Worthwhile August 9, 2019


What's up?! It's Friday and for some of us the last weekend before the new school year starts. Which means an end to the adventures of summer and the return to routine, kids at school and plenty of things to pull at our attention spans. I like routine, so the new schedule and three kids at school at the same time each day is enticing.





So what should you consume on this potentially last weekend of the summer? Here are a few options. Tailored to my preferences of course.









Killing your silly dreams.





I came of ministry age in an environment of visioneering. "God-sized" dreams that outpaced everything that has come before. Innovation for its own sake... so imagine my dismay when I read the requirements for elders in 1 Peter calling us to "shepherd the flock that is among you." Wait, I want to shepherd the flock I design, I dream about.





Detrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together challenges us to kill our "wish dream," and instead find gratitude for what God has given you in the midst of where you are. So kids, kill those dreams.





Chase Replogle shares his story and how Bonhoeffer wrecked him. Check it out on Christianity Today.









Sam Storms has a new book about speaking in tongues and while this can be a controversial topic, at least one that makes many people uncomfortable, there is much to learn from this scholar/pastor.





He was recently interviewed by Pneuma Today and shared that piece on his blog.





While you may not be convinced by one interview you will certainly be enlightened.





Praying in tongues enables us to bring our requests to God when we’ve run out of things to say. We are finite. Our minds eventually go dry and empty. But praying in tongues is the way in which the Spirit can articulate our prayers to the Father when we feel inadequate to do so. Also, tongues is a way in which we can sing our praises to God (1 Cor. 14:15) as well as give thanks to him (1 Cor. 14:16). 





Read the whole interview here.









Finally, I have long been a fan of Malcolm Gladwell and his inquisitive thinking. I tend to learn a lot from him in just asking the right questions of things. His podcast, Revisionist History is no exception.





Last week's episode not only educated me on a couple of police-involved shootings, but also stirred some thinking about "disordered attachments." Important stuff for us to think through, especially given our current political climate.





Listen to the episode here and think about subscribing. Warning: the topic is shootings so there are some hard moments of the story of one man being gunned down and why he was.









That's it for this week. Live long and prosper, or at least take a nap. See you on the other side.


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