Your Best Links Now – 2/21/14

Steven Furtick and the “Disneyfication” of Baptism by Christopher Smith

“Furtick offers much fodder for critique — the multi-million dollar house, etc. — but this new story of Elevation’s practice of ‘Spontaneous Baptism’ highlighted many of the criticisms of industrialized Christianity . . .”

On the other hand,

Charles Spurgeon Says We Oughtn’t Count Our Unhatched Chickens

His piece “What Is it To Win a Soul?” is a good corrective on so much silliness.

Is Required Reading Hurting America?

When I scroll through my Facebook feed, it seems like the consensus opinion is that the American educational system is in trouble because they set standards that are way too high for children and at the same time have lowered the bar too low. We expect kids to learn dry facts and numbers that don’t apply to their lives and we also let them explore and feel and learn values that don’t actually educate them on facts and numbers. Or something like that. This fellow suggests schools shouldn’t assign books. But kids should read books. You’ll figure it out (if you didn’t go to public school, I guess.)

Pagan Propitiation vs. Biblical Propitiation by Fred Sanders

“In pagan propitiation, the gods need to be propitiated because they are grumpy and capricious. They don’t care much about humans except when something makes them angry; then they smite! . . . But every aspect of biblical propitiation contrasts with the pagan kind.”

11 Simple Ways to Disciple Your Kids On Mission by Seth McBee

“I learned early on, from my brothers at Soma Communities, that I only have one life, and mission has to be part of my everyday life, not some other life that I need to live . . . How can we disciple kids in the midst of such hectic community and mission filled lives?”

The Restaurant Fight Scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Zhang Ziyi shows some dudes what’s up.