By Dave Winter on March 7, 2010
When I used to hear the word ‘Idolatry’ my mind almost immediately went to visions of people bowing before and worshipping a statue. Or maybe it’s a golden calf or a tribe dancing around the fire to the beat of a drum. However as I read Tim Keller’s new book, Counterfeit God’s, I learnt that not only is idolatry prevalent throughout our society but it also comes in many subtle forms. According to Keller, an idol is:
… “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, or achievement and critical acclaim, or saving “face” and social standing. It can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, competence and skill, secure and comfortable circumstances, your beauty or your brains, a great political or social cause, your morality and virtue, or even success in the Christian ministry.”
Keller illustrates the many forms of idolatry by expositing the biblical stories of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Leah, Jonah and Zacchaeus. Not only is he an excellent expositor, but when it comes to culture, he knows his stuff. It is well researched but don’t let that deter you from reading – it is an easy read! I would recommend this ‘thought provoking book’ to anyone in ministry – whether paid or lay, as well as anyone who has the desire to reach our culture with the gospel.
“ It is impossible to understand your heart or your culture if you do not discern the counterfeit gods that influence them.”
Tim Keller is Sr. Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Posted in Faith, Reviews, Society & Culture | Tagged Book Reviews, Idolatry, Keller
By Dave Winter on March 6, 2010
So this week I got a new book. Its Richard Phillips’ ‘The Masculine Mandate – God’s Calling to Men.’ The whole subject of Biblical manhood has been on my mind lately especially throughout our recent Middle East trip. So to my surprise when I got home and checked my feedreader – there were a number of posts that gave very positive reviews to this book. Tim Challies is one of those and you can read it here.
Anyway, I dove in and ordered the book. Just looking at the chapter titles, it looks like a very good book. I’m planning to read it over the next couple of weeks and hopefully post some thoughts/quotes from it.
This is the official Amazon product description (which is a mix of the book blurb & inside cover):
There is a crying need in the church today for men to be men. But competing visions for what a man is to be some growing out of popular culture and others arising from flawed teaching in the church are exacerbating the problem. Richard Phillips believes it is possible to cut through all of this confusion by consulting the Bible. Only in the pages of Scripture, he asserts, can men find a clear explanation of their God-given roles as leaders, husbands, fathers, and churchmen.
Beginning in Genesis, Phillips shows that God commissioned Adam to work and tend the Garden of Eden. In these twin tasks, he perceives a template for manhood, one that, when carried out with diligence, provides dignity to men, service to mankind, and glory to God. He then goes on to show that men are called to lead, to love their wives, to discipline their children, and to serve the church of Jesus Christ. Here is biblical exposition of the most practical sort teaching that reveals not only what men are to think but what they are to be.
Stay Tuned!
Posted in Faith, Musings | Tagged Biblical Manhood, Books
By Dave Winter on March 5, 2010
I have been asked this question a few times since getting back and so I’ll post the links to our Facebook albums. If I’m not your friend yet, why don’t you add me? Enjoy!
Turkey: http://bit.ly/cCRhMY
Israel: http://bit.ly/bFWyN5
Jordan: http://bit.ly/a6rQ3X
Egypt: http://bit.ly/a2lfjB
Posted in Family, Musings | Tagged Journal, Middle East Trip, Photos
By Dave Winter on March 5, 2010
Goodbye Turkey – Hello Israeli Interrogation!
(Istanbul – Tel Aviv – Jerusalem)
A Delightful Breakfast at Hotel Pen!
So we say goodbye to our time in Turkey- I have thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Turkey is definitely an odd mix between European secularism & Middle Eastern Islam. You can see these tensions throughout the country- a lot of the young women (especially) and men probably are more secular than anything else- the fashion is very European & reflects this. On the other hand, the older generations still adhere more so to the conservative Muslim faith- though there is a lot of nominal Islam as well throughout all demographics. I would say that Turkey is going through the same tensions that Canada/US go through with secularism & Christianity.
Continue reading “Middle East Recap: Day 5″
Posted in Family, Musings | Tagged Journal, Middle East Trip
By Dave Winter on March 4, 2010
Beautiful on top of the Mountain!
(Bergama – Izmir – Istanbul)
Breakfast wasn’t the best this morning. The hard boiled egg wasn’t ‘hard-boiled’- I swear a chicken winked at me. That said it was nice to sit in the sun in the restaurant admiring the snow covered hills in the background. We are both sore around our necks (presumably from the seatbelts) & I have a beauty of a bruise on my right elbow. I really don’t know why it’s called the funny bone-because it isn’t funny. I hope Emre is feeling better-poor guy is sick and now will be sore after the accident.
Temple of Trajan at Pergamon
We went up the hill to the Acropolis of Pergamon and were awestruck with the view of the entire valley-lakes, the dam, flood plains, mountains, & the modern day city of Bergama- scenery made for postcards. The site itself was awesome as well- capped with the excavated Temple of Trajan. There were 2 other temples in the acropolis too- the temple of Athena which is marked with an olive tree and the altar of Zeus which is marked with 2 oak trees.
Continue reading “Middle East Recap: Day 4″
Posted in Family, Musings | Tagged Journal, Middle East Trip
