Tisha B'Av

At sundown last night, observant Jews began fasting to observe Tisha B'Av, perhaps the most sorrowful day in the Jewish year. It commemorates the destruction of the first and second Jewish temples by the Babylonians and the Romans, respectively. To read more about it, go here.

The Story of Everything

I appreciated this presentation of the story of the Bible in less than five minutes. Maybe you will too.



HT: Z

What I Listen To, part 2

My friend Eric Durso asked in a comment on the first post in this series how and when I listen to these podcasts. Before I move on to the next post in this series, I decided to answer those important questions so you could understand the context in which I listen to the podcasts I listen to and endorse.

My wife and some friends and family got me an iPod Classic for my birthday in 2007. Since then, I've consistently listened to thousands of sermons, most of them via podcasts. I had a cable installed in our Toyota Corolla that connects with our stereo, which is mp3 enabled. This way, I've been able to plug in my iPod and listen to podcasts while in the car. Almost all the time that I'm in the car by myself, I'm listening to a podcast. Depending on the semester, I spend a considerable amount of time driving to and from Biola University, which gives me about twenty minutes one way to listen to podcasts.

The other times in my life that I get a good chunk of listening time in is when I'm doing certain tasks around the apartment like washing the dishes or doing laundry. If I'm washing the dishes, I have the iPod in the docking station. When I'm doing the laundry, I normally have headphones on. I also sometimes listen to podcasts in my office at church. If I'm disciplined and am working out, that is another good time to listen to podcasts.

A caution needs to be noted here. There have been times where I have listened to podcasts too much and have ignored or drowned out Amy and/or Alice. This is not a good thing. I have to remind myself when it is appropriate and helpful to listen to podcasts and when it is inappropriate and unhelpful to be listening to podcasts. It is rare that listening to podcasts at home when the family together is a helpful thing.

What I Listen To, part 1

I have wanted to do this series for a long time, but just haven't started (is that the theme of this blog?). So today I was listening to a podcast and the content spurred me to just get something started, hoping that momentum would be started!

The series will focus on all the podcasts that I listen to on my iPod. Today I'll start alphabetically.

The Briefing

The Briefing is hosted by Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I used to listen to the Albert Mohler Program until it ended last year. The Briefing is "a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview." The podcast is updated every weekday morning and covers relevant news from the day or days before. It usually lasts 12-15 minutes and camps out on several topics. Recently, those topics have been Libya, the Middle East, and the US economy. Although Dr. Mohler usually talks about some of the main headlines that would appear in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and other major newspapers, he often finds smaller topics that are not covered well or thoroughly by the press. As you would assume, he also covers news about churches, denominations, missions and legal proceedings regarding religious liberty.

I find the podcast to be helpful, giving me a good summary of some major domestic and world events as I start my day. Dr. Mohler does more than just report; he analyzes and digs deeper than facts and opinions to the worldview behind the news. He is a keen observer of culture and does a balanced job at trying to see things from other points of view.

Today's podcast was especially helpful in dealing with the Florida Koran burning and the continuing repercussions in Afghanistan. Take 15 minutes and listen to it.

Hopefully this series of posts will help you find some good content for your iPod. If it does, let me know and spread the word. Share some of your favorite podcasts in the comment section below.

Next time, I'll share about Dr. Mohler's other podcast, Thinking in Public.

What's Going On In Egypt?

David Dolan is an American Christian journalist who has lived in Israel for more than 30 years. He has a very unique perspective on the happenings in the Middle East. I would encourage people to subscribe to his monthly Israel Updates. Here's a little taste of the article:

So the fact that Hosni Mubarak’s police and security forces are rife with corruption has been evident to me for many years. Does this mean I have been advocating the ouster of his autocratic regime? Not at all. This is because I’ve also long understood that the Arab people in general, especially the vast majority who are practicing Muslims, tend to be very proud folks, with the Muslims believing that they are the Almighty’s uniquely chosen sons and daughters, not Christians or Jews. This deeply-held belief contributes to the fact that the Arab masses have often proved to be very unruly, as some of my Arab friends freely admit.

The Christmas Story

Here's the Christmas story via our friends' daughter Gracie. This is great!

Gospel For Life

I'd like to direct you to my friend Eric Durso's blog to check out the series he is blogging about called Gospel For Life. So far, it's been helpful and clear and I highly recommend it to you as food for thought or as resource.

Why Give?

This video is desperately needed in the American Church to wake us up from our American apathy:



HT: The Resurgence

Russell Moore on Glenn Beck

Here's a quick link to an article that I found very helpful. I'm pretty sure lots of evangelicals give Glenn Beck's Mormonism a pass simply because he doesn't like President Obama. Russell Moore's insights are always penetrating and valuable in an age of manipulative soundbites.

Here's a taste:

It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, don’t get me wrong, I’m not pessimistic. Jesus will build his church, and he will build it on the gospel. He doesn’t need American Christianity to do it. Vibrant, loving, orthodox Christianity will flourish, perhaps among the poor of Haiti or the persecuted of Sudan or the outlawed of China, but it will flourish.

A Sad Day

I was just saddened to hear that today is the last day of the Albert Mohler Radio Program. I've listened to every single broadcast for the last three years and found it a very helpful look at news and events happening all over the world. Dr. Mohler still offers tons of resources at his website, and I will continue to use those to help me evaluate news and offer resources to the parents of youth at our church.
Thanks Dr. Mohler!

Further Emergence?

For those wondering or intrigued about Brian McLaren and his popular works, here is a helpful panel discussion at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am very thankful to these men for shining the bright light of truth on McLaren's new book, A New Kind Of Christianity.

We are the World . . . Kinda.

When a bunch of uber-talented celebrity musicians and singers got together 25 years ago (I wasn't even a year old yet) to record "We Are The World," something big happened. However, I think that it was only big because of all the big names involved. Can the song bring a tear to your eye? Yes. Was/is the problem of AIDS in Africa and all over the world a huge problem? Yes. But there's only one true answer for an eternal "better day," and that's the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So when "We Are The World 25" was recorded for Haiti, a lot of people were critical of its scope and purpose. Not only that, some Christians got bent out of shape about a line about God being taken out of the new version. I think these Christians are missing the point. Why should we expect a lost and dying culture to speak prophetically and biblically to itself? That's the redeemed of the Lord's job! Let's offer help and justice to the poor and downtrodden, but let's also offer them the life-changing gospel in the process!

Russell Moore offers some helpful comments on our expectations of the world, especially in relation to We Are The World.

Our church carefully decided to help the people of Haiti by donating through Churches Helping Churches. If you're interested, check out their straightforward website to see what they're all about.

Did I Get Married Too Young?

When Amy and I got married, she was newly 23 and I was almost 22. By today's standards, we were pretty young. Compared to 1970, we were just average. I hear a lot of people telling a lot of young people to wait to get married for a plethora of reasons, most having to do with money and an unhealthy approach to what is "normal" (meaning, can you own two cars, a house, lots of nice things in your home and have the possibility of lavishing ridiculous toys and gadgets upon future children).

So it was with much appreciation that I read David Lapp's article in the Wall Street Journal. Read it, but if you must, skip down to the last paragraph and get the gist of his article. I share his view of married life!

HT: Challies and Albert Mohler

I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Take it away Mr. Durso! This is what we are consistently not raising our sons to do.