Here's another video--this one puts me at risk of violating the 10th commandment. I wish I could have been there:



By the way, this one was "sponsored" by a small business in Canada that, I take it, wants to make itself known. Not a bad way to do so!

Here is something that I have heard a lot about, and have seen in person. How do we handle this for ourselves, our children, and our church? I welcome your thoughts. This, by the way, is why I still only have a pay-as-you-go cell phone, and it will take a miracle for me to permit my kids to have a cell phone (let alone an I-phone) anytime before their, say, 30th birthday :). Is that the answer? I'm not sure, honestly.

Another Good Book

We recently had an election. Once in a while I am asked why I do not preach sermons about elections--how to vote, etc. There are many reasons for this, most notably that we are tempted enough to do what Psalm 146:3 tells us not to do: "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation...." Perhaps the most powerful sermon that could be preached about elections is NOT to trust in elections for anything eternal and ultimate.

But of course it behooves us to vote, and every election time, although I do not preach on how to vote, I usually do turn my mind to that vast subject of how, as citizens of heaven, we best fulfil our citizenship on earth. Recently I mentioned Carl Trueman's book Republocrat, and now I want to mention another that I am reading: The City of Man, by Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner.

Although these two books come at it differently (Trueman from what might be called the "center-left," and these guys more from the right), what they have in common is this: they all advocate that we think about our political commitments as comprehensively as possible. Abortion and gay marriage are not the whole ballgame; they are parts of it, but they are not the whole game. There are other moral issues at play.

Gerson and Wehner begin (after some introductory chapters) with "The Morality of Human Rights," writing: "... issues of war and peace, human rights and genocide, extreme poverty and pandemics have massive human consequences and, therefore, unavoidably moral dimensions."

That's about how far I've read in this book--so far so good! I'll let you know if somethings trikes me, one way or another, as I keep reading.

What Do Atheists Know About God?

If you have asked that question, or if it seems a strange question, follow this link.

For All Facebook Users--and Public Speakers...

Above is a pictorial representation of Mark Zuckerberg's speech, done by an outfit called Fastcompany. Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of Facebook, and his speech was to explain, um, what is coming down the pike for, um, Facebook. I know just how he, um, feels; maybe you do, too!

What the Bible Is and Is Not

That is the title of an interview with Mike Emlet, whose book Crosstalk Ross used as a basis for a Sunday School class a while ago. Emlet was interviewed on the show "Family Life" on September 30 and October 1. It is well worth a listen--you can listen to the Sept. 30 interview here. The Oct. 1 (part 2) interview is here.

The Many Uses of Bicycles

All you bikers out there (bicyclists, that is--not Harley-riders :)), check this out. A new use for bicycles, perhaps coming soon to a city near you...

Copenhagen Cargo Bikes from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Suffering and Joy

In studying 2 Timothy, one of the remarkable things is Paul's situation--he wrote 2 Timothy "in chains" (2:9), as a prisoner (1:8), and in the prospect of his death (4:6). Yet his letter is not focused on himself, and he writes with great hope.
This should not surprise. For followers of Jesus Christ suffering and joy go together. I was reminded of this again from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6: "For we know, brothers beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction... for you received the word with much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit...."
Gordon Fee remarks: "Here we find that remarkable collocation of joy and suffering found throughout the NT. The early church understood suffering to be part of its lot, and believers were not to be surprised by it; yet because they they had experienced their new life as the indwelling of the Spirit, they also lived with great joy."