As a young boy Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) went to the circus and was captivated by the high-wire act. He then started performing (juggling, walking a tightrope in his yard and on the sidewalks of the city), much to the dismay of his dismissive father.
One day he sneaks into the circus tent when it is empty and climbs up to the high-wire, only to be caught by Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley) the leader of the high-wire act. Papa Rudy will become a major influence in his life. In the streets of Paris he notices Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) playing her guitar on the sidewalk for donations. Phillippe begins performing his act and ends up taking Annie’s audience completely away, which she is angry about. This begins a long relationship between the two. Philippe sees a magazine article about the two World Trade Center towers being constructed in New York City, which would be higher than his hometown Eiffel Tower. He gets the crazy idea to string a wire between the two towers and walk it. Philippe and Annie then go to NYC in 1974 and begin putting together their team accomplices and planning the walk.
This film is based on Phillippe’s book To Reach the Clouds, and is directed by Oscar winning (for Forrest Gump) director Robert Zemeckis. The film slowly builds until we see the unbelievable walk by Phillippe, which is captured with some incredible cinematography and CGI (computer generated imagery), which makes one truly grasp the height of the Twin Towers, especially when seen in 3D. In fact, during the film’s New York City premiere the realism of Petit’s walk 1,362 feet in the air caused some viewers to actually throw up from vertigo. Robert Zemeckis responded that, “[The goal] was to evoke the feeling of vertigo. We worked really hard to put the audience up on those towers and on the wire.”
The film is rated PG, somewhat surprisingly since we see Phillippe’s nude back end (though not in a sexual context). There is no adult language, but we do see Phillippe and Annie living together. Gordon-Levitt is outstanding as the 24 year-old Phillipe and Kingsley delivers his usual strong performance. The supporting cast that assists Petit are solid as well. The story is narrated by Phillipe standing at the top of the Statue of Liberty with the Twin Towers in the background. It’s an incredible story, and it’s told well in this film. Note: my wife thought the majority of the movie moved too slowly, so she gave it a two star rating. She also thought the 3D was not worth the extra cost, but it would have been great on IMAX 3D.
In this film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, Emily Blunt stars as Kate, an FBI agent working in Arizona. She and her partner Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya), are heading to a house in Chandler to rescue kidnap victims. However, what they find is much more than they expected. They find dozens of dead bodies, bagged in plastic behind the drywall. On top of that, a deadly explosion kills two of her team members. It’s the work of a powerful drug cartel from Mexico led by Manuel Diaz.
Kate is asked and agrees to work with a group led by Matt (Josh Brolin). Is he FBI? CIA? We don’t know. He says he’s a Department of Defense advisor, but Kate isn’t convinced. But soon enough Kate is aboard a private jet that she is told is going to Texas, but lands in Mexico. Also on the jet is the mysterious Alejandro, from Colombia, played by Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, who delivers another Oscar-worthy performance.
This leads to a powerful and tense opening scene in which they work with Mexican authorities to extract a high level cartel member and take him back over to the United States. All of this is so that they can get to Diaz.
We see nude corpses hanging in Juarez, Mexico and can feel the danger, expecting gunfight to break out at any time. Kate, who plays by the rules and is trying to figure out just what is going on, is bothered by what she is seeing, but she’s not in charge.
The title of the film – Sicario – means “hitman” in Spanish. This film earns it’s “R” rating for strong violence and a significant amount of adult language, including the inappropriate use of God’s and Jesus’ names. There is also the corpses showing full frontal nudity, and some sexual content, which is abruptly interrupted.
The acting performances are excellent and the film is well-made. You really get a feel for how dangerous the U.S./Mexican border is, as well as the city of Juarez, Mexico, which experienced about 3,000 murders in 2010.
Music Review: The Burning Edge of Dawn by Andrew Peterson
****
Singer-songwriter and author Andrew Peterson returns with his eleventh studio album, produced by friend Gabe Scott. In comparison to his previous studio album Light for the Lost Boy, Peterson has stated that the album is more joyful. Friends Ellie Holcomb and Caleb Chapman of the band Colony House add backing vocals on a few of the songs.
The album features 10 new songs written by Peterson with Scott between February and May 2015. The process of making this record was a departure for Peterson, since most of the songs were written during the recording process. Having just completed writing The Warden and the Wolf King, the final book in the Wingfeather Saga series, Peterson went into the studio with very few songs completed. As a result he has stated that “It meant that I had no choice but to write about exactly what’s happening in my life right now, in real time. And what’s happening is that I’m seeing the first glimmers of sunrise after what feels like a long, painful night. These songs are about joy.”
Andrew has stated that “This album is the result of looking hard at a lot of painful stuff and arriving at the conclusion that when God the gardener tears open the earth, he’s doing it in order to bring about something beautiful. If you want the joy of the harvest, you first have to plant the seeds; and anyone who has planted seeds knows that the soil must be torn open. That’s how joy works. I know that now.”
Here are a few brief thoughts about each song:
The Dark Before The Dawn – This is a song of joy and hope and of looking forward. He is ready for a change. I liked the thought that the same wind that does damage is going to blow the storm away and that darkness is a small and passing thing.
I believe that that light is going to come This is the dark before the dawn
Every Star Is A Burning Flame – This is a story song with references to Idaho, Tennessee and Louisville. He sings of being on the inside looking out, and seeing the sky as it’s going to be again one day. He can imagine the host of heaven singing out loud.
We Will Survive – Andrew has stated that “’We Will Survive’ is a song I wrote for Jamie about a tough season I went through last year. She has been a steady reminder of God’s good intentions during long months of uncertainty”.
Tell me the story I still need to hear Tell me we’re to make it out alive again I need to know there’s nothing left to fear There’s nothing left to hide So will you look me in the eye And say we will survive?
My One Safe Place – This is another song written for his wife Jamie. It is written from one broken person to another. He sings that she is his oasis in the eye of the hurricane. I like the idea of “running away home to you”.
I believe in the love of the father I believe in the power of grace I believe in that He brought us together You are my one safe place
The Rain Keeps Falling – Andrew has stated that “This one was partly inspired by a Luci Shaw poem called “Forecast.” The song features his good friend Ellie Holcomb, along with his daughter Skye singing harmony. It is a very honest song (as all of his are), featuring piano and some strings. He is tired, there is pain in his heart, as the rain keeps falling during “a season of night” in North Carolina, while his wife was praying for him back home. I liked the line about Dying to live, but learning to wait. A calming “Peace, be still” refrain adds hope to the song.
Rejoice – This song is a bit more complex musically. It is hopeful and joyful, and based on Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice”.
I Want To Say I’m Sorry – Featuring an acoustic guitar, this is a song to a friend. He wants to say he is sorry, but he doesn’t know how. He has said words that he wished he hadn’t. He is sorry for his words that have hurt his friend. He drew the line and built a wall between them. He recognizes that the fault is his and he must trust in grace and give it time. He calls the song their communion hymn.
Be Kind To Yourself – This is a song to his daughter Skye who deals with self-condemnation. He performed this song when we saw him in concert on August 29 when he was accompanied on drums by his 15 year-old son Asher. He sings that he loves Skye just the way she is, and the way the Lord is shaping her heart.
How does it end when the war that you’re in Is just you against you against you?
Gotta learn to love, learn to love Learn to love your enemies too.
The Power Of A Great Affection – Andrew has said that “This is the closest thing I’ve written to a corporate worship song in a long time, and tells a little of the story of my life with Jesus. I read somewhere that about 100 years ago, when someone became a Christian they often said, “I’ve been seized by the power of a great affection.” That’s a beautiful sentence if ever there was one. That affection seized me and has never let go” Andrew wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music with Gabe Scott. This is one of my favorite songs of the year.
This is now the theme of my song And now I must forgive as I’m forgiven And even when the shadows are long “I will sing about the Son who’s risen.” And his kingdom has no end His kingdom has no end So Father, I will give you thanks and praise The Son has opened wide the gate of glory He declared your mighty love and gave us grace And I will tell his story, it is my story
The Sower’s Song – is a song about the leading of the Sower (God). Andrew sings “Abide in me Lord as I abide in You” It is a powerful and hopeful closing song that builds throughout, and is perhaps based on Isaiah 55:10-11:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
This is a very strong album. It is personal, serious and intimate about his what was going on in his life as he wrote these songs between February and May of this year. The songs fall into a soft rock, acoustic rock, and country genres. The music perfectly complements the lyrics. Highly recommended.
Guilty. Here’s the video for “Guilty”, the new Newsboys song that will be featured in the Spring 2016 film God’s Not Dead 2.
Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship. Chris Tomlin’s new Christmas album is now available for pre-order on iTunes. When you pre-order, you receive the song “He Shall Reign Forevermore”.
Andy Mineo breaks down ‘Uncomfortable’ song ‘Now I Know’ for Genius. Rob Markman of Genius recently interviewed Andy Mineo about “Now I Know,” track No. 3 on his new album Uncomfortable. Mineo told the stories behind rhymes about once thinking Jesus was white and his mother catching him having sex.
It was a big week for Chris Tomlin ~ the premiere of his new song ‘What Child Is This?’ featuring All Sons & Daughters. Check out the new song from his upcoming Christmas album here.
Music Quotes:
KB: The great mistake made by most people is hoping to discover in themselves, that which is only to be found in God.
Fernando Ortega:
~ A great piece of art reflects the glory, imagination and creativity of God, whether the author of that piece acknowledges Him or not.
~ When I get to Heaven, I imagine I’ll be sweeping the mansion floors of many I had deemed to be less theologically sound than I.
Lecrae:
~ Don’t let the compliments go to your head or let the criticisms go to your heart.
~ Remember what God brought you thru yesterday and stop worrying about today.
~ Extend to others what God regularly extends to you. Love. Patience. Forgiveness.
Andy Mineo: If you’re not driven by the mission, you’ll be driven by the cars. Focused on what you’ve been getting, more than becoming who you are.
Good, Good Father by Chris Tomlin
Chris Tomlin recently released his version of this song, written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown, and has been recorded by Housefires. You can listen to Tomlin’s version of the song here.
Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories Of what they think You’re like But I’ve heard the tender whisper Of love in the dead of night And You tell me that You’re pleased And that I’m never alone
You’re a good good Father It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are And I’m loved by You It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
Oh, and I’ve seen many searching For answers far and wide But I know we’re all searching For answers only You provide ‘Cause You know just what we need Before we say a word
You’re a good good Father It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are And I’m loved by You It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
Cause You are perfect in all of Your ways You are perfect in all of Your ways You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Oh, it’s love so undeniable I, I can hardly speak Peace so unexplainable I, I can hardly think As You call me deeper still As You call me deeper still As You call me deeper still Into love, love, love
You’re a good good Father It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are And I’m loved by You It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good good Father It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are And I’m loved by You It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am You’re a good good Father
You are perfect in all of Your ways You are perfect in all of Your ways You are perfect in all of Your ways
This is the second book I’ve read about Charles Spurgeon this year, and this short book by John Piper certainly has some similarities to Zack Eswine’s excellent Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for Those Who Suffer from Depression. Piper writes “The question for pastors is not, ‘How do you live through unremitting criticism and distrust and accusation and abandonment?’—but, How do you preach through it? How do you do heart work when the heart is under siege and ready to fall?”
Piper offers seven reasons why Spurgeon is a model saint for modern saints. He writes that Spurgeon knew the whole range of adversity that most preachers suffer—and a lot more.
He writes about the impact on Spurgeon of a tragedy that took place when he was preaching at age twenty-two, when someone shouted “Fire!” and seven people were killed in a stampede, with many injured. Spurgeon also dealt with a wife who at age thirty-three became a virtual invalid, could no longer have children, and seldom heard her husband preach for the next 27 years until his death.
Spurgeon himself suffered from gout, rheumatism, and Bright’s disease (inflammation of the kidneys). The diseases eventually took his life at age 57. In addition to the physical suffering, Spurgeon had to endure a lifetime of public ridicule and slander, sometimes of the most vicious kind.
Spurgeon also had recurrent battles with depression, which he said was his “worst feature”, but he saw three specific purposes of God in his struggle with depression. Piper writes that there are innumerable strategies of grace in the life of Spurgeon, and then shares a few of them.
Over the past few years I’ve often pondered who would be the leaders in Reformed theology in the coming years. After all, R.C. Sproul and John MacArthur are in their mid-70’s and John Piper is 69. Sinclair Ferguson, Alistair Begg, Derek Thomas and Tim Keller are in their 60’s. Albert Mohler and Michael Horton are in their 50’s. Certainly Kevin DeYoung, who already has written several quality books at age 37, is in the mix to be among our future leaders, along with Matt Chandler and younger leaders such as Trip Lee.
I recently re-listened to this book, which was the first of DeYoung’s books I had read when it was first published in 2012. Some of the content in this book was similar to his excellent message “Do Not Love the World” from the recent Ligonier National Conference
DeYoung, who does an excellent job of using Scripture throughout the book to reinforce his points, writes that we tend to be neglectful of the pursuit of holiness, even though Jesus expects obedience from us. God saved us so that we may be holy. To be holy means to be separate, to be set apart from what is common. Holiness is a key theme in the Bible. In general, however, a concern for holiness is not apparent in most of our lives. Holiness is not an option for the believer. However, DeYoung points out that many Christians have given up on sanctification, a theological term for growing in our holiness.
Christians should not even have a hint of immorality in their lives. We are to be holy as God is holy. (1 Peter 1:15). But DeYoung writes that there is a gap between our love for the Gospel and our love for godliness.
Our pursuit of holiness does not diminish the fact that we are saved by faith alone. Justification is the root while holiness is the fruit. We should not confuse justification and sanctification. We shouldn’t confuse DeYoung’s discussion about personal holiness for legalism.
DeYoung discusses what holiness is (to be like God) and what it is not (worldliness). He discusses having a good or clean conscious and illustrates that with practical illustrations about boundaries in dating or the movies we watch.
He discusses the role of the law in the life of the believer and the so-called lordship salvation (we are saved by grace so can’t we live as we would like?). He states that we can please God, but only because of what He has done for us. Whenever we trust and obey God is pleased.
DeYoung writes that all sins are offensive to God, but some sins are worse than others. He asks if born again Christians can displease God and then answers by indicating that God is displeased when His people sin, and as a result He disciplines us.
The author looks at how the Holy Spirit works in our holiness and how the Gospel aids us in our holiness. We shouldn’t neglect the importance of our effort and work. We shouldn’t “Let go and let God”.
DeYoung includes a helpful section on union with Christ. It reminded me of one of my favorite professors, Dr. Phillip Douglas at Covenant Seminary, who covered this topic in his Spiritual and Ministry Formation course. DeYoung writes that the Christian life is a fight, but if you are in Christ, it is a fight you will win.
He offers helpful insights in discussing sexual immorality, talking about what we are doing and seeing. In today’s sex saturated culture sexual impurity seems normal to us. This is not so in the Scriptures. The sexually immoral are mentioned as not inheriting the kingdom of God in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. DeYoung defines sexual immorality as any sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman. Despite what our culture says, God says our bodies belong to Him.
Along with union with Christ is communion with Him. John Owen says that communion is mutual relations between us and God. We abide by obeying and obey as we abide. We commune with God by praying.
DeYoung closes the book by discussing the role of repentance in the pursuit of holiness. He states that it is more important where we are going than where we are now.
Throughout this helpful book DeYoung mentions the Puritans often. Other books that I have read and would recommend to you around this subject are R.C. Sproul’s Pleasing God and Jerry Bridges The Pursuit of Holiness.
Christianaudio’s Free Audiobook of the Month. The October free audiobook of the month from Christianaudio is a good one. It is Follow Me by David Platt. Follow Me asks the key question: What does following Jesus really look like? Follow Me is a life and death message for all who claim the name of Christ. Jesus’ call to follow him is more than an invitation to pray a prayer. It is a summons to lose your life. And find new life in him.
ICHTHUS. I’m looking forward to this new book by Sinclair Ferguson and Derek Thomas, to be published by Banner of Truth.
Happiness. David Murray reviews Randy Alcorn’s new book Happiness, giving it high praise, while raising a few concerns. Murray indicates that is his 2015 book of the year. High praise indeed.
6 Great New Books for Kids. Tim Challies looks at six new books for children, including The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung.
We Cannot Be Silent. Albert Mohler’s new book We Cannot Be Silent: Speaking Truth to a Culture Redefining Sex, Marriage, and the Very Meaning of Right and Wrong, will be published October 27.
Why Every Student Should Read Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This article begins an occasional series on the SBTS blog, Why Every Student Should Read . . . This series is intended to spotlight and commend for further investigation pastors, teachers, theologians, books, sermons, and figures from church history as well as from the current evangelical scene.
Tim Keller’s Bookshelf. Here’s an interesting glimpse into the books that Tim Keller is reading.
Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
This book made a significant impact on my wife Tammy when she read and discussed it with friends thirty years ago. When I picked up my diploma the day after graduation ceremonies from Covenant Seminary last year I was given a copy of this book. After enjoying Lloyd-Jones book Spiritual Depression (and the sermons the book was taken from), I couldn’t wait to read this book, which is the printed form of sermons preached for the most part on successive Sunday mornings at Westminster Chapel in London. This week we look at Chapter 7: Righteousness and Blessedness:
In this particular statement in the Sermon on the Mount we are looking at another of the characteristics of the Christian, a further description of the Christian man.
If this verse is to you one of the most blessed statements of the whole of Scripture you can be quite certain you are a Christian; if it is not, then you had better examine the foundations again.
In this verse we have one of the most notable statements of the Christian gospel and everything that it has to give us. Let me describe it as the great charter for every seeking soul, the outstanding declaration of the Christian gospel to all who are unhappy about themselves and their spiritual state, and who long for an order and quality of life that they have not hitherto enjoyed. We can also describe it as one of the most typical statements of the gospel.
It emphasizes one of the most fundamental doctrines of the gospel, namely, that our salvation is entirely of grace or by grace, that it is entirely the free gift of God.
According to the Scriptures happiness is never something that should be sought directly; it is always something that results from seeking something else.
Whenever you put happiness before righteousness, you will be doomed to misery. That is the great message of the Bible from beginning to end.
Oh, the tragedy that we do not follow the simple teaching and instruction of the Word of God, but are always coveting and seeking this experience which we hope we are going to have.
The desire for righteousness, the act of hungering and thirsting for it, means ultimately the desire to be free from sin in all its forms and in its every manifestation.
It means a desire to be free from sin, because sin separates us from God. Therefore, positively, it means a desire to be right with God; it also means of necessity a desire to be free from the power of sin.
It means a desire to be free from the very desire for sin, because we find that the man who truly examines himself in the light of the Scriptures not only discovers that he is in the bondage of sin; still more horrible is the fact that he likes it, that he wants it. Even after he has seen it is wrong, he still wants it.
The man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness is a man who wants to get rid of that desire for sin, not only outside, but inside as well.
To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to desire to be free from self in all its horrible manifestations, in all its forms.
To hunger and thirst after righteousness is nothing but the longing to be positively holy.
It means that one’s supreme desire in life is to know God and to be in fellowship with Him, to walk with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in the light.
To be in fellowship with God means to be walking with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the light, in that blessed purity and holiness. The man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness is the man who longs for that above everything else.
To hunger and thirst really means to be desperate, to be starving, to feel life is ebbing out, to realize my urgent need of help.
If you really are hungering and thirsting after righteousness you will be filled.
Hunger and thirst after righteousness, long to be like Christ, and then you will have that and the blessedness.
How does it happen? It happens-and this is the glory of the gospel-it happens immediately, thank God. But, it is also a continuing process. The Holy Spirit, as already shown, begins within us His great work of delivering us from the power of sin and from the pollution of sin. We have to hunger and thirst for this deliverance, from the power and from the pollution. And if you hunger and thirst for that you will get it.
But of course, finally, this promise is fulfilled perfectly and absolutely in eternity. There is a day coming when all who are in Christ and belong to Him shall stand in the presence of God, faultless, blameless, without spot and without wrinkle.
You see the Christian is one who at one and the same time is hungering and thirsting, and yet he is filled. And the more he is filled the more he hungers and thirsts. That is the blessedness of this Christian life.
It goes on. You reach a certain stage in sanctification, but you do not rest upon that for the rest of your life. You go on changing from glory into glory `till in heaven we take our place’.
It goes on and on; perfect, yet not perfect; hungering, thirsting, yet filled and satisfied, but longing for more, never having enough because it is so glorious and so wondrous; fully satisfied by Him and yet a supreme desire to `know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.’
What Does Pope Francis Believe? Ross Douthat, a Roman Catholic, writes that “It seems worth stepping back a little bit and trying to clarify what this unpredictable pontiff actually believes. Or, rather, what I think he believes.”
How an Affair Really Begins. Tim Challies shares the 6 “e’s” that Tommy Nelson uses to describe the “ease” with which people fall into extra-marital affairs.
3 Telltale Signs You Are a Foolish Christian. Our friend Kevin Halloran writes “I don’t consider myself a fool, at least not very high up there on the “foolishness index” Scripture provides in the book of Proverbs. But reading Ephesians 5:15-21 tells me something different.”
Is the Enemy of My Enemy My Friend? Albert Mohler writes “In a time of cultural conflict, the enemy of our enemy may well be our friend. But, with eternity in view and the gospel at stake, the enemy of our enemy must not be confused to be a friend to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Four Indications You Have an Untrustworthy Team Member. Eric Geiger writes “An untrustworthy team member can spoil and corrupt the collective character of a team. One team member can adversely impact the whole, can adversely impact the culture of the team you lead. Here are four indicators of an untrustworthy team member.”
Satan’s Subtle Art of Destruction. Burk Parsons writes “I offer the following thoughts to the end that you would not be outwitted by Satan, or be ignorant of his schemes, as you fix your eyes on Christ, the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:1).”
Do You Have to Go to Church to Be a Christian? In this short article, R. C. Sproul writes “How can we consistently and persistently absent ourselves from that which He has called us to join—His visible church? I offer a sober warning to those who are doing this. You may, in fact, be deluding yourself about the state of your soul.”
Adoption. Noel (wife of John) and Talitha Piper talk about adoption in this 12-minute video.
Before my secret meeting with the Pope I asked him to come wearing white if deep down he agreed with the Reformation. Pretty crazy.Kevin DeYoung
You’ll never be a mature Christian until you understand that God remembers his promises and forgets your sins. Kevin DeYoung
Careful. Our desires are like fireworks. They can light the night sky with beauty and wonder. But misused they can burn down a neighborhood. Zack Eswine
You want to do large things famous & fast. But most things that truly matter need small acts of overlooked love over a long period of time. Zack Eswine
When the gospel is at stake, everything is at stake. R.C. Sproul
To call a Christian a theist is roughly equivalent to calling the space shuttle Atlantis a glider. R.C. Sproul
Today, the chief ministry of the Holy Spirit is to take the work of the Son and bring it to fruition in us. R.C. Sproul
When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. Charles Spurgeon
Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainspring and the mainstay of our joy down here today. Charles Spurgeon
As long as we think we are not that bad, the idea of grace will never change us. Tim Keller
Power, approval, comfort, and control are meta-idols that hold sway over our daily lives. Tim Keller
Jesus smashed two of the rich young ruler’s assumptions: Christianity is something you can ADD and something you can DO. Tim Keller
When we watch Jesus, we are watching God respond to human suffering. Paul Miller
He was prepared to be humbled…is there any room for pride in our own lives? Mark Jones
If you are in Christ, you are fully and completely forgiven for all your sin—past, present and future. Matt Chandler
The rule of the gospel is, that when we see our brother under any difficulty, we should be ready to bear the burden with him. Jonathan Edwards
Obedience and faithfulness is what God is calling us to. Bob Smart
Can you have any greater assurance that you are praying the will of God than when you are praying the Word of God? Don Whitney
The stress that some of us feel – it’s a lack of faith, it really is. Francis Chan
For Christians especially, identity is determined far more by the Gospel than it is by our sexual feelings. Michael Horton
There are many roads that lead to hell, but only one way to go to heaven. Steven Lawson
In Christ, God’s face shines out, full of grace and gentleness to us poor, unworthy sinners. John Calvin
There is no higher human state than to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and for that desire to be satisfied. Robert Yarbrough
Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles
Pursue the Caller, Not the Calling. Ryan J. Pemberton writes “Calling wasn’t so much about writing or theology per se. Rather, it was about daily offering up all that I am—my passions, experiences, talents—as I faithfully embody these gifts in a community that witnesses to Christ’s “follow me.” It was only when I loosened my grip on what I believed to be God’s static, specific call on my life that I was free to once again follow the One who called in the first place.”
4 Leadership Styles that Trigger Peak Performance John Maxwell writes “Most teams don’t naturally get better on their own. Left alone, they don’t grow, improve, or reach championship caliber. Instead, they tend to wind down.”
The Stories We Live By. Steven Garber writes about the courage and compassion that marked William Wilberforce, a man with a very public vocation born of a very personal faith.
To Tell the Truth About the World. Carey Bustard interviews J. Mark Bertrand, a novelist, essayist, and lecturer who lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he is an elder at Grace Presbyterian Church.
Busyness…The Curse of the Age! Dave Kraft writes “How are you doing? Are you busy here and there, or have you discovered what He wants you to do and are staying focused on and faithful to that?”
What’s the Difference Between Coaching and Mentoring? On this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast Todd Adkins, Brad Lomenick, and Barnabas Piper discuss the differences between coaching and mentoring, how to do them well, and when each is ideal.
Four Leadership Personalities: What Color are You? Eric Geiger writes “With our leadership team, we use the Insights Discovery tool to help each other understand our unique personalities. The tool is validated and has proven helpful to our team in serving and communicating with one another.”
Serving Those Who Are Food Insecure. Abigail Murrish interviews Dr. Abigail Borron is an assistant professor of agricultural communication at the University of Georgia. In her opinion, having the opportunity to work on the complexities of both culture and food security is a privilege.
7 Characteristics of the Bottleneck Leader. Ron Edmondson writes “In an organization, the bottleneck is many times the leader. When this happens, progress stalls, growth is limited and people are frustrated.”
The First Great Commission. Check out this sermon from Scott Sauls, from his series “Leave it Better: Faith, Vocation & the Mission of God.
How I Work: An Interview with Trevin Wax. Joe Carter writes “A key component of TGC’s view of gospel-centered ministry is the integration of faith and work. We seek to help Christians work with distinctiveness, excellence, and accountability in their trades and professions. To aid in this effort we’re launching a new series, “How I Work,” in which we ask people to share their shortcuts, tools, and routines that help them do their jobs or fulfill their vocational roles.”
People are never fit for a divine call until they are overwhelmed and floored by the glory of God. Bob Smart
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. Frederick Buechner
When I get the ball back after my last warmup pitch, I always think of Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man.” It’s easy to go out and pitch to impress people and to impress teammates, but the reality is God is giving you the ability to be out there. It’s almost a form of worship to give everything you have for His glory. By doing that, not only is it glorifying to God, but my teammates know I’m giving everything I have on the field. Steve Cishek (St. Louis Cardinals pitcher).
What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle and giving 110 percent all the time.Coach K
Don’t pretend things are easy when they’re challenging. People won’t trust you if they think you’re faking. Dan Rockwell
Aligning personal passion with organizational objectives creates performance sweet spots. Dan Rockwell
Expectations establish trust so set them clearly and early. Brad Lomenick
Organizations learn by making decisions, even bad ones. Patrick Lencioni
The problem is too often they (meetings) and boring in a meeting happens for the same reason as in a book or movie – when there is not enough compelling tension. Meetings should be intense. Patrick Lencioni
Any time you engage in shaping the beliefs, thoughts, and development of others, you are engaging in leadership. Ken Blanchard
Desire greatness! But bend your definition of greatness to the one He gives us Remember, in Jesus, obscurity and greatness are not opposites. Zack Eswine
Be a Rising Tide as a Leader, instead of a crashing wave. Rising tides lift all boats, while waves erode, crash & cause chaos. Brad Lomenick
The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall. Coach K
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit. John Wooden
Faith and Work Book Clubs – Won’t you read along with us?
I first read this book in a “Calling, Vocation and Work” class with Dr. Michael Williams and Dr. Bradley Matthews at Covenant Seminary two summers ago. King Jesus is on a mission to bring restoration in every sphere of society and has invited His followers to join Him in this Kingdom-advancing work. Learn to deeply, creatively and intentionally steward your vocational power in ways that advance foretastes of the coming Kingdom of shalom for our neighbors near and far.
It’s an excellent book, so let’s read it together. This week we’ll look at Chapter 8: Formation:
Faithful vocational stewardship is not only about doing, it’s also about being.
Discipling for vocational stewardship involves not only the work of inspiration and discovery but also an emphasis on formation.
The danger here lies in people acknowledging the position, knowledge or skills they possess-but then over-esteeming them.
Preparing believers for wise vocational stewardship begins with cultivating at least four key character traits: servanthood, responsibility, courage and humility.
Servanthood. Congregants who steward power well see their primary identity as servants. To nurture this attitude among their flock, church leaders can begin by teaching the Hebrew word avodah. This term is used to express three notions: worship, work and service.
Avodah also includes God-dependent prayer as we undertake our work, God-focused attention as we do the work with him as our audience and God-guided love for others as we consider the kinds of work we should do.
Another ancient word can also help church leaders seeking to shape their people for vocational stewardship. This one is vocare, a Latin term meaning “to call.” It is the root of our English word vocation.
Our fundamental vocation (calling) is that of a servant. Our work is fundamentally about serving others. Congregants who deeply grasp this are more prepared for vocational stewardship than those who don’t.
The tsaddiqim practice seeing and perceiving rightly.
Courage. To accept responsibility for acting in a world of injustice and brokenness takes courage. And courage is not something our culture regularly calls us to. Our culture idolizes comfort, happiness and safety.
Church leaders encourage the development of godly courage in their members when they call those members to participate in doing the work that truly matters to God. That work is his mission of pushing back the kingdom of darkness with fresh expressions of the kingdom of light. It is the work of bringing foretastes of justice and shalom to broken people and broken places.
Humility. Many church leaders are in congregations filled with individuals with significant vocational power. Stewarding that power well requires deep humility-a character trait with which highly successful, competent people sometimes struggle.
The first part of the work of formation involves church leaders seeking to develop within their members the character of compassionate, engaged, humble servants. The second part of this work involves educating congregants in the right manner of deploying power-namely, doing so in a way that accords with how God manages his power.
God manages his power by sharing it, and we must imitate that modus operandi.
Made in God’s image, we have talents from him and authority to use them. We have vocational power. And it is God’s gift.
In this world, there are power disparities. Some people possess more power than others. That is just a fact. Another fact is that middle-and upper-class American Christians are among the world’s powerful. From our position of relative power, we are called to avoid despising those who, in the eyes of the world, are not powerful. We are called to see the poor and the dispossessed as more than just poor and dispossessed. We are called to see their potential, their dignity, their latent capacities. We’re called to labor with them. We do not impose our vocational power on them or even use it for them. We are called to bring it alongside them.
I recently shared some thoughts about communication. You can read that article here. I’ve been helped in this area by the books of Patrick Lencioni, specifically The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Death by Meeting, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job and The Advantage. Here are a few additional thoughts about the important subject of communication.
Be direct in your communications. Don’t be so vague that your message doesn’t come through. Have you ever had a meeting with someone and when the meeting was over you didn’t know if you had just received some constructive criticism or not because the message was so vague? That could be a result of a lack of leadership courage from the person delivering the message. Sometimes people soften up their message because they are afraid to deliver the much-needed message. However, that can lead to the message being completely ineffective. Do you have that problem at times? You need to be direct so that your communication is effective. Be prepared, stick to the facts, make good eye contact and confidently deliver the message you need to communicate.
Confirm decisions at the end of meetings. Patrick Lencioni has stated that meetings are critical to an organization because it is where leaders spend approximately 25% of their time. But have you ever left a long meeting not knowing exactly what had been decided in the meeting? By then, you may just be glad that the meeting is over with. That’s why he recommends that at the end of every meeting, a team should explicitly review the key decisions made and agree on what needs to be communicated and to whom. Is this something that you do as well? Another thought is to list the decisions made and actions expected in the meeting minutes.
A lack of communication. Have you ever been part of a team, but found yourself left out of the communications, either intentionally or unintentionally? It doesn’t feel good. I’ve run into that myself recently. You have to take the initiative and bring this to the attention of the person in charge if you expect anything to change, and then hold the person accountable if you find that you are not receiving the appropriate information. Have you ever run into that situation? If so, how did you handle it?
Frequent communication. In Lencioni’s book The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, he introduces us to the concept of anonymity. It is a concept that has stuck with me since I first read the book several years ago. He tells us that people cannot be fulfilled in their work if they are not known, and that people who see themselves as invisible, generic or anonymous cannot love their jobs, no matter what they are doing. You need to know your team members as people, not just as a member of your team. I wrote about this in my article “5 Ways to Know Your Team Members Better, which you can read here. The way you get to know your team members is to communicate with them. If you don’t communicate with them on a frequent basis they will wonder if you even care about them. A good leader cares about his team members, about who they are, and not just what they can do for the organization. How do you assure through frequent communications that anonymity is not a problem in your organization?
Again, I can’t over emphasize the importance of good communications in every facet of life. I’ve now shared eight thoughts on communications with you. What additional thoughts do you have on the subject of effective communications?
This incredible film is based on Andy Weir’s novel The Martian, which is adapted by screenwriter Drew Goddard, who wrote many episodes of the television series Lost. It is directed by legendary director Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down, Alien).
Matt Damon stars as Mark Watney, a member of a six-person mission to Mars led by Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain). After a powerful wind storm hits, Watney is presumed dead and the crew has to leave him behind in order to survive. But amazingly Watney, the crew’s botanist, though badly injured, is still alive. Alone, he has to figure out how to communicate with earth and survive on Mars with minimal food and water supplies.
Watney begins a video journal where we see his humor comes through as we get to know him. We also see him using his skills as a botanist, and his ability to repair equipment as he has to depend on himself to survive. Note: while in the novel, Mark Watney has two Master’s degrees, one in botany and one in mechanical engineering, in the film, he has a PhD in botany and no engineering background is mentioned, though he is shown to have a knowledge of engineering and maintenance of the mission equipment.
Back on earth, NASA leaders, Director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) and Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor from 12 Years a Slave) discuss how to handle the situation, assuming that Whatley will not be able to survive on Mars. They also discuss whether or not to notify the crew of the Ares 3, who are on their long journey home, and the impact of leaving one of their crew members alive on Mars will have on them, especially Commander Lewis.
The film is basically about Watney stranded on Mars, trying to survive, while NASA tries to get him back home. Damon delivers the performance of his career surrounded by a strong cast. The special effects are amazing, especially the landscape of Mars, which was created through a combination of location filming (in Wadi Rum, Jordan, which has a red colored desert) and CGI (computer generated imagery). NASA was consulted while making the film in order to make the aspects of space and space travel, specifically in relation to Mars, as accurate as possible. The soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams, was powerful and effectively complements the film.
There is humor in the film (Damon’s dislike of the disco music that Lewis left, for example). There is mention of faith (one character asks another if he believes in God). There is some adult language included and one non-sexual shot of nudity, used to show how much weight Watney has lost while stranded on Mars.
This film is well made, with strong performances, particularly by Damon, but also from the strong supporting cast (Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Daniels, Ejiofor, and Donald Glover). It is one of my favorite films of the year, second perhaps only to Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation thus far.
Robert De Niro has long been one of my favorite actors, and is one of our greatest actors of all-time. But, he makes a lot of films, and over the past several years, it has been “hit and miss” – some have been good, and some not so good. Anne Hathaway is one of our better actresses today. Having seen the trailer for this film several times, I was really looking forward to seeing the film. And it really delivered – getting high marks from all in our Friday Night Movie Club. De Niro and Hathaway have excellent chemistry and lead a solid cast, which also includes Rene Russo and Linda Lavin.
The film is written and directed by Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated, Something’s Gotta Give). It was filmed on location, mostly in Brooklyn, which we enjoyed as our group was just there on vacation two weeks ago.
De Niro stars as 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker. Ben has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. He was successful in business for forty years, and likes to stay busy, so he decides to apply for a Senior Intern Program at an e-commerce business “About The Fit,” where he is assigned to the founder, Jules Ostin (Hathaway). But Jules is extremely busy (running an hour late to every meeting), and initially has no use for an intern.
Jules’ assistant Cameron (Andrew Rannells) tells her that despite the company’s success, their investors would like to bring an outside CEO to the company. Jules is devastated with this news, but begins interviewing prospects as requested.
Jules is married to Matt (Anders Holm), who had been the more successful of the two, but decided to be a stay at home Dad to their delightful daughter Paige (JoJo Kushner) so that Julies could pursue her work at “About The Fit”. But Jules’ work life is out of control and Matt is getting ignored, and their relationship is suffering.
One of the most enjoyable parts of the film is Ben’s interactions with his 20-something male co-workers, who don’t quite know what to think of him initially. He gives them advice on relationships, responsibility, attire and professionalism.
The film features some adult language, but not much compared to most PG-13 films, though God’s name is used inappropriately several times. There are some suggestive scenes, though nothing is shown.
We really enjoyed the film, but it ended abruptly, and a bit up in the air. We could think of better alternative endings. We don’t see any of the characters in the film demonstrating any faith. Regardless, this is one of my favorite movies of the year and highly recommended.
This film is based on true events from 1996 and were chronicled in Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book Into Thin Air and other books and films. Directed by Baltasar Kormakur, the film features an excellent cast and is the story of a people from a variety of backgrounds facing unbelievable conditions as they try to climb Mount Everest in Nepal. Why they want to spend $65,000 and face life-threatening conditions, in which the death rate at the time of the film was just over 5%, is another story.
There are a number of different groups making the climb to the summit. We follow the one led by Adventure Consulting’s Rob Hall, played by Jason Clarke. At one time the role was going to be filled by Christian Bale, but he chose to make Exodus: Gods and Kings instead.
Rob’s wife Jan (Keira Knightley) is pregnant with their first child. In his group is the arrogant Texas businessman Beck Weathers (Josh Brolin), whose marriage with wife Peach (Robyn Wright) is shaky: Doug Hansen (John Hawkes), who holds down three jobs, including being a mailman, and is making a final try to reach the top of Everest; Yasuko Nama (Naoko Mori), who has climbed six of the Seven Summits and only needs to conquer Everest. Also in Hall’s group is journalist Jon Krakauer (Michael Kelly), who will be writing an article about the experience. Hall’s friend Scott (Jake Gyllenhaal), is now leading a group from a competing company. Helen (Emily Watson) is likeable as she coordinates communications activities from a tent at the base of the mountain.
Hall’s plans are to prep his group for forty days so that they can start their final climb to the summit of Everest, the highest point on the planet, on the morning of May 10. They seek to accomplish this at “the cruising altitude of a 747”, an altitude we are told that the human body isn’t meant to function at.
Despite the strong cast, which also includes Sam Worthington, and five Oscar nominees (Gyllenhaal, Hawkes, Knightley, Watson and Brolin), the star of this film is definitely the mountain. The film does an excellent job depicting the frightening conditions and difficulty of scaling Everest (walking over ladders spread across ravines, avalanches, extreme weather conditions, climbing at extreme altitudes, etc.). In a rarity, the film includes no adult language or sexuality. Even during life-threatening situations, we don’t see any of the characters displaying any faith (praying, etc.).
As a side note, as the film was being shot in Nepal an avalanche occurred on April 18, 2014 and killed 16 people on Everest, delaying the making of the film.
The Walk, rated PG
