Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Practical Theology

This May Explain Why Some People Are So Left-brained

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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,

Post-Tithing

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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

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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?

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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).

Every Life Has a Story

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This is a Chick-fil-A training video for their employees.

Dan Cathy, president and Chief Operation Officer at Chick-fil-A, writes this about the video:

“Every life has a story . . . if we only bother to read it.”

A video we created to remind us that everyone we interact with is a chance to create a remarkable experience.

How much more does this way of viewing people apply to Christ-followers?

Twelve Reasons to Give Up Porn

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Tim Chester, Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free  (Downers Grove: IVP, 2010), 17–35:

  1. Porn wrecks your view of sex.
  2. Porn wrecks your view of women.
  3. Porn wrecks women’s view of themselves.
  4. The porn industry abuses women.
  5. Porn is a sin against your wife. . . . If you’re not yet married, porn is a sin against your future wife.
  6. Porn wrecks families.
  7. Porn is enslaving.
  8. Porn erodes your character.
  9. Porn wastes your time, energy, and money.
  10. Porn weakens your relationship with God.
  11. Porn weakens your service.
  12. God’s wrath is against people who use porn.

Chester expounds on the above twelve reasons when explaining the first of what he calls five key “ingredients in the battle against porn”: [Read more…] about Twelve Reasons to Give Up Porn

The Myth of Mutual Submission

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“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21).

This 11-page chapter (available for free as a PDF) concisely and convincingly explains why the phrase “mutual submission” is unhelpful at best:

Wayne Grudem, “The Myth of Mutual Submission as an Interpretation of Ephesians 5:21,” in Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood  (ed. Wayne Grudem; Foundations for the Family Series; Wheaton: Crossway, 2002), 221–31.

Outline: [Read more…] about The Myth of Mutual Submission

Resources on Church Planting

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This 121-page paperback came out in March:

Graham Beynon, Planting for the Gospel: A Hands-on Guide to Church Planting. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2011. [Endorsements]

Beynon recommends six books on the church and church planting (pp. 119–20):

  1. Timothy J. Keller and J. Allen Thompson. Redeemer Church Planter Manual. Available from Redeemer Church Planting Center.
  2. Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.
  3. David Stroud. Planting Churches, Changing Communities. Milton Keynes: Authentic, 2009.
  4. Steve Timmis, ed. Multiplying Churches: Reaching Today’s Communities through Church Planting. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2000.
  5. Mike McKinley. Church Planting Is for Wimps: How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things. IX Marks. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.
  6. Graham Beynon. God’s New Community: New Testament Patterns for Today’s Church. Leicester: IVP, 2005.