Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 76

New Happy Rant: Thanksgiving with Famous People, Black Friday, and Abuse in The Church

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas hash out some pressing topics ranging from holiday celebrations to serious church matters.

What three interesting or famous people would you like to have Thanksgiving dinner with?
What item would get you out of bed at midnight to brave the Black Friday Crowds?
Should we be waiting in fear for sexual harassment allegations to be exposed in evangelicalism? What will that look like?

[image error]Big thanks to our sponsor, B&H Publishers and the book Mi Casa Uptown. Pastor and storyteller Rich Perez casts vision for what it might look like to pursue love–love expressed with eyes wide open–in the context of the real world. Because love is not primarily a feeling, an emotion, or a sentiment, Perez challenges readers through a combination of memoir and teaching to take a different path than the momentum that carries the culture we live in. With the flavor of Washington Heights, New York, readers will be transported into Perez’s neighborhood on a journey to learn how to love again. Get yours today.

Be sure to visit our website to get fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters, order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear, and order your tickerts for our next LIVE event – Together for the Rant – to be held in April.

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Episode #172

The 5 Best Toys For Boys

Christmas gift buying season is upon us. What should you buy that boy who already has every video game and iPad and app everything else electronic? Why, you should get him one of these! These are the  best toys from my childhood. They are timeless. There is minimal assembly required and no batteries either. They require the use of hands and minds and imaginations. The lend themselves to creativity and/or exercise and fresh air. They create memories. And without exception they are awesome for parents to do with kids.

(Note: I say “for boys” because I was a boy and loved them as a boy. I don’t have any experience as a girl, but as a father of daughters I can definitively say that girls will love most of these as well.]) 

1. The Bucket of Legos

[image error]Want your child to be developmentally stunted? Get them one of those over priced sets with precise instructions to create the Millennium Falcon. Just kidding, that won’t stunt them (at least not as much as a first person shooter game). But the bucket of legos is the absolute best. It is a world of possibilities. It is a Millennium Falcon and a castle and a house and a pirate ship and city and the O.K. Corral.

2. The Rawlings Baseball Glove

[image error]It could be an Easton or a Spalding, but for my money Rawlings is the best glove. I still have my Rawlings baseball glove I used in little league and it still works. In fact it works better now than it did then. That’s because baseball gloves age better than fine wine or Sean Connery. If you want to know just how important a baseball glove is to a boy just remember this:

3. The Sketch Pad

[image error]No not the iPad – the sketch pad. One used with pencils or crayons or ink or pastels or whatever. At first the blank pages look boring, but after some clumsy attempts and a little time they begin to look exciting, like possibilities, blanks for the imagination to fill in. And as an added perk it’s about $490 cheaper than an iPad.

4. Zebco 33 Fishing Fishing Pole

[image error]It’s not the best fishing tackle in the world, but it’s the best fishing starter kit. At least it was for me. It reeled in everything from blue gill the size of my thumb to large mouth bass the size of my thigh (and I was a, um, “husky” kid).

5. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set

[image error]There are hundreds of stories worth reading, but why settle for anything less than the best? And no, reading them on a kindle isn’t the same. That boy needs the experience of reading by flashlight until 3 AM on school night because he needs to know whether the fellowship survives the Mines of Moria. And he definitely needs to know that Peter Jackson’s version of The Hobbit (all 33 hours of its bloated self) is less than stellar.

BONUS ITEMS
The Harry Potter Series

I know many of you looked at #5 on the list and sneered just a little because, please, that was a baby shower gift for your perfect family. Well then, perfect parent, give your child the other best set of stories ever written. The witchcraft is no more witchy and the good guys are just as noble and good. Your child will be a better friend and a braver soul for having read them. And they’re heaps of fun.

A Barlow Pocket Knife

“But that’s not safe!” you shriek. Nope. Not really. But it’s a good sort of risk and it’s a rite of passage for every little boy. I bought my first one when I was 10 at the Barnesville hardware store in Barnesville, Georgia. I whittled and carved and chopped. I dropped it in a creek. I broke the tip off throwing it at a tree. And I still have it. Every boy needs a good knife and the requisite risks. And this one is a perfect starter knife.

He Reads Truth: The Believers Triumph

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 Romans. You can find the full plan HERE.

Romans 8:26-39, Psalm 44:17-22, Philippians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 2:14

“If God loves me, He will _____.”

What words would you use to fill in that blank? Most often when we answer this question, whether privately in our hearts or more boldly, we limit the love of God. We attach His love to the circumstances or results we want. We draw a straight line between God’s love and our comfort.

Romans 8 paints an altogether different picture of a love so much bigger, richer, deeper, and more complete than anything we are even capable of imagining. It isn’t a contingent love or one designed to dole out creature comforts. It cannot be cheapened by our color-by-number effort to depict it. Romans 8 is a masterpiece of God’s love, which is intended for our good.

In Jesus we live loved. We breathe love and exist each moment ensconced in it. No one can condemn us. No one can judge us. No enemy can assail us. Yes, we will be condemned, judged, and assailed in this world, but no one can remove us from Christ’s love. Our own fears and insecurities, even our own death, cannot remove us from the love of God.

This profound love of God was ours before we were conscious of it, and will be ours for all eternity to the fullness of our joy and glorification. God promised to complete the good work He started in us (Philippians 1:6), and He will—through the transformative power of His love.

When Romans 8:28 says “ all things work together for good, ” this is what it means: not that every painful or confusing moment will pay out in happiness, but that God ’ s love will not fail. We will reap its benefits throughout infinite time.

In this single passage we see the fullness of God—Father, Son, and Spirit—offer the fullness of His love to those who believe. The Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we lack the words or ability. The Son sacrifices Himself as the means—the access—to this rich love. The Father is the ordainer, author, and giver of the eternal plan of love. And we are part of it, in it for all time.

We may never get what we filled in the blank with above—that thing we attached to God’s love, that trite and limiting expected sign of His goodness. Instead we will be more than conquerors in eternal glory, no matter what we face in this temporal life.

New Happy Rant: Complementarian Men Talking About Women, Which is Worse, and Thankfulness

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ronnie Martin misses his chance for an epic flu game and sits this one with the pukes. That means Ted and Barnabas take on the following topics.

Why are complementarian men so bad at talking about women even when they are trying to be supportive and respectful?
Which is Worse? A game in which two bad things are compared and we determine which is worse.
What we are thankful for

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Episode #171

3 Things I Like This Week – November 16

Each week 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. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

[image error]As the fourth of four boys I grew up resonating just a little bit with Alexander – his inability to do anything right, his mean older brothers, getting the leftovers and hand-me-downs. But enough about my family of origin issues. In short, this is possibly the best kids book ever. It is so miserable in such a mundane and relatable way that it can’t help but lift even the most morose spirits. It is the frown to put a smile on your face. And I think I’ll move to Australia.

2. Portland Brew Coffee – Nashville, TN

[image error]Nashville is a burgeoning coffee city with craft roasteries and coffee shops popping up right and left. But Portland Brew stands out as my favorite. The coffee, particularly the Americano, is quite good. But what makes Portland Brew so great is that they actually seem to want their customers to stick around a while. Tables and outlets are plentiful and it is both a  good place for quiet work or to have meetings or hang out – and this is true at both locations. Most craft coffee places make feel like I need to apologize for my less-than-hipster attire and the fact I don’t like Bon Iver. Not this one. Next time you’re in town hit it up.

3. Crimetown

[image error]At the moment this posts I am in Providence, Rhode Island, the setting of this remarkable podcast. (Sadly, my reason for being here looks more like tweed and blue blazers than what I am bout to describe since it’s an academic conference.) From the 1950s through the 1980s Providence was a hub of organized crime in the Northeast, and it was run by a man named Raymond Patriarcha. On the another side was the mayor of providence at the time, Buddy Scinaci, who rose to power on claims of wiping out organized crime but took hard left turn along the way. And then there is the federal collection of initials – DEA, FBI, ATF, etc. – all seeking to bring the organization to the ground. This is the story Crimetown tells replete with first hand accounts from former mobsters, former agents, former hit men, former victims, and a tightly edited format that keeps things moving. They tell tales of theft, murder, betrayal, drugs, decadence, back stabbing, and everything else you want from a mob tale. And it’s all true. It is a brilliantly created podcast telling a mind-bending story.

 

New Happy Rant: Battling Carl Lentz, What is Satire, and Recapping LiL

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas are back in the studio but still riding high off Live in Louisville. They rant about the following.

Jared C.’s twitter spat with Carl Lentz
What is satire? (A question we were forced to answer by a recent misunderstanding about Dougy Wilson)
Highlights (and low lights) from Live in Louisville

To listen you can:

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Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
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Episode #170

3 Things I Like This Week – November 9

Each week I will 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.

1. “Don’t Wanna Fight” by the Alabama Shakes

2. Kershaw Knives

[image error]Unless I am flying with only carry on baggage I never leave the house without my wallet, my phone, my keys and my pocket knife. Pocket knives are one of the most useful and portable tools a person can carry. As a bonus they work like an adult fidget spinner too as long as you don’t mind freaking passers by out a little. And the pocket knife I carry most often is one of my Kershaws (I have 4 or 5). They are one of the best values I have found in pocket knives – good quality at an affordable price.

 

3. Blue Yeti USB Microphone

[image error]As a podcaster on a budget and with co-hosts who live hundreds of miles away the ability to record quality audio remotely is essential. This mic does the trick. It won’t break ther bank or the listeners’ ears. It has a handful of settings to help with noise isolation and directionality (meaning it can be great for a single voice or as an area mic in a room). Now, if we could just get the internet apps for recording to cooperate.

My Writing Process and Tools

Every writer has his or her own process and tools. Some write in isolation, others in crowded places. Some are all digital and others only turn to a computer when everything is outlined and ready to roll. I enjoy learning how other writers go about their craft. It can spark some new ideas or teach me something to help me as a writer. What follows is my process with the tools I use. I don’t mean the creative and intellectual process. I mean the actual machination of creating a written piece.

1) Evernote

Evernote is where I collect ideas. It’s a cabinet for writing ingredients and half baked ideas. It links with e-readers and web browsers so quotes and links are easy to save. The immediate sync between mobile app and computer makes it incredibly smooth to use any time. When I find an idea, have a thought, see a link or quote I can save it in just a few seconds and revisit later when I need writing ideas. Like any cabinet or storage space it periodically needs to be cleaned out and organized. Going back to do this allows me to rediscover forgotten thoughts or inspirations, and usually, after letting them sit for a while it’s pretty clear which ideas can be discarded.

2) Moleskine

I love Moleskine notebooks. Why these slightly more expensive ones instead of any old bound notebook? I could argue their quality; they are nicer than most other notebooks. Really, though, it’s all psychological. Just as an Apple computer makes users feel creative and forward thinking and a nice suit is dressing for success so a Moleskine makes users feel like a writer. To me that matters.

I outline every piece I write by hand before actually composing it. Sometimes this is just a few bullet points (like this post), but I do the same for every section of every chapter in my books and every talk or message I give. Sometimes I write out full sentences or phrases I want to incorporate later and other times it’s just key words or subject lines to build the thought process. Outlining by hand slows my mind down and allows me to connect ideas I might otherwise have missed. For me typing feels more mechanical, a means to produce a finished product. Hand writing allows creativity and imagination to lead the way in building an idea.

3) Pilot Uniball Vision Elite Pen

If you’re going to use a particular notebook you must also use a particular writing utensil (sort of an unwritten rule). I abhor pencils and get annoyed at cheap junk pens. Ball point pens are for signing receipts and filling out forms at the dentist. I can’t use fountain pens and even if I could I think I’d find them to be a nuisance. So this is my favorite pen. It writes clearly without smearing or pooling. It is smooth, and it’s not insanely expensive. I use them for all writing projects and for work.

4) Coffee

Yes, it’s an addiction. No, I feel no shame about it. In reality, though, as someone with a full time job and a family I end up doing much of my writing in the evenings after my kids are in bed and I need a mental kick even to just get a couple of productive hours in before falling asleep. As every parent knows, we’re always tired, so to write well at any time of day means we need a pick-me-up. Plus it’s delicious and sanctifying and a good gift from God. Drink up.

5) Computer

After collecting my ideas, outlining them to whatever level is necessary, then I type it up. This process varies from piece to piece. Sometimes the outline almost is the article. Other times it is jut a few mile markers with lots of space between for me to fill in. This is the prose and craft part of the job. If Evernote is the storage cabinet and my Moleskine holds the idea and the framework, this is the part where I piece it together and give it some polish. By the time I sit down to do this I want to know what I am writing, at least generally, how I will do so. What it looks and feels like in the process? Well, that is the fun of writing.

This article is modified from a piece I wrote for The Blazing Center some time ago. 

He Reads Truth: Paul Goes to Jerusalem

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, and 3 John. You can find the full plan HERE.

Acts 21:1-36, Joel 2:28-29, John 19:13-16

How many times have you watched a movie and thought, or maybe yelled, “Don’t go in there!” when the main character is about to head up to the attic or into the cave but you know what awaits?

That’s a bit of the feeling we should have reading Acts 21, as Paul begins his journey back to Jerusalem. His friends pleaded with him not to go, but off he went. He knew it might be to his demise, but he also knew that ignoring the prodding of the Holy Spirit would have been even worse than death.

When he arrived, Paul went straight to James, the brother of Jesus, who was the most respected leader of the church in Jerusalem. Paul shared what God had done during his journeys.

This was significant. Paul was Paul, the most prominent of the apostles, but he went to James for counsel in a posture of humility. He didn’t arrive as the conquering hero or star preacher. He abided by decisions made by the counsel of elders. He saw himself as part of the Church, not the star of the Church.

What Paul did next was the true “Don’t go in there!” moment. We felt it when he headed toward Jerusalem, the ominous music in minor tones playing in our minds. But when he entered the temple, we knew he was walking into the den of the beast (“beast” being the religious leaders of Israel who hated him and the work he was doing).

When some of the people who despised Paul saw him enter the temple with four others, they assumed one of the men was a Gentile named Trophimus, who had been seen with Paul earlier in the day. They assumed Paul had brought a Gentile into the temple area, defiling their customs, and they turned on him.

Through lies and false accusations they riled up a crowd so rabid Paul would have been torn apart if Roman soldiers hadn’t arrested him. The fervor and ire of the religious leaders echoed back to a number of years earlier in Jerusalem when a man was arrested on false premises and killed on a cross a few hours later. That was the man who Paul sought to honor with his whole life. And this arrest would eventually lead to Paul’s death too.

But Paul knew this. He knew he “shouldn’t go in there.” Was Paul a fool? By human standards, maybe; but by that standard so was Jesus. What Paul did was the same as what Jesus did – the thing that the Holy Spirit compelled Him to do in order to give glory to God. Such actions are never foolish, no matter the cost.

New Happy Rant: Live in Louisville, Part 3

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas have climbed the mountain, achieved greatness, MADE PODCASTING HISTORY. It is the third of three episodes from Live in Louisville where they gathered with 80 of their closest friends for sheet cake, coffee, and decadence as well as conversation about a whole variety of topics. This episodes features a Q&A with listeners and HUGE announcement.

We’d like to thank our sponsors who helped make this event happen, provided give-aways, and supported our efforts – David C. Cook publishers, The Christian Standard Bible, Lagares Roasters Coffee, and Missional Wear.

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
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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 #169