AAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
(Personal anquish unrelated to BHT.)

At what level do we share G-d with Judaism and Islam? Members of both faiths would both say that their G-d is the G-d of Abraham…so would we…at some point we narrow our respective definitions of G-d to exclude one another. Is this what Jesus-God intended? Should we have ‘table fellowship’ at some level?

(BTW: This question could also be extended to cover JWs and Brigham Youngites.)

Jesse: I recently listened to an individual similarly persuaded by Mr. Osteen explain to me that you can identify a deeply spiritual Christian by their positive attitude.

QotH: The greatest threat to the Gospel in evangelicalism are “Church Marketing Plans”.

Heights: I did this route in my younger days…and these days the Grand Canyon thing looks pretty cool…cooler yet was the bridge Richard linked…though I’m thinking that it would be a lousy camera platform.

Eric wrote, “I just have to smile and nod while some uber-pluralist heathen tells me that the god I worship is the same as Allah and Jehovah of the Jews. If I were to unleash and give him a piece of my mind, I’d be fired faster than I can say the words “religious discrimination” or even “blasphemy.”“

Here’s an experiment. Next time you are discussing the Pledge of Allegiance with friends, suggest altering the “one nation under God” to “one nation under the Triune God” and see how many object.

Being “under” some nebulous, pantheistic, emasculated God is fine. But let’s not bring the Triune Godhead into this.

Eric, you are a wimp. For seven months my wife was on a different continent. Don’t try to tell me about long-distance relationships :). For that matter, even Josh has you beat with his Spanish lady-friend. Also, screw evening cell phone minutes. Use Skype: it’s free. You both have to have broadband, but that’s not a problem, right?

I really think that Josh is right about evangelicals. I tried to tell my mother that Osteen doesn’t preach the Gospel, and she looked at me strangely and asked, “What do you think that the Gospel is?” The thing is, my mother knows the Gospel, the real one about sin and crucifixion and resurrection, but she thinks that Osteen’s positive-thinking mantras are a perfectly normal part of it.

This is why I’m not an evangelical.

”...just say “no” to comments. Why turn the bar into a buffet? Once that happens, the “no smoking” and “BYOB” signs go up, and the new clientele will spend their time criticizing the selection, sneezing on the food shields, and making too much noise in the corner booth. No thanks.”

Eric, i feel your pain.  My wife and i lived our entire pre-marital relationship 2000 miles apart.  We did the free nights and weekends calling (and dates even!).  We saw each other on average one weekend a month.  But, we married after a year of dating and it’s very nice.  Because of that long distance, we had to learn to communicate with each other…and that makes the marriage that much easier.  We even did most of our pre-marital counseling over the phone.

Grand Canyon Skyway: I am so there! I have a fear of roller-coasters (never been on one. Never will), but I love stuff like this. Or this.

Aw, hell, Michael, I’m not sleeping enough, and I’m 26. My fiancee is 3 hours away, and we can only talk on night/weekend minutes. More often than not, I have to be at work at 4:15 a.m. This doesn’t leave much time for talking at night. So I usually get somewhere around 3 hours each night before I wake up to drug myself awake at work (Starbucks).

I live in a constant state of sleep deprivation. It ain’t just teens. And it ain’t any healthier for me.

Kent: Props on the Toby Keith, bud. I feel the same way.

Re the Grand Canyon: I’d just like to hike and raft it sometime. But the observation deck looks cool too.

Josh: That’s exactly why I hate talking about the Gospel at work. Because I’m never allowed to say enough or put it into the context of another person’s life. I can never say “you” for fear of getting fired. I just have to smile and nod while some uber-pluralist heathen tells me that the god I worship is the same as Allah and Jehovah of the Jews. If I were to unleash and give him a piece of my mind, I’d be fired faster than I can say the words “religious discrimination” or even “blasphemy.”

I think the greatest threat to the Gospel in evangelicalism today is evangelicalism

I remember when the saints used to be equipped to “Go….” Now, they’re equipped to bring their friends for dinner and Alpha.

Grand Canyon Skyway? I’d be out there in a heartbeat!

On comments? I found it hard to follow a thread, because fellows would answer in a new post and then I’d be following the same thread, with all different comments on different posts…my ADHD brain just couldn’t handle it.

For sanity’s sake! Don’t do it!

(Leave your comment at aomin.org.) I love it! Kind of takes the wind out of the public complaints.

The public complaint that comments are not allowed and the continued accusation that it’s fear that drives the “no comments” thing is unfounded, since threads (or portions of threads) are reflected a lot on blogs of fellows – where comments are allowed. I suspect that the public complainers know this well.

For instance, I focused on what was the most “attention getting” for me.

It’s all out there in some place or another. And the public complainers are not too hesitant to start their own threads, so it’s not like they have a voice.

(HT: Challies) Some brave person put a live webcam by an Eagle’s nest on Hornsby Island, British Columbia. I could stare at this lady for hours (well, minutes anyway!). Not much action but that’s a magnificent animal.

I think the verses in 1 Cor. are fine, but they don’t go far enough. Christ died for our sins, but why did He have to die? What does His rising mean? The Gospel can’t be reduced to 3 verses, otherwise all we would have is 3 verses.

This is why so many evangelical / invitational type churches miss the point. “Ask Jesus into your heart” What does that mean? “Accept Christ” What does that mean? Osteen’s little prayer at the end of his sermons is meaningless because he has provided no context for it. That may be good enough for Bob Ross but it isn’t for me.

My favorite definition of the Gospel was articulated by Dr. Tom Ascol, at the Founders’ Conference I attended with Michael, Denise and PWinn. He defined the Gospel as this: “Who Jesus is, what He did, and why it matters.”

I’m hard pressed to put it more simply than that.

I don’t have a well thought out answer to the Gospel’s biggest threats. Every time I’m in Wal-Mart though I see plenty of books for sale in the Osteen-esque vein (What can God do for you today?). I wonder how many seekers are turning this ersatz to slake their thirst for the truth?

Has anyone else read the CJ Mahaney post at T4TG? Or Challies’ thread on it? Or the Kiwi?

The original questions were:
What is the gospel?
What is the most serious threat to the gospel in the evangelical church today?

I agree with the Kiwi that 1Corinthians 15:3-4 sums it up nice. The threat: it isn’t preached enough, and it gets lost in the noise we make about other issues. Forgive the personal link bait, but I had to throw in my own contribution here.

I’m curious how many different answers to this we will come up with.

My only objection to the Grand Canyon Skyway (which was supposed to be open by now, darn it!) is that it costs $25. No way I’m paying that kind of money.

Brandon, I enjoyed your post and wanted to let you know you’re not alone on any of the issues you discussed.

Then I look at Michael’s post about the Grand Canyon Skyway and my body locks up so badly I can hardly click the back button to get away from the article.

On comments, i have tried looking through MovableType’s plugin directory and found that there is no way to moderate comments efficiently.  Personally, i use WordPress and it has plugins that allow comments to be filtered out by default (until moderated).  Moving and changing BHT to get moderated comments is way too much work (Installing new system, importing all MT info, styling new system, finding and playing with plugins to give frontend same “feel” as MT, etc) for something that is working for us patrons.  There is this neat little thing MovableType created called “TrackBack.”  If someone wants to comment, trackback to BHT and write all one wants…  Heck, even if trackbacks are disabled, there is that neat little invention called a “link” which anyone can put on any webpage, including another blog.  Adding a discussion forum will be (for me) too much like the structure of Tim Challies’s site.  And that still leaves the difficulty of responding to comments instead of a bar discussion.
i vote to leave things as they are.  Whiners will always whine.

Well, have you? Answer the question, man! A simple yes or no would do. BTW, when are you going to stop teaching heresy and encouraging our apostasy?

More »« Less Nope. Not interested.

Frankly, the end of the matter of comments comes when you read stuff like this: “In fact, speaking of the BHT, I noticed that Michael Spencer has been speaking derogatorily again of “young” theologians.”

Now, either this person is an unrepentant liar or he doesn’t know the meaning of the word “derogatory.” How are my “Postcards To Young Theologians” derogatory? How are posts meant to help young theologians who have written me asking for advice and encouragement “derogatory?”

This is what we will be dealing with if we open comments. At least one of our critics will type literally anything about me, and every discussion will be a version of “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”

I’ve spent about ten minutes perusing well known weblogs to see how many have comments, particularly among opinionated Christians. It is abundantly clear that a significant minority do not have comments.

A forum is a technical possibility. At this point, I cannot moderate it. If there is a serious moderator among long-time BHT fellows, I would be more open to the idea.

I was glad for comments when they were there, because I first came around as a commenter, and became a Fellow not long before they were closed. However, I think going back to comments would be counterproductive. Regarding the point that the BHT is trying to avoid criticism, it’s not like it’s very hard to find criticism of the BHT online. Besides, if you are a BHT blog critic, you’ll probably get at least obliquely name-checked here by someone. Your criticisms will be easy enough to find.

I think a forum would be a good thing, if it’s not a burden technically.

Some folks don’t know how to behave in a tavern, therefore we have bartenders (read: bouncers) who throw the poor mannered sods out the door. They can look in the windows and go over to some other bar to complain…but they need to stay out of our bar. More »« Less

I’ve been against comments from the beginning, and remain so*. I’ve suggest that we add a comments link to every post, though, and when one clicks on it, it should offer choices:

1. Email. Nearly everyone lists their email address over on the sidebar, and the only different between email and a comment is that email doesn’t allow you to show off to the entire world how wise and wonderful you are. Surely if your concern to provide a needed corrective, you’d be just as happy doing so one-on-one, right? If you give permission for the recipient to quote your email, you might even find it on the BHT anyway.
2. Comment at Internetmonk.com, where comments are always open.
3. Ask to join the BHT, and get in on the conversation.
4. Leave your comment at aomin.org.

Surely that’s enough?

P.S. We/Michael had a forum before, and he shut it down. I think I remember why, but I could be wrong, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.

• Yes, that’s pretty much the same as “I told you so!”

I originally supported comments, but I have come to agree that they don’t fit the BHT. We aren’t a forum. The things we post aren’t necessarily teaching items, like the other God-Blogs.

That being said, I am in favor of some mechanism by which we could interact with someone who wishes to comment on the content of the BHT. Let’s face it, if we JUST wanted to converse amongst ourselves, we would not have our conversation visible to the net in general. Obviously we want our discussions visible to non-BHTers, and that carries some responsibility.

Of course, lurkers can always email us, if they want to interact with us individually and privately. But I would be in favor of something else. Two thoughts which I have had:

That we create a guest account and give the keys to a few of our more vocal critics. This supposes they would be willing to post at the BHT, and that we, and they, could set aside old animosities (at least in part) and interact civilly.

and/or

That we have a linkable, but separate BHT-forum where lurkers can begin threads and interact with each other, and us, if we wish. I don’t know the technical hurdles involved with this.

As someone who originally supported comments, I must say that over time I have changed my mind and am against them. They allow us to go off in the corner too much to talk to each other when there’s no need to (as someone pointed out, if you need a sidebar with someone, email them). Also, they open the door for the kind of invasion we had last time.

As someone pointed out, if people have a problem with Michael, he has by no means made himself unreachable, freely supplying his email address for private communiques and having comments open at IM.

I say leave ‘em closed. I’ve liked this place a lot more without them.

So far, Lurker mail is 100% against comments.

That the book of God’s counsels is taken in hand by Christ and that the seven seals are broken by Him (Rev. 5:1-8) requires us to regard everything written in that book as having the character and significance of Christian history. This is not to say that it is the history of Christian people or that it is a history that unfolds in accordance with Christian insights. Rather, it is a history that is Christo-logically determined in every respect and is only comprehensible as such. There is no separation between a “general” and a “special” history, or between a “profane” and a “sacred” history …. Social struggles are therefore bits of church history, for the latter is human history. And church history is not the history of church people; it is the history of God’s church-gathering. And that church-gathering cannot be separated from church-scattering …

That portion about social struggles being bits of church history is what makes the theme of liberation a gospel mandate. I know ‘liberation’ is a four-letter word in a (mostly) conservative theological bar, but aren’t some of our sin-shackles social realities and not just private ones? This aspect is what keeps me a stick in the mud when it comes to “redeeming the time” as if now or “the next thing” is all that mattered. We have a past to redeem, too, and our past needs healing and restoration. And by ‘we’ and ‘our’ I mean any number of our multiple cultural and social identities.

1. Leave the comments off. If people want to comment they can email us. I get 5 or 6 emails a week from people who are great thinkers and really challenge me! Hurrah! Keep it up. Maybe the fellows can post some of the comments that are germane to the present discussion. That would keep the flamers out while allowing each fellow the latitude to either have a private discussion or post the email for group discussion. It’s a little more work, but it could broaden our base.

2. Starting the new job is taking more time and energy then I had expected. I am lurking, but have little energy for discussion. I’ll be back stronger in a few weeks with the power to convert you calvanites into real believers. :) Keep me in your prayers. Thanks!

What Jason said. For me, the BHT works best in its present format. It has the feel of a pub, like Cheers, “where everybody knows your name”. Sure I miss some of the old commenters and I wish those I miss would join. But overall the “evangelical” blogosphere has become too ugly a place to allow just anyone to come in and break things. Sorry. I also enjoy many of the blogs of people whom I would not like commenting here. They are often good writers with excellent content and fresh ideas. Reading them challenges me, blesses me, sometimes annoys me. I go there often. They are good people. But we all know what can happen to them (and to us?) in conversation. Let’s not go there!

Thinklings :Your Teenager Isn’t Sleeping Enough

I attempted to do some confessional blogging tonight. Don’t criticize too harshly; I wrote it in twenty minutes. Let me know what you think and if you’re in the same boat as me.

Michael, I’m still a relative newbie around here, so my opinion on this likely counts for squat, but one of the things that attracted me to reading this site in the first place was the format. Looking at the diversity of backgrounds here, if you changed the BHT to a forum with posts and moderated comments, it would no longer be the BHT. It would be a Christian version of Slashdot.

The current format feels as close as I think it can to sitting in a pub at the bar and “solving the world’s problems” with abunch of buddies. I love that. The fun, the fellowship, and the challenge to think here is something I do not experience in any other web forum.

If we absolutely had to have some kind of comment system, and I don’t necessarily think we do, then consider having a secondary site like “Pastor Rod” and his “notes” blog.

Joel, have you been playing with an upgraded Eliza program or something 8-)

Kent said: “Meals are potluck. Rows 1-6, bring rolls; 7-15, bring a salad; 16-21, a main dish, and 22-30, a dessert. Basses and tenors please sit in da rear of da aircraft.”

Kent, I thought all dem Norwegians and Scandahoovians up here called it a “hot dish.” Where I come from “down south” (Iowa), we call them casseroles.

In response to Phil Johnson’s comments at IM regarding the lack of comments at the BHT, there has been a small back channel conversation about BHT comments, and I am going to make my response up here so that everyone, including Phil and our critics, can read it. Anyone who wants to respond can write me at the email on the sidebar. More »« Less

Why worry about a closed canon when, thanks to technology I cannot comprehend, we now have the hookup to the Deity Himself thanks to iGod.

Once my “Repent” connection was opened, I cut right to the chase on this limited atonement issue. Here’s how it went: More »« Less

...translated from Norweigan. More »« Less

Phillip writes “I’ve observed many times that the biggest single difference between “politically liberal Christians” and “politically conservative Christians” is that the former can quote liberally from the Sermon on the Mount while the latter can quote liberally from Paul’s epistles.”

Looks like we need the “whole counsel of God” :)

Just got my first look at Clay’s music mixes and my Art/text projections for our Spiritual Emphasis week services. Boys and girls…..this is going to be a) the single most boldly creative worship event I’ve done in my career and b) quite likely, the end of me :-) I also got a look at the creative ministry “prayer stations” where the kids will be making art displays on the themes of love and sacrifice. Way cool. We are buying a bunch of art supplies for this, and planning to resuse in future worship events. We have a prayer walk up a trail to a cemetary. We have readers reading the Bible and Blue Like Jazz. We’ll have some other interactive areas, and yes…..candles.

One thing I can say for this kind of worship experience: Lots of people involved. With four services in a row, I have four worship bands/groups, plus Matthew Smith’s Indelible Grace concert.

The Monk emerges at age 49. You are never too old to get fired.

Damn Interesting : Lake Peigneur: The Swirling Vortex of Doom

SI.com – 2006 Spring Training Previews This is the prediction piece SI runs on MLB every year at the end of Spring Training. A quick reaction:

AL East: Yankees 1st makes sense. No one is really going to challenge them. It’s theirs to lose. The Red Sox may provide some excitement this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them third or fourth. What does surprise me is the pick of the Orioles to finish last, but when I remember what’s happened since last year, their best pick up was Rockin’ Leo.

AL Central: I’m picking the Tribe this year, and even though they have the best rotation in baseball, I believe the White Sox will not repeat. A lot of close wins last year. A lot.

AL West:  A’s vs Angels every year. Should be the Angels, but the A’s have something special. I’m with SI on that one.

NL East: Looking at this division, one wonders two things: First, would you actually WANT anyone else to win except the Braves? Second, Why shouldn’t the Mets get it together after acquiring so much talent? And the answer is 1) No and 2) Pitching. Bobby and the boys win again.

NL Central: Reds Last? Brewers second? What crack are they smoking? The Reds have improved their pitching by at least 10 wins. The Brew Crew is over-rated. The Cards are fat, old and I’m going to predict, injured up by mid-season. The Cubs are a mystery. The Stros should suck, but you never know. This is impossible to call. It will possibly be a matter of how far the Cards get out in front before the wheels come off.

NL West: A division so awful, no one should care who wins. I’ll say the Padres are going to win it outright.

AL Championship series: Yankees vs Indians: Indians because God loves everyone.

NL Championship: Braves vs Padres: Braves

A politically incorrect series if we ever have one: Go TRIBE!

Touchstone Magazine – Mere Comments: Baylor Meltdown The Moderate/Liberals at Baylor have their revenge….and hasten the death of any idea of a great evangelical university among Southern Baptists.

Wow…Jesus, arms reaching out as if being crucified…arm around a prostitute…Roman soldiers in the background…crosses on the hill…a smirk on His face.

Question: What do Robert Capon’s writings and the Gospel of Jesus Christ have in common?

Answer: They’re both offensive. ;-}

I don’t know who mailed me this picture, but I have become quite attached to it. It’s a killer way to start a discussion about Jesus with my students.

I may have to get a print of this, and put it in my office. It’s effect on fundamentalists could be quite entertaining.

For the visually challenged, the tattoo says, “Apostles.”

I was told a moment ago that the Harry Potter books and movies are obviously evil based on observation of the TV commercials.

Kent: I just loaned my copy of BNAT to my brother, who hasn’t yet called to yell at me for giving him such tripe, so perhaps he hasn’t picked it up to read yet. :-)

I think it was in BNAT that Capon stated that regardless of what a person has to say about his sermon his reply is: “Good”

OK, guys… I never actually said that I want to toss out James on its ear. I just… well, don’t like it. It’s a tough epistle, and while I believe it’s inspired, it’s a bit on the difficult side to reconcile with the rest of scripture. It takes serious study and consideration, because all of the sudden, the NT teachings of grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, and grace are interjected by a big “WORKS”.

I’ve seen way too many well-meaning moralists take James to an extreme than any other book of scripture. In the end, I guess James is like 10-year-old beef jerky… nutritious and good for you, but it’s tough to chew on, and it can’t sustain you in the long run all by itself.

McGriddles are something I haven’t tried, either. Something about meat and pancake in the same bite doesn’t work for me. But for those, or any other food that defies self-control, I like the like from So I Married an Axe Murderer: “They put an addictive chemical in it that makes you crave it fortnightly”

The line is from Mike Myers playing the part of his Scottish father. That character alone makes the rest of the otherwise bland movie worth it.

PWinn: You should be more selfish. Hit the IHOP when you’re flying solo. Take the family out to CiCi’s pizza.

Mmmm, CiCi’s.

Golden Grahams are like sweet manna from heaven. I do not buy it because I have no self control and will probably finish the whole box in one setting. There is something strange about McGriddles. I think there is some sort of drug they put in them because some mornings I wake up graving them bad.

Kurt: A few bucks times five people adds up for us poor people. I like to go on Tuesday nights, when the kids eat for 99 cents each. :-p

And double-true on the opening to Friday. Man, I’m laughing just thinking about it.

Annie: Based on the choices… H – Psalm 62:2, J – Matthew 19:14, N – Matthew 6:24a, Y – Matthew 5:14

Wow, I’m apparently fixated on Matthew. And here I thought Mark was my favorite Gospel. :-)

Dale: Thank you for that. I’ve observed many times that the biggest single difference between “politically liberal Christians” and “politically conservative Christians” is that the former can quote liberally from the Sermon on the Mount while the latter can quote liberally from Paul’s epistles. If it came to that, I’d rather be counted with the folks quoting Jesus, but fortunately, there’s no real dichotomy. And as I said, I like James. :)

Kurt: Hey, Mr. Moneybags, not all of us can afford to eat at IHOP. :)

Annie: 1 Chronicles 26:18

On a lack of graciousness among those who live by grace: I recently re-read an old weblog post from someone that I think I linked here at the time (years ago now). It was from a soft and fuzzy ECer—before I remember hearing the label—who visited a Mars Hill church plant and had various comments about what she liked and didn’t like. The pastor of that church showed up in the comments and answered her point for point, not just responding to her intial post, but to every comment anybody made. I remember that it struck me as very odd, and rereading it strucker me harder.

As a pastor, this man has been called in a unique way to be a minister of the gospel, representing Jesus to broken people. We all have, so I’m not letting any of us off the hook, but even more so a pastor. And yet almost everything he wrote wasn’t intended to bring people closer to Jesus, but to justify decisions or circumstances that had caused the poster to have a less-than-great time.

Hey, I get that it hurts when people don’t like something you’ve put a ton of time and effort into. I get emails constantly about things people hate about a website I’ve designed, and it’s unpleasant. But if for the sake of a website I can swallow my pride and respond to those emails in a way designed to convince those people to give my site another chance, how much more should a minister of the gospel say something like, “I appreciate your visit, and your suggestions, and I will think them over.”

BOOM! That would be amazing to see. Someone humble enough to listen to the complaints of an “outsider” would be impressive to me. Not necessarily take the suggestions, but be willing to listen and think about them, even if they all suck.

It’s about control, and pride, and dying to self. We have The Answer, so we shouldn’t need to always have the answers to everything else. The gospel is about Jesus, all this other stuff is about us.

If I preached a sermon that had people freaking out on the net, shouldn’t I see that as an opportunity to demonstrate humility and see if I can either recognize truth in the arguments of my critics, or see if I can reword the sermon to focus on the gospel without distracting side issues? Of course, if I define “the gospel” as meaning anything and everything under the sun, not just what is in the Bible but everything that I believe about what is in the Bible, then humility becomes a big problem.

Annie, that’s my favorite song on that CD.

Kurt, you’ve frightened me. With the exception of spending ridiculous $$ on trendy clothes, the Grups article hits waaaay too close to home. It would be interesting to see a study of how many emerging Christians would be cross-referenced as grups.

Jason – you’re no help! ;-)

I just love this song.

Did he ever get a less than a perfect score on his synagogue school assignments?

This reminds me of one of my favorite Far Side cartoons that has God as a contestant on Jeopardy. The emcee exclaims, “And God is on a roll!” with the score showing God with 354,654,645 points and everyone else zero. The contestant next to God is clearly miffed.

On cereal: Golden Grahams, people. I like Cap’n Crunch, too, but it tears up my soft palate. All berry flavors must be avoided in breakfast cereal. Processed sugars and chocolate only, thx. Best movie quote involving cereal: “Mighty fine cereal flakes you have here, Mrs. McDunnough.” Raising Arizona

The Waffle House: a great place to eat and a great place to work. Founded by a fellow Georgia Tech alumnus.

Thank you again to Greg for all his help on the trinity . . .

I need more help (votes) on which verses to pick. For each letter, which would you rather your child memorized?

Interesting article from New York Magazine. Is this where playing video games at 30+ gets us? Is it an altogether bad thing?

It’s more interesting as evidence of the slow erosion of the long-held idea that in some fundamental way, you cross through a portal when you become an adult, a portal inscribed with the biblical imperative “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This cohort is not interested in putting away childish things. They are a generation or two of affluent, urban adults who are now happily sailing through their thirties and forties, and even fifties, clad in beat-up sneakers and cashmere hoodies, content that they can enjoy all the good parts of being a grown-up (a real paycheck, a family, the warm touch of cashmere) with none of the bad parts (Dockers, management seminars, indentured servitude at the local Gymboree).

Since scripture says Jesus “grew” and grew through some experiences painfully, I assume he wasn’t valedictorian, didn’t score 100 on every test, made common errors, etc. Growth isn’t sin, despite what a whole bunch of youth directors told you about needing to be a “mature” Christian at age 13.

All this talk about inerrancy and canon brings to mind something I heard Greg Koukl say. He is an inerrantist, but he doesn’t push that. His view is that if the Gospels are reliable historical documents, then the resurrection is true, and Christianity is true. That fits with 1 Cor 15.

Speaking of inerrancy of the written word, what about the living Word? Was Jesus the man inerrant? Of course he was without sin, but did he ever have to redo a job because he cut the boards too short? Did he ever get tired and call James “John” and John “James?” Did he ever get a less than a perfect score on his synagogue school assignments? I don’t think these would impact the reliability of his teachings.

On “approved reading”: Every professor I have had so far at Covenant has exposed me to the work of unorthodox and/or unbelieving scholars. They didn’t seem to be threatened.

Kurt, I’ve seen the Reeses cereal in the store, but I’ve been trying (miserably) to eat healthier than that, so I haven’t tried it. Having eaten at both IHOP and Waffle House, I’d say I go for IHOP when I’m with a big group, and Waffle House when I’m in the mood for a dive. (Up in MN, there’s no choice – only IHOP is up here.)

Michael, I read Carla’s post at ENo earlier. It was much nicer than what I usually sample there. I tend to disagree with most of what she writes, as I see myself as a living counterexample to much of it. But, every now and then, I find a point of critique that the larger EC movement should consider. (I really do think there is a place for “good” theology in the emerging conversation, along with all things relational, missional, and aesthetic.)

Still, I think there are plenty of conservative ECers out there, and it will be to the detriment of the Church universal if they dropped out of the conversation. (IOW, I hope the likes of Mark Driscol don’t totally walk away. We need their point of view.) Of course I say this with much personal bias, as I see postmodern culture as the mission field to which I desire to prech Christ.

Reflections of the Times: Because it needs to be said Carla Rolfe offers an apology and an apologia for her controversial postings about Tim Keller. Because I commented frequently at this site regarding Mrs. Rolfe’s original posting, I would encourage everyone to read her explanation, apology and defense. While I disagree deeply with her and her compatriots regarding how we should be viewing the emerging/missional movement, it is rare that someone from her corner of the reformed camp rethinks an issue and offers any version of a clarification. Given her position on these matters, I find her apologia to be well done, gracious and helpful.

I believe that if EC critics would read Keller, and Keller’s reading lists, Driscoll (a self-described “emerging church” pastor and a leader in the missional resurgence), and other conservative missional advocates (Stetzer, Jones, etc.)  there could be MUCH progress made in these blog-fights, simply from the fact that books were actually being read, rather than emotionally charged criticisms being repeated, reposted and engendering reaction. I have read Dan Kimball’s two big books on the emerging church. They are highly enlightening, in both positive and negative ways. I do not agree with all that is there, nor would I expect everyone else to be convinced by his case for a “Vintage, emerging” church. What does become clear is that we are all Christians taking Christ seriously, seeking to know, love, exalt and live Christ. This would be substantial progress, and is an achievable goal.

Kurt: If the brackish sludge were beer, you would be a fan.

Bill: I can’t handle the “all berries” version o’ Cap’n Crunch. Besides, I like the yellow crunchies.

Actually, for my cereal fix these days I buy the big bag cereal from Malt-o-Meal. I can’t taste the diff.

Jason: Not sure if its sold anymore, but did you ever try the Reeses Peanut Butter cup cereal? That’s some good stuff.

PWinn: No reason to go to the Awffle House when IHOP exists. I’ll never forgive them for the time they offered me brackish sludge and called it coffee.

One of these days I might get the courage up to try Carrot Cake Soup.

CADRE Comments: Whatever Happened to the James Ossuary?

For me, breakfast is best when it involves bacon. Mmmm, pork! Makes me want to go to the Waffle House.

Or to Jack in the Box, where the “Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich” is remarkably self-descriptive.

Other than that, I enjoy me some Life cereal, or Honey Nut Cheerios.

For oatmeal, I like the microwave variety.

(Okay, that last sentence isn’t true, but I can firmly stand behind the others.)

I’ve had my daily bowl of oatmeal, but what I really long for is a double-portion of Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch with chocolate milk. – or – Cocoa Puffs with chocolate milk. (The close equivalent of Calvin’s chocolate frosted sugar bombs)

Now that’s good eatin’

Re: Simply Christian: It’s on order, and I hope to have it in the next few days. It’s coming along with The Challenge of Jesus. (Thanks, Michael, for the recommended reading order. After I finish Packer’s Knowing God, Wright has been bumped up to the top of my list for a while.)

Sometimes I’ll eat my organic oat bran with a brownie and whipped cream.

Kurt: If you’re going with Crunch Berries, go for the Oops All Berries box.

All this talk about soaked probiotic oatmeal is making me long for a bowl of Captain Crunch (with CrunchBerries).

Either that, or a McGriddle.

Mmmm, McGriddle.

If you are going to throw out (or minimize) the Book of James, then you had better do the same to the Sermon on the Mount.

The SOTM and James go together like hand-in-glove.

But maybe it’s easier to dismiss James than it is Jesus?

Interesting piece on Wright’s Simply Christian. I’m about halfway through with the book and am enjoying it a great deal. Highly recommended.