Some Jolly Good Links 7-18-08

1. I'm not saying he was a paragon of Christian virtue or anything, but John Lennon says he loved Jesus, in a manner of speaking.  Remember that famous quote that Christians have vilified Lennon for for years where he said that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus?  Apparently there was more to the comment than we have given him credit for:

Christians around the world had been dismayed by Lennon’s boast in an article in London’s Evening Standard about the popularity of the Beatles, but the singer says he was misunderstood.

“It’s just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ,” he says. “Now I wasn’t saying that was a good idea, ‘cos I’m one of Christ’s biggest fans. And if I can turn the focus on the Beatles on to Christ’s message, then that’s what we’re here to do.”

He blames “the hypocrites” for being too “uptight” in reacting to his comments. “If the Beatles get on the side of Christ, which they always were, and let people know that, then maybe the churches won’t be full, but there’ll be a lot of Christians dancing in the dance halls. Whatever they celebrate, God and Christ, I don’t think it matters as long as they’re aware of Him and His message.”

(HT - ThinkChristian)

2. From the Pearcey Report (yep, that's Nancy and Rick Pearcey), a word for culture warriors from a youngish person:

My GenX friends are actually more afraid of the theatrics of televangelists than the cultural threat of sexual anarchy.  These misplaced apprehensions are widespread and dangerous.

The culture war is lost unless people begin to trust Christians more than secularists, atheists, communists, and radical liberals. To gain this social trust, I propose that Christians everywhere submit themselves to the Christian Credibility Creed.

In addition to the other creeds of Christianity:

I believe that dressing up and talking like Paul Revere does not make me a modern day patriot or member of the second Black Regiment. A postmodern revolution will look different from past revolutions.

I believe that always looking for miracles and material signs of God’s favor makes me shallow and less involved in the supernatural. 

I believe that inserting God-talk clichés into everyday conversations with (or overheard by) non-Christians hurts the work of the Holy Spirit.

And there's a bunch more . . .

3. So, what are you trying to say without words?

4. Jonathan Edwards on "The Main Benefit of Preaching" via Jonathan Dodson.

The main benefit obtained by preaching is by an impression made upon the mind at the time, and not by an effect that arises afterwards by a remembrance of what was delivered. And though an after-remembrance of what was heard in a sermon is oftentimes very profitable; yet, for the most part, that remembrance is from an impression the words made on the heart at the time; and the memory profits, as it renews and increases that impression. (Thoughts on the Revival, Part III, emphasis added)

4. Billy Graham at TED in 1998:

5. My buddy Bill Kinnon sent me this post by Richard Mouw after I reviewed Olson's book on Arminianism.  I had mentioned Cornelius Van Til in the post and Bill noted some of Mouw's kind words about Van Til.  Here's a good thought from Mouw on sympathetic engagement with those we disagree with:

There are folks these days who worry about what they see as an overly charitable spirit in people like me. They think it is dangerous to enter into friendly dialogue with thinkers whose theological views are far removed from traditional Christian orthodoxy. They tend to think that if a person is unorthodox they cannot be in a saving relationship with Christ. I take a different view on those matters. Maybe I should start telling people that what they think is liberalism in me is actually my Van Tilian orthodoxy at work!

6. While we're on the subject of irenicism how about this from Ray Ortlund (HT - His Monkishness)

Whatever divides us emotionally from other Bible-believing, Christ-honoring Christians is a “plus” we’re adding to the gospel. It is the Galatian impulse of self-exaltation. It can even become a club with which we bash other Christians, at least in our thoughts, to punish, to exclude and to force into line with us.

What unifies the church is the gospel. What defines the gospel is the Bible. What interprets the Bible correctly is a hermeneutic centered on Jesus Christ crucified, the all-sufficient Savior of sinners, who gives himself away on terms of radical grace to all alike. What proves that that gospel hermeneutic has captured our hearts is that we are not looking down on other believers but lifting them up, not seeing ourselves as better but grateful for their contribution to the cause, not standing aloof but embracing them freely, not wishing they would become like us but serving them in love (Galatians 5:13).

7. Oh, while we're here, let's just drive this theme as deep as we can.  Here's the John Frame page at Thirdmill.  About half way down are links to the chapters in his book Evangelical Reunion - it's well worth a read.

8. You have seven years to learn Mandarin. Well, that article was written on June 5, 2008, so as of today you actually only have about 6 years, ten months and two weeks to learn Mandarin.  Sorry for the late notice, I hope you can catch up.

9. If someone in runs on attention, just don't look.  Great words from Jason Kottke. 

The "just don't look" strategy works for more than advertising...it's effective in any situation where someone or something runs on attention. On the web attention comes in the form of links and pageviews so "just don't look" translates roughly into "just don't link or read". If you don't like who's on the cover of Wired, just don't look. If no one talks about her, she'll go away. Think media gossip sites are ruining the web? Don't read them. Leggy blonde conservative got your knickers in a knot? Just don't look. Commenters ruining the internet? Moderate your comments or close them up. If some Web 2.0 blowhard says something stupid, just don't look. Hate blonde socialites? Just. Don't. Look.

BTW - that same advice works for non-leggy, non-blonde, non-conservatives too!

10. Be nice to your waiter, or else . . .

11. Wait, stop me if you've heard this one before . . . yeah you've heard this one a million times from me . . . and probably wil hear it a million more - another study says low-carb diets are the healthiest.

12. Oh yeah, speaking of things you've heard a million times from me before - did you know I'm a graduate of the University of Florida and a huge Gator fan? Well, our QB, whose dad just happened to be my first youth minister won the Heisman last year.  It turns out that a lot of people like him:

Charles Davis: No problems with Tim Tebow becoming a two or even three time Heisman winner if his play warrants it. He is what we should be holding up as the gold standard in terms of college football student-athletes and people. Tremendous young man.

Gold standard - I love it!

13. Speaking of Gators, have you heard of Ryan Lochte?  He is the number 2 swimmer in the world, but it also appears that he has helped make Michael Phelps even better than ever, and will challenge him in Beijing.  He's a little different than Tebow though.  He's a . . . shall we say . . . free spirit.  When he gets bored he does things like lob water grenades from a water balloon launcher at outdoor concert goers, eggs peoples houses just for fun, and has recently done the ol' flaming bag of pooh prank on his girlfriend.  Yep, we Gators have the whole spectrum.  Here's hoping ol' Ryan can avoid arrest and bring home a gold medal from Beijing!

Comments

[Gary Morland]

About Lennon -- apparently he went thru a 'born-again' phase in 1977. Of course, this was way after the Beatles. It lasted about a month. He had corresponded with Oral Roberts over several years and even sent a donation. It seems obvious he was looking for something. Who knows what he meant in his Christsianity references during the Beatle years, although I never thought his "more popular" statement was anything more than his cynical observation about the nature of popularity.

The world is full of people who are looking for something and interested in Jesus and Christianity. But what do they mean when they say that? Crossing over from death to life, going from prison to free, from blind to sight, from dark to light is a whole 'nother thing.

CT had a story a year-and-a-half ago --> HERE. It's excerpted from Steve Turner's book.

[Robert Minto]

Thank you for these links--especially the one to the Pearceys' blog. I had no idea they had one. But as a big fan of TOTAL TRUTH, I'm glad to know now!

Re: John Lennon... I always find it tantalizing and slightly heart-breaking to find artists like Lennon, whose lives were characterized (I think) by the quest for something solid, stumbling around the fringes of the gospel.

[Mark Sisson]

Thanks for the link! Impressive list you've got going here. Cheers!

[Dan Phillips]

Ah yes, Richard Mouw. Sure, he's all about respectful dialogue with haters of the Gospel. After all, isn't he president of Fuller? Wasn't he the man who sold out decades of earnest, sacrificial missionaries to Mormons? Yes, no doubt van Til would say, "That's my boy! He's just like me!"

< /s >

Trying to rationalize his selling out by using the name of a dead, truly great man. Profile in courage? Not so much.

Nice try. It's certainly a sobering reminder that what works in the mirror, doesn't necessarily work in reality.

[Robert Minto]

I actually ended up replying to the article on the Pearcey Report that you linked to here, with some criticisms, which I wrote here.

[David Wayne]

Mark - honored to have you comment - thanks for all you are doing to promote "primal health."

Dan - by quoting Mouw I wasn't endorsing him in full. I simply think his quote summarized a valuable contribution that Van Til made to the Christian community. When I was in seminary we had a few discussions similar to the one Mouw mentioned and some of our professors would mention Van Til and his emphasis on sympathetic listening. Their purpose in doing so was to address the propensity of seminary students to rush immediately to ad hominem attacks on their opponents before or instead of dealing with the substance of their arguments. Seems like good advice to me.

[Dan Phillips]

Oh, I wasn't jumping you, David.

I was jumping Mouw.