Category: Places I’ve Been…

Americans on Sin (Research done by the Ellison Corp.  I first saw this on Mark Roberts’ blog.) 

 
C. J. Mahaney on "The Pastor Evaluating the Health of His Soul"

 
A very good post by Dan Kimball: "Thinking about St. Patrick the Missionary"

 
A thought-provoking article by Andy Rowell on the use of technology

 
Ben Witherington comments on Bart Ehrman’s new book: God’s Problem.

 
Mark Galli has written an interesting post on "Why Kids Lie."

 
William Willimon has written a fine piece entitled "Who But the Church Will Tell Such Truth?"

 
Check out John Stackhouse’s "The Reality of Sex."

Scot McKnight posts an interesting letter (be sure to read the comments): "A Father, A Son, and Some Doubt."

 
See this Tim Keller presentation at The University of California, Berkeley. 

Last week, I was at the National Pastors Convention.  This was my second time at this convention, having attended in 2006.  

 
What a beneficial and encouraging week.  I heard messages by Phyllis Tickle, Scot McKnight, Charles Colson, Shane Claiborne, Calvin Miller, Ben Patterson, Greg Boyd, Roger Olson, J. P. Moreland, and others.  The presentations were good, thought-provoking, and well done.

 
I enjoyed having a nice breakfast and discussion with Scot McKnight.  I actually met Scot at this same event two years ago.  I also heard several of his presentations, which were excellent.  His blog, books, and presentations continue to encourage and challenge my thinking. 

 
It was good to meet John Frye, whose blog I have enjoyed for some time now.  What a pleasant guy!  I also enjoyed getting to see Steve Puckett again, whom I have known for a number of years.

 
It was a good, stimulating time.  Yet, it was also valuable to get away, think, pray, and once again be reminded that God is much bigger than any issue or any situation that I will ever deal with in my life or ministry. 

A very good post by David Fitch in which he shares some reflections on his use of time. 

 
Frank Bellizzi has written an interesting piece on the work of Robert Alter (specifically his new book on the Psalms). 

 
Perhaps you are familiar with these resources — but if you are not, you might enjoy a glance at the courses available through "The Teaching Company."  I have taken one of these courses and have just ordered another. 

 
For several years, I have been helped by David Allen’s book Getting Things Done.  He is now writing a weekly column at the Huffington Post.  You can find a list of his articles here.

 
Are you familiar with Backpack?  It is a personal organizing tool that I have found to be very helpful.  Been using it about ten months now.

 
You might enjoy reading the reflections of Dr. Roger Olson as he looks at the question, "Where would Jesus go to church?" 

One installment of Scot McKnight’s series on The Divine Embrace.  See it here.

 
Check out this post by Doug Murran on "Nostalgia." 

 
Liam Byrnes on "Blogging: A Noble Pursuit?"

 
This is interesting.  Best sellers at Westminster Bookstore. 

 
David Fitch on "Evangelism or Witness?" 

 
Bro Maynard reflects on "O Holy Night." 

 
Larry James writes "An Old Lady With a Baby Doll."

 
John Stackhouse writes concerning James S. Stewart’s book, Walking With God. 

Terry Rush on "The Excitement of Being a Person" (an encouraging post)
 

Liam Byrnes on "Crazy Laws" (crazy laws still on the books in the UK)

 
L. L. Barkat on "What’s a Writer to Do?" (I value L. L.’s reflections on writing)

 
William Willimon on "It’s About God"  (Willimon always makes me think)

 
Interview with Tim Keller: "Ten Questions for Expositors"  (an opportunity to overhear Keller reflect on preaching)

 
Ray Hawk on "Am I Ready?"  (a 71-year-old minister reflects on his spiritual journey)

 
John Stackhouse on "Politics, patience, and power, and…theology"  (Stackhouse reflects on the challenge of politics as we are in another national election process)

Donn Johnson has written a very interesting piece on Robert Wuthnow’s book: After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-Somethings Are Shaping the Future of American Religion. 

 
John Alan Turner on "The Church Can’t Raise Your Kids."

 
Mark Galli on "Am I Growing Yet?" (a response to Willow Creek’s survey about its own congregational spiritual life, etc.). 

 
"Press Button — Receive Bacon" 

 
Terry Rush on "Worse Case Scenarios Have Their Advantages." 

 
Ben Overby on "The Need for Good Metaphors."

 
H.B. London has written a piece entitled "In Pursuit of Lost Passion." 

Am I defined more by what I am for or what I am against?  Read Brian Mashburn.

 
An interesting post: "100 Billion a Year" by Frank Bellizzi.

 
John Frye’s post "Ecclesiastes and Establishment Evangelicalism" challenges all of us to think.

 
Check out Gordon MacDonald’s post on spiritual immaturity in "Out of Ur."  An important read.

 
David Fitch does a nice piece on Neil Cole’s thoughts on being missional in the suburbs. 

 
L.L. Barkat has a very nice piece in Today’s Christian entitled "A
New Kind of Body."

 
John Dobbs has written a nice post entitled "Unmasking Grace."

 
Scot McKnight posts an important and moving redemptive story.

Alan Hirsch on the place of disciple-making.

 
Dan Kimball on stress in ministry versus stress in other vocations.

 
An interesting piece by Ben Witherington on Biblical illiteracy in the West.

 
A nice post by Liam Byrnes on "The Dissonance Between Knowledge and Life." 

 
"Poverty’s Ugly Side" by Larry James. 

 
"The Question to Stop All Progress" by Terry Rush.

 
L.L. Barkat has written a nice piece on "Sabbath."

 
Most of my library has now been placed on "LibraryThing."  On the right-hand side of this blog, near the end of the various links, there is a link in which you can search for any book in my library.  (I’m not suggesting that you would have any desire to do this.  I have included this link on my blog primarily for my own use.  But, feel free to browse.)

The following are some blogs that I read regularly.  They are in no certain order.  Perhaps one or more of these will be of interest to you.

 
1.  Jordon Cooper.  Very interesting and unusual links.  I have gained a lot of knowledge about software from this blog as well.

 
2.  Dee Andrews.  Dee is a good writer and encourager.  A blogger and attorney from South Mississippi.

 
3.  Wade Tannehill.  Wade is en route to Ohio where he will begin a new ministry with a church there.  A good thinker.

 
4.  Liam Byrnes.  A seminary student and blogger.  Liam lives in Scotland.  I’ve also learned much about technology from his blog.

 
5.  Greg England  A great storyteller! When Greg tells a story on his blog, I feel like I have been there.

 
6.  Terry Rush.  I read Terry for encouragement.  A long time minister who still finds joy in what he is doing.

 
7.  Frank Bellizzi.  A great scholar with a real heart for ministry.

 
8.  Mike Cope.  A good thinker and preacher who knows how to point people to Jesus.

 
9.  Arlene Kasselman.   A Christ-follower who is also a good thinker. 

 
10. Ben Witherington.  This New Testament scholar is also the author of a very popular blog. 

New to the blogging world?  There are blogs that cover every imaginable subject.  There are blogs written from a Christian perspective that range from those that are very personal and may be almost a form of a diary to blogs that are commentaries on various issues.  There are blogs that seem to be written for a very limited audience and those that seem to have a very broad audience in mind.  I read a post or two from many blogs during the week.  I read these blogs for different purposes.  Some blogs I read for inspiration and encouragement.  I read other blogs for information or to help me think about a particular issue.

 
The following are ten blogs I enjoy reading.  These are NOT necessarily the ten best blogs I read.  I have no such list.  Rather, these are simply ten blogs I read that I think are worth reading.  In a week or two, I will list another ten.

 

1.  Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight.  A wonderful blog that is both encouraging and thoughtful.  I read this for both perspective and information.  I have discovered a number of authors on this blog.  This blog also helps me learn how to think about a particular issue or concern.  A very encouraging read.  I come here almost daily.

 

2.  Ben Overby.  Thoughtful.  A wonderful spirit.  Ben has a gracious manner that blesses me.  His church in New York is fortunate.

 

3.  John Stackhouse.  Just heard John at the Regent College Pastors’ Seminar.  A very good thinker and student of the culture.  Has a breadth of knowledge on many fronts.

 

4.  L. L. Barkat.  Creative and has a wonderful use of the English language.  L. L. can do so much with few words.  Great photos on her blog.  I look forward to her upcoming book.

 

5.  William Willimon.  Okay, I’ve been reading Willimon forever.  Most of the time this material has been in the form of articles or books.  Not always predictable.  He makes me think.

 

6.  John Dobbs.  Does this guy ever have a heart for the broken!  Led a fine relief effort on the Gulf Coast after one of the last hurricanes.  John has a gift for encouraging.

 

7.  John Frye (author of Jesus the Pastor).  Can John ever tell a story!  The first post I ever read on his blog was a story he retold from the Gospels.  A good thinker.  Has a real heart for ministry. 

 

8.  Bobby Valentine.  Writes from both head and heart from the Arizona desert.  A great guy!

 

9.  Out of Ur.  Leadership Journal’s blog.  Very good material.

 

10.  Lifehacker.  I scroll down the page and usually find something of interest.  For some reason, I keep coming back to this blog.