering how much time Piper spends time one-on-one with those who are in a these types of situations, and with those who are dying.
They don’t need judgments. They need the presence of Jesus, mediated through a pastor or others.
My favorite thought from Chaplain Mike:
“Why do some preachers think everyone has this obsessive need for explanation and answers at times like this? There may come a time (usually much later) for gentle instruction and discussion about the theological issues, but a wise pastor understands that when people ask “Why?” in a time of trauma and grief, they are not crying out for intellectual satisfaction.
They are expressing pain. They are lamenting. They are not asking someone wiser and more spiritual to unlock mysteries of meaning for them. They don’t need someone to “put it in perspective for them.” They need someone who will “weep with those who weep.”
I just gagged a little on Piper’s commentary.
I might add that even in the question (why here and not Hollywood or D.C.) isn’t he buying into the same garbage we spoke of earlier about God’s judgement and the way some preachers have a field day when something bad happens to New Orleans or (like in the case of the Northridge earthquake) the San Fernando Valley which was the home of the pornography industry (especially before the internet).
So what would Piper say if they HAD struck Hollywood or D.C. – Would that be a judgement of God for our national sins?
I was apalled at his video about a wife enduring a beating for a night, and I put this one alongside that in close 2nd place.
Back in my MH days I heard great things about Piper and finally got around to reading him and just thought “meh”. Piper seems eager to turn every single calamity into a “gentle but stern warning for everyone to repent”. Repent of what? Piper’s been veering toward Job’s comforter theodicies over the last ten years. I worked in non-profit and helped process donations in response to some of those disasters Piper was saying were stern but gentle reminders and they’re not gentle reminders, they’re disasters. Even as a Calvinist I think Piper’s approach is problematic at best. but then he’s been on a “don’t waste your cancer” thing for a while. Redeeming suffering by making it a useful talking point might not be redeeming suffering after all, it may just make people who can’t rationalize explanations for their misery get the idea that if they can’t thank God they’re dying of leukemia or something that they must just not love God enough to see that it’s all in His perfect plan. This sort of theodicy transforms “God with us” into “God out there letting this happen to us” and surely PIper must know better than that by now, shouldn’t he?
it took the whole book of Job to lay out before us the fact that when one asks “why,” the answer is between them and God, Himself – i’ll bet most of us are asking “why” every single day about something – think i’ll spend some time in the Word seeing if God ever used a man to ***explain*** Himself to his fellow man . . . deliver messages? yes, but not so sure about the former . . .
Another great thought from Chaplain Mike:
“It is Islam that sets forth submission and unquestioning acceptance as the ultimate in piety — not Christianity nor our parent faith as expressed in the Hebrew Bible. The faith we follow is one of lively dialogue between the Creator and his creatures.
“We question, complain, express our anger, cry out in pain, and bargain with God. Sometimes, if you believe the Bible, God even changes his mind at our behest. Like Jacob, we refuse to let him go until he blesses us. Like Moses, we argue with God. Like the psalmists, we groan and hurl curses toward the heavens.
“On the other hand, preachers like John Piper want us to get in line and behave. They rebuke our messiness, our humanness. They use the sovereignty of God to shut us up.”
on the other hand . . . (i know the theologians among us have all rationalized away Revelation 16 ) but it sure sounds like there is a principle that applies down thru time – we should consider taking stock whenever it gets bad on this planet Revelation 16:10-11
Chaplain Mike explains how he works with people who’ve been through tragedy and those facing death:
“When I have a new patient and family without a faith background, I meet them on their turf as neighbor and friend. I do not have an agenda, other than to listen and learn how I might be of assistance. I tell them I am available as a spiritual and pastoral resource, if that is what they want and need, but my main job is simply to be there with them for support.
“I always offer to pray for them (and ask their permission to do so), and I try to make my prayers personal, filled with Biblical language, and focused on God’s love for people and his promises to be with us in Christ.
“I find that this kind of approach often leads to more discussion about spiritual things than if I would try to force the matter. One joyful consequence is that I have been asked to do many funerals for un-churched folks, and at the funerals I always try to clearly present the story of Jesus, his salvation, and the hope of eternal life.
“I’m not sure evangelicals in general think in these terms. We are often weak on creation and common grace. Instead we see God mainly at work within the community that is separated from the world.
“We also identify his work primarily with specific “spiritual” matters that we focus on. We sometimes don’t do well simply as human beings living among fellow human beings who are our neighbors, all walking together through the common experiences of life. We are often too spiritual for our own good, and for the good of others.”
“After a tragedy, it is important that the pastor and folks in the church realize that the bereaved who are left behind will need support that may require extraordinary attention in the short-term and consistent loving care for the long haul. Hope doesn’t come through words alone, but through a solid and reliable support group that sticks with the hurting.
“Having said that, words are also important. Regular participation in the liturgy, which rehearses the fundamental truths of the Gospel over and over again, week after week, and which enables people to feed on God’s saving and sustaining presence through Word and Sacrament, can provide genuine help in reorienting those whose lives have become radically disoriented by tragedy.”
Two thoughts have been on my mind about the OT, and Mercer reminded me of one of them: Job’s friends were great right up until they started talking.
Anyone else see Camping’s statement today?
See it here
Chaplain Mike on ways to help people affected by the tornadoes
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/waste-and-void-tornadoes-in-s-indiana
I can’t get into Piper either, Wenatchee.
I want to give one of the leading neo-Calvinist churches here in Louisville some credit. While “Job’s comforters” tell hurting, broken people about a God who brought disaster on purpose to glorify himself and make them repent and those who escaped may be next, Sojourn Community Church is taking up donations for the victims, and church members are helping to feed people at local shelters. And they’re not the only church in town that’s doing so.
Thanks for the relief link, BrianD.
Where is everybody tonight? Last post was about 6 hours ago. Of course, I don’t have room to talk, I haven’t had time to post in several days.
So, how ’bout that Harold Camping? I hope he’s sincere, but I can’t help but think that it’s just a way to win a broader audience and, therefore, a broader funding base. I’ll be glad if I’m wrong.
“Sojourn Community Church is taking up donations for the victims, and church members are helping to feed people at local shelters. And they’re not the only church in town that’s doing so.”
Thanks BrianD for that reminder that God’s Spirit still moves among His people.
Piper is an able theologian.
However,during a tragedy, people need a pastor, not a dissertation.
Speaking of social justice, online communities and making a change. First I am cynical, always about everything, this is a gift from my evangelical past, there is always a scam, always an angle, always a conspiracy of some type lurking behind every single bush or tree. Because every single human being that has ever lived is so totally and utterly corrupt we cant trust anyone even ourselves. Well I failed at that, miserably, I always seem to trust, often emotional, and no I am not always cynical despite all the tripe I post online. I trust churches, think Mark Driscoll, Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort, John MacArthur, and even Bob Larson can be used by God for good. So what am I trying to say.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1362338/-/axe1fdz/-/
Discusses an online film dealing with Joseph Kony a warlord and a video that has gone viral on youtube. Kony 2012 seeks to make Kony known to everyone so he can be brought to justice. My take on this is the idea of raising the consciousness of people to promote action. Now there is a bit of a controversy given the funding / donations the organization has received. The NGO Non Government Organization Invisible Children
“The NGO also came under strong criticism after it emerged that it spent only 30 per cent of the $8.9m (Shs 20b) it mobilised for the children in their names from well-wishers. The bulk of the cash was expended on salaries, office rentals, travel as well as filming, according to Invisible Children’s audited accounts.”
They have a response to this but my point imagine if such consciousness was raised concerning Mexico and what is happening there? I think the idea of social media could be used for good if it is focused and channeled, I think people want to help and people want to do good, I know that may make me a heretic at best but I still believe it. I find this story truly amazing concerning the deployment of the video, sad concerning the children being brutalized by this situation.
I saw the statement it David I think they are contrite, they say millions if not billions heard the “message”, no actually many just yawned and mocked, rightfully so in some ways. We hear this all the time, I know I did concerning the Rapture, a new book, sermon, or some other marketing scheme, like the left behind franchise, who racked in the bucks from this cash cow. I still remember the thinking this is it, I have been left behind, I missed the rapture, I was not a true convert. It is an effective control mechanism for holding on to a lucrative revenue stream, I also understand that alone justifies its use, no mater how many are hurt.
They crossed the line though, they picked a date inviting accountability, bad marketing move. One should stay mobile to insure market share and even open new funding opportunities I E leveraging new events in the middle east, bible codes, or what ever works. Its sort of like you should long for the Lord’s return and at the very same time feel like a complete idiot for actually wanting it to happen.
John Piper is secretly “Yogurt”, The Everlasting Know-it-All!
Hey modern Church: Eugene Peterson is the cure to what ails ya.
Problem with the whole Kony 2012 campaign is that there is outdated and misleading information being given by the charity. Not only that but Kony is hardly alone in Uganda, Sudan and the surrounding areas for his exploitation of children as the Ugandan Government has done the same exact thing as well as the SPLA. This campaign is propaganda exposing one evil while being in bed with another evil as some at that money raised goes to the corrupt and abusive Ugandan government. I know that it is easy to let emotions sway our hearts but always look to the root of what’s going on in these situations. I think it’s irresponsibile to donate to charities without knowing the whole story. The LRA itself is split up and not nearly as powerful as it once was. Just a bunch of mis infiormation in that video and funny how they don’t try to expose the Ugandan governments evils.