Agree or Disagree? Piper on Thinking, the Bible, and God

If we abandon thinking, we abandon the Bible, and if we abandon the Bible we abandon God.  (Piper, Think, 123)

Do you agree with his assessment or disagree?

You may also want to check out my review of Think.

Agree or Disagree? The Motive of Conversion

In their book, To Transform a City, Eric Swanson and Sam Williams remark:

Conversion is our ultimate motive but not our ulterior motive in loving and serving others.  ‘Ultimate motive’ means that we absolutely want every person on earth to be in a right relationship with God through Jesus, in the same way that God does not desire any to perish but all to come to repentance.  But ‘ulterior motive’ means that we do acts of love and service toward others so that they become Christians (which could signify that if they don’t become Christians, we stop loving and serving).  It is important to remember that we don’t engage in the needs, dreams, and pains of our communities so that they will become Christians; rather we engage the community because we are Christians.  (Swanson/Williams, To Transform a City, p58 emphasis mine) 

Mainly I am asking whether you agree or disagree with the italicized section.  I will be reviewing this book as part of this blog tour later in the week. 

Agree of Disagree? Ragamuffin Evangelism

In his book A Ragamuffin Gospel Brennan Manning says this:

To evangelize a person is to say to him or her:  you too are loved by God and the Lord Jesus.  And not only to say it but to really think it, and relate it to them so they can sense it.  But that becomes possible only by offering the person your friendship, a friendship that is real, unselfish, without condescension, full of confidence and profound esteem.

Do you agree with his explanation of evangelism? 

As always the intention here is to spark thought and helpful discussion.  If you have an opinion but feel a little nervous, I urge you to still leave a comment (you can make it anonymous).  We need your input! 

Agree or Disagree? The Psalms and the Young

“…Not a lot of people know the book of Psalms well at twenty-five.  This is because the book of Psalms resonates with people who have had a lot of experiences.  You have to have quite a lot of different experiences under your belt before you resonate easily with a lot of the things that are said in the book of Psalms: lament, loss, shame, death, triumph, the exaltation of informed and godly God-centered praise, and prophecy anticipating what is still to come.”  If instead you have a  very limited experience, most of these things just sounda bit over the top or a bit extravagant or even alien to you.”  (Carson, The God Who Is There, 86)

What is your experience with the Psalms?  I am looking to hear from people in all age ranges.  Has your appreciate of the Psalms grown over the years?  Are there any under twenty five that would disagree with Carson? 

Talk to me…

Agree or Disagree? Bolton on Preaching

This will be the beginning of a new series.  My aim is not to stir up controversy but to provoke thought.  In each segment of Agree or Disagree I will provide a quote.  You tell me if you agree or disagree and why. 

All the men of God and master-builders, who have ever set themselves to serve God in their ministry, and to save souls, have followed the same course; to wit, First, to wound by the Law, and then to heal by the Gospel.  We must be humbled in the sight of the Lord; before he lift us up.  (Richard Bolton; Quoted from Iain Murray, The Old Evangelicalism, p25)

Do you agree with Bolton that this is THE way of preaching the gospel?  Do you agree or disagree that we must be humbled before lifted up?