Matt Johnson is doing a nice series on how we should listen to music called Music for the Media Gorged. In addition to providing good advice on appreciating music, Matt is offering us a great example of thoughtful cultural engagement. Plus, the books he refers to are good!
Month: June 2009
Marriage Resources
Here are some new and old great marriage resources:
BOOKS
What Did You Expect? Paul Tripp – A to Z gospel guidance on the whole gamut of marriage
This Momentary Marriage John Piper – setting your marriage in the larger context of the glory of God and the mission of the church
Love that Lasts Riccucis – marital wisdom for a lifetime. The Riccucis are transparent and helpful.
Sacred Marriage Gary Thomas – marriage as transformation
The Mystery of Marriage Mike Mason – an inspiring, philosophical reflections on marriage that show us it is more than we have imagined!
ARTICLES
“First Year Off” (of marriage)
Richard Lovelace on What to Preach
I had been preparing to transition from a series called The Gospel and the Gospel to a new series on The Apostles Creed. I had done some preparation, broken down the summer preaching schedule, and begun to read several books on the topic. However, I sensed the Spirit directing me away from this. Not convenient. With one sermon on baptism between the series, I didn’t have a lot of time to make my decisi0n—go with Apostles Creed or follow these promptings. Despite the difficulty I chose the latter.
Dynamics of Spiritual Life
Richard Lovelace helped me make this decision. I had the great fortune of taking two classes from Lovelace before he retired from teaching as emeritus professor at Gordon-Conwell. If you haven’t read his opus Dynamics of Spiritual Life, order it today (and try to read it before finishing your second year of church planting). It is a historical, systematic theology of church and personal renewal rooted in Edwardsian theology. Lovelace had a profound effect on my approach to the Christian life. While debating which direction to go with the sermon series, I picked up Dynamics again and read the following:
Spirit-led Sermon Selection
What is true of the Holy Spirit’s role in the counseling procedure is equally important in the pulpit and teaching ministry of the pastor direct toward the whole congregation. If it is difficult to do spiritual surgery in the life of one parishioner in the counseling situation, its even more difficult to take aim at the spiritual needs of a group without explicit direction form the Holy Spirit. Many texts and many sermons may be appropriate in a general way to congregational needs, but the pastor who is working for congregational renewal will learn not to fix on any of these possibilities prematurely, until the quiet imprimatur of the Holy Spirit’s direction illuminates the thrust and strategy which his most strategic for spiritual release.
May we not cease to wait for the imprimpatur of the Spirit as we pastor his people.
Austin #3 Best Place to Live
According U.S. News Report:
If you’re a free spirit, music junkie, or barbecue lover–or if you simply have what it takes to “keep Austin weird”–Texas’s state capital is for you. Considered ground zero for live music, this city of 716,000 residents is home to legions of musicians and nearly 200 performance venues. In addition, Austin hosts the always popular South by Southwest festival. Since its inception in 1987, the event has mushroomed from a local gathering to a 1,800-band, 80-stage extravaganza of music, filmmaking, and interactive activities featuring performers from all over the world. Austin is also a high-tech hub, with companies like Dell and IBM, which employ thousands of residents.
The city’s warm climate offers plenty of sunshine, while the open green spaces don’t provide any excuse for staying indoors. Head over to Lions Municipal Golf Course for an inexpensive round. Wander through the 351-acre Zilker Metropolitan Park until you find Barton Springs Pool, a 3-acre water source fed by underground springs that keep its temperature around 68 degrees all year long. To escape the city, head for the nearby Hill Country. “It’s rolling hills cut with lots of little creeks and streams,” says Tom Beach, a sales clerk at Austin Canoe & Kayak. “It makes for a nice road trip.”