Articles

Chapell Sermons

Sep 27, 2006 | Preaching

I have become a Bryan Chapell fan.  Here are a number of lecutres on his approach to expository preaching. Between Two Worlds: Christ-Centered... read more

Veggie Tales Gets Cut Up

Sep 25, 2006 | Culture

Dr. Mohler has an exceptional evaluation of NBC’s neutering of Veggie Tales.  Yet, I wonder, why were the rights sold in the first place?  And for how much? Bob the Tomato Gets... read more

Getting Things Done: A Review

Sep 24, 2006 | Bookreviews, Time/Life Management

Getting Things Done, the best selling book by David Allen has become a virtual productivity cult manual. I first read about it via Chris Meirose’s blog article on Wayne Grudem’s implementation of the GTD system. I then begin to follow links here and there and have found an entire GTD sub-culture full of people creating a number of web-based tools to implement GTD as well as blogs which live for the latest GTD tips (some of which you can find through the productivity links on this blog). Being a Franklin Covey time/life management fan, I was a tad skeptical of Allen and his following. I have been using FC principles and software for a few years now and have benefited greatly from it. GTD seemed like it might simply get in the way of my getting things done. The following is my personal take on the book and its practical implementation implications. David Allen has produced a book that aims to help an individual manage their time, workspace and ongoing projects while minimizing the mental stress that so often accompanies those who work behind a desk. GTD is arranged around three major parts: 1) The Art of Getting Things Done 2) Practicing Stress-Free Productivity and 3) The Power of Key Principles. Part one explains the GTD system from a bird’s eye view. Part two details the process of implementing the system and part three is motivational for keeping up with the GTD habits of personal time and space management. Here are a few of my thoughts on its strengths and weaknesses. For me, the book was a tad bit... read more

Death of the Divided Church

Sep 23, 2006 | Ecclesiology, Seeker-Sensitive

Axis Denied – Christianity Today Magazine The Generation X church, at Willow Creek is officially dead. Is anyone surprised by this? The “Axis” service at Willow Creek was originally designed for 20-somethings to have a church within a church. Before receiving the executive axe, Axis grew to around 2000 in attendance just five years ago. Within the past five years, it has plummeted to 350 in attendance: marks of a religious fad. Why was it so unsuccessful? Consider the quote: Integration will better fulfill Willow’s multigenerational vision, said interim pastor Steve Gillen. He said Axis didn’t connect young adults with the rest of the congregation. Once they outgrew the service, Axis members found it hard to transition into the rest of the Chicago-area megachurch. Young adults also struggled to meet and develop relationships with mentors in the larger congregation. In my estimation, when you divide the church and isolate it around age groups you have just secured the death warrant for the church. I’m not talking about a youth Sunday School class or an AWANA program. But when you create a church climate where a certain segment is designed to have no involvement with the greater congregation and larger ministry of the church, you have just consigned the concept of community and the image of the body of Christ to the spiritual waste basket. But really, Axis was not segmented purely around 20-somethings, was it? The very definition of who they were trying to reach defies its make-up. 20-somethings? Does this refer to those who are in their 20’s or does it include 40 year olds you hate growing... read more

Who Said:

Sep 18, 2006 | Culture

“For 12 years I wandered in the wilderness, went through a divorce and struggled with questions about my direction. Then suddenly and movingly, I had a revelation about the connection between the work I was doing as a public servant and my formative teachings. Indeed, the scriptures provided a firmer guide about values applied to... read more

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C.J., Lig, Al, Mark, et. al. Mark Dever and Company John Piper John MacArthur Phil Johnson and Friends the same says it all.