The Gospel Coalition

The Top 100 Christian Books of 2010

Parent One and Parent Two (Parentage goes gender-neutral on U.S. passports):

The State Department has decided to make U.S. passport application forms “gender neutral” by removing references to mother and father, officials said, in favor of language that describes one’s parentage somewhat less tenderly.

On the Christian’s Literary Frequency:

Is it a supply problem or a demand problem? I think it’s both, which means the Christian publishing industry (and Christian retail in general, really) is in a vicious cycle of sorts. Publishers print what sells and until readers start buying substantive literature, publishers won’t produce it. But if publishers aren’t producing it in the first place, then readers don’t even have the opportunity to buy it. So basically, Christian readers are consuming what’s available because they don’t perceive any other option (in the Christian bookstore, that is). The unfortunate side effect of that, though, is that we are producing generations of Christians whose literary appetites are for junk food.

Michael Haykin asks two simple questions:

If a Christian community is regularly speaking of reconciliation to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, and that by sovereign grace alone, but is rent by divisions with little or no actual reconciliation between the various groups within this community, what should we say about this community?

Today, I’m foregoing a regular post in order to point you to a roundtable discussion about Christians and internet presence. Brandon Smith moderated a discussion between myself, Jared Wilson, and Steve McCoy on the practicality and benefits of social media, not limited to but including blogging.

I hope you find our conversation engaging and that you’ll join in the comments section.

Here are some insightful quotes:

Steve McCoy: Tell your pastor about your blog for accountability. Or maybe find a trusted, knowledgeable friend who can challenge you when necessary on what you are writing.

Brandon Smith: I always remind myself of this: God has given me X number of blog readers, Twitter followers, Facebook friends, and other contacts in order to glorify Him and fulfill the Great Commission in whatever small or large way He has granted me to do so. I would be remiss to prostitute His gifts for my own gain.

Jared Wilson: The best practical way social media can benefit churches and leaders is through the rapid updating of informational “bullet points.”

Steve McCoy: For me social media isn’t about permanence of what is said but the permanence of those saying it.

Check out these pics of Ani – the ghost city of 1001 churches:

It is a ghost city today but once its Armenian inhabitants numbered close to 200 thousand.  In its heyday it was a metropolis which rivalled Constantinople, Cairo or Baghdad as a center of culture and enterprise.  Although it was never on traditional trade routes its sheer size and power commanded visits by merchants from all directions.  Yet what happened to reduce this once magnificent and regionally dominant city to virtually dust?

Thabiti Anyabwile is certain to provoke discussion with this post: “I’m a Complementarian, But… Women Must be Taught and They Must Teach”

The freedoms the Bible grants are not the slippery slope.  Our task is to hold all truths in tension and equilibrium.  By God’s grace, we’re able to affirm complementarity while simultaneously encouraging robust lives of faith and service for women as disciples.  It’s the only way to make complementarity big and beautiful, rather than peevish and burdensome.  Don’t fear the slippery slope, brothers.  Endeavor to stand on the whole counsel of God, then your feet will be sure.

NYT on why TV viewing is on the rise:

Americans watched more television than ever in 2010, according to the Nielsen Company. Total viewing of broadcast networks and basic cable channels rose about 1 percent for the year, to an average of 34 hours per person per week.

Thom Rainer points out seven signs of hope for the church in America (Signs 1-3, Signs 4-7):

While the problems are real, many people like me have magnified them. As a consequence, church leaders are often left demoralized and with little hope. The fact of the matter is that Christ’s Church has survived 2,000 years of turmoil, heresy, shallowness, and rigid institutionalism. And Christ’s Church will not be defeated. Perhaps it’s time to offer a message of His hope.

Watch as this eleven-year-old points to Jesus in every book of the Bible.

Hi Steve,

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the new year.

Until recently, aside from iTunes on my PC, I haven’t been much of an Apple-product user.  A couple months ago, however, I was given an iPad as a gift. At the same time, I entered a new avenue of service and switched to a Mac desktop computer. The switch from PC to Mac has been great. Both the iPad and my desktop computer are designed to give me the best online experience possible. Thank you for your leadership of Apple and your desire to serve your customers.

Though I am a satisfied Apple customer, I must admit that I am perplexed by a recent decision of your company. Please know that I am not one to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to special causes, boycotts and protests. I’m so new to this kind of email that I’m not even sure what the standard protocol is for registering this sort of complaint.

But I feel compelled to respond to Apple’s recent decision to remove the Manhattan Declaration app from the iPad and iPhone. As you know, the Manhattan Declaration is a carefully articulated statement from a large group of Christian leaders who publicly affirm the historic Christian perspective on three hotly debated issues of our time, including the definition of marriage. I’ve joined the almost 500,000 other signers who have found this document to be a clear and compelling representation of Christianity’s witness concerning these issues.

Knowing that these topics are debated in the public square, I was not surprised to see that some groups protested the inclusion of the Manhattan Declaration app on the iPad. The Christian perspective on sexuality has long been controversial, just as it was in the Roman era two thousand years ago. I was also not surprised to see that Apple responded to the initial complaints by pulling the app. One of the things I admire about your company is that your leaders truly listen and respond to customer comments.

What did surprise me, however, is that Apple did not reinstate the Manhattan Declaration app after giving it a second look. My surprise turned to shock when I read the rationale:

Apple cannot post this version to the App Store because it contains content that is likely to expose a group to harm.

I know that Apple has a policy prohibiting apps that contain “references or commentary about a religious, cultural or ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence.”

But I am shocked that Apple would consider the Manhattan Declaration “defamatory” or “mean-spirited.” Even a cursory reading of the declaration reveals numerous references to the fact that all people – including those adopt behaviors Christians consider immoral – are made in the image of God and deserve respect and care. For example:

We acknowledge that there are those who are disposed towards homosexual and polyamorous conduct and relationships, just as there are those who are disposed towards other forms of immoral conduct. We have compassion for those so disposed; we respect them as human beings possessing profound, inherent, and equal dignity; and we pay tribute to the men and women who strive, often with little assistance, to resist the temptation to yield to desires that they, no less than we, regard as wayward. We stand with them, even when they falter. We, no less than they, are sinners who have fallen short of God’s intention for our lives. We, no less than they, are in constant need of God’s patience, love and forgiveness. We call on the entire Christian community to resist sexual immorality, and at the same time refrain from disdainful condemnation of those who yield to it. Our rejection of sin, though resolute, must never become the rejection of sinners. For every sinner, regardless of the sin, is loved by God, who seeks not our destruction but rather the conversion of our hearts.

I doubt that the decision-makers at Apple saw this statement as “mean-spirited.” Instead, it appears they pulled the app because they believe this point of view to be mean-spirited and hateful, no matter how compassionately framed. That is what concerns me. It doesn’t bother me that people disagree with the Christian conviction that the only legitimate sexual expression is reserved for husbands and wives within the covenant of marriage. That conviction has often been contested. What concerns me is that Apple has implicitly labeled this perspective as “mean-spirited” and ‘hateful,” and has chosen to exclude from the public conversation a large number of Christians who have biblically-informed convictions on this matter.

By taking this action, Apple muzzles Christians and labels our convictions “harmful.” Society says one thing about sexuality. Christians beg to differ. But apparently, according to Apple, to differ is to hate. Please consider the ramifications of adopting this kind of policy. Consider what it means for religious people of all faiths.

Christians believe that all sexual expression outside of the marriage covenant to be immoral. Yes, this means that we consider adultery to be immoral, as well as sex before marriage. If I live next door to an unmarried heterosexual couple, I will not condone their living arrangements. But the fact that I disagree with their sexual behavior does not mean I hate them. It doesn’t mean I won’t be there for them in their time of crisis. How could I fulfill Christ’s command to love my neighbor if I were to ignore or neglect people who believe differently than me? As a Christian, I am commanded to love my neighbor. I am also commanded to follow Christ, whose moral pronunciations in the Sermon on the Mount are so zealous that all of us are shown to be what we are – sexual sinners needing salvation. And that salvation comes only through the death and resurrection of Jesus, in whom we are to put our trust.

In the case of homosexuality, it appears that some people in our society have chosen to base their identity upon their sexual desires and behaviors. Then, whenever their desires are questioned or behaviors are condemned, they perceive the disagreement to be a direct attack upon their very identity.

Christians approach this issue differently. We believe people are more than their sexual urges. Though sexuality is important, it does not define us. In fact, we believe that human dignity is diminished whenever we define ourselves by sexual urges and behaviors. Consider this: married men are sometimes attracted to multiple women who are not their wives. Does this mean they should self-identify as polygamists? Not at all. And surely you wouldn’t consider it hateful for Christians to encourage married men to not act on their desires in an effort to remain faithful to their spouses. It is the Christian way, after all.

Christianity provides a distinct, even if minority, position on sexuality. It upholds a vision of sexual flourishing within the context of marriage between a man and woman. Apple has chosen to muzzle the Christian perspective on sexuality by removing the Manhattan Declaration app. I understand the concern to protect minority groups from harm, including those who identify themselves as homosexuals. But surely you can distinguish between hateful “gay-bashing” and principled, civil dissent regarding the legal definition of marriage.

Steve, I know that Apple is your company and you can do what you want. I’ve admired the way you’ve sought to keep people “free from porn,” even when it has cost you customers. I only ask that you will reconsider your decision to ban the Manhattan Declaration from your app store. Please consider the implications for civil discourse, debate, and free speech.

Sincerely,

Trevin Wax

(Emailed to steve@apple.com on January 7, 2011)

Seven links for your weekend reading:

1. Francis Schaeffer lectures available online

2. Denise Spencer reflects on her first Christmas without Michael (the iMonk)

3. Borders: Getting Closer to the Bookseller’s Final Chapter

4. For Tolstoy and Russia, Still No Happy Ending (HT)

5. The New Rock-Star Paradigm (HT)

6. At the Intersection of Religious and Sexual Identities: A Christian Perspective on Homosexuality

7. Is God a Megalomaniac? Right Answer. Wrong Question.

I once met a youth pastor who was so frustrated with accusations of “shallowness” and demands for “more depth” that he told me, “Fine! If they want to go deeper, I’m going to go so deep it drives them nuts. I’ll drown them in depth!” Not exactly the best posture to take as a disciple-maker of the next generation.

I didn’t like the youth pastor’s attitude. But I did understand his frustration. Sometimes it’s hard to please the people clamoring for “deeper” teaching because everyone seems to have a different idea of what “deep” is.

Depth as “Just the Facts Ma’am”

One group thinks teaching is deep if they learn something they didn’t already know. The goal is to walk out of the classroom with more information than they had coming in.

I sympathize with the group that wants more facts. We have more resources available to us than ever before and yet people seem to know less and less about the Bible. When church members think Sodom and Gomorrah were a married couple, well, “Houston, we have a problem.”

But information is not the goal, and information alone is not depth. Take this approach to the extreme and we produce an elite class of biblical hobbyists who are almost Gnostic-like in their love for more knowledge. Knowing biblical facts is important, but surely we want to go deeper than the demons, who know more about Scripture than we do and are devils still.

Depth as “Insights for Daily Living”

Another group thinks “deep” means “insight for life.” Make a verse of Scripture apply directly to what I do tomorrow. “Deep” means “applied well,” and transformation (rather than information) is the goal.

I sympathize with anyone seeking “life transformation” in Bible study. Surely we don’t want people looking in the mirror of God’s Word and then walking away unaware of their reflection. Every teacher should hope for transformation.

But even if we hope to apply the Bible to everyday life, we don’t want to be self-absorbed readers skimming the Scriptures in search for practical tidbits as if we are reading a self-help book. If we go about Bible study this way, we never deal with the big picture of Scripture and therefore end up spiritualizing earth-shattering truths into coffee mug verses that give us warm fuzzies.

Depth as Gospel-Centrality

So what do we mean by “depth?” Not just new information or insightful application. We are longing for a depth that grounds us in the richness of the gospel.

Too many times, we assume that the gospel is just the basics of the Christian life, but intense, deep discipleship takes place when we get into the theological precision of interpreting biblical doctrines. Not so. The gospel is the story that gives richness and profundity to all our study of the Bible. John 3:16 is simple enough for a child to believe, and yet we can linger over these words for a lifetime and never exhaust all the truth contained here.

“Going deep” is more than winning a game of Bible Trivia. It’s more than finding a helpful insight for the upcoming week.

Going deep is:

• immersing ourselves in the truth that Jesus Christ bled and died to save helpless sinners like you and me.
• seeing the depth of our sin and the depth of God’s grace.
• remembering that there is nothing we can do to make ourselves more acceptable to God.
• returning to the costly grace that demands “my life, my soul, my all.”
• viewing the whole Bible in light of the overarching story of grace that has the gospel announcement as its climax and the gospel community as its result.

It’s been said that the gospel is not the ABCs of salvation, but the A to Z of the Christian life. That’s good to remember. We never move beyond this good news. Depth occurs when we more deeply explore the truth of the gospel and its implications.

A Plea to Teachers

As a final note on depth, I plead with teachers. Whatever literature you may use, you are the factor that makes the difference. Gospel-fueled transformation takes place best when the teacher’s life is bubbling over with gospel enthusiasm.

Let’s ask ourselves:

• Am I reading my Bible just to prepare my lesson? Or am I immersed in this gospel story daily?
• Am I reading other literature and materials that deepen my own walk with Christ? Or am I content with throwing together the facts for an interesting presentation on Sunday morning?
• Am I seeking to be a missionary in the community God has placed me? Or am I content with the little group I teach on the weekend?

Deeper teaching happens when we have deeper teachers. So fellow teachers, let’s soak ourselves in the truths of the gospel and the Word. Then, let’s invite others to the fountain of living water offered freely by our Master Teacher whose life and death changes everything.

Hilarious tweets from Ed Stetzer’s Theological Roid Rage. Here are two of my favorites:

It bugs me when people say “not one iota” w/o knowing about homoousios:http://is.gd/k70Uv. I snarl “arian,” stomp off. #TheologicalRoidRage

WWJD? He’d die for our sins. You can’t do that– so why the bracelet with the question?!? Just sayin’ #TheologicalRoidRage

Michael Horton responds to Scot McKnight’s cover story in CT – “Jesus vs. Paul”. The two scholars interact a little in the comments as well.

I think that a big part of the problem, then, is that a faulty view of the kingdom forces a choice between Jesus and Paul or encourages others to overlook the central importance of justification to the kingdom teaching of the New Testament.

Pitfalls a new pastor should avoid:

So what shouldn’t you do when you’re the new guy? Here are seven things to watch out for…

Michael Kelley reflects on Passion 2011:

Despite what some statistics might say, the young adults of the world are not looking for an easy pathway of discipleship, but instead are searching for a presentation of the gospel that engages them at all levels of their personhood. We are looking for something worth giving our lives to, and we’ve found it.

R.R. Reno on Aleksandyr Solzhenitsyn’s In the First Circle:

In his Nobel Prize lecture Solzhenitsyn wrote, “One word of truth outweighs the world.” By my reading, In The First Circle was written to bear witness to that conviction. It’s as if Solzhenitzsyn were saying, “Look, see the tiniest, more fragile irruptions of moral truth into human life. See just a few men hidden away, buried by worldly power, who have allowed themselves to be romanced by moral truth. They outweigh the world.”

Robert Plummer’s book, 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible, is a very helpful resource for understanding how to read the Bible well.

In chapters 10-11, Plummer offers some general principles for interpreting the Bible:

1. Approach the Bible in prayer.
2. Read the Bible as a book that points to Jesus.
3. Let Scripture interpret Scripture.
4. Meditate on the Bible.
5. Approach the Bible in faith and obedience.
6. Take note of the biblical genre you are reading.
7. Be aware of historical or cultural background issues.
8. Pay attention to context.
9. Read the Bible in community.
10. Begin the journey of becoming a more faithful interpreter.

See my full review of Plummer’s book here.

The Pastor as Wider Theologian, or What’s Wrong with Theology Today:

Pastors, not professors, should be setting the theological agenda of the church. This is, of course, a loaded statement, and one that requires more nuance than I’ll be able to give it here. But I stand by it nonetheless. As a pastor who cares deeply about theology, I’ve become convinced that the present bifurcation between theological scholarship and pastoral ministry accounts for much of the theological anemia facing the church today.

A Kwanzaa Exclusion:

In this particular Kwanzaa celebration of African-American heritage and culture, some heritage and culture was more equal than others. Indeed, the centuries-long Christian African-American heritage was unceremoniously deep-sixed for the decades-long Muslim heritage. Second, there is a better culture in the City of God, where no one sits out in the cold, where praises of Christ are not muzzled, and brotherhood is deeper than the color of your skin.

Michael Hyatt explains why the iPad couldn’t kill the Kindle:

it is clear that we have two distinct product classes here with less overlap than originally thought. Apparently, the market is big enough for both.

So how did Amazon do it? How did they compete with the Mighty Apple, when everyone was predicting they would be crushed by a more sophisticated machine? They used a four-prong strategy:

Speaking of iPads, here is Jon Acuff on being jealous of people with iPads:

Now with Christmas a few days behind us, there are thousands of new iPad owners sending out emails, that might make us feel a little jealous. That’s why when someone gave me one this year, I decided to change the email signature to one of three things:

1. Sent from a device that justifies, if not warrants, spelling mistakes, grammar errors and sarcasm that will initially be misinterpreted as unkindness but later explained as insight by me.
2. Sent from a device I use to read the Bible, paper being so wildly inconvenient…