Jun
27
2012
Worth a Look 6.27.12
Kindle Deal of the Day: The American Dream:A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation by Jim Cullen. $1.99.
“The American Dream” is one of the most familiar and resonant phrases in our national lexicon, so familiar that we seldom pause to ask its origin, its history, or what it actually means. In this fascinating short history, Jim Cullen explores the meaning of the American Dream, or rather the several American Dreams that have both reflected and shaped American identity from the Pilgrims to the present.
Teachers are the Tongues of the Church:
Teachers may be few, but they hold a great deal of sway over the actual outcome of discipleship in the church. Teachers are the tongues, rudders, bits, and sparks of the church. We need then to be diligent not only to start classes, but to train teachers.
What “Mainline” Does and Doesn’t Mean:
Now we’re left wondering what a makes a denomination “mainline.” So, to figure out more precisely what it means to be a mainline Protestant, we’ll have to figure out what “mainline” itself means. And that’s a trickier proposition because we have several mistaken ideas about the term.
The liturgical churches foster a lot of schlock and kitsch of their own; but they are also communities that are capable of fostering and nurturing great writers and great writing. So far, we Evangelicals have not. In fact, one could make a case that we positively discourage “literary” writing as being of questionable spiritual value. I am just crazy enough to want to change that state of affairs.
8 Most Dangerous Leadership Traits:
There are some leadership traits which a leader can never delegate away. If the leader can’t work through them, in my opinion, his or her leadership will be crippled. With these traits, the best the leader has to offer will never fully materialize. These leadership traits will eventually wreck a leader’s success.
In May, Biola’s Board of Trustees approved longtime Talbot professor and respected New Testament scholar Clinton E. Arnold to take the reins from Dennis Dirks as dean of Talbot. Here are six things you should know about him as he steps into the new role.