Pure Church

This is fun:



HT: Shane

This is a nice Christmas story. Quadruplets in Connecticut become the first quads to be admitted to Yale University.

The Crouches’ perfect batting average represents a first for Yale — the first time in anyone’s memory that it has offered admission to quadruplets. It is also, of course, no small milestone for the siblings, who were born more than two months premature. (Ray was the last to be released from the neonatal unit, more than four months later.)

They made up for that rough start. Their class rankings range from 13 out of a class of 632 (Kenny) to 46 (Martina) — and they have sky-high SAT scores (including Carol’s perfect 800 on the verbal part of that exam).

Martha Stewart, after a brief stint on da block, is now baking brownies and droppin' lyrics with Snoop D-O-Double G. Check it out here.

Some snippets from a post by Eric Barker:

An examination of the Technorati rankings for recent years reveals that turnover among the top 50 blogs has become increasingly rare. Even as the total number of blogs has swelled to 133 million from 27 million in 2006, the top 50 have remained relatively static. On March 15, 2006, 30 blogs out of the top 50 were new to the list, never having appeared at the top in any previous year; last month, that number was down to 18.

Of the top 50 blogs, 21 are owned by such familiar names as CNN, the New York Times, ABC, and AOL.

An immense proportion of the online readership—roughly 42% of all blog traffic—flows to the top 50 blogs.

What do you think? Is the "democratic" nature of the blogosphere being bought up by titans?

Ligonier Ministries has a sweet new website. Check 'em out.

Don't pretend you know the words to this song. You sing it just like this in the car on the way to work!

Well, what do you know? This marks the 1000th post here at PureChurch!

When I started this blog, it was at my wife's suggestion. As always and with everything, she has been my biggest supporter and deepest partner in life. Even as she opens the blinds in the house this morning, I'm feeling deeply grateful to God for her and profoundly privileged to be her husband. The Lord is treating me better, far better, than I deserve.

And when I started this blog, I didn't think anyone would ever visit or comment. But many of you have, and I am grateful for you, for your thoughts and ideas, for the ways you either affirm or challenge my thinking, and for your being one means by which the Lord continues His work of sanctification in my life. Over these 1,000 posts, I've come to know many of you as friends and co-laborers in gospel fields. I've benefited from your prayers, and many of you have received mine as well. The blogging community has been a wonderful community to join. Thank you for making this a far, far more interesting blog than it would have been otherwise.

I didn't think I had much to say by post 100. Now that I'm at post 1,000 I think I have even less to say. We'll see how things progress, what the Lord gives us to discuss, and how He uses it all for His glory and our joy.

Grace and peace to you on this Lord's Day! May you be excited by the presence and power of Christ as you praise Him!

Thabiti

I just saw a rooster vertically jump and flap about 9 feet into a tree. Did you know roosters could jump? That's a better vertical than Kobe!

Today was my son Titus' 3rd birthday. Yep. He's the big 3.

On the whole, he didn't seem that enthused. The entire day, he just kept to his routine, laid low, and took it all in. He was excited to open a few presents. So far, a large plane and two Bumblebee toys have captured his attention.

He had a fun birthday party with friends from church. There were kids every where, and a few parents despairing over the amount of sugar in the cupcakes. But everyone survived without incident.

Apparently, though, the day is done. Titus just looked at him mom and said, "Mom. I'm ready to eat, watch Little House on the Prairie, and go to bed."

Good way to finish, I think.

Personally, I'm drafting D-Wade. Exhibit A:

That may leave a bruise! HT: Z

We should despise stereotype, slander, and prejudice wherever we find it. I hesitate to post this only because I don't want more people to watch it. But since it's on national television, I guess my not posting it want stop the spread of hate disguised as comedy.

But here's the Quizno's hot tub commercial. As a fellow human being and empathetic southerner, the "hillbilly is stupid" approach is... well... stupid. I find it offensive. What about you?



Related Posts:
One More in the Coffin of "Race"
Another Reason "Race" Makes No Sense
Mark Noll Lectures on Race, Religion and American Politics
Talking to Children About "Race"
Thabiti's Top Ten Tips for Talking About "Race"

I don't know why I've never thought about writing some comments on book covers since pretty much every author comes to that inescapable and sometimes trying stage of attempting to either dovetail or separate their personal artistic and communication preferences from those of the publisher. You feel torn between your own sense of things and trusting the marketing genius of the publisher (usually much better at these things than the author). But covers can feel quite personal because they make the book's first impression. And let's face it, we do judge books by their covers. And the judgment matters for whether or not someone actually picks up and leafs through your work.

While I've never thought about writing a post on book covers, this guy has. Before you click over, please know there is one objectionable title and book cover listed. If you decide to click over (even if you don't), let Him know (and me) what you think about book covers.

MSNBC reports that the NIV and TNIV are to get a facelift. A major updating with "everything on the table" regarding gender revisions is planned. At this point, CBMW and others are remaining open to the full review process. Ligon Duncan, chairman of CBMW, responds here. Al Mohler weighs in here. Concluding paragraph from Mohler:

In the end, the update of the NIV to be released in 2011 will have to stand on its own. Those of us who have had significant concerns with the TNIV should communicate these concerns respectfully, candidly, and directly to the Committee on Bible Translation, to Zondervan, and to Biblica. When released, the updated NIV will deserve and require the attentive study and review of all committed evangelicals. We must hope and pray that this updated NIV will be found both faithful and useful. For now, the decisions that will determine the faithfulness and usefulness of this updated edition are in the hands of the Committee on Bible Translation. We must all pray that their work will produce an updated translation we can greet with appreciation and trust. We must take the members of the Committee on Bible Translation at their word that they will consider these concerns. To fail to pray and to act in this way will be to fail at a basic Christian commitment. The issue is not only the integrity of a Bible translation, but our integrity as Christians.

"The Gospel Coalition" is another way of saying "Together for the Gospel."
"Together for the Gospel" is another way of talking about "Coalescing Around the Gospel."

One expresses itself through the prism of personal friendships. These are a few Friends Together for the Gospel. Which raises the question, which one is Phoebe?

The other takes a more organizational expression, specifically designed to build a bigger Tent of Meeting. We can guess who Moses and Aaron are. But the question is, as in all coalitions, who will be the Survivors? Or, more biblically, who is Korah and will there be a rebellion?

Together for the Gospel is comprised of friends, but that doesn't mean the Gospel Coalition isn't. The Gospel Coalition is an organization, but that doesn't mean Together for the Gospel is unorganized.

All coalitions are made up of people from various backgrounds who gather around a common objective. The coalition is only as strong as the center around which it's built and the various parties' commitment to that center. If the parties look away from the center, the coalition begins to tatter and fray. When they look to the center, they draw near to one another in common purpose and effort.

All friendships have their times of testing. If what bonds them are the cords of love, they tend to survive and be strengthened by the testing. If, however, they prove to be but mere acquaintances then testing may be the occasion for splitting and ending.

But at the heart of The Gospel Coalition is Jesus Christ and the Good News about Him. There is no better Center. And we have reason to hope that as His men look to Him, the coalition will remain strong.

And the cords that bind the friendships of Together for the Gospel are the cords of God's love in Christ. There are no stronger bonds than those forged in God's love. So we have reason to hope that those friends who are together for the gospel will remain so.

And we have reason to hope for ourselves and our churches, that as Christ is the Center of all our living and His love binds us with His people, we will remain so centered and bound together until He comes. The story of The Gospel Coalition and Together for the Gospel ought to be the story of every local church and the Christian friendships inside them. I pray it's so.

Warm hospitality with sweet families:


'Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots'! Remember those?




And 'Hungry Hippos'


Breakfast at Elder Grants':


Visiting the American Girl Place (for my daughter!):


Pastors and their wives (It's always a joy to get a photo op with the Bishop of Atlanta and First Lady :-)):

And I feel just like he looks when she's gone.

Last Friday, the family and I set off for a two week vacation. We'll be spending the bulk of our time with my mom and family in N.C. We'll head up to the Chicago area for the New Life conference, which should be a fabulous time in the Book of Acts, but otherwise we're enjoying the hometown pace and people we love.

In pastoral ministry, you get exposed to a little bit of everything.

We learned yesterday that one of the students in our elementary school has been diagnosed with a case of H1N1 virus, otherwise known as swine flu. It's the first reported case in the Cayman Islands. We're taking all the precautions necessary, quarantine for some, closing the school, extensive disinfection of the classrooms and building, etc.

Things appear to be under control. The young man, who apparently contracted the virus while on a family trip to New York , is doing well and recovering at home with family.

It's been great to see how the health officials have responded with promptness and effectively. Now we pray, and ask you to join us in praying, that the flu does not spread but is contained.