These Things

It is not presumptuous to state that we live lives that are congested and contested, in more ways than one. Our cultural milieu constantly produces material for consumption, meaning we often live frantic lives of making or taking in content of all types. One can easily marvel at the wonders technology has improved and simplified our daily lifestyles, but the danger which runs parallel to this good truth is that there are now as many avenues of distraction as there are people to be distracted. Videos, books, shows, movies, songs, and yes, even blogs like this one, often trying to impart something new. Interpretation of fact, stories of fiction, impartation of wisdom, all trying to get a message across. We are either relentless competitors or arbitrators of a most precious commodity, our attention. In a sense, we have a great deal in common with the Athenian audience Paul addressed at the Areopagus, always looking for some new teaching and wisdom (Acts 17:18-20).

Paul responds to his audience by presenting a clear picture of the God of the Bible, a Creator with an absolute reign and right to rule over his created order. While some of the pieces that follow this one will work to such an end, making an apologetic case for the existence of God, the primary focus will be more in line with a few words Paul spoke at the end of his ministry. While imprisoned and writing to the Philippian church, he spoke words of encouragement which we take now as a sort of mission statement:

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Our goal, ever so defiantly against the tide of content consumption, is to offer a space to “think of these things;” things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Not to focus on hot-topic issues of the day, as it were, but to do the slow, methodical work of meditating on the goodness and wholesomeness found within the life that follows Christ. In a world that suffers from a view of God which is far too small and a view of ourselves which is far too large, our aim is to provide resources and opportunities to stimulate a view of God which grows in wonder and amazement.

To that end, the primary efforts of this forum will focus on areas of which we are familiar and passionate about. The best teachers, or at least relayers of information, are those who are first and foremost passionate students. Therefore, the ways we will think of these things, are primarily (and in no certain order) through 1) Books, 2) Theology, 3) Ecclesiology, 4) Counseling, and 5) History. These are the passions which carry our sharpest interest, and the hope is that such a passion spreads from author to reader.

Books, both old and new, offer a window through which we encounter great minds and movements of the past. Through reviews, critiques, or simple reflections, our time in books of theology, history, biography, literature, and many others will help us gain a solid grounding of past and current conversations about all sorts of topics. As Bradbury once wrote, “to learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”

Theology, ecclesiology, counseling, and history, simply put, are what we are passionate about and what God has placed in our hearts to study, to know, and to steward as gifts to serve the church as well as we can. In no particular order of importance, conversations about God (theology), his church (ecclesiology), caring for his body (counseling), and the history of the aforementioned topics (history) are where we spend our time studying and growing, and it is from this hopefully fertile ground that fruit may grow and be enjoyed by many.

So as we think of these things, as we ask questions and offer prayers, our prayer and our goal is that much is made of God, in everything we do. The ultimate root and source of our study will be the Christian scriptures themselves, an unmistakable and unmistaken collection of ancient texts written by Holy Spirit-inspired men in which the God who saves his people is both the subject and the object. We will visit other books and sources and ideologies, but straying from the Bible is not an option. In it God has spoken to the entire world, and it is our humble calling to study and make known the beauty and truth and goodness which lie within. 

More narrowly, writings here most often will originate from a classically confessional, reformed, and baptistic interpretation of the Bible. While not dogmatic about most of the aforementioned, these frameworks will form the background of how we think through each of “these things.”

Part of the calling of the Christian is to be prepared for that moment where someone gets past all of the niceties and down to the root issue. What do you believe? Why don’t you believe something else? Why? Peter put it best when he tells us to always honor the Lord, and yet be prepared to offer a defense for the hope a life-altering faith gives us (1 Pet. 3:15). What we hope to do, by thinking of These Things, is to be ready for whatever moment we face, armed with the dual weapons of gentleness and respect. With that at our disposal, our witness will be clearer, the gospel more easily understood, and the Kingdom of God further advanced, to the praise of his glory!