Archives For July 2009

They Is Okay

July 30, 2009 — Leave a comment

I don’t have the wherewithal at the moment to do a diachronic* linguistic usage survey of the word “they.” (Or rather, like most bloggers, I lack the willingness to let such a survey delay rushing this blog into, eh, print.) But I am qualified to do a synchronic* survey, because my job is to read contemporary English for most of the day.

So I’m happy to agree with the two linguists filling in for William Safire at his New York Times column, because they’ve added historical weight to my case that “they” is okay. They’ve argued that “they” had long been used as a gender-neutral singular pronoun before it was ever pronounced permanently plural and replaced by “he.”

This historical weight is ultimately unnecessary to my case, because what matters for “they” today is current usage. Mark it down: if someone will keep their ears open, they will hear a singular “they” used in formal speech. I’ve heard it from the chapel platform at Bob Jones University, preached by one of our most formal and stentorian homileticians.

And you’ve heard it recently, too.

1.) Other attempts at gender neutrality (the generic she, s/he, hum, etc.) and 2.) Bible translations are separate issues.

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*Diachronic = a survey of a word’s usage through (dia) time (chronos).

*Synchronic = a survey of a word’s usage at any given time—like now!

In Exegesis, Solipsism
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Words of Wisdom on the Blogosphere from One of its Doyens

July 30, 2009 — Leave a comment

iMonk shares some trenchant blogosphere insight, well worth a read for bloggers and those who love them.

A “Blogging Philosofesto” is percolating, fermenting, and languishing in my own queue at this moment.

In Culture, Piety, Solipsism, Tech
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Literal Exegetical Announcement

July 28, 2009 — 4 Comments

To echo the words of Matthew 1:18, Μy wife “has been found in stomach having” (εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς).

Just yesterday we saw our baby for the first time. We witnessed an on-screen dance sponsored by General Electric, and we were both amazed how well-formed our baby is after just nine weeks gestation!

We’ve been praying daily that our child would be regenerated early and that he or she would be physically healthy.

WardBaby3.jpg

In Solipsism
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Losing the Gospel

July 24, 2009 — Leave a comment

Recently I spoke to a man from the depressed neighborhoods surrounding my church, a man who, sadly, had utterly no understanding of the gospel—and a man who recently became a baptized member at the nearest Southern Baptist Church.

Many leaders of the SBC have been troubled by this widespread problem, too, and the recent “Great Commision Resurgence” document is part of their response. The document recognizes that parts of the SBC are in danger of losing the gospel. I pray that the GCR call to Bible and gospel fidelity will be heeded.

Of course we Independent Fundamental Baptists must be just as mindful, lest we lose the gospel ourselves. Here’s a Twitter tweet I recently read from the feed of an IFB college president, an elder brother who stands significantly to my right:

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He was relating the testimony of someone who was on a mission trip to the southeast Asia. But does that make it more or less likely that 200 public school children were truly and miraculously regenerated?

Jesus let the rich young ruler go. And He said the kingdom of heaven was like a treasure for which you are eager to give up everything. But the gospel this man preaches has been co-opted by or mingled with an easy-believism which refuses to let go of those who won’t heed Jesus’ all-encompassing call of discipleship.

Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit in regeneration is like a wind blowing where it wills (Jn 3:7-8). God’s Spirit can blow life into the hearts of 200 public school kids through one translated sermon. I pray that He has. But I cannot in good conscience claim that “there was over 200 saved” until it’s clear that those 200 aren’t merely those who “anon with joy” received the word but those who “bear fruit” (Mt 13:18-23).

And what is fruit? It’s the evidence in progressive sanctification of the regeneration which God’s Spirit has brought about. It’s the thoughts, affections, and actions which God promised would spring from the heart of every member of the New Covenant. It’s obedience to the one who said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

I’ll be preaching to about 20 public school kids tonight. I pray that God would bring fruit for His glory from those hearts, fruit that remains.

In ChurchLife, Mission, Theology
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Words of Controversial Wisdom from Someone Else Don’t Blame Me I Just Repeated It But I Do Think They Are Wise So Take Them Under Advisement and May the Lord Grant You Wisdom

July 23, 2009 — Leave a comment

Here are two arguments I took down from a conversation I had with a musically oriented older man who has significant seminary training. I offer them for your consideration; I thought they were wise:

  • When people are dancing and acting without inhibition at a rock concert they’re not dancing to a cultural association. And it’s probably not primarily the text that’s driving them.
  • If someone says that the Scripture says anything about musical style, you might ask whether or not there are any dancing styles they consider wrong. The Bible says nothing about bad dancing styles.
In ChurchLife, Culture, Music, Piety
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Obama Speaks to Poe Mill

July 17, 2009 — 1 Comment

I pray that the many black kids I love in the Poe Mill section of Greenville, SC, will hear their president’s words:

President Obama delivered a fiery sermon to black America on Thursday night, warning black parents that they must accept their own responsibilities by “putting away the Xbox and putting our kids to bed at a reasonable hour,” and telling black children that growing up poor is no reason to get bad grades.

“No one has written your destiny for you,” he said, directing his remarks to “all the other Barack Obamas out there” who might one day grow up to be president. “Your destiny is in your hands, and don’t you forget that. That’s what we have to teach all of our children! No excuses! No excuses!”

….

“They might think they’ve got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow,” Mr. Obama said, “but our kids can’t all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United States of America.”

[From Obama Speaks at N.A.A.C.P. Celebration - NYTimes.com]

I disagree only with President Obama’s assumption that everyone’s destiny is completely in his own hands. If even the president’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, then surely the people’s is, too. God’s rule over my life is ultimate, not my rule.

In Culture
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Pogue’s Productivity Secrets Revealed

July 17, 2009 — 1 Comment

My favorite tech reviewer agrees with me about how to use his e-mail inbox:

I’m not a believer in the “empty your Inbox every day” philosophy; in fact, my Inbox is my To Do list, which works great. When I’ve dealt with something, I delete or file it. When I haven’t, its presence in that list reminds me that it needs doing. (I have a lot of e-mail folders. I also have a lot of “message rules” that file incoming mail automatically into appropriate folders.)

The rest of his little post is worth reading.

In Tech
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Ken Myers Says Something Wise—Not a News Flash

July 9, 2009 — Leave a comment

An insightful comment from Ken Myers of the Mars Hill Audio Journal, answering a question from the helpful Presbyterians at By Faith:

By Faith: Christians often defend certain cultural resources and practices based on the logic that if God is using them, they must be good.

Ken Myers: Well, I don’t think everything that happens is evidence of common grace. I have a high view of the common curse, too. The fact that God can use something doesn’t make it intrinsically valuable. God uses us all the time, and we know how flawed we are. God used Judas to accomplish His purposes. God used Balaam’s ass. So cultural criticism should not be about whether something is potentially useable by God, because of course everything is useable by God. The question is whether the thing is inherently problematic.

[From by Faith Magazine - The Well-Informed Generalist]

In Culture, Piety
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Harold Best on Evangelicalism

July 6, 2009 — 1 Comment

Harold Best, church musician, aesthetician, and no fundamentalist, in a discussion about American church music:

One of these days we’re going to be talking about evangelicals who were saved out of evangelicalism; and that day is probably on us right now.

That quote hit me hard. It’s true. It’s weep-worthy.

In ChurchLife
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A Bunch of Us Are Going Bandwagon Jumping Tonight—Wanna Come??

July 2, 2009 — Leave a comment

This text courtesy of Logos’ promotional department:

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

As I said on the Logos blog, Logos may never win my heart away from BibleWorks, but it won my wallet a long time ago.

In Books, Tech
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