Today in Blogworld 03.14.13

Mike Leake

Sam Storms’ New Blog

Sam Storms is blogging again. And there was much rejoicing in the land…

The History of Christianity in 25 Objects

This looks to be an interesting series by Tim Challies. He is using 25 objects to tell the story of Christianity.

The Wisdom of Church History

Speaking of church history…Michael Haykin is interviewed on the importance of studying church history.

Celebrate the “ordinary” and “extraordinary” testimonies

I really appreciate this piece by Aaron Armstrong. He notes that he wants his kids to have a “boring” testimony and believes that every parent wants the same. I agree.

Wow, these kids are terrible at hide and seek:

When Sanctification is Like a Blind Man Describing Colors

Mike Leake

This is a blind dude trying to describe color:

Do you ever feel this way about trying to put on the righteousness of Christ? I know I do.

The “taking off” stuff seems easier to me. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths”…okay I know what that looks like. I’ve done “corrupting talk”. I have a list that describes corrupting talk. I know what it looks like to stop it.

“…but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear”. This is more difficult. How do I know what “building up” looks like if I came from a culture of death that only tears down?

There are some deep-seated sins that seem to be attached to my identity. Some things seem really difficult to tear down. But there are some things that seem impossible to build up, because its like a blind guy trying to describe color. I have a big empty spot in my heart where sin is being ripped out but righteousness has not yet been erected in its place.

Yet I hope…

I have hope for this emptiness because I serve a God who calls light out of darkness. I serve a God who “calls into existence the things that do not exist”. I know that God is teaching me righteousness in places that I’ve never lived it before. I know that God is not only healing my blindness but he is also teaching me how to see.

And he mostly does this through his church. God has placed people in my life to help me live in color.

If you are like me—at times feeling so damaged and empty that positive redemption seems impossible—know that there is hope. God creates beauty out of ashes and he calls into existence that which was nothing. You have hope. Surround yourself with people that live in color.

If you live in color it is a necessity that you seek out those that are learning to see. We need your eyes.

Today in Blogworld 03.13.13

Mike Leake

5 Theses on Anti-Intellectualism

Justin Taylor has developed 5 theses on anti-intellectualism and has backed them up with quotes from various authors.

F.L.E.E.—A Strategy for Pursuing Sexual Purity

Trent Hunter gives us a strategy for dealing with sexual temptation and actively pursuing sexual purity.

Your Baby’s Ugly

Hershael York gives four things that makes the difference between a growing preacher and one that never gets better.

10 Time Management Rules You Are Breaking

Breaking these rules will only lead to wasted time in the long run.

This will probably be the only time you see a clip from TBN on here. Ed Stetzer appeared on a recent broadcast:

Why Online Discussions Are Seldom Profitable

Mike Leake 2 Comments

I have greatly benefited from reading The Narcissism Epidemic. I found their insight into online discussion particularly helpful:

…the system of comments, responses to comments, and so on encourages argument—and often one-sided argument. It’s not a true dialogue, as a verbal conversation would be, but one diatribe followed by the response to the diatribe. Doing it all onscreen also takes out the human element of empathy, nuance, and face-to-face interaction.

Most comment streams are one-sided argument. Yes, there was that one time way back when, in that conversation you had a long time ago, when you actually got somewhere in an online conversation. But for the most part it isn’t true dialogue and isn’t helpful.

Twenge and Campbell make another salient observation:

Our modern culture instead says, “Everybody’s opinion is just as valid as everyone else’s,” and now backs up this notion on the Internet with the proliferation of blogs and comment sections. The problem is that most of the people who leave comments have no earthly idea what they are talking about. They think they do—common among people with a tendency toward narcissim—but they’re clueless. The comments that do say something intelligent are often lost in the mountain of ignorance.

Ouch.

Of course we have to be careful not to deny such important doctrines as the priesthood of every believer with statements like this. But does the priesthood of every believer mean that every believer is somehow an expert in every field? Yeah, we all have the Holy Spirit—but doesn’t the Spirit give different gifts to different people?

Do you agree with Twenge and Campbell about the nature of online discussions? (If you offer an answer I promise we won’t call you a narcissist).