Saturday, October 18, 2008

RefTagger

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from Dan Pritchett at Logos Research Systems concerning a great RefTagger tool that displays Scripture verses when a blog reader simply drags his pointer over a particular verse citation on any blog entry. I like folks having the words of Scripture at their fingertips.

I must admit: it's pretty nifty...a "nifty gifty," one might say (since it's free)!

Thanks, Logos!

See it in action:

John 3:16-17
Psalm 23:1-6
Romans 8:28, 38-39

My Reading List

I thought it might be wise to offer a brief explanation of my "What I'm Reading..." list at the right. On this list you'll find books that fall into each of these types:

  • Religious books with which I agree
  • Religious books with which I disagree
  • Contemporary, popular religious works that I am reading to evaluate
  • Fiction and literature that I read for fun
  • Fiction and literature that I read in order to learn and discipline my mind
  • Non-fiction works (history, culture, politics, etc.) that I read for personal interest and to be better informed
  • Various kinds of books that are recommended to me by others
  • And...books I'm not sure why I'm reading!

All that is to say that having a book on my current reading list might not constitute an endorsement. My goal is to avoid being myopic, and a diverse reading list will help accomplish such a goal.

You'll probably see many of these books on here for many months. Some of them are reference books that I turn to occasionally and might read one chapter a month.

Also, feel free to suggest a book and why you think it's worth a read, and you just might find it on my list one of these days.

October Newsletter Article

Here is the October newsletter article that was sent out a few weeks ago, which I had intended on posting earlier.

The Word in Worship:
Read the Bible

This article on “The Word in Worship” series focuses on the phrase “read the Bible.” Baptists have been known as “People of the Book” throughout the centuries. We have traditionally held the Scripture in high regard (and for good reason), and my desire is to continue fostering a fervent belief in the power of God's Word. This is partly why we now read through a portion (or portions) of Scripture during our worship gatherings on Sunday. Reading Scripture as an integral part of worship displays to the world that we, as Christians, have the Bible as the foundation for all of life.

While my desire is to reflect a strong belief in the Word of God, the most important reason that we have a time devoted just for reading through Scripture is due to the mandate of 1 Timothy 4:13, which tells us: “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (ESV). Later in the passage, Paul mentions teaching as an additional element, which means that the Scripture reading is distinct and separate from the sermon (or “teaching”). Reading Scripture can be done in a variety of ways, and there's no manual on Scripture reading in the Bible. I think Paul's main point is that we should be reading Scripture together as a church, listening and sometimes reciting together these words of truth.

What are some practical reasons why God wants us to read Scripture in worship? Let me close with Bob Kauflin's answer

“When we listen to God's Word being read, we're acknowledging our dependence on and submission to God's revelation. Children learn to respect God's Word when it's read with genuine respect and enthusiasm. Visitors see that we value the Bible. When Scripture reading is well planned, the congregation gets a balanced diet of God's Word. And for those who don't read their Bibles, it may be the only time they hear it."1
1 From Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, Bob Kauflin. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008, 94.