Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 92
January 6, 2016
New Happy Rant: Ugly People Can Sing Too, Pastor Self Promo, and Year-End Book Lists
No better way that to start off 2016 than with a bang, and that’s what set out to do on this brand new Happy Rant podcast. As is our way we attack the thorniest of issues and poke fun at the most necessary of things. And we might shoot a sacred cow or two along the way. Here is the rant:
Why are all the Christian singers good looking? Can’t ugly people sing too? And what does this tell people about what it takes to be a successful Christian?
At what point does a pastor’s social media posts about his ministry excitement become overkill?
A discussion of the proliferation of year-end book lists on blogs – helpful, braggy, or something else?
We have a fantastic sponsor this week – Theology For You. They offer a website of fantastic resources including their own podcast, but the big thing they want our listeners to know about is the weekender events they partner with local churches to host. The Theology for You Weekender is designed to help Christians understand theological subjects from Scripture and how those subjects practically apply to everyday life. The topic of their 2016 Weekenders is Union with Christ. Theology for You defines theology as the studied practice of knowing God. That’s theirr heart: to help Christians know and worship God better through the study of Him. For our listeners, just mention the Happy Rant podcast when you contact them about weekenders and you will get a 20% discount!
We want to thank Resonate Recordings, the fine folks who make us sound listenable. If you are looking for great people to help your church put out recorded sermon audio or help you with a podcast they’re your people. T
Feel free to hit us up on Twitter at @HappyRantPod or on Facebook with any topic suggestions or feedback. We love hearing from listeners!
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EPISODE #69
The Question We Must Ask About Everything
Every book, every sermon, every blog, and every new idea post must answer one question. It is the question I keep in mind as I write each of these posts and the one I used to ask when I evaluated manuscripts for publication. It’s the one I ask when a new strategy gets proposed at work. It’s the question I ask every Sunday morning at church and every time I delve into a new book or blog post.
SO WHAT?
Any message or text in any medium that fails to give a clear answer to this question is, at best, a collection of boring facts or anecdotes.
A sermon becomes simply information about a text, its background, some perspectives on it, or its characters. Is its main point that this Greek verb implies X and such image to the reader? So what?
A blog post is just a rant about some hobby horse or other. Or maybe it’s a critique of some aspect of culture or ministry. So what?
The book you’re reading (or writing) might be an expose on the downfall of American culture or an explanation of some theological minutiae? It might point out 7 problems we face in America today. So what?
The “so what” factor doesn’t have to be explicit. It doesn’t have to be a three step application. It doesn’t even have to be expansive, dynamic, or intense. But has to be clear and present. Without it a message is just information that has no bearing on life. Without the “so what” it’s simply the communicator showing off.
Every message should lead to something more than new knowledge. Knowledge is handy, but only if it leads to thought, inspiration, or action. But the only way to provide this in a message is to be constantly asking yourself “so what?” as you prepare it. What are you seeking to get the reader or hearer to think, feel, or do? If you don’t have an answer, neither will they.
January 1, 2016
When It’s Not a Happy New Year
You awoke to the sound of fire works, ready to slap the neighbor kids until you glanced at the clock. It was 12:02 on January 1. Happy New Year, everyone.
You’d gone to bed at 9:00 unable to stand being awake any more. Being awake hurt too much. But you couldn’t sleep. You tossed and turned and dozed fitfully. You envisioned the masses celebrating with their champagne and poppers and hoers d’oeuvres. They smiled and laughed and looked back on the year prior with appreciation or even a wink-wink-nudge-nudge “glad that’s over.” They watched enjoyed their festivities in the glow of Dick Clark’s special from the TV on in the back ground. They looked amazing and were happy and hopeful.
For you the last year was a slide and it’s only gaining speed. The calendar turn is no magical upturn in fortunes or hope. It’s just a number reminding you that you survived another day and that you face another now. Actually it reminds you that you face 365 called 2016 and you have little reason to believe it will be better than last.
You lost a child. You can’t make ends meet. You lost your job. Your small business is tanking. That spiteful group at your church is running you off. Your spouse left you. Your child hates you. The doctor said “cancer”. You’re still single. Your marriage is irreparably broken. You ‘re exhausted, a dry husk, without emotional or spiritual or mental reserves for what comes next. You face fog and darkness not the aspirations and promise of a beautiful sunrise.
All is not lost, though. There is reason to carry on. It lies outside you, outside your vision and understanding. But it lies within your reach.
Look at Psalm 6.
Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger;
do not discipline me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking;
3 my whole being is shaken with terror.
And You, Lord—how long?
4 Turn, Lord! Rescue me;
save me because of Your faithful love.
5 For there is no remembrance of You in death;
who can thank You in Sheol?
6 I am weary from my groaning;
with my tears I dampen my pillow
and drench my bed every night.
7 My eyes are swollen from grief;
they grow old because of all my enemies.
8 Depart from me, all evildoers,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord as heard my plea for help;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror;
they will turn back and suddenly be disgraced.
The Lord hears your plea. He accepts your prayer. Whether your trouble comes from outside or in, whether it’s pain or injustice or loneliness or fear – He hears. He knows that your body is breaking down with anxiety and that you cry whenever nobody is looking. He knows your weariness. He feels the wetness of your tears. And his love is faithful.
You have hope.
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
therefore I will hope in him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
We have new mercies today, January 1 of the year you dread. Not the mercies of 2015 that seemed to run out – new mercies for today. The Lord is our portion – the very amount we need, no more and no less. You didn’t find it gift wrapped this bleary morning, but wait on the Lord and the mercies will happen precisely where and when you need them to. Do not wait passively, wait with conviction and faith that God will keep His word. He will bring hope and mercies. He will be the portion you need for this day and the next and the next, each set of mercies right for the day provided not a moment too early or too late.
It may not be a happy new year. But it can be a hopeful one.
December 30, 2015
5 Books I Didn’t Read in 2015
Tis the season for book lists. The best of the year. My favorites of 2015. The books I most hope people will be impressed that I read. Well here is my contribution – 5 books I did not read this year!
Literary Novel Sensation by NaNoWriMo Participant
Titled “Petunia” or “Dark In the Day of Night” or “Catching Fireflies with Umbrellas” or some such, it is a multi-themed critically acclaimed masterpiece. Reviewers have compared it to “a combination of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atlas Shrugged, and Infinite Jest.” It moved readers, brought tears, and will be forgotten by summer of 2016.
The Theological Tome by Rising Professor
672 pages of old truths in a fresh package with some liturgy sprinkled throughout. It is called insightful, revolutionary, and fresh. Because that’s what happens when you repackage geniuses who came before you.
The Pop Psychology Phenomena by Pseudo Academic nee Journalist
Exploring the way the human mind works through anecdotes and speculation this book grips readers by making them feel far smarter than they are. Mention it and you become nouveau cosmopolitan in no time flat and the life of every dinner party (you imagine attending).
A Fresh Look At The Gospel by Former Conference Breakout Speaker
Gospel-centered, pseudo reformed goodness about missionally engaging culture incarnationally.
TED Talk Turned Business Mantra by Entrepreneur with One Good Idea
How many pages can you turn a seventeen minute talk into? It depends on how many times you mention Apple, Amazon, Google, and Zappos while using the mantra phrase at least once per page. But don’t worry self-identified business leaders eat this stuff up.
December 28, 2015
New Happy Rant: Post Christmas Depression (PCD), When Stars Should Retire, and New Year’s Resolutions
Christmas has come and gone. For some this offers relief. For others, depression. But it also means the New Year is upon us, so we look ahead. In this episode of The Happy Rant we hit the following.
PCD – post Christmas Depression, an acute (if fictitious) ailment that Ronnie suffers from.
When should star performers and athletes retire? How do they know? Is it bad to hold on too long?
Tis the season for new year’s resolutions, but what do we think of them and do we make them?
We want to thank Resonate Recordings, the fine folks who make us sound listenable. If you are looking for great people to help your church put out recorded sermon audio or help you with a podcast they’re your people. They’ve also recently put out a couple albums for artists Whitney Bozarth and Adrian Mathenia and you can listen to those for free.
Feel free to hit us up on Twitter at @HappyRantPod or on Facebook with any topic suggestions or feedback. We love hearing from listeners!
To listen you can:
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Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.
EPISODE #68
December 21, 2015
New Happy Rant: Star Wars, Gluttons, and Crazy Christian Leaders
Happy Christmas week, everyone. Also, may the force be with you and whatnot. Just because it;s a holiday week doesn;t mean we skip releasing a podcast for your happiness, so here you go. We rant bout all sorts of good things.
A brief argument about the merits of cats and dogs
Will our hosts participate in the Star Wars hubbub? Is the hubbub worth all the trouble?
What are we to do when guys like Jerry Falwell Jr. or Franklin Graham make outlandish statements in response to Muslim extremists?
Why is gluttony an acceptable sin for Christians, or at least one that never gets discussed?
We want to thank Resonate Recordings, the fine folks who make us sound listenable. If you are looking for great people to help your church put out recorded sermon audio or help you with a podcast they’re your people. They’ve also recently put out a couple albums for artists Whitney Bozarth and Adrian Mathenia and you can listen to those for free.
Feel free to hit us up on Twitter at @HappyRantPod or on Facebook with any topic suggestions or feedback. We love hearing from listeners!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
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 #67
December 17, 2015
When Christmas Carols Lead us Astray
Mary did know. The angel told her. Read your bible.
The night was not silent. A baby was being born in a barn for goodness sake.
The little Lord Jesus did make crying. He was a healthy human baby after all.
If someone wishes you a merry Christmas but won’t leave until they get figgy pudding then A) they have terrible taste and B) they don’t care about your merry Christmas.
No matter how many times you sing “oh Christmas tree” it still can’t hear you.
Rockin around the Christmas tree will only make a mess and might be a safety hazard.
Just because it’s cold outside does not give a man the right to ply a woman with drinks and force her to stay longer.
If your kid thinks he witnessed you kissing Santa Claus it will cause him far less angst to know the truth about Santa than to think you’re philandering.
Droning endlessly about “simply having a wonderful Christmas time” does nothing to make it a wonderful Christmas time.
We all know what “Feliz Navidad” means. There’s no need to turn into drunk karaoke guy and wail about wishing me a merry Christmas.
I love you, honey, but I also want an iPad pro and an Edie Bauer gift card for Christmas.
Based on how most people in the South whine about 50 degree weather they would have no fun in a one horse open sleigh.
Yes, they know it’s Christmas. Christmas isn’t an American holiday.
Daddy, you shouldn’t get drunk any day, let alone Christmas.
I am dreaming of a white Christmas. I guess El Nino ruined that.
The little drummer boy’s mama should have told him that babies don’t like drum solos.
Are we sure King Wenceslas was good? He never did anything for me. And I feel like we’ve all been missing out on the feast of Stephen. Someone’s holding out.
December 16, 2015
Wowed by the Warriors
Every time you watch a game or match of any sport, there’s always the chance you’ll see something spectacular: a record-breaking performance, a play that makes all the highlight reels, a photo finish. Historically, certain athletes or teams have taken that slim chance and made it a near certainty: Michael Jordan, Pelé, Barry Sanders, Barry Bonds, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, the 1996 Chicago Bulls, the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, “The Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams between 1999 and 2001. When you tuned in to watch those players and teams you expected your mind to be blown.
. . .
It’s a gift, and nobody today is as generous with that gift as Stephen Curry. He’s the Santa Claus of incredible highlights.
Last season Curry led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title and broke his own NBA record for 3-point baskets in a season along the way. He was electric.
But if last season was electric, this one is nuclear. Curry is on pace for nearly 430 3-pointers this season, 145 more than last year. But it’s more than the number; it’s the style. He dribbles the ball like it’s a yo-yo attached to his finger and hits wild shots any other player would get benched for even attempting with such consistency and ease.
. . .
On top of all this, the Warriors have set the NBA record for wins to begin a season at 23, eight more than the previous record. (They go for win No. 24 tonight in Boston against the Celtics.) [The Warriors won in Boston, but their streak was stopped at 24 wins when Milwaukee defeated them.] They play an unmatched style that is fast, fun, and team-oriented. Every Golden State game is a spectacle of the best sort.
. . .
Sports are often a passing fancy, a mindless relaxation opportunity. But sometimes, every so often, a player or a team—both, in this case—are so spectacular they deserve our full appreciation. Rather than letting the 24-hour news cycle run away with us, we should take the time to appreciate such greatness.
It’s a rare gift, as a fan, to see something with regularity we haven’t seen before. It’s even rarer when it’s done with class and character, as the Warriors do. We hope for it. We keep our eyes open. But do we take the time to pause and appreciate and absorb it? We love sports for just these experiences. Let’s not overlook or underappreciate the greatness right in front of us. It might be years before we see the likes of it again.
Read the full post HERE.
December 13, 2015
New Happy Rant: Advent vs. Lent, Guilty Pleasures, and a Secret Sports Addiction
You can count on us to get your week started off right. Here is episode 66 of the Happy Rant to offer you a little levity on your last week of work before Christmas. Hang in there! In this episode we rant about the following:
Ronnie may not be a “sports fan” but he does have one secret sports love
Why do evangelical Christians feel so comfortable with Advent and celebrate it so much but kind of weird out about Lent?
What’s the deal with guilty pleasures? Why should anyone feel guilty about enjoying music or movies just because someone in skinny jeans says so?
A little bonus chat about who would win the Heisman. Did Ted and Barnabas guess correctly?
Our newest Sponsor, Missional Wear, offers some pretty sweet Calvinist swag for that Spurgeon/Calvin/Edwards Fanboy tor girl in your life. Missional Wear creates awesome reformed theology t-shirts and apparel. They also make fun stuff like John Calvin coffee mugs, Martin Luther pint glasses, Charles Spurgeon stickers, The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards posters, and so much more!
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We also want to thank Resonate Recordings, the fine folks who make us sound listenable. If you are looking for great people to help your church put out recorded sermon audio or help you with a podcast they’re your people. They’ve also recently put out a couple albums for artists Whitney Bozarth and Adrian Mathenia and you can listen to those for free.
Feel free to hit us up on Twitter at @HappyRantPod or on Facebook with any topic suggestions or feedback. We love hearing from listeners!
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.
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 #66
December 9, 2015
The Insanity of Winning in College Football
One hundred and forty-five wins is a lot for a college football coach over 15 seasons, but apparently they don’t really count. That’s because those 145 wins do not include a national championship, rendering them meaningless. In his decade and a half as head coach at the University of Georgia, Mark Richt did a remarkable job. He led the Bulldogs to a bowl game every season. He is a man of high character. He churned out NFL talent. And now he has been let go because, and only because, he failed to win the title.
. . .
What in heaven’s name is wrong with college football? Administrators seem to have lost their minds. They have determined that the sole metric of success is national championships, and every other seemingly worthwhile accomplishment is not worthwhile or worth the financial investment. When only one metric determines success and only one team can achieve it each year, it rules out the vast majority of good coaches can do.
Mark Richt is well known as a man of God and a man who loves and respects his players. He holds them to a high standard and is not afraid to discipline those who step out of line. He won. He improved and stabilized the Georgia program after an uneven decade. He developed quality young men and successful professional football players while many of his peers struggled to do either. All this explains why the University of Miami, a once proud but now struggling program, was so quick to hire Richt. None of it explains the sense of his firing.
It was nonsensical. The standard to which Richt, Miles, and other coaches are held is asinine, unrealistic, even harmful for the programs. Championships are a goal, the apex goal, but they are not the only measure of success. When administrators fire coaches for failing to win a championship they overlook the importance of organizational health and stability and the significance of people development. And the team often declines after such a firing.
. . .
Read the full article HERE.
