I love good music. Unfortunately I have limited knowledge on where to find it. I may have even more limitedness on knowing what’s “good.” I attempt to keep up with conversations on the blogosphere and other useful online resources. Music, however, is just out of my scope. So I was more than delighted when I stumbled upon this jewel of some local Louisville flavor. I was all the more excited when I learned you can download all of his stuff for free. Who is he? His name is Andrew Case, a SBTS ‘06 alumni.
If I don’t know where to find good music then needless to say I’m no music critic. So any comment I make about it will be purely personal preference.
The two characteristics that are most prominent are his acoustic sound and biblically saturated lyrics. The sound makes for a smooth listening experience. And his words make your mind search the Scriptures. Check it out:
(BTW, the brother also wrote a new book called Water of the Word: Intercession For Her. Bruce Ware said, “Andrew Case has provided an ingenious and glorious tool for Christian husbands, one that has the potential of binding husbands and wives ever closer together while these prayers seek more intimate relationship between their wives and their God. By employing themes, principles, promises, and pleas from Scripture itself, Case has crated hundreds of rich and meaningful prayers that any and every Christian husband can pray for his own wife. ” CBMW also has an interview with Andrew on his new book.)
What identifies one as an Evangelical? What are the private and public commitments of Evangelicals? Those aren’t easy questions given the landscape of current discussion on Evangelicalism. To help in your understanding of these matters, An Evangelical Manifesto: A Declaration of Evangelical Identity and Public Commitment was released today at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. and signed by over 80 evangelical leaders. The purpose: “The two-fold purpose of this declaration is first to address the confusions and corruptions that attend the term Evangelical in the United States and much of the Western world today, and second to clarify where we stand on issues that have caused consternation over Evangelicals in public life.” (2, original emphasis)
I have not yet read the Manifesto in its entirety, but needless to say there will be much conversation about this document in the days and months to come. Justin Taylor has a very helpful summary you would do well to read. You can also download the Manifesto along with a study guide.
Clarity is invaluable when there is much confusion!
There are some resources that you may not need at the present time. But there will come a day when you say, “Oh man! I wish I would have printed that off and just filed it away.” Well, here’s that resource. Dr. Haykin is compiling a list of resources for “Reading Church History”. Be sure to check his blog for regular updates.
1. CT reports Donald Miller’s popular Blue Like Jazzhas been adapted into a screenplay with co-writer Ben Pearson. It is to be directed by Steve Taylor. Read 9Marks review here.
The internet sources available for a Christian’s learning and edification are endless. There are two that I want to point out that you should take regular advantage of. The first one is Biblical Training directed by Bill Mounce. It offers free classes for all Christians, everyone who is a new believer to church leaders. I went through Dr. Tennet’s class on Islam in preparation for a six week course I taught on Islam last fall. It was extremely helpful. Second, Reformed Theological Seminary has a massive resource center on iTunes. It includes everything from classroom lectures to chapel sermons from all their campuses.
Update: Since posting this entry earlier, I’ve found something relatively new. RTS’s resources on iTunes are under a new category called iTunes U. The “U” is for university. There are dozens of schools already listed and they are adding more each day. Leave it up to those apple guys…
All right, gents! Let me see if I can get a little group participation. Why don’t each of you (that is those who participate) give the title and author of two books you would recommend a Christian read for 2008. Let’s try to have some from different genres as well.
I’ll begin. You may not be too familiar with the second one, but everyone should read it at least once.
In my previous post, I listed a few ways to make the most out of your time during school when so much is required. Now for those of you who are graduating this semester, here are few ways to make the most of your time by informally continuing education after graduation. But let me first dispel a common myth.
It’s commonly held that after you graduate you’ll have all the time in the world to finally read all the things you’ve wanted. Well, that’s partly true. You can read whatever you want. But most of us actually don’t have more time. You will find a way to fill up your time. It may be work, ministry, or a variety of things. But for most of us, we will be equally busy as we were with school. The difference is how we spend the time.
There is one more thing - continuing your education informally must be a matter of personal discipleship. You’ve just spent countless hours, money, and effort earning a degree. And if you don’t get a ministry position upon graduation but are in transition, you will be tempted to neglect your education and opportunity for further education. So after two years of being out of school, here are a few things I do and would recommend.
Periodically pick books that challenge your theological and reading levels. While in school you don’t have much choice as to what you read. The books may be long, short, easy, or hard. But you have complete control when you’re out . And it’s easy to read books that are not extremely difficult or challenging, albeit good. So take the time to read something that requires you to really invest yourself, e.g. Religious Affections by Edwards, Paradise Lost by Milton, City of God (abridged or unabridged) by Augustine, Christ Our Righteousness by Seifrid. The point is to pick something that stretches you. You had to do it in school and now you have the time to take it in.
Continue writing. If you’re anything like me, you learn best when you either have to teach or write on any given subject. As an elder, I get a number of opportunities to teach or research some theological matter. But if you don’t have as many opportunities then continue writing. For example, have someone you respect give you a topic to write a four page paper and then discuss it together. You’ll find that you may enjoy it when you don’t have to be so worried about margins, formatting footnotes, etc. (Do have some level of organization.)
Continue studying the languages. This has been my biggest regret since I graduated. I have failed at keeping up on my languages. Unfortunately, I’m not able to translate with any ease, so I would have to relearn it. Thankfully, I gained the tools for studying them, so I could pick it up fairly easily. Your Greek and Hebrew professors speak prophetically when they say that if you translate 3-5 verses a day, you will retain what you have learned.
In my previous