Favorite Posts [7] : (re)Marriage - Matthew 5:31-32

Most of my recent posts are depressing to me as I look back over them. Either they are complete silliness or rambling drivel. I just haven't had the same time to devote to posting that I used to...

However, a recent series on marriage/divorce was a welcome exception to that trend. While I'm all for silliness and frivolity, there's no place for those things in discussing the Bible. And I enjoyed the chance to just write again about the things I was chewing through in my head.

This series of posts grew out of some questions that came up in our Sunday night Bible study. What a neat thing it is to be able to wrestle with God's Word with other believers...

(re)Marriage - Matthew 5:31-32 [1]
(re)Marriage - Matthew 5:31-32 [2]
(re)Marriage - Matthew 5:31-32 [3]

Favorite Posts [8] : (Pre)Destined for Debate

In the fall of '06, the Reformosphere was in a buzz about the on again, off again debate between the Caner brothers and James White/Tom Ascol re: Calvinism in Baptist streams. That same month, one of our pastors started a series on reformed theology in our adult class at church.

Eventually we wound up in the death-spiral discussion of the infamous doctrine of predestination. It's funny that the idea of God sovereignly extending grace to thankless sinners can cause so much bile and distress. Actually, it's not funny or surprising after all. Every one of us clings desperately to our own sovereignty far too often - in our thoughts (theologically), in our lives (functually), or both...

Anyway, I decided to write a series of posts recounting my own wrestling with this difficult doctrine. My hope was to give a couple people in our class the chance to chew on things through the week... I don't know if this helped or hurt, but I was blessed by meditating on the grace evident in the Gospel again.

(Pre)Destined for debate [1]
(Pre)Destined for debate [2]
(Pre)Destined for debate [3]
(Pre)Destined for debate [4]

Favorite Posts [9] : Bad Theology Rants

As I went through all the posts that have appeared on this blog, it is obvious that my favorite literary medium is the rant. My best rants were usually reserved for the completely whack theology that I'd come across...

Here a countdown of my personal favorites:

6) Brian McLaren's novel approach to tough issues
I am a person who often needs to spend a lot of time thinking things through... My brain is underpowered and has too many cobwebs around for me to be willing to just pontificate at the drop of a hat (more on that in a future post).

Even so, something about Brian McLaren's approach to dealing with the homosexuality issue just made my teeth grind together. Again, my brain is slow... But it seems to me that the issue has already been clearly resolved in Scripture. Take it or leave it.

5) Whatever Joel Osteen is, it ain't a pastor
Smilin' Joel-O has been a favorite whipping boy of mine since I first heard him 'preach' on TV. I'm sure Joel is a nice guy, and he may even be a Christian... But he cannot be a good pastor - at least not when held against any Biblical standard of 'pastoring'.

Just for comparison, take a gander at this little juxtaposition of the message in Joel-O's first book and John Owen. Which one is more likely to shepherd the readers toward conformation to the image of Christ?

4) Low-balling marriage for the sake of 'mission'
Another Emergent rant... In this case, I'm rambling about how one emergent pastor (Bill Yaccino) decides whom he'll marry at his church. He seems to think that giving 'spiritual people' their traditional church wedding is a way to be "missional". I beg to differ.

This was the 2nd 'big link' in this little blog's history... Of course, two posts after this I ranted against the owner of the 'watch-blog' that linked in. So much for that budding opportunity at fame.

3) "Snoogums the Chihuahua" and Purpose-Driven Pets
Still one of the top-hit generators on this blog, and the first of two pot-shots taken at the Purpose-Driven man himself, Rick Warren.

I love animals... Really! But there's just something wrong with accepting a theology that says Heaven will include our pets since we probably couldn't be happy in eternity without them. I dunno. I just don't remember see that bit surrounding the endless cries re: the triumph of the Lamb. Perhaps it's in the apocrypha?

This was the 1st 'big link' in Dluxe's World history - and it came from no less than the mega-uber-blogger Tim Challies. I suppose when you link someone, quote them, and describe their comments as "eloquent" good things are bound to happen. Thanks, Tim!

2) The Methodist Chronicles (Part 1 and Part 2)
I was born and raised in a small-town United Methodist church. So, it's not surprising that I keep an eye on the developments within the UMC and feel the need to rant about what I see.

First, I went a little coo-coo-for-Coco-Puffs over the Minnesota UMC's decision to "to fully welcome gays and lesbians and to support gay marriage and the ordination of gay clergy." As I mentioned re: Brian McLaren above, I just can't help but see that issue as settled in Scripture. The post did lead to a fun discussion with my favorite Methodist seminarian (and soon-to-be-pastor), Josh Doughty.

Josh reappeared (on request) for the fun in my second UMC rant... This time, my blowing a fuse was caused by the decision of one church/conference to retain a pastor after he and/or she had undergone a sex-change. I didn't really rant much - instead leaving the insightful commentary to the much more piercing Al Mohler.

1) Beware of the concordance!
This isn't really a rant, per se, but it's absolutely my favorite "They did what??!?!" post of all time. Try to figure out what's wrong with this banner ad I spied while surfing the net one day (church name clipped to protect the guilty).


Once you think you've got it, click here to get the answer from the original post.

Ahhhh.... The internet. Never-ending source of amusement.

Wisdom for the Weekend [5]

The Reformosphere (see if that term sticks) has been buzzing as of late thanks to the release of Colin Hansen's book Young, Restless, Reformed. This book is an outgrowth of an article Hansen wrote for Christianity Today last year.

As one of the young(er) Reformed-sorts, I've been interested to get hands on a copy of Hansen's book. However, before even reading it I think that Scott Lamb's 'review' is an important read. If I can borrow a hip-hop turn of phrase - "We need to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves."

So, a little modern wisdom for your weekend. Read Scott's article here.

[ht: Challies, naturally]

Continuing to Re-cease Continuationist Cessations

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a series of posts stating my position on the continuationist/cessationist debate. In the end, I landed (firmly) in the camp of the 'Reformed charismatics' though I've since come to strongly prefer the identifier of 'Reformed continuationist'. Same meaning, half the baggage!

Anyway, Nathan Busenitz started a string of posts interacting with the same material over on Pulpit Blog starting in January of '07. We interacted briefly in the comments over there, and I was looking forward to him continuing to offer his thoughts. Nathan is, as we say in New England, wicked smart (pronouced 'smahht') and I've learned much through his posts.

He's picked up the topic again, and so I thought I would point everyone to it. For the record, Nathan's arguments haven't moved me from my position. But if we aren't humble listening to the opinions of people we respect and evaluating our theology in light of their comments, it probably points past firm biblical convictions towards the idol of pride. So, let's read along and discuss... Shall we?

Spurgeon said it, again.

Stop to think about the emphasis on works and the characterization of the atonement as 'cosmic child abuse' that have started to gain traction in the church. Now, read this by Spurgeon... This could've been written days ago, rather than a hundred or more years ago! How timely!

Those who set aside the atonement as a satisfaction for sin also murder the doctrine of justification by faith. They must do so. There is a common element which is the essence of both doctrines; so that, if you deny the one, you destroy the other.

Modern thought is nothing but an attempt to bring back the legal system of salvation by works. Our battle is the same as that which Luther fought at the Reformation. If you go to the very ground and root of it, grace is taken away, and human merit is substituted. The gracious act of God in pardoning sin is excluded, and human effort is made all in all, both for past sin and future hope. Every man is now to set up as his own savior, and the atonement is shelved as a pious fraud.

I will not foul my mouth with the unworthy phrases which have been used in reference to the substitutionary work of our Lord Jesus Christ; but it is a sore grief of heart to note how these evil things are tolerated by men whom we respect.

We shall not cease, dear brethren, in our ministry, most definitely and decidedly to preach the atoning sacrifice; and I will tell you why I shall be sure to do so. I have not personally a shadow of a hope of salvation from any other quarter: I am lost if Jesus be not my Substitute. I have been driven up into a corner by a pressing sense of my own personal sin, and have been made to despair of ever doing or being such that God can accept me in myself.

I must have a righteousness, perfect and Divine; yet it is beyond my own power to create. I find it in Christ: I read that it will become mine by faith, and by faith I take it. My conscience tells me that I must render to God's justice a recompense for the dishonor that I have done to His law, and I cannot find anything which bears the semblance of such a recompense till I look to Christ Jesus. Do I not remember when I first looked to Him, and was lightened? Do I not remember how often I have gone as a sinner to my Savior's feet, and looked anew at His wounds, and believed over again unto eternal life, feeling the old joy repeated by the deed?

Brethren, I cannot preach anything else, for I know nothing else. New dogmas may or may not be true; but of the truth of this doctrine, I am sure.

Driscoll-ing

Tim Challies writes some fabulous, balanced thoughts on the lightning rod that is Mark Driscoll.

I really appreciate that Tim is both direct in his critique of Driscoll's tongue and yet willing to embrace openly the good that God is doing in and through Driscoll's ministry.

"I need someone who will look me in the eye..."

I've been admonished that I should start blogging again. So, I am here to try to do that.

Fascinating video here from a recent episode of ER. Did anyone see the full thing? I'm particularly curious at how the 'chaplain' character responds to the very pointed attack on her theology? Does this serve as a crisis point for her character, or is she 'allowed' to push off the issue?

Anyway, I've always thought that ER does a good job of offering compelling TV. Here's yet another example. View, and discuss below.

A study in contrasts...

Go here, and watch the video there then listen to the audio right underneath it.

That's all.

Dever @ Acts29

I'm hardly the first to post this, but these comments are worth reposting here:

Mark Dever recently spoke at the Acts29 Network 'boot camp' in Chicago. Here's an excerpt from his remarks:

Our differences are enough to separate some of my friends—your brothers and sisters in Christ—from you. And perhaps to separate them from me, now that I’m publicly speaking to you. And I don’t want to minimize either the sincerity or the seriousness of some of their concerns (things like: humor, worldliness, pragmatism, authority).

But I perceive some things in common which outweigh our differences — which the Lord Jesus shall soon enough compose between us, either by our maturing, or by His bringing us home. I long to work with those, and count it a privilege to work with those whom My Savior has purchased with His blood, and with whom I share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I perceive that we have in common the knowledge that God is glorified in sinners being reconciled to Him through Christ. This is not taught by other religions, nor clearly by the ancient Christian churches of the East, or by Rome, by liberal Protestant churches, by Mormons, the churches of Christ, or by groups of self-righteous, legalistic, moralistic Christians. And not only do we together affirm the exclusivity of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone—we agree on the sovereignty of God in life and salvation, the regenerate nature of church members, the importance of church membership and discipline, the baptism of believers alone, the priorities of expositional preaching, and evangelism, the importance of authority and a growing appreciation for the significance of complementarianism. These are not slight matters. And they only fire my desire to encourage you and cheer you on, until you cross that finish line that the Lord lays down for us.

That's just awesome stuff.

when speaking of the 'e.c.' ....

... you must use only lowercase letters and occasional punctuation

Well, I promised some actual content would start appearing on this blog again. And I am at least someone who (tries) to keep my promises (as often as I can). In this case, the topic kinda fell into my lap though it is a rehash of a lot of old stuff.

I posted a set of videos a few days ago in which WOTM radio's Todd Friel interviewed emergent church 'leader' Doug Padgitt. If you haven't watched them, you might want to before reading the rest of this post.

Let me start by saying that I specifically refrained from commenting on the original videos because I wanted them to speak for themselves. I am not a huge WOTM fan and never have been. Moreover, Friel still has too much of the edgy-comedian edge to him to be a great interviewer.

Additionally, it's worth noting that I would affirm, in agreement with the 'emergers', that there have been some pretty significant errors in the traditional church and evangelical mindset that needed correction. The increased emphasis on missional living, cultural engagement/contextualization, removal of artificial legalism, and default patterns for 'doing church' are all things I find myself applauding.

Ok. In the comment thread to the Friel/Padgitt videos, our friend Mary had some things to say. I want to respond to several things she raised here in the main... Mary's comments are in italics.

An odd and rather unfortunate interview... It seems to polarize the two men onto extreme sides without searching for common ground between them. This happens all the time in the political realm and I wish it wouldn't happen in the church so much.

I agree the tone of the interview is not spectacular.... However, I understand the reason it might've been that way.

Some of us are theological neatniks and would hold that there are clearly areas of theological disagreement that no amount of common ground can repair. For many on the outside of the e.c. stream, the perception is that there are fundamental areas of orthodoxy which the e.c. is content to be 'vague' on. At best, that fuzziness is rooted in a desire to engage saint and seeker alike in a process of real, vital discovery rather than simply 'preaching'.

While there is clearly merit to that approach in certain circumstances, there are also times where there is black-and-white truth that needs to be dealt with. The public faces (more on this later) of the e.c. don't seem to draw the lines the same place I do. For example, a lot of tension in the interview could've been diffused had Padgitt simply said something like "Well, there will be a new heavens and a new earth and we will be in the presence of God for eternity." However, he chose to take the postmodern "What's in a word?" route... I can't help but wonder where else the fuzziness comes in...

Like or not, the so-called "emerging church" is here and will have a major effect on American theology for years to come, so it seems that a better approach would have been oriented more towards reconciling and understanding rather than nasty polemics.

Again, agreed assuming that we can find the common ground. If we're talking about methodology and style, ok. But if we're talking about doctrine, there are areas that I think we rightly need to challenge. I think that we fail to recognize how incredibly easy it is for us to pervert the Gospel of grace into something far dif'rent.

Anyway, I think I would like to have heard more from Pagitt about what it means to be "at work in the world." While not fond of the evasive speech that has come to define the e.c. movement, I really think their missional life has a lot to offer and inspire.

I think the emphasis on missional living is a vital and valid corrective that the e.c. community has brought to the fore... It is important to mention here, however, that the emergers hardly have a copyright on this. Find me a person interested in missional living who hasn't found themselves nodding along with Tim Keller, Ed Stetzer, or Newbigin. Yet those three balance an almost-emergent committment to living the Christian life with both a strong ecclesiology and traditional, orthodox doctrine.

The "at work in world" philosophy of ministry and life is a prophetic call to many American Christians to stop hibernating in the cave of evangelical subculture.

YES! Agreed and affirmed.

I just wish that e.c. leaders were more plain-spoken. I think the idea is to be more "user-friendly," but one must be careful not to engage in deception. From experience, I know that many emerging churches are actually still very conservative in doctrine... they just won't admit it outright.

Three things to say here:

1. One of the main challenges the e.c. has with people on the Reformed side of the fence is that the leaders are plenty plain-spoken. If you haven't read McLaren's new book, you should. It's an eye opener and quite plain about the need to "question and reinvent" just about everything traditionally held as orthodoxy or praxy.

A Josh Harris quote always rings in my brain in this discussion: "It is not humble to be uncertain about those things that God has made plain [in the Bible]." Such 'uncertainty' is, at its core, pride-saturated elevation of human intellect and 'logic' above the disclosed word of God. Worse yet, it only takes a couple small compromises before I think we're "preaching a Gospel different to the one [Paul & the apostles] preached".

2. The e.c. is a ridiculously slippery entity... To call McLaren, Padgitt, Tony Jones, and others the 'leaders' of the e.c. is admittedly problematic. "After all," an emerger might say, "We're not a church with a statement of faith like everyone else. We're a conversation."

So, I recognize that the so-called leaders of the e.c. hardly speak for everyone inside the conversation on every issue of doctrine or practice.

But...

3. The problem with Mary's statement is that there is little or no outcry from within emergent streams poo-pooing the more outrageous statements by the proposed 'leaders'. The silence, in this case, is truly deafening.

Obviously, many people may be unaware of McLaren, Padgitt, and others. "If I don't know what they're saying, I can't speak out in for/against them..." However, as Mary noted, the e.c. stream is a force within the evangelical world today. For pastors to not be engaged with the pertinent ideological issues is irresponsible, I think. Mind you, that engagement looks very different for a pastor in Windsor, VT than it does for the guy in NYC.

So, they are actually less an enemy to traditionalists than is currently perceived. Pagitt's soteriology is not really representative of the emerging church movement, but he sure does make a good whipping boy.

I agree that the e.c. as a movement is not an enemy to the cause of Christ. I think the supposed leaders are real problems, however. The ideas being touted by these men/women are impacting an entire generation of new believers and future leaders. That's a big deal. And when McLaren can be completely passive re: the questioning of the doctrine of penal substitution, I get worried. And when no one else in the stream speaks up, I get extra worried.

If Padgitt's view of salvation is not representative of the movement, then where is the outcry? Of all the issues we might want to get loud about, I'd think salvation specifics is one of them.

....

Closing comments... I would call myself a closet-emerger. I love the personal connectedness in how the emergers 'do church'. I think the challenge of how to better handle cultural engagement is long overdue - and I thank the e.c. for spurring the discussion. I listen to some 'emergent type' preachers (Darrin Patrick, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler) and like them a lot.

But, I have been concerned from the start regarding he increasing 'epistemological humility' that is continuing to grow in the movement. There are things that we must know and communicate clearly - like the Gospel. If we're not doing that, all the good, God-centered thoughts, works of community outreach, or compelling discussions will save our hearers from sin or make us a true church.

I hope this will continue in the meta....

//rant off.
/// re: The TeamPyro Po-Motivators - I just think they're hilarious! So there.
//// If you're interested in getting some helpful info re: the emerging church, hurry and check out Darrin Patrick's excellent lectures at Covenant Theological seminary (which Steve McCoy is tracking on his blog) . Really helpful on the history and some help with classifications....

Not-so-black-and-white Sabbath

Our church is in the middle of a series on worship. This coming week, we'll be discussing the implications of the Sabbath on us as New Testament believers.

Last year, out ABF went through a series on the Ten Commandments and I had the opportunity to teach two weeks on the "Sabbath" command. In many ways, that time of preparation was one of the most challenging and rewarding times I've had in the Word. The command itself is straightforward, but it's implications are massive and rarely discussed in contemporary evangelicalism.

It is true that our righteousness was completed in the work of Christ on the Cross... Our standing before God is not based on our rigid adherence to the particulars of the Sabbath law. I want to make these points up front lest the ugly accusation of legalism come up. We are, quite literally, freed from strict obedience to the Law.

However....

We'd agree that how we spend our money as believers reflects something of our values. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Similarly, the Sabbath command challenges us to examine the priorities we set on our time. If we value Christ, how does our life reflect that?

If I had a chance to take a day off and go watch a Delaware football game (Go Hens!), I would look forward to it with eager (indeed, rabid) anticipation. I'd work hard to clear my calendar of any potential distractions. Other appointments with family or friends would have to wait. I love the Hens, and so I wouldn't let anything get in the way of getting a chance to see a game.

Well, what about our time with God? And I don't mean to focus narrowly on Sunday mornings here... Do I keep portions of my day free from intrusion so I can devote the time to prayer and study? Do I grow impatient on Sunday because I need to get home for the game? From a strictly numerical angle, how much of my time per week is devoted to communion with my Savior versus work and play?

The quote that stuck with me last year is this from Piper:

"The reason that so many people feel it as a burden is partly that we have so much leisure, we don't feel the need for the sabbath… [B]ut more important, I think, is the fact that not many people really enjoy what God intended us to enjoy on the sabbath, namely, himself. Many professing Christians enjoy sports and television and secular books and magazines and recreation and hobbies and games far more than they enjoy direct interaction with God in his Word or in worship or in reading Christian books or in meditative strolls.

Therefore, inevitably people whose hearts are set more on the pleasures of the world than on the enjoyment of God will feel the sabbath command as a burden not a blessing… The measure of your love for God is the measure of the joy you get in focusing on him on the day of rest. For most people the sabbath command is really a demand to repent. It invites us to enjoy what we don't enjoy and therefore shows us the evil of hearts, and our need to repent and be changed."

May we be challenged by God's Word to make our practice line up with the words of devotion that easily slip from our lips. More than that, may God give us hearts that are awakened to who He is and that joyfully seek to draw closer to Christ...

Under Attack - Redux

I have need of some old, previously unindexed posts... So, I'm pulling them together here. If you've been a reader here for a while, just move along... Nothing new to see.

For others, here ya go:
Under Attack - Prologue
Under Attack - Deuteronomy 22:13-21
Under Attack - Deuteronomy 22:22-30
Under Attack - Judges 19:22-30
Under Attack - 2 Samuel 6:1-15

Gospel

Theological Double-speak

Whoa.... Check this out.

Part 1


Part 2

So true....

ht: Brendt @ Two Sheds Gomer

A Non-WWWednesday post????

These days, it must be something pretty cool to warrant a non-WWWednesday post from me... Yeah, sorry about that. Nonetheless, there are two things you should know about. And I am the man appointed to tell you, it seems.

1) Sovereign Grace Ministries has made me extremely happy by making audio downloads of all their 'lesson material' (conference sessions, workshops, etc) totally free.

This is so cool even the Desiring God guys are throwing out propers. Anyway, go here, download a ton of stuff, and be edified.

2) Ben Stein, dressed as Angus Young, talking about the closing of the American mind?* WHOOO HOO! Come on, February! Click the image for the trailer.

*By the way, if you haven't read Bloom's landmark The Closing of the American Mind, repent and borrow it from your library. I can assure you it will not be checked out. This book completely changed my worldview in 1993 when I read it.

New iPodder fodder

Yesterday began on a tragic note... I awoke to find that my iPod synch had failed overnight. Worse, my iPod was frozen with an odd error on the screen and refused all efforts to be reset! I feared that my close buddied, iDluxe, was destined for the trash heap...

Or, perhaps more likely, destined to be disassembled by Gannon and I in a fit of mournfully-geeky glee.

Thankfully, the iPod's battery finally discharged and it appears to be fine. I've spoken soft, loving words of encouragement to it and I think it's planning to stick around for a little longer. In celebration of this happy day, I thought I'd pass along some info on the two new podcasts that have found their way into my listening rotation.

Crossway Community Church, Kenosha, WI
My first contact with Crossway was sitting in a workshop given by Mike Bullmore at LC07 this past April. After hearing Mike teach, I thought I'd like to eavesdrop in on him again. I've been jacked into Crossway's podcast ever since... The preaching is powerful, rigorously Biblical, and intensely practical (in the good way, not the saccharine way).

For those not in the know, Mike had previously taught preaching for 15 years at TEDS. I think that resume makes Mike a valuable listen for those of us in the young/aspiring set. The truth is that we all need to know 'the rules' and when to break them!

Crossway is in the midst of a 'book a week' style series through the minor prophets... You should tune in, and be blessed. Here's a podcast link!

Epiphany Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA
Everyone who knows me will know that I have a fascination with urban/hip-hop culture. This amuses everyone since I'm probably the most rural-minded, cracker-white person you can imagine...

Anyway, I was checking out some tunes at Lampmode and peeked (peeped) at the list of churches where Lampmode artists fellowship. I wound up clicking the link for Epiphany Fellowship in North Philly. I spent a lot of time in/around Philly while I was in school, mostly playing at clubs or cutting teeth at a jam session. So, I know where this church is and some of the challenges they must be facing.

Everyone on the internet likes to 'blah blah' about the issue of contextualization. Well, here is an example of a church that is actually doing contextualization right. If you're a Vermont yankee, some of the language you hear in one of Epiphany's sermons might not make a ton of sense... However, you'll hear the same gospel being preached that is being proclaimed (I hope!) at your church. The language and illustrations are centered on life in the city, but the substance is eternal... This is what missional church planting should be.

Again, here is solidly biblical, gospel preaching (Eric and Duce, the two main preachers, have DTS creds) with an urban swagger. If you want to get in touch with a culture that's likely next door to you but seems miles away, this might be a great place to start building bridges.

Epiphany is in the midst of a series on John's Gospel... Again, tune in and get your weight up. For podcast: Check out this page, and click the appropriate link for your podcasting pleasure.

Always buy... Right away.

If I have one regret from attending Sovereign Grace's Leadership Conference in April, it is this:

While walking around the first day, I noted to Tim and MLF that the bookstore had copies of Pierced for Our Trangressions (PFOT). This new book out of the UK was already being hailed as a fabulous defense of Christ's substitutionary atonement and being blasted by the other side. When I first read about it, the book was only available in the UK. However, Crossway had announced that they would be publishing the book in the states.

At LC, I kinda assumed that the book was now available on our side of the pond so I decided to wait to order it. Of course, CJ announces the next night that the copies in the bookstore were shipped in from 'across the pond' and the US edition wouldn't be out 'til fall. Needless to say, the bookstore was sold out before I could get there.

Lesson: If it's a book you want and you see it, always buy it right away. Grrrr.

Anyway, the PFOT is starting to generate some major buzz on the internet. Adrian Warnock has posted an interview with the authors which seems to have stirred up a bit of a storm in the comments. Adrian responds with deadly accuracy to the rumblings in a subsequent post.

On our side of the Atlantic, Sam Storms has posted a two-part review that goes into much more depth on the author's argument. Both parts (Part 1 and Part 2) are great reading for anyone wondering what the controversy is all about.

CJ, in promoting the book at LC, referred to PFOT as "our generations Cross of Christ". With that extreme compliment, the rest of us should be itching for November to get here. Buy early, buy often... They make great gifts.

NA on the web...

If I were younger, I'd be spending this weekend at the New Attitude conference in Louisville. You probably also need to be a little trendy to get in the door - but I've got trendiness in spades.

Seriously. Why are you laughing?

Thankfully, all of us who can't be in Louisville can enjoy the conference from a distance thanks to the liveblogging talents of Tim Challies, the Harris brothers from The Rebelution, and others. Tune in, and join the return to a humble orthodoxy.