Glen and Paula Davis

An Unofficial Response to Westboro Baptist Church

2010-01-28T23:18:11+00:00

The notorious Westboro Baptist Church is holding a protest at Stanford this Friday (see a good summary at Fiat Lux: why here, their identity, their beliefs, their legal history). In response, the Stanford community is planning a counter-rally at the same time and place as Westboro’s protest.

A group of Christian ministries signed a joint statement opposing Westboro, ~~but the Stanford Daily has apparently declined to publish it (at least, I can’t find it in the online paper). Perhaps it will appear soon~~ (UPDATE: it was published in the op-ed section the day after I put this post up). But in case it does not, I would like to give my own personal response to them here. The official statement was designed to garner support from several different ministries, but what follows is language that no one else but me has signed off on. Consequently, it is considerably more direct.

I think Westboro Baptist Church is crazy. I also think it is unwise to hold a rally opposing a group which thrives on conflict. Attention is the drug they crave. They have become a recurring national news story merely because of their ability to draw crowds and media.

I refuse to protest them, and I also refuse to ignore them. I am in no way ambivalent about their presence on campus: what they are doing is wrong. It heaps shame upon Christ and it causes people made in God’s image to experience an alienating anguish. I believe that prayer is the most effective possible response to this situation. I, my ministry, and several other Christian groups at Stanford will hold a prayer meeting while the protest is going on at which we will ask God to convict Westboro members of their sin and lead them to repentance.

So yeah. That’s what one preacher thinks about their presence.

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What Does The Bible Require of a Church?

2010-01-21T21:46:47+00:00

An alumna of my ministry recently sent me an email asking what the Biblical requirements of a church were. I thought about it for a bit, and this is what I came up with. I’m sure the list of requirements that I have below is incomplete, and I welcome suggestions for improvement.

But if you, like my former student, are looking for a church home then meditate on these points.

Here’s the email I sent her.

What does the Bible require of a church? Probably not the things you expect. The Bible doesn’t require that a church meets on Sunday morning (although it does set that as the pattern: Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2), nor does it require that a sermon be the centerpiece of the meeting (although that is certainly one way of fulfilling the criteria of Biblical teaching below).

The most important thing that God requires of a church is that it be built upon the confession of Jesus as God’s Son and Christ (Matthew 16:16–18; 1 Cor 3:10–11). What this means practically is that Christ is the center of the church and is the focus of its activities.

The church should be engaged in persuading unbelievers to become disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:18–20; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:5), which the Great Commission defines as baptizing them and teaching them to obey Christ. Disciplemaking also includes taking sin seriously and disciplining impenitent believers (Matthew 18:15–20; 1 Corinthians 5:1–13; 1 Timothy 5:19–20; Titus 3:9–11).

The church should meet regularly and the meetings should be encouraging (Hebrews 10:24–25). The encouragement should not come just from the ministry leaders – the community as a whole should be one that strengthens you. Here is a representative list of passages describing how those in the church ought to treat one another.

Greet one another 2 Corinthians 13:12
Show hospitality to one another 1 Peter 4:9
Honor one another Romans 12:10
Live in harmony with one another Romans 12:16
Serve one another Galatians 5:13–14
Comfort one another 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
Encourage one another Hebrews 3:12–13
Teach and admonish one another Colossians 3:16
Be forbearing with one another Ephesians 4:1–3
Forgive one another Colossians 3:13
Confess sin to one another James 5:16
Bear one another’s burdens Galatians 6:2
Love one another 1st John 4:7–21
Search Biblegateway.com for the phrase “one another” to find more.

There should be singing motivated by gratitude to God (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19–20). Gratitude for who God is and what God has done (both on the cross and in our lives) is what I believe is in mind here. As part of its worship, churches should also celebrate communion on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 11:17–34).

The church should also be a community devoted to prayer (1 Timothy 2:8; Ephesians 6:18). We must remember that when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught them to pray together (it is, after all, “our” Father not “my” father – Matthew 6:9). These sorts of prayers ought to be emphasized:

The elements of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13, Luke 11:1–4) should always be central: for God to be glorified, for His will to be done, for provision, for forgiveness, and for holiness.
For effective evangelism (Colossians 4:2–4, Ephesians 6:19–20). Note the emphasis of the prayer: it is not for the lost to be saved so much as for us to be bold and wise witnesses.
For government leaders to not interfere with our faith, especially not our ability to evangelize (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
For the needs of the church (Ephesians 6:18). The prayers of the apostles serve as excellent examples of the sorts of prayers one could offer on behalf of the church (Rom 15:5–6, 13; Eph 1:17–19; Eph 3:16–19; Phi 1:9–11; Col 1:9–12; 1st Thess 3:12–13; 1st Thess 5:23–24; 2nd Thess 1:11–12; 2nd Thess 3:1–5).
The elders of the church are specifically instructed to make themselves available to pray for the sick (James 5:14–16).

All the spiritual gifts should be welcomed (1 Corinthians 14:26; 1st Corinthians 14:39, 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20), although they should be deployed in such a way as to attract and not repel unbelievers (1st Corinthians 14:24–25). Their effect on the church should not be chaotic (1st Corinthians 14:40).

A church should be led by Biblically qualified leaders:

Who teach Biblical truth (2 Timothy 1:13–14; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:13; Titus 1:9)
Who exercise appropriate authority (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Tim 4:11–12; 2nd Timothy 2:22–25; Titus 2:15)
Who are above reproach in both character and relationships (1 Tim 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9)

The church ought to care for the poor, especially poor believers. (2nd Corinthians 8–9; James 1:27; 1st Timothy 5:16; Gal 2:9–10; Gal 6:10; Acts 6:1–4). And the poor should be welcomed into the life of the community (James 2:1–7).

The church ought to also pay ministers – both those who teach and lead within the church itself (1st Timothy 5:17–18; 1st Corinthians 9:3–14; Galatians 6:6) and those who are sent out as missionaries (3 John 5–8; Romans 16:1–2; Philippians 4:10–20)

In order to facilitate these latter two points the church should be receiving offerings (Acts 4:32–37; 1st Corinthians 16:1–2), although it does not appear that they must be received in any particular way.

There are probably other things churches should be doing as well, but these seem to me to be essential. No church will be perfect, of course. Give them the same grace that you give to fellow believers, but avoid churches that are not at least attempting to fulfill these mandates.

[January 23, 2010 update: after some feedback on my Facebook notes page, I decided to add the paragraph about prayer. I also made a few small changes.]

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

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In album Photos from Dana's Camera

99 Free Games from 2009

2009-12-24T22:24:11+00:00

Some great games here - mix of download and browser-based games.

Why Do Christians Evangelize Instead of Just Feeding the Hungry?

2009-11-20T17:42:39+00:00

I was recently interviewed by a student writing for the Stanford Daily. A group of off-campus Christians had put on a controversial outreach activity and he wanted to know why Christians share their faith. Apparently my answer wasn’t pithy or interesting enough, because I didn’t make it into the final article.

His questions (which he asked separately but which I combined for my answer): “Why do Christians try to spread their beliefs? With so many other problems in the world, why expend so much energy on spreading the gospels instead of, for example, feeding the hungry?”

My emailed response:

Jesus said that he is the way, the truth, and the life – he even said that no one could come to God apart from him. So the same compassion that compels Christians to build hospitals and orphanages and feed the hungry also compels us to share the news that everyone can be reconciled to God through Christ.

In addition, we know that by spreading the gospel we also increase the number of people who are feeding the hungry and otherwise doing good deeds. We know from research that religious people give more to charity than nonreligious people do, and so we see that compassion and evangelism are not antithetical. If anything, they reinforce each other.

In summary, we share the gospel with someone because we believe that the gospel meets their deepest needs and will also catalyze them to likewise go meet the spiritual and practical needs of others.

He asked me more questions than that, but I didn’t have time to answer them before his deadline. And even this answer was kind of rushed. If I had my answer to give over again I probably would have put a line about heaven and hell in there, but as it is I feel pretty good about it.

So if you’re not a Christian and wonder why we keep urging you to trust in Jesus, I hope my answer helps you understand our motives. We love you and we love Jesus, so we want to arrange an introduction.

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My Philosophy of Rain

2009-10-13T23:56:51+00:00

It is raining right now in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been raining all day.

This is rare, and it understandably confuses Stanford students. They came to Stanford because they thought all of California was San Diego. That and because Stanford is awesome. But the San Diego thing was definitely a tipping factor. Rain is not featured prominently in the Stanford recruiting materials.

In situations like this some people contemplate skipping Bible study (you know who you are).

I thought I should take this opportunity to clarify my position on rain: Bible studies do not get canceled on account of rain. That’s baseball. And picnics. But not Bible studies.

And you should not skip Bible studies because it is raining. Show up wet. That’s why we baptize you. So you’ll learn not to fear water. And if you haven’t been baptized, come to Bible study and kill two birds with one stone.

And as for our weekly meeting… don’t even think about it. We’ll have that one even if Jesus tells me the Rapture is scheduled for 7:35pm on a Wednesday. I figure those who are left behind will have something to talk about in our absence.

So… yeah. That’s what I have to say about that.

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beware the H1XA virus

2009-10-07T16:53:22+00:00

I sent this email out to my students last night and received such positive feedback I thought I’d share it here for my fellow campus ministers to adapt for use on their own campus.

In case you just stumbled upon this through some random internet search, I lead a ministry called Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship which is abbreviated with the Greek letters XA. That should be all you need to know in order to laugh/groan/hurl tomatoes at the below email.

Members of the Stanford Community,

In addition to the H1N1 virus – the so-called “swine flu” – sweeping
our campus, there is another and more insidious infection to beware.

I speak, of course, of the H1XA virus – the so-called “divine flu”.

The H1XA virus is extremely contagious. Symptoms include joy,
friendship, and a profound sense of spiritual centeredness. Carriers
can be identified by their cheerful countenance, their moral
lifestyle, and occasionally by their stylish t-shirts. Should you meet
someone already infected, know that there is no cure (especially if
they already have a t-shirt). Avoid them lest you yourself be seized
by divine purpose accompanied by rapturous joy and immersion in
meaningful community.

There will be a public meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 7:30pm in
370–370 to discuss this disease in more detail. Please know that
epidemonologists are available to help prevent this disease from
spreading. Bring everyone you know who is not already infected.

Do not despair. It will be tough, but we can pull through this together.

Should conditions on campus become unbearable, we can all flee to the
woods Oct 17–18. Get your escape ticket at http://xastanford.org/events

Sincerely,

Glen (a concerned member of the campus community)

Hope you find it useful. Or at least amusing. I’ll even settle for memorable.

And if you’re a Stanford student who didn’t receive this little charmer, sign up for our mailing list at https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/chialpha-fellowship!

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Chi Alpha Favorably Profiled In The Stanford Daily

2009-09-26T02:23:59+00:00

The Stanford Daily published an article titled Testimonies On Stanford Faith about people in our ministry (Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship).

The website the article focuses on is testimonies.stanford.edu.

Reading this article was very encouraging to me because I always fear that Chi Alpha will wind up in the Daily because of some boneheaded thing I said in a sermon… this was a much better experience.

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Testimonies on Stanford faith

2009-09-25T02:53:21+00:00

An article in the Stanford Daily about a website two of our students created- http://testimonies.stanford.edu

Free Video Countdowns

2009-09-23T16:07:17+00:00

What it says. Variety of video formats. 1-3 minutes long.

Mom will find out

2009-09-23T05:54:05+00:00

Sunday afternoon the kids and I had a relaxing afternoon at home. I sewed most of the afternoon while the kids played together. The thing that kept them occupied the most was a mighty magnet construction set. It consists of little rods with magnets on the ends and metal balls to connect them together.

As I sewed I heard a gagging sound coming from the hallway. I called out is everyone ok. Then I realized what was happening. Xander was trying to have a marble snack. I ran around the corner to find him sitting on the floor looking very casual. I questioned him about what was going on.

Me: Xander are you ok.
Silence.
Me: Xander did you try to eat the marbles?
Silence.
Me: Honey, you need to tell Mommy if you ate the marbles.
Silence
Me: You are not in trouble but I need to know if you ate the marble.
Silence as he moves to the timeout spot.
Me: You are not in trouble, if you did eat the marble I need to know. It could hurt you and Mommy needs to know how to take care of you.
Xander: I don’t want to talk to talk about it. Go over there.
Me: Xander if you ate the marble Mommy will find out about it. You may choose not to tell me but I will find out.
Silence.

Fast forward to today. Xander spent the morning at my neighbors house. When I picked him up she gave me the update. They played well, a little trouble sharing toys and Xander went to the bathroom a few times. (He and his friend are potty training so that is info we share).

Later in the afternoon my neighbor came over to share that she had just gone to the bathroom and found that Xander had not flushed the potty. So she did the job for him, unfortunately the pooh would not go away. After a few attempts she being a mom went in to see what the problem was. She then presented me with a ziplock bag with two Mighty Magnet Marbles in it.

Xander came over hoping to find his friend coming over for a playdate but instead he was brought face to face with the truth. Mom was right. She would find out if the marbles had been eaten.

I hope he remembers this lesson as I teenager.

PS. In case you are wondering the neighbor did clean the marbles off before bringing them home. However I do not thing they will be reappearing in the magnet box.

How American Health Care Killed My Father | David Goldhill

2009-09-05T18:43:49+00:00

A great (but long) essay about what's wrong with the American healthcare system with some surprisingly practical suggestions for fixing it.

Group Text Messaging

2009-09-04T14:22:10+00:00

For a few years, Facebook was one of the best ways to connect with college students. Not any more. It’s still useful, but not nearly as useful as it used to be. The novelty has worn off and so students aren’t as responsive on it.

So like Steve Lutz I’ve been thinking about text messaging lately. My younger students (frosh and sophomores) seem to be much more likely to have unlimited texting plans than my upperclassmen and grad students.

In the past I’ve just texted people individually, but now I’m experimenting with group text messaging services.

I considered using Twitter and telling people to subscribe via text. A few problems:
a) College students don’t use twitter.
b) It centralizes the communication too much.
c) I don’t feel confident in twitter’s reliability.
d) The verb “tweet”.

So I’ve been looking into other services. So far I’m drawn to txtBlaster. The thing I like best is that I can deputize as many of the subscribers as I want and allow them to text the entire group, so I can make this a student-driven thing. It’s a free (ad-supported) service. They claim to screen their ads carefully and to target them based on the type of group you set up. So far so good on that front.

Do you have
a) any thoughts on using text messaging effectively as a ministry tool?
b) another service to recommend (such as TextMarks or txtSignal or even the maligned Twitter)?

P.S. If you want to see txtBlaster in action, feel free to text xastanford to 25278. I’ll be playing around with it for the next few days.

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Every Ph.D. Has A Little Crazy Inside

2009-08-26T13:48:46+00:00

Ph.D. stands for doctor of philosophy. Doctor is from the Latin doctor which means ‘teacher’. Philosophy is from the Greek (the verb phileo ‘I love’ plus the noun sophia ‘wisdom’). From an etymological standpoint, a doctor of philosophy is one who teaches others to love wisdom.

But etymology is often a misleading guide to reality. Just ask a butterfly or a pineapple.

There’s an old joke that Ph.D. stands for permanent head damage. Humor usually has more truth buried inside it than etymology. I am convinced that most Ph.D.s have a little crazy in them.

You see, to earn a Ph.D. one must convince not only oneself but also a committee that you are one of the world’s leading experts about one narrow slice of reality. Ideally, you convince the committee that you know more about this very narrow problem than anyone else who has ever lived.

And here’s where the crazy comes in: this idea that you are uniquely qualified to hold a certain opinion in a very esoteric area becomes a habit which creeps into other areas of your life. You convince yourself that you are right and the world is wrong about something quite trivial. Everyone does this to a degree, but there is one important difference: the Ph.D. believes something absolutely crazy.

At this point you are thinking to yourself, “Glen, I know several Ph.D. holders. They’re nice, normal people.”

Yes. They are. They are also insane about something unexpected. They have learned through experience to keep their craziness well-masked. You have to dig down deep.

Talk with your friend long enough and you will likely discover that they raise hamsters for food. Or that they have a plan for which stores to loot in which order after the next major natural disaster, and actually have a shopping list secreted about their person at all times for just such an eventuality. Or that they believe in flooding preschools with marijuana smoke to keep the kids calm. Or that they keep a bazooka in the trunk of their car.

And that’s just the way it is. Some things come with accessories – Barbie dolls are one and Ph.D.s are another. You just have to learn to live with it. This is why I have a much higher tolerance for eccentric beliefs in outside speakers for my ministry if they have a doctorate. I expect the crazy. I actually welcome the crazy – it keeps things interesting.

So if you are my friend and are in pursuit of a Ph.D., know that I love you and that I won’t be distressed when you turn crazy in a few years.

And if you already have your Ph.D., just remember that I know. Somewhere deep in the recesses of your brain is an idea. I don’t know what it is. I don’t even know what it’s about. But I know it is so insane that your family has tried to slip pharmaceuticals into your meals on more than one occasion, which is why you only eat foods that are translucent. Which is crazy.

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First Day of Kindergarten

2009-08-25T21:23:53+00:00

Today was Dana’s first day of Kindergarten.

We have been gearing up for this day for several weeks now. Grandmas shopped for school supplies, backpacks and clothes. I took her to the store to buy the ever important first day of school outfit. (I remember pick out my back to school outfit each year).

Yesterday we went to get the start of school haircut. We made it special by stopping at the coffee shop for Dana to get a cup of hot chocolate. Then off to the grocery store to get the first day of school food. I let Dana pick out her favorites for all of the meals.

Breakfast: Pancakes with blackberries in them and whip cream on top, and juice to drink

Lunch: Sandwiches with fancy toothpicks in them. this meal was all about the toothpicks.

Dinner: Pizza with ice cream

After getting the groceries we laid out the clothes for the first day. We then packed her backpack and went to bed for a good nights rest.

She woke up excited and ready to go. I woke up excited and somewhat ready to go. Very excited for all of the new and fun experiences she will have.

I was a little sad that life will never be the same again. She will never again have the kind of freedom that she did before starting school. Her life will now be spent and influenced by other people more than Glen and I.

We went to school a little early so that she could play on the play ground and get used to being there. When the bell rank she went to line up by her room. It is the only time she looked concerned. I reassured her that she would be fine and have a great time. The teacher had them hang their backpacks, get their name tags and then go play. Dana followed all the directions except putting on her name tag.

Teacher: Dana can you put your name tag on.

Dana: No thank you, I already know my name.

After this I knew that Dana would be fine at school so I left.

When I picked her up she was very excited. When I asked how the day went she said “Great! No SUPER GREAT! Can I come back tomorrow and everyday after?”

Yes Dana everyday for the next 12 years. I hope she keeps up the same level of excitement for all 12 years.

Freshmen Re:Orientation: Essentials to a Meaningful College Life

2009-08-24T16:19:00+00:00

A free Bible study from Threads Media for college freshmen.

They will eat just about anything.

2009-08-23T14:39:52+00:00

For the most part my kids are good eaters. Some times they will surprise me and eat things that I would never have expected. Like the lettuce raps I made for lunch the other day.

The other morning I made oatmeal for breakfast. We normally have oatmeal for breakfast but for some reason on this day it was as if I put mud cakes in front of them. No one wanted to eat it but me. Then I pulled out one of my greatest parenting tricks, Food Coloring. A few drops of food coloring or a few shacks of sprinkles and they will eat that mud cake.

Dana wanted Red and Xander wanted Blue. They at it all and asked for more when they were done. It is amazing what a little color will do.

The Deceptiveness of Sin — Deeper Than You Thought

2009-08-19T17:00:10+00:00

Simon M. Lahama, Adam L. Alterb, and Geoffrey P. Goodwinc report a surprising result in “Easy on the mind, easy on the wrongdoer: Discrepantly fluent violations are deemed less morally wrong” Cognition, Volume 112, Issue 3, September 2009, pages 462–466.

From the paper:

Participants completed a questionnaire in which they read six vignettes describing various moral violations: ‘Punch’ (one man punches another in a bar), ‘Flag’ (teacher burns Australian flag in class), ‘Dog’ (family eats its dead dog), ‘Deface’ (man defaces a memorial), ‘Hitler’ (man taunts Jewish sports fans with Hitler imitation), ‘Kiss’ (brother and sister kiss passionately).

Each of the participants read three of the stories in an easy-to-read format and the other three in a harder-to-read format.

In the words of the authors:

…discrepant perceptual fluency decreased perceptions of wrongness compared to discrepant disfluency. Further, and consistent with effects of discrepant fluency on truth judgments (Hansen et al., 2008), it seems that this difference is accounted for by fluent processing decreasing, rather than disfluent processing increasing, perceptions of wrongness.

In normal English: people thought that immoral choices were less serious when they were easy to read about. In theological terms, they excused sin because of how good it looked (or more precisely based upon how easy it was to understand). Apparently cleanliness is next to godliness (or at least legibility is next to living right).

So the next time you have something to confess, be sure to print it on nice paper and use a laser printer. It just might give you the edge you need.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jer 17:9)

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Where Should Prospective Ministers Go To College?

2009-08-18T22:19:08+00:00

C. Michael Patton over at Parchment and Pen (one of my favorite blogs), recently offered some thoughts on entering ministry. He made a statement that has always seemed like common sense to me, but that I know many people find objectionable:

If possible, go to a secular university for undergrad and an Evangelical seminary for your masters. You need exposure to both.

I’ve long been mystified that as a matter of course we isolate prospective ministers from their culture for 4 years (more if they go to seminary afterwards). Surely there’s a case to be made for taking our prospective young ministers and forcing them to solidify their own faith and also minister to their peers in a secular setting. Let them prove that they can be both faithful and fruitful before they invest time and money in education that is useless outside of ministry.

I’m sure a Bible college is the ideal route for some people, but it seems to me that we should highlight secular schools as a viable option. It’s certainly borne good fruit for the Pentecostal movement and the impact in the larger evangelical world is even more impressive (Tim Keller, anyone?).

I suppose the most common objection is that secular colleges are harmful to faith, but that’s just not true. And even if it was, I don’t think it would matter that much. If someone who is planning to enter ministry can’t handle Intro to Sociology or the campus beerfest, then I really don’t want them preaching the gospel. They’re a time bomb waiting to explode and take others with them.

But someone who can thrive spiritually at a secular university and make a difference for Christ on campus… give that person a robust theological education and then turn them loose in the pulpit!

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Evaluating Sermons

2009-08-17T16:25:57+00:00

I evaluate a lot of sermons. I don’t just mean that I listen to sermons and decide whether I like them or not – everyone who goes to church does that. I mean that I professionally evaluate sermons and give formal feedback to the preacher. Some I evaluate in my role as a ministry trainer and others I evaluate in my role on a preaching team (before one of us preaches we preach the sermon to each other and get feedback on how to strengthen it).

So I’ve thought about this a lot. Most sermon evaluation forms you find on the internet and at seminaries are not very helpful because they measure too many things.

These were the top hits when I googled for “sermon evaluation forms”
Calvin Seminary’s (30 questions)
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s Form for Ministry Interns (41 questions)
Reformed Baptist Seminary’s (35 questions).

Do all the things these long forms ask about matter? A little. But using that to evaluate a sermon is like evaluating your church’s statement of faith based on its grammar. It sort of misses the point. Of course you want a statement of faith that is grammatical, but if its content is sketchy then every moment spent improving its grammar is wasted time. Sinfully wasted time.

In the same way, focusing on the superficials of a sermon when the underlying content is bogus is ridiculous. I realize that’s not the intent of these forms, but that is what they encourage.

So this is the form I use:

Pointers (what should I change?)

Keepers (what was so good I should be sure not to take it out)?

That’s it – two questions. I sometimes do it on a 3×5 index card. Keepers on the front, pointers on the back (a tip I got from Earl Creps).

And this is the grid I’m putting it through:
1) Was Christ proclaimed clearly?
2) Was the sermon Biblically sound?
3) Was it interesting?
4) Did it ask me to do something appropriate in response?

I try to never give them more than three pointers and three keepers, and I try to be as specific as possible.

There are lots of other aspects of a sermon I could nitpick, but if the person is preaching an interesting, Biblically sound sermon that exalts Christ and challenges me to obey Him then they’re doing fabulous. Why would I nitpick them at that point? To demoralize them? To clone my habits (“at this point I would have told a joke – you should tell a joke”)?

Anyway, this post probably wasn’t relevant to most of you. But for those of you who have to evaluate preaching on a regular basis, I hope I’ve given you some food for thought.

And to those in my ministry, now you know what I’m trying to do when I prepare a sermon: proclaim the good news of Jesus in a way that is faithful to the Biblical text I’m working with in an interesting way that challenges you to wholeheartedly respond. From time to time, be sure to let me know how I’m doing.

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Jacob Goldman rocks

2009-08-13T19:35:28+00:00

I recently updated the Recommended Reading Google Shared Items plugin for Wordpress to the latest version and it stopped working.

I contacted Jacob Goldman, the plugin developer, who went above and beyond the call of duty to help me fix the problem. The issue was all on my end, and he helped me straighten it out quickly.

The man deserves a shout-out.

To Jacob: consider yourself shouted out. Or shout outed. Or something.

To the rest of the world: if you need a web developer check out the company he works for C. Murray Consulting. I can attest that they’ve got excellent customer-service skills and know what they’re doing.

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Roku Rocks

2009-08-05T13:00:05+00:00

For Paula’s birthday I bought her a little device called the Roku Digital Video Player. Basically, it takes Netflix streaming videos and displays them on your television.

This is very good for us since we don’t have any television service. When we moved into our new place a year ago we decided that our cable bill was 90% waste, so we cancelled it and we watch television series on DVD through Netflix or on the computer now.

So I bought this Roku device which takes the 12,000 or so streaming videos available on Netflix (and the 40,000 or so available on Amazon as pay-per-view) and lets you watch them on your normal television.

The Roku box is amazing. It only does one thing and it does it well. The images are crisp, the audio is clear, and the interface is very easy to use. In my opinion, the videos display much better than they ever did on my laptop or our desktop computer.

If you use Netflix and ever watch streaming videos, you should seriously consider the Roku. It rocks.

And it costs less than a few months of cable – even when you combine it with your monthly Netflix bill.

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Why don’t you blog?

2009-08-02T02:30:04+00:00

It have been asked why I don’t make regular blog post any more. It is not because I am lacking material to write about. I have tons of photos to share, so that is not the problem. So why don’t I blog.

* For the last 6 weeks I have been working full-time. I have been teaching Jr. High kids how to cook. Lots of stories to share from this experience.

* I need a new lap top. Any time I start to do something my computer has taken to shutting its self off. Just up and dies.

* But the number one reason I do not blog on a regular basis is my children. Just in the time that I have written this short post I have had to get up 3 times to parent them. Once to change the sheets because while I was typing a cup of chocolate milk made it to a bed and was split all over.

So to those of you who want to know why I do not blog on a regular basis, here is my defense. I have to go someone is jumping on the bed, I again am called into duty.

Holding ALL Your Places: Making a Multi-threaded Bookmark | DIY Planner

2009-07-25T15:50:54+00:00

What a brilliant idea!

Do Elite Colleges Produce the Best-Paid Graduates?

2009-07-22T16:49:30+00:00

Fascinating little article exploring the initial median salary and the mid-career median salary for graduates from a wide range of institutions and majors.

New English Translation of the Septuagint: Electronic Ediiton

2009-07-02T16:13:41+00:00

A very fresh (2007) scholarly English translation of the Septuagint in free PDFs.

International Students Yesterday - Foreign Leaders Today

2009-07-01T17:34:44+00:00

The list of foreign leaders trained at American universities is long and impressive. This is one of the simplest demonstrations that university ministry is missions. Touch the campus and you touch the world.

Biblical e-Sources from Theodore Hildebrandt

2009-06-24T13:41:34+00:00

Dozens of exegetical and theological journal articles available as pdf, doc, and html. Many out-of-copyright books as well.

Dana was the Valedictorian of her Preschool Class

2009-06-15T01:56:03+00:00

Ok not really, but since no one else claimed the spot we just decided that she would have been the valedictorian if the preschool gave out such honors. It’s the shotgun rule of valedictoritude.

This Saturday was the graduation ceremony for Dana’s preschool class. The walked in wearing caps and gowns, while pomp and circumstance played. The class sat on the stage in colored chairs with big balloons tied on to them. The students sang two songs and recited a poem.

Dana was very proud of herself.

Xander could have cared less. He just wanted one of the balloons.

Dad did his duty by taking pictures. Even though he thinks “Preschool Graduation” is an oxymoron.

Mom did her part by crying. I really should not be allowed at this events. I am an embarrassment to myself and those who know me.

You can view more photos of the graduation by visiting our photo album.

Mark Regnerus -- Freedom to Marry Young - washingtonpost.com

2009-06-09T16:56:51+00:00

Marrying in your twenties is a better idea than our culture tells us, especially for ladies.

Figures of Speech - Teach a Kid to Argue

2009-06-07T03:40:22+00:00

Yes, yes, and yes. Amen.

Tell Us How You Really Feel, Don…

2009-06-04T20:26:40+00:00

I was just reading an essay by D. A. Carson, “Worship Under The Word“.

Carson is, in my estimation, one of the greatest biblical scholars in the world today. And I don’t just say that because he loves university ministry. Approximately one gazillion (rounding up from three hundred and forty-four) of his writings are available for free online. They’re worth reading. Or at least saving to your hard drive so you can find them when you search your computer using Google Desktop…

Anyway, in footnote 39 on page 47 of this essay, he makes a rather pointed observation. I have bolded my favorite line.

Perhaps this is the place to reflect on the fact that many contemporary “worship leaders” have training in music but none in Bible, theology, history, or the like. When pressed as to the criteria by which they choose their music, many of these leaders finally admit that their criteria oscillate between personal preference and keeping the congregation reasonably happy—scarcely the most profound criteria in the world. They give little or no thought to covering the great themes of Scripture, or the great events of Scripture, or the range of personal response to God found in the Psalms (as opposed to covering the narrow themes of being upbeat and in the midst of “worship”), or the nature of biblical locutions (in one chorus the congregation manages to sing “holy” thirty-six times, while three are enough for Isaiah and John of the Apocalypse), or the central historical traditions of the church, or anything else of weight. If such leaders operate on their own with little guidance or training or input from senior pastors, the situation commonly degenerates from the painful to the pitiful.

Heh. Heh. Heh.

I would “heh” more, but apparently three times is enough.

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Christianity, China, and College Students

2009-06-01T19:58:06+00:00

I just read an interesting article

about Christianity in China. The emphasis of the piece is on the dominance of Reformed theology in Chinese Christianity, but I was struck by the comments on the role of universities in the revival.

And in China, the place where Calvinism is spreading fastest is the elite universities, fuelled by prodigies of learning and translation. Wang Xiaochao, a philosopher at one of the Beijing universities, has translated the two major works of St Augustine, the Confessions and the City of God, into Chinese directly from Latin. Gradually all the major works of the first centuries of the Christian tradition are being translated directly from the original languages into Chinese.

All of this is happening outside the control of the official body which is supposed to monitor and supervise the churches in China. Instead, it is the philosophy departments at the universities, or the language departments and the departments of literature and western civilisation that are the channel.

“The [officially recognised] churches are not happy with universities, because it is not within their control. And their seminaries are not at the intellectual level of the universities,” says Dr Tan. “Chinese Christianity using Chinese to do Christian thinking has become a very interesting movement.”

And

If [May Tan] goes to preach at an official church, she says, “There will be perhaps 1000 people and 95% of them are over 65. So it’s a sunset church. But if I went to house church – there would be 1000 people; perhaps 20 of them in their 50s, and all the rest are youngsters. The older ones will all be professors at the universities. So these are the future of the churches. They have registered pastors, and no access to seminaries: But they have youth, and future, and money.”

And later on

“Very soon”, said Dr Tan, “Christians will become the majority of university students… that could happen.”

May it come to pass.matrix the divx download

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Nav Resources

2009-06-01T15:17:53+00:00

Free Bible studies and other resources for college ministry by someone affiliated with The Navigators.

Juvenile Delinquent Grows Up to Become Rhodes Scholar | Guideposts

2009-05-30T01:28:57+00:00

I know this guy (he was part of my ministry at Stanford) and he's awesome. This story is legit.

The Case For Working With Your Hands by Matthew Crawford - NY Times

2009-05-29T05:27:23+00:00

A simply amazing article about why "knowledge work" isn't the only work worth doing, and how it is, in certain respects, markedly inferior to what used to be called "good, honest work".

25 And Over: Tomato Nation

2009-05-26T23:05:12+00:00

Excellent guide for living like a grown up. If you're out of college (or decently far into your Ph.D. program), read this.

College Ministry and Wolfram Alpha

2009-05-24T03:39:37+00:00

Wolfram Alpha is unique among search engines. It doesn’t find websites – it finds facts.

And I just realized that it has unexpected utility for those of us who think about college ministry.

For example, you can compare UC Berkeley with UC Davis

(or Harvard with CBC).

Or you can get a surprising amount of information on UC Berkeley.

Interesting stuff.machinist the divx downloadhocus pocus dvdrip download

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Where to Camp on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay Area

2009-05-21T17:54:31+00:00

Handy guide to group camping sites near campus.

A Co-Ed Dorm Room? That Wasn’t Mentioned on the College Tour - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com

2009-05-15T23:20:16+00:00

At my college, the guy's dorms and the girl's dorms were on opposite ends of campus. We weren't even allowed to visit except for a few hours a week. I can't even imagine what the Dean of Students would have said to this. The kicker: I went to a public university.

Glen and Paula Davis

An Unofficial Response to Westboro Baptist Church

What Does The Bible Require of a Church?

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99 Free Games from 2009

Why Do Christians Evangelize Instead of Just Feeding the Hungry?

My Philosophy of Rain

beware the H1XA virus

Chi Alpha Favorably Profiled In The Stanford Daily

Testimonies on Stanford faith

Free Video Countdowns

Mom will find out

How American Health Care Killed My Father | David Goldhill

Group Text Messaging

Every Ph.D. Has A Little Crazy Inside

First Day of Kindergarten

Freshmen Re:Orientation: Essentials to a Meaningful College Life

They will eat just about anything.

The Deceptiveness of Sin — Deeper Than You Thought

Where Should Prospective Ministers Go To College?

Evaluating Sermons

Jacob Goldman rocks

Other Companies Should Have To Read This Internal Netflix Presentation

Roku Rocks

Why don’t you blog?

Holding ALL Your Places: Making a Multi-threaded Bookmark | D*I*Y Planner

Do Elite Colleges Produce the Best-Paid Graduates?

New English Translation of the Septuagint: Electronic Ediiton

International Students Yesterday - Foreign Leaders Today

Biblical e-Sources from Theodore Hildebrandt

Dana was the Valedictorian of her Preschool Class

Mark Regnerus -- Freedom to Marry Young - washingtonpost.com

Figures of Speech - Teach a Kid to Argue

Tell Us How You Really Feel, Don…

Christianity, China, and College Students

Nav Resources

Juvenile Delinquent Grows Up to Become Rhodes Scholar | Guideposts

The Case For Working With Your Hands by Matthew Crawford - NY Times

25 And Over: Tomato Nation

College Ministry and Wolfram Alpha

Where to Camp on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay Area

A Co-Ed Dorm Room? That Wasn’t Mentioned on the College Tour - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com

Holding ALL Your Places: Making a Multi-threaded Bookmark | DIY Planner