The Gospel Coalition

Three days ago, Kim and I had the privilege of spending the day with my theological hero, J.I. Packer. I’ve had the privilege of spending some time with Dr. Packer in the past but this was a bit different for a couple reasons. It was the first time Kim had ever met him and we were joined by my good friend Justin Taylor (who set the day up for us–thanks Justin!) and Dr. Packer’s good friend (my former professor) Dr. Roger Nicole. Dr. Nicole and Dr. Packer have been close friends for exactly 50 years and being able to watch them together was (and Kim agrees with me) the most moving and meaningful exhibition of Christian friendship I have ever seen. They showed such deep love and respect for eachother.

One quick story: Kim, Justin, Dr. Packer, Dr. Nicole, and I were walking from the Orlando Convention Center across the street to our hotel. It was the annual gathering of Christian authors and publishers and so as we were walking many people recognized Dr. Packer and stopped to say “hello.” Only one person stopped and recognized Dr. Nicole (who is not nearly as well known as Dr. Packer). However, after that one person stopped Dr. Nicole, Dr. Packer (wanting to make sure his friend knew that he was just as important as he was) said, “You have to expect that people are going to recognize you Roger and want to talk with you. You are a very important man.” It showed just how humble and sensitive Dr. Packer is. He didn’t want Dr. Nicole to feel outshined by him so he made nothing of the many who recognized him, but everything of the one who recognized Dr. Nicole. 

Both men know they are nearing the end of their life here on earth (Dr. Nicole is 92 and Dr. Packer is 82) but watching them reflect on how, together, they have fought the fiercest theological battles of the 20th century was a true gift. They’re both timeless legends who think nothing more of themselves than that they are servants of the Living God. It was so evident that God’s amazing grace still amazes them…and that amazes me. It was a day that Kim and I will never forget. I wish you could have been there!

Anyway, as I posted yesterday, Justin asked Dr. Packer over breakfast what the five most influential books in his life were. I decided that here I would pay tribute to the huge role Dr. Packer has had in my life by listing the six Packer books that have influenced me the most. So here they are:

1. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God
2. Concise Theology
3. Knowing God
4. Growing in Christ (published originally as I Want to be a Christian)
5. God’s Plan for You (published originally as Hot Tub Religion)
6. 18 Words (published originally as God’s Words)

Perhaps, the most influential piece of theological writing from Packer in my life does not come in the form of a book. It is his introductory essay to the 1958 reprint of John Owen’s famous work, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. You can read Packer’s essay here. I read it every year. It’s masterful.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these books, please purchase them and read them. Of course, anything Packer writes is worth reading. I will tell you what I had the privilege of telling Dr. Packer himself and that is, my soul has never been more well cared for and nurtured than it has been through Packer’s pen. Through his rich, doxological writing, he has been my pastor for many, many years. Quite frankly, I don’t know where I’d be right now had it not been for the careful, devotional instruction I’ve received over the years from Packer. I thank God for him…and you should too.

    It took some getting used to for me, but after looking at it more and more, I’ve grown to like it. What do you think?

Justin Taylor tells of our breakfast the other day with J.I. Packer and of Packer’s response to Justin’s question regarding his Fav Five.

The only difference between Packer’s answer and mine is that mine would have included some Packer books!

David Wayne (of Jollyblogger fame) wrote a review of my book Do I Know God?

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that I post thoughts on a regular basis from a friend of mine named John Seel. I’ve had various people write me asking me more about John because his thoughts are always stimulating and remarkably insightful. So I decided to formally introduce you to him, hoping that you’ll become better aquainted with him and the work that he does.

I first met John while I was in seminary. My mom and dad hired him to tutor my youngest brother Antony. He and I had breakfast one morning and became instant friends.

John has been, for many years, one of Evangelicalism’s most astute cultural analysts. You might remember his book The Evangelical Forfeit that came out in the early 1990’s, or the book he co-edited with Os Guinness entitled No God but God (both of which were instrumental in laying a foundation for how I think about Christ and culture).

John is a writer, educator, and cultural analyst. His career combines business administration, education, theology, and cultural sociology. He was actively involved in the founding of The Williamsburg Charter, The Trinity Forum, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia, and The Cambridge School of Dallas.

He is a contributing editor to Critique magazine as well as The Journal, a publication of the Society for Classical Learning. In addition to the books I mentioned, John also wrote a book entitled Parenting Without Perfection: Being a Kingdom Influence in a Toxic World. His most recent book project, Special Forces in Kingdom Service: The Calling of Prophetic Schools, explores the impact of consumerism and egalitarianism on Christian schooling.

Currently, he serves as a viral marketing consultant and writer for Walden Media, where he was involved in the release of Amazing Grace. He is also the executive producer of the forthcoming Church in the Matrix project–a multimedia project based on David Wells’ most recent book, The Courage to be Protestant. He, and his wife Kathryn, are Anglicans living in Cohasset, MA.

OK, those are the facts. But here is an interview that The Work Research Foundation conducted with John a few months back. This will help you get to know him a bit better. When asked, what his most valuable learning experiences have been, he said:

My most valuable learning experiences have come from hard times. There is more to be learned from a dropped pass and failed exam than from cheering crowds or academic honors. I’ve had both: an off sides penalty my senior year in high school that cost my team the championship and a failed doctoral comprehensive exam that put my graduate studies in jeopardy. Only in the storm does one learn the breadth of God’s love and his faithfulness.

Even though John has been hard at work these past few years, he has been flying under the radar. But, I am happy to say that he is beginning to resurface in a much needed way at a much needed time. We need your thoughts on culture John. Keep ‘em coming, my friend!

Tony Snow died of cancer this morning (1955-2008). He was not only President Bush’s press secretary from 2006-2007, but also a committed Christian. Last fall he spent the day with my granddad. I arrived to my granddad’s house one hour after Tony and his wife left. I was sorry to have missed him. They spent their time talking together about the way God meets people as they walk “through the valley of the shadow of death.” Not only was Tony dealing with the pain and suffering that accompanies cancer, but my granddad was still reeling from the death of my grandmother three months earlier. I wish I could have been there to listen in on this conversation between two godly men speaking about God’s goodness and faithfulness in the misdt of life’s real and painful trials.

A year ago Tony wrote an article for Christianity Today entitled Cancer’s Unexpected Blessings. In this article, you’ll find a man whose understanding of God differs radically from those who believe that God always heals those who possess enough faith. (In light of my recent comments about Todd Bentley being a false prophet, I actually had a woman write to me saying that the reason my grandmother never recovered from the physical ailments which eventually took her life was because she lacked faith. This poor woman needs to read Tony’s article.) What Hebrews 11 makes clear is that it takes more faith to believe in God’s goodness and faithfulness when he chooses not to heal. Tony’s article exemplifies this.  

Henry Durbanville once said, “We are not promised a smooth journey but we are promised a safe arrival.” The last couple years of Tony’s life were anything but smooth. But praise God, this morning he arrived safely home.

Please be praying for Tony’s family during this most difficult time.

Over the years, I have collected numerous interviews with J.I. Packer. This most recent Modern Reformation interview is the latest addition to my collection. In order to access it online, you have to sign up (although I would suggest subscribing to the magazine itself).

Anyway, Packer says something in the course of this interview that I found to be remarkably insightful and stimulating. He said:

I’m a great believer in the importance of trinitarian thinking in discipling. A lot of what has weakened discipling is the result of thinking of only one person of the godhead at any one time–think about the Holy Spirit and what he does; think about Jesus and his death on the cross for us; think of the Father and of his love and goodwill. But you’re not thinking, you see, of the three together: the divine team which works in the unity of a single program and plan, each person in the team fulfilling his part in our salvation, so that the gospel is much less “what a friend we have in Jesus”, but “what a team of friends we have through Jesus”–it’s the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our discipling instruction will be infinitely strengthened if we present it that way. Sometimes people say, “I’ve never heard it put like that before.” People will be deistic unless they are taught the Trinity.”

Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia has put out a new semi-annual publication called Westminster Today. Click here to read an online version of it. There’s a great article by Vern Poythress on the marriage of Biblical and Systematic Theology.

The Bible makes it clear that Christians need to be people of double listening — listening both to the questions of the world and the answers of the Word. We’re responsible to be good interpreters not only of Scripture, but also of culture. God calls us to be like the men of Issachar, “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). We’re called to think long and hard, deep and wide about “our times” and all the issues surrounding the mission of the church — its proper relationship to this world as well as its proper place in it.

With this in mind, John Seel offers a critical review of Andy Crouch’s forthcoming book Culture Making. This is no ordinary review. Reading it is like listening in on a conversation between two top notch Christian thinkers who understand the complexities involved in the relationship between Christians and culture. If you are a Christian who wants to get better at “double listening”, this is a must read review. 

This review will be featured in Critique magazine (in the next several weeks). It will also be posted on the Ransom Fellowship website as well (a ministry you would be wise to become familiar with).

John Seel writes:

What makes music or musical entertainment “Christian?” These are questions being raised within Christian entertainment itself and not simply by confused teachers and parents of adolescents. Earlier this year, WORLD magazine discussed the tensions within contemporary Christian music (CCM). Lying behind the marketplace constraints of the music industry are a host of deeper questions that serve to frame our understanding of what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus. Discernment requires our reflection. At the heart of the argument is what it means to be “in” the world, but not “of” it. What it means to be “like Jesus” in the midst of our postmodern, post-Christian culture. To what extent are we to be the same as contemporary culture—read “relevant?” To what extent are we to be different—read “irrelevant?”

Read the rest of John’s insightful article here.