the Gently Mad

By now, most people (who would be interested) know that Louie Giglio is planting a church in Atlanta along with Christ Tomlin and Matt Redman. Whatever you’re reaction to this may be, I was encouraged after watching an interview Louie did with the campus pastor of Buckhead Church.

I guess one of the questions, or common reactions, Louie gets to this news is “Why?” With all he’s involved in with Passion and SixStep Records and Northpoint etc., why plant a church?

His response:

The local church is thing Christ died for. I finally woke up to the fact that I had a huge passion in my heart for the local expression of the face of Jesus in a city of people who really need to know where life and light are found.

What a great statement. It is so amazingly refreshing to hear of people who are willing to sacrifice and dedicate themselves to the church. And it’s a sacrifice of great joy, because there is nothing more worthy for which we can die and and on which we can be wasted.

Watch the video here.

Wow, four days without an internet connection and I thought I was going to die. I seriously did not know what to do with myself. Which is definitely a bad thing, in case you were wondering.

Jessica, Izzie and I just got back from a mini vacation to her aunt’s house in Durham, NC. It was good to get away and see family. Also, I’d never visited that part of NC so I was excited about that. I got to hang out with Jess’ grandfather a good bit, which was fun. We spent one afternoon wandering around Barnes and Noble, just chilling with some coffee, which is probably in my top five favorite things to do.

Me and the fam also spent one afternoon walking around the Duke campus, which, to say the least, was amazing. I was reminded again how much I miss college and the campus atmosphere. I would love to spend time at a school like that, one with such a huge sense of history.

At one point, I saw a professor walking through the gardens reading a thick book and smoking a pipe, which was cliche, but made me believe this place must be some form of heaven.

And the chapel was increadible. It made me think a lot about how different we modern evangelicals view art and architecture than christians in years past.

All in all it was a great trip, though I don’t think Izzie liked spending six and a half hours in a car seat.

But I’m glad to be home, glad to be reconnected.

Longtime Atlanta Braves announcer Skip Caray died Sunday at his Atlanta-area home. He was 68.

In this 1991 photo, three generations of Carays called the same game. Hall of Fame baseball announcer Harry Caray (center) did the Cubs’ broadcast while son Skip (right) and grandson Chip pulled the Braves duties.

I’m no sports fan by any sense of the word. But I do enjoy baseball. Maybe it’s the nostalgia from my childhood or just the fun of going to a game every now and then, I don’t know.

Some of the most vivid memories of my childhood involve going to Braves games with my dad. We didn’t go to very many. I think he liked listening to the games more. Some of the earliest memories I have are of riding around in the car listening to the Braves. And, of course, to Skip Caray calling the games.

I know he will be missed.

Read the story here.

Have you ever been so angry you really feel like you have no control over your actions? Where you are so full of rage you physically feel like you are about combust?

What do you do in those situations? What calms you down and brings you back to reality?

Obviously, anger is a very common emotion and we’ve all felt it. But what about those times when is has a tangable physical effect on you? Your hands are shaking, you feel the serious need to destroy something, etc.

This happened to me about an hour ago. And it’s one of the worst feelings.

I tried to punch something, but even that didn’t work because I only ended up hurting myself. And, trust me, it’s a big let down when you’re so angry you punch the wall and the wall ends up hurting you… Even a minor dent in the sheetrock would be comforting…

Listened to another favorite from Piper on John Owen tonight. His most convicting insight came about an hour in when he said: I think Owen advanced continually in holiness because in all of his studies he studied to obey. He never studied just to stock his mind with a new thought or defeat an argument.

Some quotes from Owen:

Christ is our best fiend and erelong will be our only friend. I pray God with all my heart that I may be weary of everything else but communion with him.

Friendship is most maintained and kept up by visits and these the more and free and less occasioned by urgent business. (speaking of friendship with Christ)

The true notion of holy evangelical truths will not live, at least not flourish, were they are divided from a holy life. As we learn all to practice, so we learn much by practice. And herein alone we can come under the assurance that what we learn and know is indeed the truth… For the mind of man is capable of receiving continual supplies in the increase of light and knowledge if they are improved into their proper end in obedience to God. But without this, the mind will be quickly stuffed with notions so that no streams can descend into it from the fountain of truth.

You can listen to the sermon here.

Yes.

It is to my shame that I admit the consistent memorization of Scripture has been pretty much nonexistent in my life for quite a few years. I used to memorize a lot as a kid, but got out of the habit and I’m sure my walk with Christ is a reflection of that.

Nevertheless, I have been stirred again to take seriously this truly precious spiritual discipline. Kevin, over at cawleyblog has just started preaching through the book of Ephesians at his church and is encouraging everyone to commit the book to memory.

Jessica and I have decided to do this together and would love to have others join us.

I won’t repost everything Kevin posted, but he has put together a page of resources for memorizing the book that can be found here.

Anyone ready for a difficult, but extremly rewarding, experience?

Some links…

Why memorize Scripture? (John Piper)

An Approach to the Extended Memorization of Scripture (Andrew Davis)

How Do You Memorize Scripture? (John Piper)