Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Practical Theology

Mediums

by

Chapter 8 of this book is entitled “Mediums”:

John Dyer. From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011. [endorsements]

“The message is the content we transmit from our minds to our audience, while everything that surrounds those words can be considered a medium.” Mediums may include “an email, a handwritten note, a phone call, a Facebook wall post, or any other tool we use to communicate” (p. 117).

Dyer makes three arguments about mediums (pp. 117–31):

  1. “Mediums communicate meaning.” This is evident “in the way we use various communication mediums: formality, difficulty, and speed.”
  2. “Mediums create culture (and cultural divides).”
  3. “Mediums shape thinking.” Two examples: printing press and photography.

Related: Among other things, John Dyer maintains the extraordinarily useful “Best Commentaries” site.

Equipping Counselors

by

This book releases today:

Robert W. Kellemen. Equipping Counselors for Your Church: The 4E Ministry Training Strategy. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed, 2011.

It’s endorsed by Paul Tripp, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Ed Welch, and several others.

Kellemen’s 4 E’s:

  1. Envisioning God’s Ministry
  2. Enlisting God’s Ministers for Ministry
  3. Equipping Godly Ministers for Ministry
  4. Empowering/Employing Godly Ministers for Ministry

More info (including a video and endorsements) here.

This May Explain Why Some People Are So Left-brained

by

Brian Hand, Upright Downtime: Making Wise Choices about Entertainment (Biblical Discernment for Difficult Issues; Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 2008), 5–6:

Entertainment is not simply an activity that rests the mind, since many forms of leisure exercise the mind to some extent. For example, in arguing the dangers of television, video games, and music, some writers exaggerate the mental atrophy that occurs. While it is true that these media tend to relax the rational and cognitive processes of the mind (the left hemisphere), they actually tend to strengthen the emotional, subjective, and reactive centers of the brain (the right hemisphere).

Hand,

Book Giveaway: Thriving at College

by

I recommended Alex Chediak’s Thriving at College  back in March. It would benefit older high school students, college students, parents, professors, and pastors.

Since it’s back-to-school season, Alex Chediak is giving away ten copies of Thriving at College to pastors and student ministers (with free shipping in the USA). You may enter his drawing by sending him a private note by Monday, September 12. Include “Pastor Giveaway” in the subject line and your church’s mailing address.

Post-Tithing

by

Another debate-book from B&H:

David A. Croteau, ed. Perspectives on Tithing: Four Views. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2011. 193 pp.

Here are the four views:

  1. Ken Hemphill and Bobby Eklund, “The Foundations of Giving.” Argument: “Tithing [10%] is the foundational base from which believers can and must be challenged to become grace-givers” (p. 20).
  2. David A. Croteau, “The Post-Tithing View: Giving in the New Covenant.” Argument: “The Levitical tithe, the festival tithe, and the charity tithe are no longer binding on Christians because they are fulfilled” (p. 80). The NT explains how Christians should give (see below).
  3. Reggie Kidd, “Tithing in the New Covenant? ‘Yes’ as Principle, ‘No’ as Casuistry.” Argument: “I do believe, with Hemphill, Eklund, and North, and against Croteau, that the shape of redemption means the principle of tithing carries over into the new covenant era. I believe, with Croteau and against Hemphill, Eklund, and North, that the casuistry of the tithe does not” (p. 56).
  4. Gary North, “The Covenantal Tithe.” Argument: “The tithe is 10 percent of your net income—no more, no less. You should feel guilty if you do not tithe. You should not feel guilty if you do tithe” (p. 51).

Here’s a free PDF of the book’s introduction.

Croteau’s view is most persuasive. Here are two tables from the end of his essay:

[Read more…] about Post-Tithing

Courageous

by

Last weekend my wife and I watched the film Courageous, which opens at 900 theaters nationwide on September 30.

Trailer

About the Film

Thoughts

  1. This is the best of the four films that Sherwood Pictures has produced in terms of filming, acting, and storyline.
  2. It focuses on multiple aspects of fatherhood and depicts that weighty responsibility as a high calling. It makes a strong counter-cultural statement about fathers courageously leading their homes rather than selfishly abdicating their responsibility. [Read more…] about Courageous

Performer vs. Herald?

by

I recently read this book:

Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. Communicating for a Change. Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2006.

It’s filled with insights about public speaking in general, so it’s worth reading even if you deeply disagree with it at points along the way.

The book compares preachers to performers. In one sense there’s something to that since both preachers and performers—whether stand-up comedians or actors on a stage—must engage their audience. And to their credit, the authors qualify that “acting and preaching are a bit different” (p. 134).

But this is a good example of how a controlling metaphor can slant an argument. Why not choose the metaphor of a herald (κῆρυξ)? After all, the New Testament itself uses that metaphor in 1 Tim 2:7 and 2 Tim 1:11 (not to mention the 61 occurrences of the main verb for preaching: κηρύσσω).