Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 53
December 18, 2018
New Happy Rant: Theologian Name Game, Memorable Christmas Eves, and Bad Movies We Love
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas suss out the following:
Ronnie did it! He finally made it on TGC!
Ted invents a Theologian Name Game
Memorable Christmas Eve services, for good and ill
Terrible movies we love
SPONSOR
Lagares Roasters is offering a special discount. If you use the code HAPPY20 at checkout you’ll get a 20% discount off your purchase until December 21, so mov fast!. Get coffee and tea to make your holidays happier and to share with others!
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #226
December 13, 2018
New Happy Rant: Ambition, The TGC Board, and Current Creative Projects
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ronnie interviews Ted about the following:
Ambition and career track and goals
What would it be like to be a TGC board member?
What current creative projects is Ted working on?
SPONSOR
Lagares Roasters is offering a special discount. If you use the code HAPPY20 at checkout you’ll get a 20% discount off your purchase. Get coffee and tea to make your holidays happier and to share with others!
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #225
December 11, 2018
He Reads Truth: Christ Conquers Death
I have the privilege of contributing to He Reads Truth, a website of whose purpose is “To help men become who we were made to be, by doing what we were made to do, by the power and provision that God has given us to do it, for the glory of Jesus Christ.” They do this by providing scripture reading plans accompanied by reflections that can be accessed for free online or purchased as print books. For those of you looking to engage scripture in a fresh way – either because you are dried up or have been away from it, these studies/plans will refresh your soul and engage your mind.
What follows is one of the pieces I wrote for the plan on The Miracles of Jesus. You can find the full plan HERE.
Matthew 9:18-26, Luke 7:11-17, John 11:17-44
Death is final. It is the end—inevitable and unavoidable. Death is the last, worst enemy.
Those of us who are followers of Jesus know that a resurrection will come. We have hope in a future after death, like Mary did when her brother Lazarus died and she said she knew he’d rise again on the last day. That is a comfort, but it does little to remove the sting of death now. In this life, death is an irreversible loss that creates a vacuum in our lives where a person used to be.
But perhaps we misunderstand the resurrection. Maybe the resurrection is not merely an event at some undetermined future time.
Consider these stories.
Jesus was summoned to heal a gravely ill little girl. On His way, He stopped to heal a suffering woman; and when He arrived at the girl’s house, she had already passed. “She is not dead but asleep,” He announced (Matthew 9:24). Then He took her by the hand and raised her more easily than if she had been napping.
On His way to the town of Nain, Jesus passed a funeral procession. The man who had died was the only son of a widow, her caretaker in old age. She was utterly alone. Jesus felt compassion for her, so He spoke a word, and the young man sat up and was reunited with his mother (Luke 7:15). From death to life with a word.
And when Lazarus, Jesus’ dear friend, died, Jesus waited four days to arrive so that God’s glory could be revealed and people could see something essential to Jesus’ person and mission: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
Jesus declares that He is the resurrection. He embodies the resurrection and brings it to us. He gives the resurrection. When Mary offers her meager hope that her brother will rise one day, Jesus declares the resurrection to be something present—someone present.
This all sounds victorious and glorious—which it is—but on His way to the tomb, Jesus wept. He wept with and for the grief of others. He wept at the wreckage death caused. He wept because He knew loss. Then He walked to the tomb and showed death that its days were numbered, uttering, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43).
The resurrection is yet to come. But the resurrection has also already come. It has been proven by Christ’s dismissal of death with words and actions.
Yes, death still hurts. It comes for us all, but we have more than a meager hope in a distant day. We have the resurrection Himself.
December 7, 2018
3 Things I Like This Week – December 7
Each week (give or take one here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.
1. Volume 1 (Live): The Precious Love of Christ
[image error]I don’t listen to CCM and most of the worship produced for the masses is charitably called “fluffy pop.” (There are less charitable descriptions that are more accurate and specific.) I do, however, love when churches write and produce worship music because it’s actually, you know, worship music. It’s even better when your own church does it, and today Immanuel Nashville‘s worship ministry has released their first album, The Precious Love of Christ. In Nashville, being that it’s a city full of musicians, it is common to find gifted artists leading music at churches. I’ve found that it’s much less common to find people who love Jesus deeply, love to worship, are gifted leaders, and can write/arrange songs beautifully leading at churches. We have those in spades at Immanuel and this album reflects that. I especially love tracks 5 and 8, but the whole album is great. Check it out.
2. On Writing Well by William Zinsser
[image error]My favorite book on writing is Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, but Zinsser’s book might be the best in terms of helping a writer get better. As a prolific writer of many genres and styles and on many subjects, Zinsser brings all his considerable knowledge and effort to bear in this book. It is practical, pointed, and lays out clear examples of both excellent and poor writing. It is the kind of book that is enjoyable to read for people who love the craft of writing but is helpful to read for anyone who has to do any writing. It is excellent and should be revisited often.
3. Singleness and the Gospel – a sermon by Sam Allberry
Last Sunday Sam Allberry preached at our church on “Singleness and the Gospel.” It was fantastic. He has a rare way of clearly framing things in a biblical perspective so that misconceptions are erased and truth and hope shine clearer. This kind of preaching leads to conviction and correction by invitation and discovery rather than aggression. This is a message for single people and for married people – the whole church – and is well worth your time.
December 6, 2018
New Happy Rant: Christmas Decorating, Book Lists, and Year-End Accomplishments
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Barnabas, and Ronnie discuss the following:
Ronnie’s Christmas ethos and instagram posting habits
What would an “evangelical Christmas guy” be like”?
Year-end book lists
Year-end accomplishments lists
SPONSOR
Lagares Roasters is offering a special discount. If you use the code HAPPY20 at checkout you’ll get a 20% discount off your purchase. Get coffee and tea to make your holidays happier and to share with others!
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #224
December 3, 2018
He Reads Truth: Motivations For Giving
I have the privilege of contributing to He Reads Truth, a website of whose purpose is “To help men become who we were made to be, by doing what we were made to do, by the power and provision that God has given us to do it, for the glory of Jesus Christ.” They do this by providing scripture reading plans accompanied by reflections that can be accessed for free online or purchased as print books. For those of you looking to engage scripture in a fresh way – either because you are dried up or have been away from it, these studies/plans will refresh your soul and engage your mind.
What follows is one of the pieces I wrote for the plan on 1 & 2 Corinthians. You can find the full plan HERE.
2 Corinthians 9:1-15, Psalm 126:1-6, Hosea 10:12
Generosity is a trait we love—in others, that is. Most of us love the idea of giving. When we do give, we don’t regret it, because it feels good to give. Sort of. Maybe. Sometimes we miss the money or time we gave and would like to have it back, or at least get something back in return. It’s easy to regret the cost of giving, but that’s not the attitude of a cheerful giver; it’s the attitude of an investor. We want dividends paid in exchange for our “gift,” or rather, our “investment.”
Today’s reading in 2 Corinthians 9 turns our attitude of investment generosity on its head. The picture it paints is that of a farmer sowing seed. In the spring he sows seed, and in the fall he harvests. How much he harvests and the quality of his harvest depends on how much he sows and the quality of his seed. If he scatters a few crummy seeds he will harvest a lean crop, but if he sows generously he will reap generously.
At first, this appears to be a similar metaphor to that of investing: you get out what you put in, plus a little extra. But Paul isn’t finished yet. Consider the farmer’s dependence on God. He puts little dead plant pods in dirt and prays God will transform it into growing, living sustenance. He hopes his seeds will bear fruit, but it isn’t up to him.
Next, notice how Paul describes what is reaped: “And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
Paul is not describing riches gained on a return investment. The harvest of generous sowing is due to “every grace,” so we can “excel in every good work.” Faithful, hopeful generosity results in abundant grace and growth in our lives, not necessarily our bank accounts. While these graces that help us do good work might include money or material gain, that is neither a guarantee nor the point. Our investment is in every good work, and that is our dividend.
Paul goes on to emphasize thanks, not reward. The fruit of generosity is thankfulness and “shouts of joy” (Psalm 126:5). That response reflects a kind of generosity I rarely see or participate in, but wouldn’t that be amazing? It would mean giving as we have received from God—lavishly, sacrificially, whole-heartedly, lovingly, and without ceasing. This kind of sowing reaps thanksgiving and praise. It is a pouring out of life, not just dollars. And the harvest is rich, beautiful, and bountiful.
November 30, 2018
Happy Rant Sports Episode #22 – Creed 2, Mike Conley, and Football Parity
In this episode of the Happy Rant Sports podcast Ted and Barnabas discuss the following:
Creed 2: Good, bad or meh?
The Rocky Franchise
Memorable games from our past
The underappreciated Mike Conley
Football parity and coaching
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #22
3 Things I Like this Week – November 30
Each week (give or take one here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.
1. The Quotable Lewis edited by Wayne Martindale & Jerry Root
[image error]I’m a bit biased since both of the editors for this wonderful volume were professors of mine in college. Beyond that, however, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. It is organized by topic and pulling from all of C.S. Lewis’s writings from books to essays to letters to poems. In some cases lengthy portions and entire essays are included and in other cases tweetable gold is scattered across the pages. It shows the range of Lewis as a thinker, writer, correspondent, and communicator. The Quotable Lewis is essential for any appreciator of his work and an ideal gift for a Lewis lover.
2. Amazon Echo
[image error]I thought the very idea of the echo was ridiculous for a long time. But then I hung out with a few friends who had them and I realized just how handy they are, so I got one. Amazon is always running sales on these, so they are affordable enough that it doesn’t feel like a splurge or a risk. The sound quality of the speaker is excellent, the voice commands work flawlessly. You can make calls from it and link to any other Amazon devices you have too. It is a toy, a convenience, and delightful addition to any home.
3. Humble Beast
[image error]Record Label, Clothing Line, Book Publisher, Conference Host – Humble Beast does so many things and does them well. What sets them apart is the thoughtful, intentional craft and creativity they put into each effort. They care about artfulness because it is reflective of God and reflecting God is what they really seek to do. Words, pictures, beats, melodies, harmonies, and designs are all created and arranged with the specific intention if beautifully expressing and portraying the creativity of The Creator.
November 28, 2018
New Happy Rant: Santa Ron, Hipster Santa, and Christmas Creep
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas do what they do and wander to and fro through the following topics:
Ron’s conference hiatus
Hipster Santa Claus
Hipster Ron as Santa Claus
Christmas Creep and the motivation behind it
A TGC Christmas article that needs to be written
Revisiting Jared C. Wilson’s infamous list of influential reformed people
SPONSOR
[image error]Check out Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story by Christopher Yuan. It is newly published by Waterbrook Multnomah and is an excellent book. Yuan explores the concept of holy sexuality–chastity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage–in a practical and relevant manner, equipping readers with an accessible yet robust theology of sexuality. Whether you want to share Christ with a loved one who identifies as gay or you’re wrestling with questions of identity yourself, this book will help you better understand sexuality in light of God’s grand story and realize that holy sexuality is actually good news for all.
We’d also like to thank sponsor Noah’s Event Venue. Noah’s offers fantastic venues for churches to expand, to plant, or to start a campus and comes equipped with high end A/V, classroom space, and all the general meeting needs churches have (aside from a pour-over bar and leather aprons) – though they do have coffee/cafe services! They have multiple venues across the country in most major metro areas, so if you are a church leader looking for space to grow, plant, or move your congregation check them out.
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #223
November 19, 2018
New Happy Rant: A Star is Born, The Pursuit of Fame, and Church Lawsuits
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted and Barnabas discuss the following:
[SPOILER ALERT] A full breakdown and review of “A Star Is Born,” the recently released Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper film
The pursuit of fame, happiness, and fulfillment and how the film portrays them
James MacDonald and church lawsuits
SPONSOR
We’d also like to thank sponsor Noah’s Event Venue. Noah’s offers fantastic venues for churches to expand, to plant, or to start a campus and comes equipped with high end A/V, classroom space, and all the general meeting needs churches have (aside from a pour-over bar and leather aprons) – though they do have coffee/cafe services! They have multiple venues across the country in most major metro areas, so if you are a church leader looking for space to grow, plant, or move your congregation check them out.
Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:
Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)
Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
Episode #222
