Understanding how the Lordship of Jesus Christ extends to all areas of life.
John Piper and Rick Warren
Rick Warren is one of the most famous preachers of our day. He is the author of the runaway NY Times best-seller, The Purpose-Driven Life.
Rick Warren has given a lot of interviews over the years, and a number of them have gotten him in some hot water, including his controversial appearances on Larry King Live and Colbert Nation with Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central (not to mention his prayer at President Barack Obama’s inauguration). In those interviews, Warren seems to like building bridges with people and enjoys being everyone’s buddy. He doesn’t seem to be able to handle either fastballs up and in, or sliders low and away.
However, John Piper, another of today’s most popular preachers, met with Rick Warren to “rehabilitate the witness” as they say in court. Piper gives Warren pitches to hit and asks him very direct questions to help Warren clarify what he really thinks and believes about doctrine (a topic that we don’t often associate with Rick Warren, by his own admission). I encourage you to check this out and allow Rick to address his views in context, and in a less hostile setting than a rapid-fire, sound-byte interview. I hope you benefit from this discussion:
Francis Chan is writing a new book about hell. As the book won’t be out until July 5th, I have not yet read it and therefore can’t endorse it. However, I was impressed with what he had to say on this video, and I would encourage you to hear his thoughts. As he says, we can’t afford to get this issue wrong.
Copyright 1999
Crossway Books
ISBN: 0-8423-1808-9
ISBN: 978-1-59644-336-5 (Audio Book)
This book is the follow up to the bestselling book that Nancy wrote with Charles Colson entitled, “How Now Shall We Live?“. Total Truth is a kind of magnum opus for Nancy Pearcey who has spent many years writing essays on the topics of Science and Philosophy.
Total Truth sets out to answer the following question, “Does Christianity have a legitimate role to play in the public realm of politics, business, law and education?” She delves into the notion of the Sacred/Secular Dichotomy, which relegates civic matters to the secular sphere and religious matters to the private sphere of personal experience. This split has created a whole generation of schizophrenic Christians who try to balance their personal religious “faith” which includes church on Sunday and prayers at meals, with the entire rest of their life (which is largely dominated by anti-Christian philosophies and practices).
The goal of this book is integrity and cohesiveness in our worldview. Nancy provides a wonderful historical background to the ideas she discusses, giving strong evidence from reason, scripture and historical evidence that the Christian faith cannot be contained to merely a private, personal expression. It must work its way into every area of life.
If you like Chuck Colson or Francis Schaeffer (she was a student at L’Abri in Switzerland as a teenager), you are going to really enjoy and benefit from this book. As a final note, Nancy proves beyond any doubt that women can be power-house intellectuals. Thanks Nancy for such a great book.
On a scale of 1-5, I’d give this a 4.0 overall.
574 pages.
Congressman Rand Paul discusses how we have exchanged our Liberty for Security:
Exchanging Liberty for Security always ends in Tyranny.
Bob Dylan
Today is Bob Dylan‘s 70th birthday. The outspoken “prophet” of the turbulent 1960′s has never ceased to be an enigma to many of his friends, and adversaries.
During the “Jesus Movement” Dylan found his way into a California Vineyard church and began studying the Bible. Dylan attended a course held at the Vineyard School of Discipleship, which ran four days a week over the course of three months.
“At first I said, ‘There’s no way I can devote three months to this,’” Dylan would say in a 1980 interview. “‘I’ve got to be back on the road soon.’ But I was sleeping one day and I just sat up in bed at seven in the morning and I was compelled to get dressed and drive over to the Bible school.”
I remember growing up listening to Dylan’s gospel albums (yes, those black vinyl discs that look like frisbees), bank in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s. It’s amazing how bold and direct his message was. Especially now as we are swimming in Postmodern uncertainty, it is refreshing to hear a voice of clarity promoting moral absolutes. Dylan proclaimed:
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
I mean, think of what a radical thing it must have been for the hippie generation to hear their icon declaring:
I was blinded by the devil
Born already ruined
Stone-cold dead
As I stepped out of the womb
By His grace I have been touched
By His word I have been healed
By His hand I’ve been delivered
By His spirit I’ve been sealedI’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
That’s telling it straighter than most preachers today! Dylan was booed by his fans and concert attendance dropped off dramatically. Dylan once lamented:
Years ago they … said I was a prophet. I used to say, “No I’m not a prophet” they say “Yes you are, you’re a prophet.” I said, “No it’s not me.” They used to say “You sure are a prophet.” They used to convince me I was a prophet. Now I come out and say Jesus Christ is the answer. They say, “Bob Dylan’s no prophet.” They just can’t handle it.
Somewhere in the mid-1980′s Dylan became disillusioned with at least institutional Christianity and distanced himself from public proclamations of faith. Regardless of Dylan’s own personal faith (or lack of it) today, he has left a body of work exploring the Christian faith that is well worth considering.
Don’t let me change my heart
Keep me set apart
From all the plans they do pursue
And I, I don’t mind the pain
Don’t mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
’Cause I believe in you
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker who writes on cultural issues from a Biblical worldview.
