I enjoy writing. I like words, and I like sentences. I even appreciate grammar. But none of that means I will produce good writing. Good writing is just plain difficult to do. The other day I was re-reading my favorite pure prose writer, Annie Dillard, and she reminded me of the monumental task that is writing, just how difficult a few good sentences can be to find. … [Read more...] about Encouragement for Writers
Archives for April 2012
Commending John Stott
I have been on a John Stott kick lately. It started with The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor and then moved to The Cross of Christ. I have since picked up Stott's commentaries The Message of Romans: God's Good News for the World and The Message of Galatians. I have been aware of Stott for years, but had never read him. What a … [Read more...] about Commending John Stott
Preaching Versus Teaching
My buddies and I recently had a lively discussion about the difference between preaching and teaching. We all recognized a general distinction between the two, but we disagreed as to how formal that distinction is in the Bible. I did a quick word study for fun (I don't get out much), and this post is a brief report of what I found. I found the two terms, διδάσκω (teach) … [Read more...] about Preaching Versus Teaching
Resurrection Dunk
My friend was supposedly an incredible basketball player, but I was having no trouble keeping up with him in a one-on-one game, and I was starting to question his ability. Then he made a move that changed my mind. He made a move so astounding I knew he had been holding back. He dribbled a cross-over so deep, so fast that I was left frozen in place, dumbfounded, as he went … [Read more...] about Resurrection Dunk
Echoes of Eden: Recreation
No matter how busy the day, no matter how tired I feel, I always want recreation. I rarely ever just want sleep. In fact, the busier and more stressful the day, the more I want to recreate. I will stay up late watching a football game, or I will linger long over Twitter, or click through blogs or write a blog post or go for a run. I've even been known to stay up late working on … [Read more...] about Echoes of Eden: Recreation