In modern Western culture reading feels like a form of relaxation rather than a form of work. Even if the book is demanding, and you need to make notes as you go along, you may find it easiest to sit in an armchair, perhaps with a cup of coffee, maybe with music in the background. How, you feel, can you possibly justifying spending hours of a working day in such a posture? Yet reading is a form of renunciation, almost a living embodiment of the call to faith over against works: you must renounce your strenuous efforts to justify your existence by the busy-busy lifestyle that pastors regularly fall into.

“Yet reading is a form of renunciation, almost a living embodiment of the call to faith over against works…”

I hope non-clergy readers will take it upon themselves to inquire sensitively about the pastor’s reading habits, and to find ways of adjusting church structures and expectations so that reading becomes priority. Congregations who do can expect, for a start, more interesting sermons; but that’s just the start. A pastor with a ready receptive mind, open to lifelong learning, will be a gift that keeps on giving to those in her or his care.

~ N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: Pastoral Letters

Do you ever struggle with questions about faith and work? How excellent is excellent enough? Where should I draw the lines in ethical situations? Where does “evangelism” fit into my vocational responsibilities? Is there eternal meaning in my work?

With the demands of work and faith, it’s much easier to keep our work separate from our faith, to compartmentalize our lives — family/church/work — but biblical faith won’t let us, and for good reason.

Read the rest

We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance;

we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom;

we drift toward superstition and call it faith.

We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation;

we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism;

we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.

HT: JT Taken from: D.A Carson, For the Love of God

Somehow we have convinced ourselves that holiness is at odds with our happiness, when nothing could be further from the truth. Holiness is a product of godliness–obsession with God and his grace. What could be more satisfying that deep, profound delight in our gracious and glorious Creator? “In His presence there is fullness of joy…” (Ps 16:11). His gospel tells us that he is both glorious and happy (1 Tim 1:11) and that he relentlessly pursues our joy in Christ. Shouldn’t we “train ourselves for godliness” so that we can avoid holiness drift? Holiness drift is dangerous, deceptive, and steals, not promotes, our joy.