Now for something completely different...

Wow I've been busy traveling and going to weddings and getting ready to move. Eventually, I'll get back to more regular posting. Here's something to keep you entertained in the meantime:

Battle for Western Civilization

Over at the Ligonier Ministries website, Gene Edward Veith looks back on a historic battle between Muslims and Christians for control of Europe. By asking "What if the Muslims won?", Veith considers the huge impact of our Christian heritage and praises God for his sovereignty over that battle.

"Hope in Real Life"

I've been listening to a lot of sermons lately, and here is one that really impressed me. Pastor Matt Chandler of the Village Church in Texas preaches about John the Baptist in "Hope in Real Life" from May 25, 2008. You can follow the links and find it in the church media archives, or download it as a podcast from iTunes. Either way, check it out.

God's Humilty and Our Pride

One more quote from Wells.

Scripture is not only authoritative. It is the Word of God. It is the way God, in all his magnificent glory, as it were, hides himself in very human words in order that we might be able to stand in his presence, listen to him, and learn. It speaks to his humility that his greatness should be so cloaked that we can bear it. It speaks to our pride that we have turned away from hearing him, abandoning serious preaching in our churches. (230)

More from David Wells

Here is another quote from The Courage to Be Protestant. Wells is making a case for the importance of the objective reality of a transcendent God and His holiness, as well as the subjective reality of an immanent God and His love. When we lose the objective reality of a transcendent God, we lose the power of the Gospel. And what power it is!

What we see at the cross is the white-hot revelation of the character of God, of his love providing the price that his holiness requires. The cross was his means of redeeming lost sinners and reconciling them to himself, but it was also a profound disclosure of his mercy. It is, in Paul's words, an "inexpressible gift" that leads us to wonder and worship, to praise and adore the God who has given himself to us in this way. This is what has led people to give themselves away, too, too give of themselves in service to others, to go to the mission field. It is what has impelled Christian believers to give of their substance, and to reach out in acts of mercy to those who need it, and in acts of courage against the injustices in society.

There is a deep connection between the way we see the Gospel and the way we live our lives. This is why doctrine is important, why we study and preach theology. Not to argue obscure academic points, but to help us see the Gospel more clearly so that we can live lives of increasing "wonder and worship".

The Courage to Be Protestant

I just finished reading David Wells' The Courage to Be Protestant. In this book, the author distills into 250 pages the enormous research and insight that went into his previous four books. Wells evaluates the culture of (post)modern America and explores how that culture is shaping the culture of the church. As he writes in the beginning:

It takes no courage to sign up as a Protestant. After all, millions have done so throughout the West. They are not in any peril. To live by the truths of historic Protestantism, however, is an entirely different matter. That takes courage in today's context. (1)

It's one thing to call yourself a Christian, and another to live like it. The world doesn't care what you call yourself, as long as you live like the rest of the world. This takes no courage. But to live like a Christian, to live a life that is radically different from the culture around you, this takes great courage. We should identify ourselves as Christians, not just by our labels, but by our lives.