Saturday, 7 May 2011
Audio: D.A. Carson & Tim Keller discuss Love Wins (Bell) at Gospel Coalition
Rob Bell: A Chronology of responses to Rob Bell's 'Love Wins'
If you don't know where to start, watch the first video, then read the post by Justin Taylor, the review by Challies. The Kevin De Young review is very indepth, it's 20 pages. The interview with Adrian Warnock and Rob Bell is interesting.
A Chronology of Rob Bell on Hell
Below we've outlined a chronology of the debate that's been going on with Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Has Ever Lived. Please note: Rob Bell is in no way affiliated with Mars Hill Church, he is the pastor of a separate church of the same name.
Rob Bell's Book Trailer
Below is the trailer for Rob Bell's new book that ignited the fuse for the heated debates that would ensue.Justin Taylor Responds First
Justin Taylor responded to this video on his blog on the Gospel Coalition's website. This was the push the controversy needed to get it rolling full-force downhill.CNN Covers the Heated Debate
CNN decided to jump in and cover what was going on between the two sides as arguments grew more heated (for lack of a better word) .CNN - Zondervan Splits with Bell
Another article appeared on CNN which went into more depth with the Rob Bell controversy while also discussing his previous publisher's (Zondervan) split with him.Relevant Magazine on Universalism and Bell
Scot McKnight breaks down the different types of universalism and notes that we will be seeing nothing new here than in centuries past.Challies - The First Review of the Book
Tim Challies received one of the first copies of the book and quickly got the review out.Al Mohler's Two Part Series
Part 1 + Part 2 ~ In this 2-part series, Al Mohler addressed "Doing Away with Hell?" and the attention it demands.Kevin DeYoung Reviews the Book
Kevin DeYoung of the Gospel Coalition spent a good amount of time with the book and hammered out a 20-page review.Christianity Today Reviews the Book
Mark Galli reviewed the book for Christianity Today, examining the answers Bell gives and how it might sabotage his goals.USA Today - Pastor's Book Kindles Firestorm
The debate made enough noise to get picked up by USA Today yesterday morning."Mars Hell" by Doug Wilson
Douglas Wilson points to the present effects of what happens when we deny things about eternity."To Hell With Hell?" by Mark Driscoll
Yesterday, we released this post from Pastor Mark that was adapted from a chapter of his book Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe.An Interview with Bell on MSNBC
"Is Hell Dead?" by TIME
Hell has now made the cover of TIME Magazine. The article covers the debate and controversy going on in Christianity and how it has affected churches and people today.The Gospel Coalition Panel Discussion of Love Wins
At the recent Gospel Coalition conference, a panel discussion was held to talk about Love Wins.Can Hope be Wrong?
Calvin scholar, James Smith, reviewed the book on his blog, Fors Clavigera.Free PDF Chapter from Michael Horton
White Horse Inn is giving away a free chapter on Heaven and Hell from Micahel Horton.Debate with Adrian Warnock and Rob Bell
Adrian Warnock did a face-to-face debate will Rob Bell about heaven & hell. You can watch the whole thing here.Franklin Graham Calls Bell a Heretic
In the video, Franklin Graham talks about Bell saying, “the man is a false teacher...a heretic” around 2:50.
Blog Tip: How to display HTML code in a post
Just go here and the program will convert your html text into text that displays in your blog post.
Blog Tips: How to publish a podcast for free
This post was taken directly from this website. Go there to see the full post.
------------
I recently moved my podcast from Libsyn's pay service to the free hosting on Archive.org, the Internet Archive and home of the wayback machine. If you're willing to allow a licensing model compatible with their upload system, this might work for you. Libsyn is a great and simple solution, but the monthly payments have added up and the free solution is pretty easy using Feedburner and Wordpress.com to create an iTunes compatible feed.
Step 1: Create your podcast audio file
Audacity in BNI-Ubuntu
Creative Commons License Audacity. photo credit: Sloshay
Record your podcast in a standard audio format. Mp3 is pretty common and universal. If you need a free audio recording and edition program, I suggest Audacity. That's what I use. It's free and open source.
Step 2: Upload to the Internet Archive
On Archive.org, click on the SHARE button. If you don't have an account, you'll be prompted to create one. You can even login with your usual OpenID if you have one. If you've already created your Wordpress.com account (which you will need to do in Step 3), you can use your Wordpress.com URL as your OpenID/Login.
Archiveupload
With the SHARE button, your browser will prompt you to select the file or files. On the new page, you'll be able to see the status of your upload. In the Title field, put the short name of your podcast. Archive.org will generate an identifier with this name that you can use to add more episodes of your podcast as your create them. Although you really don't need to keep all of your podcasts under the same identifier and can upload anywhere, the site has what it calls Collections and it simplifies things to keep all of your episodes under the same collection. The description and keyword fields should be about the general podcast and not episode specific. Choose a license if you want. Finally, click Share My File(s).
It will take a minute or so for the site to create your page. Save the url that it generates as this is where you'll be updating your podcast from now on. Under "Audio Files", you'll see the file name of your episode. Right click (Windows) or Command click (Mac) on the listand copy the link URL to your audio file to your clipboard.
Step 3: Create your Wordpress.com Site
In this example, I'm using a free Wordpress.com blog. You can substitute the blogging site and software of your choice as long as it will generate an rss feed.
wppodcast
Follow the directions on the site to sign up. It's pretty straightforward. Create a new blog post. Put the episode title as your post title. Add any description or show notes or links about the episode as needed in the body. At the very end, paste your url to the mp3 and make the url link to the mp3. Publish the post to the web.
Step 3: Create your podcast RSS feed
This is the part that turns your blog and mp3 file into a real published and subscribe ready podcast. By default, Wordpress.com will put a link to your RSS feed on your blog's page. Copy that url. Google's Feedburner service makes this part pretty easy. Log into your Google account or create a Feedburner account and past the URL in the field marked Burn a Feed right this instant. Check the box that says I'm a podcaster. Hit next. You'll have to title and create a short url for your feed. Continue through the options hitting next and filling out all of the fields until Feedburner says "You have successfully updated the Feed".
Step 4: Submit your podcast to iTunes
itunespodcastsubmit
Most of my listeners come from iTunes, so this step is pretty important. Follow this link to Submit Podcasts to the iTunes Directory. This will open iTunes. Copy your feed URL from Feedburner, paste it into the iTunes' Podcast Feed URL box, hit continue until your submission is complete. It could take up to a few days for your podcast to appear in the iTunes Podcast directory.
That's it, you now have now have a podcast!
------------
I recently moved my podcast from Libsyn's pay service to the free hosting on Archive.org, the Internet Archive and home of the wayback machine. If you're willing to allow a licensing model compatible with their upload system, this might work for you. Libsyn is a great and simple solution, but the monthly payments have added up and the free solution is pretty easy using Feedburner and Wordpress.com to create an iTunes compatible feed.
Step 1: Create your podcast audio file
Audacity in BNI-Ubuntu
Creative Commons License Audacity. photo credit: Sloshay
Record your podcast in a standard audio format. Mp3 is pretty common and universal. If you need a free audio recording and edition program, I suggest Audacity. That's what I use. It's free and open source.
Step 2: Upload to the Internet Archive
On Archive.org, click on the SHARE button. If you don't have an account, you'll be prompted to create one. You can even login with your usual OpenID if you have one. If you've already created your Wordpress.com account (which you will need to do in Step 3), you can use your Wordpress.com URL as your OpenID/Login.
Archiveupload
With the SHARE button, your browser will prompt you to select the file or files. On the new page, you'll be able to see the status of your upload. In the Title field, put the short name of your podcast. Archive.org will generate an identifier with this name that you can use to add more episodes of your podcast as your create them. Although you really don't need to keep all of your podcasts under the same identifier and can upload anywhere, the site has what it calls Collections and it simplifies things to keep all of your episodes under the same collection. The description and keyword fields should be about the general podcast and not episode specific. Choose a license if you want. Finally, click Share My File(s).
It will take a minute or so for the site to create your page. Save the url that it generates as this is where you'll be updating your podcast from now on. Under "Audio Files", you'll see the file name of your episode. Right click (Windows) or Command click (Mac) on the listand copy the link URL to your audio file to your clipboard.
Step 3: Create your Wordpress.com Site
In this example, I'm using a free Wordpress.com blog. You can substitute the blogging site and software of your choice as long as it will generate an rss feed.
wppodcast
Follow the directions on the site to sign up. It's pretty straightforward. Create a new blog post. Put the episode title as your post title. Add any description or show notes or links about the episode as needed in the body. At the very end, paste your url to the mp3 and make the url link to the mp3. Publish the post to the web.
Step 3: Create your podcast RSS feed
This is the part that turns your blog and mp3 file into a real published and subscribe ready podcast. By default, Wordpress.com will put a link to your RSS feed on your blog's page. Copy that url. Google's Feedburner service makes this part pretty easy. Log into your Google account or create a Feedburner account and past the URL in the field marked Burn a Feed right this instant. Check the box that says I'm a podcaster. Hit next. You'll have to title and create a short url for your feed. Continue through the options hitting next and filling out all of the fields until Feedburner says "You have successfully updated the Feed".
Step 4: Submit your podcast to iTunes
itunespodcastsubmit
Most of my listeners come from iTunes, so this step is pretty important. Follow this link to Submit Podcasts to the iTunes Directory. This will open iTunes. Copy your feed URL from Feedburner, paste it into the iTunes' Podcast Feed URL box, hit continue until your submission is complete. It could take up to a few days for your podcast to appear in the iTunes Podcast directory.
That's it, you now have now have a podcast!
Blog Tip: How to get mp3s to play directly from the blog
Just paste this little piece of code anywhere in the post and a little play button will appear in your blog post next to where you place the link to the mp3.
Sons & Daughters - Your Glory
<script src="http://googlepage.googlepages.com/player.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
Or You can try this one.
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.archive.org/download/audio-player.js_159/audio-player.js">
</script>
<object data="http://www.archive.org/download/player.swf_43/player.swf" height="24" id="audioplayer1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.archive.org/download/player.swf_43/player.swf">
<param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&soundFile=http://www.zackmoody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Your-Glory.mp3">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="menu" value="false">
<param name="wmode" value="transparent">
</object>
Just replace the text in bold with the URL to the mp3 you want to play.
Here is the tuturial for the 2nd player.
Here is a link to another 10 players that you can try.
Sons & Daughters - Your Glory
<script src="http://googlepage.googlepages.com/player.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
Or You can try this one.
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.archive.org/download/audio-player.js_159/audio-player.js">
</script>
<object data="http://www.archive.org/download/player.swf_43/player.swf" height="24" id="audioplayer1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="290"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.archive.org/download/player.swf_43/player.swf">
<param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=audioplayer1&soundFile=http://www.zackmoody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Your-Glory.mp3">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="menu" value="false">
<param name="wmode" value="transparent">
</object>
Just replace the text in bold with the URL to the mp3 you want to play.
Here is the tuturial for the 2nd player.
Here is a link to another 10 players that you can try.
Video: Withnail & I & Willard on What is man: Between the dust heap and the heavens
This video clip is from the end of the film Withnail & I and is a quotation from Hamlet. What are we as humans? Psalm 8:3-6.
Dallas Willard puts it this way 'The poets as well as the writers of Scripture were vividly aware of the contrast. Humankind aspires to beauty and power, to purity and dignity, to knowledge and endless love. And yet we are wantering heaps of protoplasm - bits of "portable plumbing" as the poet Stephen Spender says. The sober truth is that we are made of dust, even if we do aspire to the heavens. And though the glow of youth will conceal that truth for a time, all of us will, if time allows, realize as the poet Yeats did in 'Sailing to Byzantium' that 'an aged man is but a platry thing, a tatterred coat upon a stick'. Clay, dust, powder - yes. But then there is the other side. What a spledor to it! Shakespeare makes Hamlet exclaim 'What a piece of work is a man! How infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals' but for all this Hamlet still concludes 'And yet, to me what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me.' Yet as creatures go we are different. We are made for highter things. Our aspirations hint of such a truth.
Dallas Willard puts it this way 'The poets as well as the writers of Scripture were vividly aware of the contrast. Humankind aspires to beauty and power, to purity and dignity, to knowledge and endless love. And yet we are wantering heaps of protoplasm - bits of "portable plumbing" as the poet Stephen Spender says. The sober truth is that we are made of dust, even if we do aspire to the heavens. And though the glow of youth will conceal that truth for a time, all of us will, if time allows, realize as the poet Yeats did in 'Sailing to Byzantium' that 'an aged man is but a platry thing, a tatterred coat upon a stick'. Clay, dust, powder - yes. But then there is the other side. What a spledor to it! Shakespeare makes Hamlet exclaim 'What a piece of work is a man! How infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals' but for all this Hamlet still concludes 'And yet, to me what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me.' Yet as creatures go we are different. We are made for highter things. Our aspirations hint of such a truth.
The Spirit of the Disciplines p. 46
We were made in the image of God. Genesis 1:26-27Friday, 6 May 2011
Video: Sons & Daughters - Watch studio recordings of new album
1. All the Poor & Powerless
2. Your Glory
3. Alive
4. Let it Shine
5. Brokenness Aside
6. I am set free
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Bible Teaching Mp3s: Biblical Theology -The Story of God
The Story of God - Soma Communities
For thousands of years, stories and oral traditions were the key means for Jewish and Christian people to learn about and experience God. Soma Communities interacts with the biblical narrative through stories as one of our primary ways of teaching and engaging the Word.
For thousands of years, stories and oral traditions were the key means for Jewish and Christian people to learn about and experience God. Soma Communities interacts with the biblical narrative through stories as one of our primary ways of teaching and engaging the Word.
Beautiful: Beauty makes me long for You God
And You made this all Father. Why is this beautiful? How much more beautiful must You be? Are You actively creating beauty right now? Or have You created it this way, a canvas that paints itself. And this all holds together in You Jesus, all things were created through You and all this beauty holds together in You.
I stood in the middle of the park where it clears looking up at the clouds and just in awe of the beauty and yet also unable to enter into it fully, that familiar longing created by beauty, as if somehow there must be something more to it. I see in Your creation Father Your reflected glory, but it makes me long to commune with You directly. My souls longs for You God, it cries out for You directly. Psalm 42:2. To see You face to face. And I will. Revelation 22:4.
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Reference Books Recommendations: A starter library for understanding God's word
I've put together a list of basic reference books for understanding God's word. A kind of starter library for reference. The aim is that you'd be able to pick up any book of the bible and get the basic answers to your questions. E.g. Where is the place, when was the book written, what else does the bible say on the topic of e.g. the kingdom of God, etc.
1. NIV Study Bible
Just brilliant. It's got all the basic charts, maps and dates you need as well as basic comments on each verse of the bible. I can't recommend this highly enough. I also have the ESV Study bible but if I had to choose I'd go with this one.
2. Essential IVP reference Collection 3.0 (Electronic edition - Logos)
This computer based set is great. You get 17 books for this price. The main reason to get it is the 4 new testament dictionaries it comes with. They look at almost any new testament topic and look at it in each the gospels, then Paul's letters and finally the remaining letters of the NT. These are fantastic! It's also got a one edition bible commentary as well as interesting dictionaries. It includes an atlas.
You can buy it from CBD for $120 delivered worldwide.
3. The Bible Speaks Today - Complete NT (Electronic Edition - Logos)
This set is edited by John Stott and he actually wrote many of the NT ones most notably Ephesians, Galatians, Thessalonians, Acts and Romans. The series is fantastic. It's got enough of the historical and cultural background stuff to know what it meant to the original heares, it's also great on theology and then gives some very helpful application. But above all they're written by men who really love God. I've found them very helpful in preparing sermons.
You can get the complete NT set from CBD for $75 delivered worldwide.
4. Tyndale Complete Old & New Testament Commentaries (Electronic Edition - Logos)
These commentaries are relatively short but cover all the books of the bible. They are often recommended (especially the OT books). But for this price you get commentary on every book of the bible.
You can get the complete OT & NT set from CBD for $160.
1. NIV Study Bible
Just brilliant. It's got all the basic charts, maps and dates you need as well as basic comments on each verse of the bible. I can't recommend this highly enough. I also have the ESV Study bible but if I had to choose I'd go with this one.
This computer based set is great. You get 17 books for this price. The main reason to get it is the 4 new testament dictionaries it comes with. They look at almost any new testament topic and look at it in each the gospels, then Paul's letters and finally the remaining letters of the NT. These are fantastic! It's also got a one edition bible commentary as well as interesting dictionaries. It includes an atlas.
You can buy it from CBD for $120 delivered worldwide.
This set is edited by John Stott and he actually wrote many of the NT ones most notably Ephesians, Galatians, Thessalonians, Acts and Romans. The series is fantastic. It's got enough of the historical and cultural background stuff to know what it meant to the original heares, it's also great on theology and then gives some very helpful application. But above all they're written by men who really love God. I've found them very helpful in preparing sermons.
You can get the complete NT set from CBD for $75 delivered worldwide.
4. Tyndale Complete Old & New Testament Commentaries (Electronic Edition - Logos)
You can get the complete OT & NT set from CBD for $160.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Video: Life in a Missional Community (Soma) - Radically rethinking small groups & church
I've been really challenged by their teachings on being in community on mission together. In terms of size the missional community is a 'small group' but what's different is that each missional community has as their raison d'etre, being on mission to a group of people e.g. soccer moms, parents of children from a local school, and so on. The group exists for mission, not simply to study the bible, or to grow, although those things will happen as the group is on mission together. If you'd like to know more you can check out their Soma Fast Track teachings website here. It's four sessions giving the basics of what Soma believes.
Soma Communities - Tacoma, WA from Verge Network on Vimeo.
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