Flotsam and jetsam (8/3)

• Trevin Wax, Erasing Hell: The Wrong Book at the Right Time

Chan and Sprinkle approach this topic from an analytical, exegetical point of view. And like I said above, at the exegetical level, the book succeeds. But that’s not where the battle is being waged. No one is discarding hell because of the convincing nature of Bell’s eisegesis. No… people are following Bell because of the compelling way he has made his case.

• CT, Good Religion, Bad Religion

In short, religion is our valiant attempt to get right with God while ignoring the fact and way that he has gotten right with us: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ. To continue to work for our justification instead of accepting our justification is the essence of religion

• Relevant Magazine, Why I Don’t Go to Church

There was this stirring fire inside me, a need to unearth, explore and just see if there was a cathedral of worship outside the walls of church and steeple, if there was a Christ-meets-personal-expression that had my God-given name on it. Because it wasn’t for cynicism or frustration or disillusionment that I walked away and stayed away; it was a Divine calling to be who I was made to be and manifest Church in the way I was born for.

• Use Sarcasm Instead of Outright Anger for Better, More Productive Conflicts
  

You probably wouldn’t pair sarcasm and productivity together, but it turns out there may be a link. A new study shows that hearing sarcasm may actually boost our ability to focus on our work and solve problems more creatively.

• Seth Godin, Responsibility and Authority: Anyone who takes responsibility for getting something done is welcome to ask for the authority to do it.
  
• Wired, Are Smart People Getting Smarter?
• And, here are 100 Places to Find Your Next Great Read