The atheist fundification of believers.

I do think the Atheists and Fundies read the Bible in the same way: dangerous idea: The atheist fundification of believers.:

He added the problem with an Atheist insisting on a fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture to a non-fundamentalist Christian is he the atheist in a sense has to put on the hat of a Fundamentalist Religious Apologist and try to convince his opponent to adopt a view of Scripture both already reject before turning around and offering an Atheist criticism of the Fundamentalist view. 

Matt Chandler - Entertainment generation

We are the most entertained generation than ever before and yet we are still bored: Matt Chandler - Entertainment generation - YouTube

Anglican and Catholic Dioceses of Bathurst to enter into Covenant

I wonder if it will be awkward if they have communion together: Anglican and Catholic Dioceses of Bathurst to enter into Covenant : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia:

Anglican Bishop of Bathurst Richard Hurford and Catholic Bishop Michael McKenna will sign the covenant which will commit the two dioceses to:
• an annual ecumenical service;
• a bienniel joint clergy day;
• local services to enliven common witness to our baptism in Jesus Christ;
• exploring possibilities for sharing church plant and resources;
• cooperation in preparation for Christian marriage and Christian education; and
• openness to fellowship with other ecclesial communities.

Basics Conference 2012

Another conference that has some free audio/video up that might be worth checking out: Basics Conference 2012 - Basics Conference 2012 - Parkside Church |

I Have Friends

A good point about institutional solutions not being personal: I Have Friends by R.C. Sproul Jr. | Ligonier Ministries Blog:

“Well,” he explained, “it’s a group of men who are active in your life, that care for you enough to challenge you when you fall into sin. They watch out for you, support you, encourage you to grow in grace and wisdom.” “In that case,” I retorted, “I do have an accountability group. It’s just that I call them my friends.”

That Seamy Chain of Syllogisms

It is a slippery slope argument, but this one might be true. After all we live in a secular country, all voices should be allowed: That Seamy Chain of Syllogisms:

The reason why homosexual marriage won't end the debates (and the hate crimes of those who take up the wrong side of the debate) is that these marriage "reforms" clearly have not solved the problems of the bisexuals. With our arbitrary limitation of marital status to two and only two people, we are plainly telling the bisexual that he must choose between a heterosexual marriage or a homosexual marriage, but that he can't do both. "But I am both!" he wails . . . suppose this poor little buster wants to express all of his sexual yearnings within the holy bonds of matrimony, and the clerk down at the county courthouse, just seething with hate, won't give him a license with a place on it for three signatures. And then the Muslim guy, next in line, wants one with a place for four signatures.

Nehemiah Found!

Nice: Nehemiah Found! « With Meagre Powers:

Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars found fragments (and, in some cases, fuller scrolls) of every biblical book except for Esther and Nehemiah. Until now. Torleif Elgvin (Evangelical Lutheran University College, Oslo) and Esther Eshel (Bar Ilan University, Israel) will be publishing a collection of more than two dozen previously unknown scroll fragments, including the first known fragment of Nehemiah.

Letter to a 12-Year-Old Girl About the Eternal Destiny of Those Who Have Not Heard the Gospel

I like the fact that Piper answers letters written by children. And this is a good question: Letter to a 12-Year-Old Girl About the Eternal Destiny of Those Who Have Not Heard the Gospel - Desiring God:

Does that mean that people will be saved and go to heaven if they have never heard of Jesus? No, that is not what God tells us in the Bible.

Ed Young Pastor Fashion

Turns out this site isn't a parody... which now makes it a bit of a joke: Ed Young Pastor Fashion

Announcing Our 2012 National Conference

I wonder if Piper will cope some flack for have three women speakers. Although he did write the book on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood...: Announcing Our 2012 National Conference - Desiring God:

The conference will feature the following speakers: Kevin DeYoung, Elyse Fitzpatrick, R W Glenn, Sally Lloyd-Jones, David Mathis, Carolyn McCulley, Russell Moore, John Piper, Ed Welch, Jarvis Williams.

Not Understanding Nothing

Another philosopher takes aim at Krauss' book: Article | First Things:

Krauss’ aim is to answer the question “Why is there something rather than nothing?” without resorting to God—and also without bothering to study what previous thinkers of genius have said about the matter. Like Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow, and Peter Atkins, Krauss evidently thinks that actually knowing something about philosophy and theology is no prerequisite for pontificating on these subjects.

The Book of 1 Corinthians in 40 Tweets

I like these tweet summaries: The Book of 1 Corinthians in 40 Tweets - Desiring God:

1 Corinthians is a book about the cross. And like with Romans, we've tried to summarize the book in a series of tweets that we'll be posting on Twitter throughout the day. As long as we've got social media, let's use it to help one another live in the power of the cross, a day at a time.

Who Do You Want to Follow?

Leaders need character over style or technique: Who Do You Want to Follow?:

For all those reasons, leadership is not about style or technique as much as it is about character. Want proof that effective leadership is not just about style? Notice that a number of divergent leadership styles are modeled in Scripture. Elijah was a loner and a prophet; Moses delegated duties to trusted people whom he kept close to him. Peter was brash; John was tenderhearted. Paul was a dynamic leader, even when being carried about in chains. He influenced people primarily through the force of his words. Evidently, his physical appearance was anything but powerful (2 Corinthians 10:1). All were men of action, and all used their diverse gifts in markedly different ways. Their leadership styles were varied and diverse. But all were true leaders. 

Again, I think it’s a serious mistake for Christians in leadership to pass over these biblical examples of leadership and turn instead to secular models in pursuit of style-obsessed formulae they think will make them better leaders.

Michael Horton, Gender Stereotypes, and Me

Wilson responds to an article by Horton on gender roles: Michael Horton, Gender Stereotypes, and Me:

Horton assumes that if we object to feminine traits in the wrong place, then we must somehow be bothered with then in the right place too. "Are we really ready to identify shallow sentimentalism with 'feminization' of the church? Do godly women want this any more than men?" I quite agree. Of course they don't. Godly women don't want girly preachers any more than the men do. Godly women don't like femmy worship any more than the men do. Godly women don't want the worship of the evangelical and Reformed church to get any gayer. I mean to say . . .

Must Baptism Precede Membership? Of course!

You wouldn't catch an Anglican saying this: Must Baptism Precede Membership? Of course! | 9Marks:

Must baptism precede membership? Yes. I'd even say, of course! I suppose it is possible you could have an extraordinary situation where the order might get reversed by a few weeks. Getting the order right is not a matter of ontological or salvific necessity, per se. But yes, it generally must precede it, because of what these things are.  Baptism (and the Lord's Supper) is the mechanism that Jesus has given us for declaring someone to be a member of his body, and this happens among real people in a real place called the gathering of a local church.