by Bret Capranica | Jul 26, 2005 | Preaching
Adrian Warnock recently extended a call to the Christian blogosphere to list up to five of our favorite preachers. As I think through the preachers I find myself gravitating toward through my tape (yep, I still have a billion of them and I occasionally still pop one in), CD and mp3 players, the following seem to gain most of my attention: John MacArthur, Pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California, whose preaching is featured through the famed, Grace to You. Dr. MacArthur is my preaching hero. No other expositor of Scripture has influenced me more. Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and featured speaker through the Truth for Life media ministry. When I heard Begg a few years ago at a Pastor’s meeting in Ontario, CA, I was hooked. Daniel I. Block. Dr. Block has recently become a personal favorite. Until only a few weeks ago, Dr. Block was the John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Currently he serves as professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. Through a recent seminar with Dr. Block and listening to a number of his messages, he has become my favorite Old Testament preacher. Mark Dever, pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., and executive director of 9 Marks Ministries, became a favorite first through what I read and eventually through his preaching ministry. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN, and featured through Desiring God Ministries, has been a long-time favorite. His expository exultation is always a refreshment to my...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 25, 2005 | Ecclesiology, General Theology
Challies.com posts a powerful discussion (linked in the title) on the marketing techniques that have been used by Zondervan and Rick Warren to promote the best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. Not only is the marketing of this book facinating, but the apparent influence Warren placed on publishers to not allow the information to find its way to the general...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 25, 2005 | Ecclesiology, Pastoral Ministry
Always hot on the trail of the latest good reads and tidbits, Justin Taylor points us to the Christianity Today interview with Mark Dever on the subject of church discipline. I am eagerly anticipating his new book, The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 25, 2005 | Culture, Miscellaneous
What the Christian community needs is another way to distract people from reading. If only God had given us a video game, instead of a book perhaps the world would be more Christian. Perhaps then postmillennialism would prevail. Have no fear. There are a host of Christian gaming groups who are now vying for the attention the video gamers of the Christian world (see the linked article). Their chief goal: to convert readers into gamers. You had to see it coming. The Left Behind video game is on the horizon and according to one video gaming guru, “‘Left Behind’ will not likely convert gamers to Christianity, but will need to convert Christians (the books’ fan base) to video gaming.” Instead of X-Box, maybe Christians could become more clever and begin marketing the “Cross-Box.” How shortsighted I have been. If only we would play more video games, our maturity in Christ might increase dramatically. I will hold my comments for those who immerse themselves in the violent sorts of video gaming and instead express my sarcastic dismay at the gullible Christian community who tends to find every reason not to read, but merely immerse themselves in vain, imaginative, short-lived pleasures played out in front of a TV. God help...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 22, 2005 | General Theology, Miscellaneous
This article is another facinating display of the destructive logical conclusions derived from false religions. The slaughter and sacrifice of children as temples are being dedicated is only one part of this ancient Aztec...
