Carson on theologians and administrators in church leadership

In local churches (and in institutions which claim to be confessionally biblical)... you must have at their head, people who are not only theologically trained but who have been tested in matters of discernment, who have an ultimate say.

And under them they need a wide battery of capable administrators. (Far be it for me to criticise administrators, they are blessings sent from God. Administration is a charasmatic gift, do you remember that? Thank God for administrators!)

But at the same time, administrators are rarely the most discerning regarding the pattern of sound teaching, rarely.


From (Time: 40:51 to 41:36) of
Motivation for Ministry

You may agree or disagree with D A Carson, but ignore his warning at great peril.

Bonhoeffer defining "church"

The church is the church only when it exists for others... the church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving.


From Page 203-4 of Letters and Papers from Prison

Relative truth?

Closed-minded - Adam4d.com

Eric Liddell on running a race

When asked how he ran so fast, [Eric Liddell] often told people that he ran as fast as he could for the first half of a race and then asked God to help him run even faster for the second half.


From Page 43 of Letters and Papers from Prison

Review: The Seven Laws of the Learner

The Seven Laws of the Learner by Bruce H. Wilkinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read about three books each month, and this has to be one of the most impactful and convicting for the year 2015. (The other book that had such a profound impact on my life and worldview would be Clowney's Unfolding Mystery - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...)

I had taken on an attitude that it is not my problem to motivate the unmotivated student, be it in secular or Christian circles. I’ll just find those who are interested in having God’s will done in their lives, and then we’ll take it from there.

Chapter after chapter, I am compelled to reconsider many of my perceptions (most of them had been cast in stone after extensive teaching experience). I have caught a little of his seemingly bottomless passion to see students walk life face-to-face with the living God. The impartation of knowledge is simply the vehicle to see about revival.

In the religious-persecution-free society in Singapore, believers often feel no need for God or his commands. It is painful to see Christians and churches engage in self-sustaining and consumeristic practices. The only time we want to follow in his ways, is when we demand that he answers our prayers and solve our problems. As I closed the book, tears welled up in my eyes and my heart was overwhelmed with a desire for revival - to be part of a gospel community of continually repented and loving believers. The catalyst would have to start with me, because having counted the cost, it would be crazy not to give up my life for such a cause as this.

For this to be a balanced review, I have to discuss what was not so fantastic.

There were some theological references that I was uncomfortable with. For example, his refer to the parable of the talents is tricky because in his parable Jesus used 'talents' in the context of money, not to refer to a person's giftedness (p408-409). He also has to explain (p420-432) in what way is the prophet Nathan like a teacher before he can use that as a starting base for the section on revival. Thankfully these theological ambiguity came toward the end of the book and not at the beginning, otherwise students who are hermeneutically wired may be quickly (and wrongly) dismiss that the book is filled with eisegetical assertions.

These errors do not subtract from the message Wilkinson is trying to impart to us readers. We receive from what he is gifted in, and that is teaching. For a more meaty theological diet, one can simply read this book in conjunction with a more scholarly and biblical title.

On the topic of teaching, this has to be one of the first I would recommend to teachers.

View all my reviews