Posted in iMonk 101 on September 2nd, 2008 1 Comment »
I looked back in the archives and found this post from April of 2007: Who And What Are Forming You? It’s an earlier examination of the issues an evangelical like myself (and like many IM readers) face when seeking to grow in Christlikeness.
This has proven to be a very volatile topic, which doesn’t surprise me […]
Posted in Commentary, iMonk 101 on August 28th, 2008 2 Comments »
In the November 2007 Issue of Touchstone Magazine, there’s a fascinating forum/symposium on “Evangelicalism Today.” It’s available in its entirety on the Touchstone website, and it is well worth your time. Such diverse voices as Russell Moore, Daryl Hart, John Franke and Michael Horton discuss a variety of topics of interest to the IM audience.
Southern […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on August 25th, 2008 25 Comments »
Back by popular demand, the iMonk essay that should have sold a thousand t-shirts by now: Wretched Urgency.
When I think of people beating themselves up with guilt and beating other people up with a guilt-inducing God, I always think of this essay and the stupefying discovery that the New Testament isn’t trying to turn us […]
Posted in Rants, iMonk 101 on August 23rd, 2008 33 Comments »
Yes, that’s one of the comments I’ve received via e-mail regarding the official iMonk photograph.
(And- at least in my experience- it’s always a woman. Why is that? Does maternal instinct want to see baby smile?)
I’ve been fighting this battle for quite some time, and I don’t plan to give up. It’s a small thing, but […]
This piece from two summers ago- A God Shaped Void? Maybe Not- explores some important questions about evangelism, our assumptions about those we are evangelizing, and especially our dialogue with atheists and young people.
It’s the kind of rethinking of evangelicalism I like to do, and it will challenge you, especially if you were raised […]
Last night, the Spencer family ate Mexican in celebration of my daughter’s graduation from Ohio State University. It was a happy occasion in life’s journey. Long-time readers of this site may remember some of the key moments in this journey and the parallel journey of our son, who is still in school.
Perhaps one of the […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on June 16th, 2008 15 Comments »
Since new SBC President “Dr.” Johnny Hunt is having a bit of an academic credentials crisis, I thought it would be a good time for me to say I understand the feeling that drives us to do things like order a Ph.d from the back of a comic book.
So here’s an essay where I share […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on May 20th, 2008 12 Comments »
I’ve always liked this essay, and I don’t want to lose track of it.
The Humility Zone is rarer and rarer among Christians these days. Defending the authority of scripture has come to mean asserting the impossibility of our own fallibility. Scripture is true, has authority and, of course, my interpretation of scripture just happens to […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on April 29th, 2008 9 Comments »
I’d forgotten about this one. Really, this is so very much what I have to say to anyone about the whole business of being a Christian. I couldn’t write anything today more on target with my journey to a Jesus-Shaped spirituality.
Read: Reduced to Jesus
At the Asbury Bloggers Society meeting last night, we had a wide ranging discussion on various aspects of blogging and ministerial formation at the seminary level. One of my suggestions was that a blogger develop a list of “teaching” blogs that exhibit and demonstrate excellence. Use these blogs to ask yourself questions about your own […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on April 13th, 2008 6 Comments »
Here’s one of my favorite major essays on Biblical interpretation. Lots of important ideas here that I’ve put together in my own approach to scripture. Yes, it’s a long one, but I think it will be worth the time for those interested in the subject.
Learning to read the Bible in a way that puts the […]
I will be suing Jared Wilson. Get lawyered up.
All resemblance to any actual, existing blogs is purely coincidental. I couldn’t possibly be referring to you.
Seriously though, I do want to be helpful. I can work on many of these things myself, otherwise they wouldn’t be in my head to tell you.
1. It’s too personal. Personal […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on February 17th, 2008 7 Comments »
Here’s a good piece (I think) from the Spring of last year: Grace is as Dangerous as Ever. You can’t talk about grace too much around the blogosphere as far as I am concerned. When grace is understood, you either get in the flow or you resist the Spirit. One is scary and the other […]
Posted in iMonk 101 on February 4th, 2008 8 Comments »
UPDATE: Joel has made an extensive explanation and defense of his “Story or proposition?” argument from this post over at the Boar’s Head. Be sure and check it out if you’ve read this.
I’ll be back to blogging in a day or so, but until then I want to re-run this fantastic IM essay by Joel […]
Posted in Uncategorized, iMonk 101 on January 24th, 2008 5 Comments »
I haven’t talked about Robert Capon in a while, so here’s a visit to one of my favorite past IM posts: “Jesus = Salvation.” I say this all the time in teaching and preaching. It’s been very helpful to me and hopefully to others. Capon got me there. I love you, Fr. Robert.
If you aren’t […]