Posts Tagged Web Wednesdays
Web Wednesday- Confessing and Reforming
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Resources, Web Resources on September 23, 2009
It may be a little overwhelming to see the amount of links that I have listed on this website. I am hoping to change the format of this soon. In the meantime, I will be focussing on a different resource each wednesday…explaining why I have it listed here.
It seems fitting to start with Reformation 21, a resource of The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.
From the site:
Reformation 21 is an online magazine (ezine) created to serve, edify, and educate Christians by presenting an authoritative reformed perspective, while embracing various denominational positions, on a variety of relevant historic matters, current issues, and thoughtful positions that inform, inspire, and challenge Christians to think and grow biblically. It is a ministry of The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (www.alliancenet.org), an organization established in order to call the church to a reformation that recovers clarity and conviction about the great evangelical truths of the gospel and to encourage their proclamation in our contemporary context.
With all the movements and networks around these days, it is most encouraging to see godly men coming together to stand for authentic Biblical faithfulness. Instead of attempting unity at the cost of truth, the truth itself is what binds a groups like the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and The Gospel Coalition (Which I will feature next week) together. It is important to note that this does not mean a sort of doctrinal or denominational good ole boys club. This is clearly seen in the diversity of its membership:
Eric Alexander
Alistair Begg
Gerald Bray
Jerry Bridges
Donald Carson
Mark Dever
Ligon Duncan
Sinclair Ferguson
Robert Godfrey
John Hannah
Paul Jones
John MacArthur
C.J. Mahaney
Albert Mohler
Richard Phillips
John Piper
Philip Ryken
R. C. Sproul
Derek Thomas
Carl Trueman
Gene Veith
David Wells
No matter what theological tradition you are most familiar with, there will be many names in this list that will be recognizable. Regardless of some very different perspectives, what these men do share is a conviction that the Word of God is the Word of God (Inerrant, authoritative and sufficient) and that the Gospel (the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross) is central to everything that we are and do as Christians.
This website features a vast catalogue of articles, reviews, blog posts, interviews, and other media that are very instructive and helpful. I recommend bookmarking this resource and visiting here often.
Just an example of the kind of encouragement this site can provide, read this post from Derek Thomas: Falling in Love With the Church-
Something is terribly wrong when professing Christians do not identify with the church and love being a part of her. Something is wrong when professing Christians fail to be passionate about every aspect of the church and long to invest themselves in her, taking all that the church represents and does to heart.
Amen to that…and Amen to what Reformation 21 and the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals are helping to achieve.
Web Wednesday-Freight Train Named Desire
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Media Critique, Personal Connections, Resources, Teaching, Theology, Web Resources on August 5, 2009
One of my favorite websites to is desiringGod.org. This online resource features the ministry of John Piper, the pastor, author and theologian. His church, Bethlehem Baptist, is in the midwestern mecca of Minneapolis, MN. The same city is home to Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, the famous Mall of America, and a wonderful collection of Craftsman Style homes. I’ve never been there, but I always wanted to. I finally now live close enough for it to be an easy possibility.
What you will find through Desiring God is nearly endless. It seems like I discover something new each time I visit the site. There are years of archived sermons, taste and see articles (blog), and various other print and media resources.
My new favorite is the Ask Pastor John series. This is a short format Q & A with John Piper. With new episodes released three times a week (Mon, Wed, and Fri) and featuring one question and answer at a time, it is a quick way to get something to think about or discuss with your family or friends.
Here is a recent example:
Additionally, the database is searchable. If you have a particular issue, topic, doctrine, date, Scripture passage, etc. that you are interested in, a quick search will lead you to a variety of helpful options.
One more thing to mention is the availability of free books. Many of John Piper’s books are available as a downloadable PDF file. It is easy to read on your computer or digital reader (kindle) or you can print a copy and share it with others. You can do this as much as you want as long as you don’t alter the content or charge for it.
Something that rings true in what you will find at desiringGod.org is the organization’s purpose: to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.
What you find at this website is a freight train full of resources, encouragement, and thought provoking questions and material that is fueled by the surpassing joy of Christ. This train is moving, full steam ahead for the city of God’s Glory. Hop on board and benefit from what is here. Find it to be true that…
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
Web Wednesday-Blogging Lies
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Media Critique, Personal Connections, Teaching, Thoughts and Reflections, Web Resources on July 29, 2009
On June 12, 2009, A front page article in the Chicago Tribune told the story of a woman who had been telling everyone that she was pregnant. People were brought closer to the story when she shared that her baby was terminally ill but had decided to carry it to full term. All of this was communicated through a web-log or blog and…all of this was a hoax.
You can read the full story HERE.
Many could take such a story and paint anti-abortion activists in a bad light. Frankly, that would be a weak argument. Millions of people connecting to a powerful and compelling story is not a sign of irrational behavior. It is very rational. It is people connecting to people, reaching out in compassion, and standing strong on what is right in the face of opposition. We need more of that in our world. But, this is not the main point of the story.
The main issue here is the power of words…words on the internet…for all to see.
When we write comments on websites, messages on twitter and facebook, or write blog posts (like this one) we tread on difficult ground. When you are sitting in front of a screen or holding your cell phone it may appear that you are safe from the reaction of others…or that your words…regarless of what they are…are sort of devoid of consequences. We tell ourselves that no one can be negatively affected or hurt by them because they are just words on the internet.
Thinking and writing in this way is dangerous. If we think that our words don’t make an impact we are lying to ourselves. Blogging especially can be full of this sort of sin. We can hurl insults, question character, and undermine authority and relationships without ever giving stock to the consequences.
If we are too afraid to speak to people face to face, if we are unwilling to be accountable, we shouldn’t be writing what we write. Doing so undermines the reality and priority of Christian community, spiritual leadership, Biblical Truth, and just normal human interaction.
I’m not naive to think that technology isn’t effecting human interaction, but I do know that it doesn’t excuse sin.
As I write, I want to be appropriate, clear, humble, bold, etc. all under the authority of Scripture, pastors, my friends and my family. I want to keep in view a goal of pointing to Christ as our all, His Word as our guide and His Spirit at work within us as our treasure and joy. God helping us.
