Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 32
August 11, 2019
Should we reject books by authors who rejected the faith?
[image error]
It grieves all three of us on this podcast when anyone walks away from the Christian faith. Joshua Harris’ recent announcement of his “deconstruction” of his faith is just one of many that each of us—Barnabas, Dave, and me—know of and are affected by to varying degrees.
He isn’t the only one, of course. There are so many (former) pastors that have either rejected the faith entirely, or through their behavior, been revealed to be out of step with the message they proclaimed. So what should...
August 9, 2019
Links I like (8/09)
Michael Kelley:
Notice that Paul doesn’t say we need to get a new job; he doesn’t even qualify the kind of work that we are doing. Instead, he makes a holistic and inclusive statement about whatever work it is we are doing. It is possible, according to Colossians, for us to mow grass, work on spreadsheets, crunch numbers, or rebuild engines as unto the Lord. This is a different perspective indeed that just “putting your nose to the...
August 7, 2019
An update on The Hero of the Story + a brand-new thing for The Gospel Project
Things are always hectic with The Gospel Project, in a really good way. We’re gearing up for the launch of the next volume (which some churches have already begun, including my own), and we are fast approaching a very big deal moment in our study plan: The New Testament.
But more on that another time.
One of the many things that’ve kept us hopping are a couple of big content projects. One of those is familiar, the other… well, keep reading.
An update on The Hero of the StoryAugust 4, 2019
Historical fiction, splitting hairs, and honoring an American icon
[image error]
Over the last several months, we’ve mentioned a lot of works of historical fiction, but we’ve never really talked about historical fiction much at all: it’s purpose, some of our favorite works, and does it include room for speculative fiction, too. So, now we’re going to! Listen in as we discuss:
The difference between period fiction and historical fiction (and if we’re just splitting hairs on this)If alternative history works (e.g. “What if JFK was never assassinated?”) count as historical...July 28, 2019
The Sewage Blaze
[image error]
There are certain books so good they can only be described as transcendent. Others are cultural phenomena, but are best described as… well, you’ll find out as we discuss The Notebook.
That’s right—all three of us have finally (mostly) read this book, and today, Barnabas, Dave, and I are talking about our experience in the most PG-12 episode of the show yet. Listen in as we discuss:
Why Nicholas Sparks is one of the worst famous writers any of us have ever readWhat the movie would be like if...July 21, 2019
What made us want to write, imitating others, and the spectrum of writers
[image error]
There’s often something that triggers a writer’s desire to write—even if that something is as simple as reading a book and saying, “I can do better than that.” So what were some of those moments for Barnabas and Aaron? That’s our conversation on the show today. Listen in as we discuss:
What made us want to write in the first placeWhat authors do we look to for inspirationWho we think are good and great writers that are producing material right nowDo we ever imitate other writers—and should...July 19, 2019
Links I like (7/19)
There are a couple of new Kindle deals, including Epic: The Story that Changed the World, The Songs of Jesus and Encounters with Jesus by Timothy Keller. Go here to see them all.
The Faithfulness of Christ in the Little ThingsSinclair Ferguson:
It is a principle in Christ’s kingdom that “one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). But in that kingdom, the Lord Jesus also practiced what He preached. His whole life illustrated “little-things faithfulness.” The...
July 14, 2019
Christian vacation reads, movie references, & Aaron is boring
We don’t talk about Christian books a whole lot, which is funny since we all work in Christian publishing. But since it’s “summer reading list” season from ministry leaders and websites, we decided to discuss the books would we recommend Christians read to read instead of being known for having read them? Listen in as we discuss:
What movies pastors constantly reference in sermons?Does Humble Calvinism qualify as a summer/vacation read?And why do we use the phrase “laundry list”? Does Aaron...July 12, 2019
Links I like (7/12)
I’ve got a few Kindle deals on a new page I’ve set up, including books by Tim Keller, K.B. Hoyle, and Elisabeth Elliot.
You’re a Theologian. Become a Good One.Matt Smethurst:
Do you consider yourself a theologian? I assume not. I certainly didn’t for many years.
Looking back, however, it’s clear I didn’t understand what theology was about. I basically figured it was a holy hobby for Christian geeks. Sure, I was vaguely thankful for scholars who stroked their chins and wrote Bible commentaries...
July 7, 2019
Bias in biographies, sucker punching as a family, & owning #40Dave
We love good stories—and great stories are even better when they’re true. Real stories, true stories don’t just pass on facts, they inspire us. Recently, Dave and I sat down with our friend Catherine Parks to talk about how biographies help us see God at work, movies, and reading well. Listen in as we discuss:
People that surprised Catherine as she worked on Empowered and StrongHow to fight against bias when writing biographiesWhat biographies can teach kidsHow Catherine’s family has embrace...
