We’re in Austin at the Verge conference, which is just now getting underway. Pray for us in this time of reflection, rest & renewal. (Lots of the sessions are available to watch via live video stream/feed at Verge2010.org.) Won’t be blogging here or tweeting (@deTheos) during the actual sessions, but perhaps will post some thoughts on occasion. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "At the Verge", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2010/02/04/at-the-verge/" });

What do you think Christianity is? How do you read the Bible? It is quite easy to think of the Bible as a book of rules — things to DO. Yet, it is far greatest The Story of God, of His coming near to us, and in that way is not primarily about us. The Bible is about GOD. And not just facts, figures and fables — as if God were a science experiment, a idea to be calculated, quantified and categorized. In reality, God has acted in history — in this real world — and as we read Scripture we discover the stories are true, the characters are generally failures, and God is always faithful. That’s...

C.S. Lewis reminds us of our “blindspots” and why it is unhelpful to only read books from our day. The latest are not always the greatest. Here’s an excerpt from his foreword to an English translation of Athanasius’ On the Incarnation. (Find more about Athanasius, the “Father of Orthodoxy.” In this book Athanasius demonstrates the utter uniqueness of the God-Man Jesus.) Lewis gives a good reminder to read good, old books, giving a needed place to the historic voices that speak beyond their day: … Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the...

Recently I shared this quote from Matt Perman: Listening is not simply, or mainly, hearing what the other person is saying. It is thinking about what they are saying, and doing so from their point of view. Implication: This includes a willingness to be influenced by others. If you are generally unaffected by what other people say, you aren’t listening. Then I sent it to my theologian (and pastor) friend Adam. Here’s his brief biblical reflection, since he doesn’t blog himself: I like these statements, they remind me of Proverbs 18:2 and 18:13. Here are some more thoughts for the...

Every once in a while one comes across an article that both challenges (assumptions) and confirms (beliefs) that one simply must tell others about it. This weekend I read a research article of that worth. Parents of all stripes, as well as any of us who have had parents (yes, everyone) should read the cover article for the January issue of Christianity Today, “The Myth of the Perfect Parent.” It’s excellent. The subtitle gives part of the premise: “Why the best parenting techniques don’t produce Christian children.” Here’s an excerpt that notes the folly...

On the weekend after Christmas I enjoyed the opportunity to preach at our church (previous times here and here). The text was Luke 15, and I called it “The Search.” (Listen here.) Three key themes emerged from Luke 15: A deeper view of our sin // we are lost A higher view of our value // we are treasured A farther view of salvation // Jesus is the Relentless Shepherd The background was key, especially about the Pharisees. Won’t go into it here, but suffice to say they were not villains or extremists. They were the moral middle class, and they are more like us than we even realize....

Tonight’s BCS National Championship game started with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy — the most aptly-named player in the nation for position and geography — injuring his throwing shoulder. A bummer for the ‘horns who are down 24-6 at the half. McCoy and one of his opponents, Heisman trophy winning running back Mark Ingram of Alabama, have been profiled on ESPN’s “Sport Science,” which gives us a detailed scientific take on sports. One segment compared Colt McCoy’s passing ability to the accuracy required by a trained skeet shooter. Watch another segment as...

Two quotes stuck with me yesterday morning, with truth connected to identity and hope. This one from a college student whose life has been utterly transformed by Christ: “I didn’t realize it but over time my faith in Christ was shifting into some quazi self/church based faith where my only real relationship with God was intellectual… it was really lame, and it’s been a necessarily painful shift back.” There’s obviously a who context to that statement, which I won’t get into here. The growing pains are worth it. I commended this disciple to “Let...

Matt Perman writes: Listening is not simply, or mainly, hearing what the other person is saying. It is thinking about what they are saying, and doing so from their point of view. Implication: This includes a willingness to be influenced by others. If you are generally unaffected by what other people say, you aren’t listening. Do you agree? SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Listening is more than hearing", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2010/01/04/listening-is-more-than-hearing/" });

A fascinating 5 minute TED talk, “4 ways sounds affect us” Abstract: Playing sound effects both pleasant and awful, Julian Treasure shows how sound affects us in four significant ways. Listen carefully for a shocking fact about noisy open-plan offices. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "How sounds affect us", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2010/01/03/how-sounds-affect-us/" });