Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Practical Theology

What Makes a Person Beautiful

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Two quotes from John Piper:

1. “How Shall People Be Saved? Part 1,” a sermon preached to Bethlehem Baptist Church on June 1, 2003 (transcript of the audio from 12:22 to 12:51; not in the manuscript):

There are a lot of women—probably some in this church—who spend a lot of time on their hair and a lot of time on their eyes and a lot of time on their lips and a lot of time on their clothes and their feet and don’t spend any time on becoming beautiful. . . . This [i.e., Rom 10:13–21] is a text about what makes a person beautiful.

2. “Her Body, Her Self, and Her God,” Taste & See, October 28, 1997:

Expressing God, not self, is what a godly woman wants to do. Excessive preoccupation with figure and hair and complexion is a sign that self, not God, has moved to the center. With God at the center—like the “sun,” satisfying a woman’s longings for beauty and greatness and truth and love—all the “planets” of food and dress and exercise and cosmetics and posture and countenance will stay in their proper orbit.

One of my prayers: “Lord, may my three daughters grow up to be as beautiful as their mother.”

Related:

  1. John Piper, “Feminine Beauty in God’s Eyes,” Ask Pastor John, Episode 268, January 31, 2014.
  2. True Beauty

How to Grade Papers

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Update on 5/24/2016: For the last few years I’ve been using this grading rubric for research papers, and I think it works well. It’s based on a 10-point scale (90–100 = A, 80–89 = B, etc.).

grade_rubric

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Mark Boda prepared this rubric for grading written assignments:

grading

Grading papers is obviously more subjective than grading multiple choice or true/false, and Boda’s criteria help make the process a little more objective.

tocThe table is from p. 87 of this book:

Stanley E. Porter, ed. Those Who Can, Teach: Teaching as Christian Vocation. McMaster General Series 3. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2013.

Just because a person earned a PhD doesn’t mean that they can teach well. (Many of us have painful personal anecdotes from our experiences as students!) [Read more…] about How to Grade Papers

True Beauty

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trueSix years ago my wife recommended three books by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters.

At the end of this month another one releases:

Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre. True Beauty. Wheaton: Crossway, 2014. 125 pp. 22-page PDF sample.

This book is for ladies, but I read it because I love and lead my wife and three little daughters. This is going to become an increasingly big deal as my daughters get older, and I want to shepherd them well. [Read more…] about True Beauty

Church Essentials (DVD) with Mark Dever

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essentialsI love Mark Dever’s resources on the church, so I’m not sure why I don’t recall hearing about Church Essentials, which Lifeway published in 2012.

The Leader Kit includes two DVDs, which feature six thoughtful interviews with Mark Dever. Mark is incredibly gifted at speaking off-the-cuff clearly, directly, wisely, and winsomely.

DVD contents:

[Read more…] about Church Essentials (DVD) with Mark Dever

Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

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Pain_SufferingI read this one slowly because it’s so rich:

Timothy Keller. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. New York: Dutton, 2013. 12-page PDF sample.

It’s probably the best overall book on suffering because it shrewdly addresses the issue from three angles:

  1. cultural
  2. biblical-theological
  3. practical

As with Keller’s other books, this brims with wisdom from decades of fruitful pastoral ministry. [Read more…] about Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

Son of God: The New Movie

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Here’s a trailer for Son of God, a movie that opens in theaters starting Friday, February 28:

Son_Of_GodThis movie abridges footage from the History Channel’s The Bible: The Epic Miniseries.

Here are 3 reasons I don’t enthusiastically recommend that.

Related:

  1. Tim Challies, “Writing Checks to Mel Gibson“
  2. Tim Challies, “Son of God Will Show Crucifixion, Not the Cross“

Update on 3/4/2014: My friend Matthew Hoskinson reviews the movie. (He pastors in Manhattan and saw an advance screening of the film that the producers hosted.)

Preparing Your Teens for College

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ChediakThis book releases on March 1:

Alex Chediak. Preparing Your Teens for College: Faith, Friends, Finances, and Much More. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2014. 64-page sample PDF. 2-minute video trailer.

Chediak’s 2011 book is for teens. This one is for their parents. Both are helpful guides.

And WTS Books has a special sale on Chediak’s book starting today. [Read more…] about Preparing Your Teens for College

What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done

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perman

Matt Perman has been working on this book for a long time, and it’s scheduled to release on March 4:

Matt Perman. What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014. 351 pp. 45-page PDF sample.

I’ve read a bit on productivity (not nearly as much as Matt), and this book is overall the most helpful one I’m aware of because it combines the best of the productivity literature (like David Allen’s Getting Things Done) with sound theology.

That’s why John Piper writes this in the foreword: [Read more…] about What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done