Starting the blog again?

So it's been April since I last wrote and a lot has happened since then. I've graduated high school and as I type this I sit in my dorm room at Baylor University. So now that i've moved in and will start classes on monday I am starting to think that I should start posting regularly again. So check back within the next week or so and hopefully I'll have something for ya'll to chew on.

Tim Keller Talking About Diversity Between Scriptural Authors on What the Gospel Is

This is Tim Keller at the "Dwell: Urban Church Planting Conference" from last year. In this session he talks about the three different versions of the gospel found in the New Testament. While affirming that there is but one gospel he recognizes the diversity between the synoptics gospels, John's gospel and Paul when describing and defining the gospel. Rather than slipping into relativism Tim Keller attempts to reconcile and embrace the tension between these three different versions of the same gospel.

Enjoy!

Book Review: How to Be Evangelical Without Being Conservative by Roger Olsen

Roger Olsen is a favorite author amongst those in the emergent movement and possibly the most vocal proponent of classical arminianism, meaning he follows slightly more after Arminius than Wesley. He is to the emergent's as Piper is to the new calvinists and has written numerous books on theology and the church while serving as a professor of theology at Truett Theological Seminary down in Waco, Texas. I have also read two of his other books, Arminian Theology, which was his defense and explanation of arminianism, as well as his book, The Mosaic of Christian Belief, which covers the variety and diversity of what Christians have believed since the first century.

Because of my previous experience with Olsen's work, I was not hopefully about a book in which he tackles the political implications of scripture and the gospel. However I was pleasantly surprised with this book. The first thing to understand about Olsen's book is that he uses the term "conservative" in the way that the media most often describes a "conservative" evangelical, which is essentially a fundamentalist. He, meaning Olsen, views "conservative" Christians as people who because they are Christians vote republican. People who believe just as much in the spirit and vitality of America as they do in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What Olsen wants to do with this book is challenge evangelicals to really wrestle and struggle with what our place in the politics of the world is. He wants us to use scripture alone as the basis for not only our christian faith but also and rather naturally our political views.

To be sure the nature of this book is likely to infuriate some readers while pleasantly surprising others, like myself. Interestingly, I have found that on matters of doctrine and theology, especially regarding salvation, Olsen and I are on two different teams. His being arminianism and mine being the reformed tradition. However when it came to the issues addressed in this book I was surprised and joyous to find that I landed very near Olsen on many of these issues.

As a whole Roger Olsen's book is an informative and challenging book that would be valuable to evangelicals of all theological camps. But most important to remember about this book is that Olsen does not wish to critique conservative Bible believing christians. His goal is to push against the more pharisaical fundamentalism that is so prevalent within American Evangelicalism.

New Books!!!!

My Desiring God order from last week just got here! Last Friday I ordered two books, Finally Alive, Piper's new book on regeneration, which I am very excited to start reading and Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, which is a collection of writings from 25 past and present theologians, ranging from Augustine to Luther to Piper, on the subject of Easter and the resurrection. Along with those two books, I also bought some discipleship and evangelism resources from Desiring God, In Our Joy, a pocket-sized discipleship book, and For Your Joy, a pocket-sized evangelism book. Both of these books are small but by far the best bang for your buck, that I've found, in the way of books to give away, except for the Bible of course. I recommend them to anyone and everyone. I personally bought 15 of each book and only spent $15, for 30 outreach books, mind you. Depending on how many you buy the price per book goes down and I have linked the book names with the Desiring God web pages.

By the way, I am hoping to have a scriptural exposition finished and posted by sometime early next week as well as a book review of How to Be Evangelical Without Being Conservative, by Roger Olsen, sometime later in the week.

Thanks for reading and God Bless.

Poking Fun at the Emergent Crowd

While looking over Chris Shanks' blog "For the Time is Coming..." I found this link, it will take you to a website devoted to making funny posters that poke fun at the new liberals, the "Emergents." Or whatever they want to be called nowadays (they seem to dislike labels very much. haha!)

Just to be clear I consider myself to be emerging (not emergent), missional and reformed. Much like Mark Driscoll. If you aren't familiar with the difference between "Emerging" and "Emergent" I have posted this youtube video of Driscoll explaining them below. Enjoy!