Today in Blogworld 06.10.15

Mike Leake

How Different Cultures Understand Time

This might give a bit of a different look to the concept of “redeeming the time”.

Serving Your Spouse During Their Dark Seasons

I think a companion piece on serving your spouse even when you are in a dark season would also be helpful.

3 Reasons Student Pastors Make Great Senior Pastors

I sure hope so.

Bruce or Caitlyn?

Denny Burk tries to answer a pressing question that many have. How should we refer to the runner formerly known as Bruce Jenner?

I want to be this dad when I grow up:

An Anchor in Unfamiliar Place

Mike Leake 3 Comments

I’m in a new place.

It’s all together wonderful and all together difficult. My books aren’t in my office. We are sleeping on a bed that is not our own. My routine is all messed up. Everything is different. We’ve already met wonderful people here in Marionville, and are looking forward to calling this home…but we aren’t quite home yet. We are living in a transitory apartment designed for senior citizens. It’s a tremendous blessing but, again, it isn’t home.

As we start this new chapter in our lives things can seem very fuzzy. The known is gone and every day is learning experience. I’m so happy to have an anchor. I’m also grateful for good solid biblical theology. Because even though some things change—in reality there is nothing new under the sun.

The culture here in Marionville, MO will be different than the culture in Jasper, Indiana. It will also be different than the culture in Northeast, MO where I grew up. I’m setting out to learn something about the believers here in this church. And I’m also trying to understand the culture here in Southwest Missouri. In doing this I find great comfort in this quote from John Calvin:

…miserable men do not rise above themselves as they should, but measure him by the yardstick of their own carnal stupidity, and neglect sound investigation; thus out of curiosity they fly off into empty speculations. They do not therefore apprehend God as he offers himself, but imagine him as they have fashioned him in their own presumption. (Calvin, Institutes, 47)

I find comfort in the yardstick. Even though the numbers on that measuring stick are different in 2015 Indiana than they were in 1560 Geneva, still the heart of man is basically the same. We aren’t unique in our situation. Sinners have always been the same and they (we) are saved the same way as we always have been. A dead and diabolical heart has the same prescription no matter how dead or diabolical it may be.

The yardstick that our community measures by is not decisive. Yes, it is beneficial to know that our context will interpret things through a certain lens. But at the end of the day the gospel is more powerful than those false lenses. Jesus can break the yardstick of our carnal stupidity and rescue us by His grace.

Therefore, I am encouraged today to do the same thing that Calvin did in Geneva; namely, keep preaching the gospel and sharing it with men and women. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation and that never changes. No matter what god your community has fashioned in their own imagination the real God is able to make any Dagon bow before him (1 Samuel 5:2-7).

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Adapted from here.
Photo source: here

Today in Blogworld 06.09.15

Mike Leake

The Lost Gospels and the Earliest Christians

Dr. Jones takes on the claim that the “Lost Gospels” were written by the earliest of Christians—even before Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Project a Movie Through a Pizza Box

This is pretty cool.

Freedom is a Sexual Ponzi Scheme

Just Carl Trueman being his usually brilliant self.

9 Ways to Get Students Reading

This is great advice. I’ve tried a few of these and it works. I always gave students books. I also tried doing giveaways at times.

This is hilarious. Normally I don’t laugh at cats. But this is epic:

The Seeds Project: On Sale Today!

Mike Leake 3 Comments

seedscoverThe day is finally here. After running into more than our fair share of snags, we have finally been able to put The Seeds Project on sale. This is the first of what I hope to be many volumes, which will walk children through the books of the Bible.

This devotional is different than any other that you’ll find in your Christian book store. I wrote The Seeds Project to fill a gap. There aren’t many devotional books for children which go through one book of the Bible at a time. I want to change that. Our first volume is on Colossians, and I’ve already begun work on Volume 2 on Philippians.

At present The Seeds Project is written for small children and early readers. My seven year old son (who is going on 17) really enjoys the devotions and the activities. I believe any child from about 5-9 would find enjoyment and benefit. But the design is that these devotions would be family devotions. My ultimate goal is to equip parents to do Bible study with their children that is both faithful and engaging.

From Trevin Wax:

As a writer and editor for the Gospel Project, as someone who is passionate about seeing kids learn Bible stories and how they connect to Christ, I’m excited to see Mike’s labor of love come into fruition. I hope these devotionals will help kids learn how to navigate a challenging and often intimidating book like the Bible. But most of all, I pray that through these pages kids will come to know Christ—the Hero of the Bible, the One who saves and sanctifies and who will make all things new.

You can get your copy today at Amazon.

NOTE: If you get the electronic version we will have a workbook available for your download here at Borrowed Light.