Christopher Chelpka

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2022-01-31: “If you see yourself as a ‘little sinner’ you will inevitably see Jesus as a …

2022-01-31: candy canes from this year’s Winterhaven Festival of Lights #tucson

2022-01-13:

2022-01-04:

2022-01-03: Finished reading: Is Hell For Real? by Erik Raymond. Short, sensitive, biblical, and clear. It is a …

2021-12-13: Non-parent mentors matter. And the upcoming school break is a good time to invest in a teen you …

2021-11-26: Currently reading and loving: Reformed Preaching by Joel Beeke 📚

2021-11-18: Finished reading: The Unfolding Word by Zach Keele 📚 Watch for a coming review.

2021-11-11: An important link (#2) in my better leading, better meeting blogchain was missing. It’s fixed, so …

2021-11-10: common curse or common grace?

2021-10-12: I’m enjoying the new Paleo Protestant Pudcast by @oldlife this week. Check it out. …

2021-10-07: Idea: Grade multiple choice exams for accuracy AND confidence like this

2021-10-07: Grade multiple choice exams for accuracy AND confidence like this Instructions: Circle the correct answer. If you are unsure which is the correct answer, mark that by …

2021-10-02:

2021-09-28: 🎵 Consider Abraham

2021-09-14: Takeaways from George P. Shultz on trust 13 page PDF: take the jobs you can do well, then do them …

2021-09-08: Updated my OPC Form of Government Commentary page.. Dr. Strange has added commentary on meetings, …

2021-09-07: 🎵 Ever wish you could have just one more day?

2021-08-31: What kind of idealist are you? There’s a kind you don’t want to be.

2021-08-31: What kind of idealist are you? “Idealistic people who have moralistic notions about how people should behave without understanding …

2021-08-30: Some Fundamental Thoughts on Leadership Good leadership limits mistakes, creates opportunities, and increases flourishing at every level. …

2021-08-29: Finished reading: Faithful and Fruitful: Essays for Elders and Deacons. Straightforward essays on a …

2021-08-20: Happy birthday #Tucson! Looking pretty good for 246 (maybe 4,000).

2021-08-20: La Luz del Dia in downtown Globe, AZ. Breakfast burrito: 👍🏻(x2). Best enjoyed with friends.

2021-08-19: Reformed Evangelism: “the promise of the gospel…together with the command to repent and believe, …

2021-08-19: When John Calvin helped with the refugee crisis in Geneva, he was thinking about people made in the …

2021-08-18: 🎵 Listening to Hank this AM… I Heard My Mother Praying for Me

2021-08-17: Fred Sanders: Imitating the Trinity as Trinity is not a biblical way of talking. We are told to …

2021-08-15: Following up on my sermon today from 1 Corinthians 5, here’s a good article by Carl Trueman that’s …

2021-08-11: If you need a study Bible for older kids, mine like using the ESV Student Study Bible. It’s a …

2021-08-09: Being especially charming isn’t necessarily terrible for pastoral ministry, but it isn’t necessary …

2021-08-07: New post: For deeper relationships, learn to A.T.T.U.N.E.

2021-08-06: For deeper relationships, learn to A.T.T.U.N.E. Connection is an essential element of healthy relationships. And connections start with bids. Dr. …

2021-08-06: we all got conflict. here are some things you should know and tips for what to do about it.

2021-08-06: Things you need to know about conflict and how to make peace Whatever kind of relationship you have, invest in it when there isn’t conflict. For married …

2021-08-06: Currently reading: If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art …

2021-07-31: Putting public hand washing stations outside of the restrooms is a great idea. This one is at …

2021-07-31: Finished reading: From Embers to a Flame: How God Can Revitalize Your Church by Harry L. Reeder, III …

2021-07-30: Finished re-reading: The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision by Gerald Hiestand and …

2021-07-30: Finished reading: A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World …

2021-07-29: The Onym Guide is a really fun and helpful resource for people who like words, with some sweet web …

2021-07-28:

2021-07-24: Went on a beautiful, rainy hike in the Santa Catalina Mountains today with some folks from Covenant. …

2021-07-21: On top of Mt. Lemmon

2021-07-21: New post: Married? Use these 8 ways to cultivate your life together.

2021-07-21: Married? Use these 8 ways to cultivate your life together It’s one thing to interconnect your and your spouse’s lives , it’s another to cultivate a life …

2021-07-20: Change can be difficult and sometimes it should be avoided. But change is often an inevitable and …

2021-07-20: It’s interesting to think about the relationship between relationships. Today I answer: can I have …

2021-07-19: Honey, where are my paaaaaaaants?

2021-07-19: Can I be married and have friends? Yes. You can be married and have friends. In fact, you should. You can have other types of …

2021-07-19: I’m sharing some more thoughts on marriage in the coming days. Next up: some presuppositions …

2021-07-19: Some presuppositions for a good marriage “Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have …

2021-07-18: Currently reading: Design for Preaching by H. Grady Davis 📚 An unusual and good book on preaching …

2021-07-17:

2021-07-17: I put together a great list of questions for pre-marital counseling, but married people can use them …

2021-07-17: Get a better marriage with these questions Whether you are already married or about to be married, you can grow closer by discussing the …

2021-07-17: Daniel A. Cox: “The percentage of men with at least six close friends fell by half since 1990, …

2021-07-16: Took this on 1 June when the saguaro still had lots of fruit. Can you find the owl?

2021-07-16: David Burris is right. We have some unhelpful conceptions about authenticity that need revising.

2021-07-16: During a bad part of the pandemic, I did some research on loneliness. Here’s what I learned.

2021-07-16: Facts about loneliness and things that can help Facts About Loneliness Everyone likes to be alone; no one likes to be lonely. Being alone is fine. …

2021-07-13: check out this giant list of movies filmed in Tucson.

2021-07-12: Currently reading: The Trinity: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology) by …

2021-07-07: Classics education is a big deal. Without it, there would’ve been no Fourth of July.

2021-07-06: One down with a big win. Go Suns! 🏀

2021-07-06: Get inspired by Lisa Przystup’s Tucson Road Trip in The Strategist via @VisitTucsonAZ.

2021-07-04:

2021-07-04: Finished reading: Leading God’s People: Wisdom from the Early Church for Today by Christopher …

2021-07-03: “At what schools does Christ, as a prophet, train up his disciples? At the school of the law, the …

2021-07-03: Currently reading: How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor (Ancient Wisdom for …

2021-07-02: 🎙 Listened: Praying in a Time of Pandemic with Christopher Beeley. Very good. What is prayer, why …

2021-07-01: I’m starting a new blogchain called Decision Help. Check out the first entry: Discernment …

2021-07-01: Discernment (discrimination, sound judgment) This is entry 1 of the blogchain Decision Help. Discernment is a gift of God (1 Cor 12:10) that …

2021-06-25: This weekend, listen to Carl Trueman‘s short lecture on The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. He …

2021-06-20: Love my card.

2021-06-12: Tonight’s sunset.

2021-06-12: 🎵Listening: Skip, Hop, and Wobble. One of my all-time favorite albums.

2021-06-11: This week in the Confession Overview Class, I’ll be teaching on baptism, the Lord’ Supper, and …

2021-06-05: The Anchor Devotional I wrote for today is about why God’s authorship of the Bible is …

2021-06-05: Some people say the Bible doesn’t need to have God as its author in order for it to be …

2021-06-04: Currently reading: Leading God’s People: Wisdom from the Early Church for Today by Christopher …

2021-06-04: “When Christians trust God, they find themselves doing things that otherwise seemed impossible.” …

2021-06-04: Watch out Denver. Here come the Suns! 🏀

2021-06-03: Big topics covered this Sunday in the Confession Overview Class. For example: How can you experience …

2021-06-03: It amazes me that God uses human teachers to help us grow, but he does. As Paul said to the …

2021-06-02: Currently reading: The Christian Family by Herman Bavinck 📚

2021-06-02: Found a nest of quail eggs.

2021-06-02: Got a great intern coming from @wscal to officially start the Covenant Summer Internship Program …

2021-05-31: This is so exciting. Go Suns! 🏀

2021-05-29: R. Scott Clark: “Are P&R Churches “Wholly Inadequate” To Investigate Abuse?” “This is not a …

2021-05-28: At Glover Ranch tonight. Saw paintings by students of @dellachelpkaart. Reminded me of the …

2021-05-28: It’s time for home economics to make a comeback.

2021-05-27: Reading: Thoughts on Family Worship by James W. Alexander. 📚

2021-05-26:

2021-05-26: As authoritative, powerful, helpful, and life-giving as God’s Word is, I hope you’re in a church …

2021-05-21: This Sunday at Covenant, I continue my overview the Westminster Confession of Faith after worship. …

2021-05-21: In Christ, we are also children of God and walk in the way of our Father. “Walk with God, …

2021-05-21: Good: Jehoshaphat walked in all the way of Asa his father. Glorious: Jesus walked in all the way of …

2021-05-20: Feedback can be very valuable for pastors or any kind of leader, but it can be hard to get, …

2021-05-20: How To Get Immediate Feedback From a Group This is entry 4 of the blogchain Better Leading, Better Meeting. I was inspired by this post to …

2021-05-20: Here is the secret to contentment:

2021-05-18: Trueman and VanDrunen are teaching one-week classes at @wscal this summer and you can listen in. …

2021-05-15: Christians, I’ve got some good news: “you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for …

2021-05-14: A good prayer: “Be thou my dignity.”

2021-05-13: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116v15)

2021-05-13: Can’t find the Lost & Found. Now what?

2021-05-12: With the Trinity Psalter Hymnal App I’m able to sing with piano accompaniment during pastoral …

2021-05-11: Egg is sus.

2021-05-10: In yesterday’s Confession of Faith class, I taught about assurance, the law of God, and …

2021-04-26: Now available: the Trinity Psalter Hymnal as an iOS app, recordings included. Android on the way.

2021-04-23: Read: David VanDrunen’s reflections on race and racism. 📚

2021-04-21: Themelios 46.1 is out. Contentment, canonicity, civics, and more.

2021-04-15: Hooray! Tucson is reopening pools and splash pads.

2021-04-14: Register today to watch Arthur Brooks and Richard Wolff debate Socialism or Capitalism? tomorrow. …

2021-04-13: Casa Grande!

2021-04-06: Now that you know why posting for “free” on MySpaceBook isn’t a good idea. Check out Micro.blog. I …

2021-04-06: Beyond Feature/Bug Dualism: I don’t trust computers. I work with them, I use them, I program them, …

2021-04-02: Read: Compel Them to Come In: Calvinism and the Free Offer of the Gospel by Macleod, Donald 📚 So …

2021-03-14: Riverview Park in Mesa, Ariz.

2021-03-13: Confessing: “As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, …

2021-03-11: Currently reading: Church Leadership and Strategy by Harold L. Senkbeil 📚

2021-03-08: Added: chapter links “local church and its session” and “regional church and its …

2021-03-05: What’s a virtual book festival look like? We’re about to find out. Rooting for you …

2021-03-02: From Axios: Americans agree about more issues than they realize.

2021-02-27: Reformed University Fellowship at the University of Arizona is a great ministry. Give online to help …

2021-02-19: Looking forward: Tucson’s Hotel Congress prepping for post COVID-19 world with expansion plans …

2021-02-14: Today at Covenant, I’m teaching on chapters 6-10 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. We’ll …

2021-02-13: Class: Overview of the Westminster Confession of Faith This is the web version of the paper handout for class. In each class, I answer previous questions, …

2021-02-12: What would “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” sound like if it were a Tchaikovsky violin concerto? …

2021-02-11: “We are more sure to arise out of our graves than out of our beds. “ —Thomas Watson

2021-02-10: Hymn: “Saviour, if of Zion’s city I, through grace, a member am, let the world deride or pity, …

2021-02-10: What is our “moment” and how should Christians live in it? Check our Joseph Minich’s …

2021-02-09: Cool: the greatest books according “an algorithm [that creates] a master list based on how many …

2021-02-08: socks of many colors

2021-02-03: In some places, the last thing people are thinking about is going outside. But if you happen to be …

2021-01-29: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” –Romans 12:12

2021-01-29: Here are some things I believe about mentoring. What’s important to you?

2021-01-29: Some things I believe about mentoring re: mentorships in general Good mentors share the mental models and key skills that really make a …

2021-01-28: Liked: Why Does It Take So Long To Explain Infant Baptism?

2021-01-28: Our sunset tonight.

2021-01-25: Tucson’s snow in 2019 was a lot of fun.

2021-01-25: Snow tomorrow in Tucson? Yes, please!

2021-01-25: How to: Replace typed fractions with real fractions on iOS and Mac. It’s a work around. A …

2021-01-25: Join me today from 12:45-1pm MST to hear the comandment Solomon receives from his dying father. …

2021-01-23: Beautiful evening sky; hoping for rain next week.

2021-01-21: The gadget scene in spy movies can help you understand Ephesians 6:10-18. Great insights from Emily …

2021-01-21: Adonijah’s plot to be come king is foiled and he fears for his life. As promised, Solomon will …

2021-01-19: Afternoon Prayer meets in 15 minutes for 15 minutes: 12:45-1pm MST. Join us as we begin reading and …

2021-01-19: Excellent overview of 1-2 Kings.

2021-01-19: Wish you knew the history of 1-2 Kings better? Here’s an idea: Challenge yourself with this …

2021-01-19: We loved our first visit to Agua Caliente Park.

2021-01-19: The Meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day shared in poems, essays, songs, and more.

2021-01-13: Westminster Daily - Of the holy Scripture, part 8 “that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in …

2021-01-11: Big goals for 2021! Buttercup is trying to maximize her productivity by maintaining an optimal …

2021-01-09: The Bible provides the best news from the most reliable source. You should read it. Learn more at …

2021-01-09: Getting a drink.

2021-01-08: Because the work of the Holy Spirit by and with the Word, the Church is the pillar and buttress of …

2021-01-08: Hallelujah!

2021-01-07: ICYMI: Alan Strange is writing a commentary on the OPC Form of Government.

2021-01-07: A Commentary on the OPC Form of Government by Alan Strange I dededicate this post to my friend and ruling elder co-laboer, B. F., who learns from the past to …

2021-01-07: The main reason I believe and obey the Bible is because God is the author of the Bible.

2021-01-06: Buttercup and the chickens are getting comfortable with each other. These things take time.

2021-01-05: Where can you learn how to glorify and enjoy God? Click for the answer.

2021-01-05: Just before quoting from Proverbs 3, Hebrews 5:12 says: “And have you forgotten the exhortation that …

2021-01-05: “A clear conscience is the sure sign of a bad memory.” — Mark Twain

2021-01-04: Westminster Daily - Of the holy Scripture, part 2

2021-01-04: Burton Barr Cental Library in Phoenix is still offering curbside pickup, but I wish I could have …

2021-01-03: Westminster Daily - How doth it appear that there is a God?

2021-01-03: Reading Holy Helps for a Godly Life would be a good way to start your year.

2021-01-02: I start preaching 2 John tomorrow morning. It should be on the podcast later in the day. Interesting …

2021-01-01: OPCers in HI, AZ, and CA: @pscopc posted some important updates today regarding several upcoming …

2020-12-30: After the workout after the win, Suns forward Jae Crowder in Arizona Republic: “That’s what …

2020-12-25: Liked: Were Joseph and Mary ‘poor’?

2020-12-24: Rainer predicts more church fostering in 2021

2020-12-24: Rainer predicts more church fostering in 2021 Thom S. Rainer: Church fostering will move into the early adoption stage. Church fostering takes …

2020-12-22: Working together, scientists across disciplines were able find, produce, and even taste fruit from …

2020-12-21: Hooray! Now you can use @AmazonSmile on a browser or in the Amazon mobile app. I support Westminster …

2020-12-21: a Hamilton parody just in time for Christmas… Jesus Christ of Nazareth 🙂✨

2020-12-19: “The Spirit did not lead Jesus above natural life with its exposure to dangers, trials, …

2020-12-18: A good definition of biblicism + resource page from @heidelblog.net.

2020-12-16: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). Any ideas?

2020-12-10: On this day 1 year ago

2020-12-10: So thankful for the way @opchomemissions supported Covenant when we were a church plant. Watch to …

2020-12-09: Near the UFO junkyard in Ocotillo, CA.

2020-12-08: Strange… there doesn’t seem to be an emoji for video calls. Do these work: selfie 🤳 or …

2020-12-07: Baseball Sunset in Oro Valley 1

2020-12-07: I started a sermon series yesterday called The Promised Messiah. #1 The Last Word; #2 Mediator of a …

2020-12-06: Take heed: David French on The Crisis of Christian Celebrity

2020-12-06: David French on Christian Celebrity David French: I’ve known a number of Christian public figures who haven’t fallen—men and women …

2020-12-05: We hear more about angels during Christmas, but they’re around all year. I wrote a short post …

2020-12-05: Lord Sabbaoth and His Angelic Encouragements When we suffer for the name of Christ, we need biblical encouragement. And one form of biblical …

2020-12-04: The sermon is an important part of worship. Here’s how to make the most of it.

2020-12-03: Learn about the @OrthodoxPC work in Mbale, Uganda. See how long-term committments make a difference. …

2020-12-02: light shimmering off Buttercup’s jet black fur

2020-11-28: Tomorrow I will finish preaching the Gospel of John and will be sad to say goodbye to Frederick Dale …

2020-11-28: Finished The Art of Neighboring by @jayrpathak and Dave Runyon. Great into. Deals with common …

2020-11-27: When Jesus comes “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4), but until then …

2020-11-26: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” #psalm103v2

2020-11-25: Learn about New Horizons, the OPC’s monthly magazine. Watch on vimeo.

2020-11-23: Thanks to Christ Reformed Church in Washington, D.C., we now have a collection of links to most of …

2020-11-21: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).

2020-11-20: Congratulations and thanks to David C. Noe for his new book, God or Baal: Two Letters on the …

2020-11-19: Where your clothes come from.

2020-11-19: This week Zondervan video courses are 50% off.

2020-11-18: Postmodernism: Some Corrections and Clarifications by Elena Shalneva

2020-11-17: Not all knowledge of Jesus is the same. Jonathan Edwards put it well: “There is a difference between …

2020-11-16: Here’s last night’s sermon on Genesis 22, the sacrifice of Isaac, where we discover that closeness …

2020-11-15: “Love is that liquor sweet and most divine, which my God feels as blood and I as wine.” (George …

2020-11-14:

2020-11-13: Attended a memorial service tonight where this quote by C. H. Spurgeon could have been the theme: …

2020-11-13: I used to plant my flowers in my friend Tom’s yard, but I let them die and started all over because …

2020-11-11: Not every email needs military-level precision, but it usually helps. Here are some email rules I …

2020-11-11: Good email rules I sometimes break Use one subject per email thread with a good subject line. Keep it short. Five sentences or fewer …

2020-11-09: When I feel anxious, I use these words from Psalm 62: “For God alone, O my soul, wait in …

2020-11-06: What would you do to ensure the integrity of an election? Here’s Arizona’s 2020 plan.

2020-10-20: Why China might have had the largest unknown modern Calvinist revival movement in recent history » …

2020-10-17: New to me. Left to right: 🧼, 💦 , 💨.

2020-10-06: Q. How can you prevent instantly loosing all your stuff on Facebook/Instagram/Kindle, like these …

2020-10-05: Curious about how Micro.blog can be used for business? Check out what I’m doing for …

2020-10-05: Some popular thinkers on shame have been helpful to me, but they could be much more helpful if they …

2020-10-05: Not all shame is the same Yesterday morning I preached John 19:1-6 about the shaming of Jesus. If I may add a little …

2020-10-03: At the Imperial Sand Dunes this summer.

2020-10-02: Over-functioners, beware of 1 Thessalonians 4:11.

2020-09-30: God connects us to each other in many ways. One way is through our shared watersheds. …

2020-09-29: Life is full of surprises. According to my source, what unicorn fairies do is sort papers.

2020-09-26: In a.m. sermon last week, Peter denies Jesus and then something amazing happens.

2020-09-23:

2020-09-19: From bud to blackberry and everything in between, a lovely picture by @BestofTimes.

2020-09-18:

2020-09-18: Here are a few of the books that have helped me improve the organizational and discipleship …

2020-09-18: Read these to improve your church’s organizational and discipleship structures Comprehensive Treatments Although leadership is essential for shepherding the oranizational and …

2020-09-17: The new podcast Ad Navseam is fascinating. Funny too. My son and I listened together today and loved …

2020-09-12: Listening to Gautier Capuçon play Debussy. So beautiful.

2020-09-09: God punished Sodom and Gomorrah for several reasons, one is to teach us some things we need to …

2020-09-08: The greatness of Jesus on display during his arrest gives us confidence in his victory and love for …

2020-08-27: Beautiful beans from Bonita Bean in Willcox, AZ.

2020-08-26: re: your request @drantbradley I think you’ll like Bible Reading With Your Kids: A Simple …

2020-07-27: AZ Republic: Receive unsolicited seeds from China? Arizona officials want you to turn them in

2020-07-15: ETS et al. meeting online this year is a bummer in some ways, but good for folks like me who can …

2020-07-13: Monsoons arrived on Saturday.

2020-07-09: Ouch! The key pad at the gas station was so hot today I had to take breaks typing my PIN.

2020-07-09: I published a new issue of Covenant Chronicle today. Updates about the church. Lots to praise God …

2020-07-07: I want to live someday “in that world where such absurd and inhuman distinctions are unknown”, …

2020-07-06: Dr. Steve Baugh is a role model for me in so many ways. #deepwork is one of them, which comes out …

2020-07-05: To better understand what it means to be “not of this world”, read What Did Jesus Mean …

2020-07-03: Took the kids up to Mt. Hopkins today. We stopped just up the road from from the Smithsonian Whipple …

2020-07-03: John Calvin: To sum up everything in a word: The cross of Christ finally trumps in believers’ …

2020-07-02: I’m going to try syndicating my posts to Twitter for a while.

2020-07-02: Pirate Lorem Ipsum Prow scuttle parrel provost Sail ho shrouds spirits boom mizzenmast yardarm. Pinnace holystone …

2020-07-01: Jump over to whimsical.club. With so many overly-serious websites these days, it’s fun to explore …

2020-06-27: Photo by Clara

2020-06-26: I’ve tried to follow the directions but can’t figure out how to get canonical urls automatically …

2020-06-25: Did you know you can follow and even reply to some blogs that are not directly connected to the …

2020-06-25: I’m designing a course on Christian maturity and discovered the Workload Estimator 2.0. If you …

2020-06-20:

2020-06-16: Over the next two of days, I’m attending Acton University Online. There are so many interesting …

2020-06-16: Gospel of John, 17v3: And this is eternal life, that they know you, the ony true God, and Jesus …

2020-06-15: Last’s night’s sermon was on these words from Genesis 17:1: “walk before me and be …

2020-06-14: This morning I preached John 16:25-33. In this passage, Jesus tells us three truths that steady our …

2020-06-13:

2020-06-11: Meredith Kline on p. 318 of Kingdom Prologue: …divine demand for godliness is therefore …

2020-04-16: Lessons on Counseling, Marriage, Gender Roles, and More (Todd Bordow) Todd Bordow is the pastor of Cornerstone OPC in Houston. He has degrees from Westminster Seminary …

2020-04-10: Video Conference Etiquette + Skills Checklist This is entry 3 of the blogchain Better Leading, Better Meeting. Meeting with people on the Internet …

2020-03-20: 🍎🥩🍌🍐🍉🍖🥚🍇🍓🥬🍆🥑🍗🥛 USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue salutes the heroes in the US food supply chain.

2020-03-18: Clara sings! A better way to wash your hands. Instead of counting to 20 when you wash your hands, sing a hymn. It’s a practical way to trust in …

2020-03-14: The Berlin Phil is offering free streaming of its concerts. And starting Monday with Carmen, the Met …

2020-03-13: Want to limit germ spread during communion? Passing communion trays is a very common practice, but it doesn’t seem to be the best way if you are …

2020-03-05: Check out the Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center by NewsGuard.

2020-02-29: How Hughes Oliphant Old Got Better at Praying I suspect all Christians would like to improve in their ability to pray. I know I would. Even though …

2020-02-15: Paul (Ephesians 4:26): Be angry and do not sin. Also true: Love and do not sin. Hate and do not …

2020-02-11: Day 11: Plain Click through to see how @dellachelpkaArt turned this plain wall into a work of art..

2020-02-10: Day 10: Sign

2020-02-09: For Day 9: Lull

2020-02-08: For Day 8: Contrast…this coloring book cover. 😆

2020-02-07: I’m late to the photoblog challenge, but I’ve got a great one for today’s word: Above.

2020-02-06: Read Players First: Coaching from the Inside Out by John Calipari and Michael Sokolove. I think this …

2020-01-28: Churches Should Protect Their Data. Tips and Links! Dear Church leaders, How are you doing at protecting the valuable data of your church and its …

2020-01-28: Happy Data Privacy Day. Learn more: staysafeonline.org.

2020-01-27: Keep Current on Cybersecurity with These Four Blogs Cybersecurity needs and threats change. If you want to keep current on recent threats, get tips for …

2020-01-22: My daughter and I are learning about God’s amazing planet Saturn.

2020-01-14: Reflecting on Attachment Theory in Light of Scripture This is entry 6 of the blogchain TBRI. TBRI is rooted in attachment theory, as seen in this …

2020-01-11: If all goes well, these pieces of birch plywood are going to become tap dance practice pads for my …

2020-01-08: Rebecca McLaughlin (tweet): Friends sometimes tell me they wish they had my faith. When this …

2020-01-04: Notebooks is about to get several major upgrades. According to Screen Time, it competes with Brave …

2020-01-01: A Toolbox of Helpful Phrases for Parents and Other Caregivers This is entry 5 of the blogchain TBRI. Words are powerful tools to help get kids back on the right …

2019-12-31: Empowering Things that Have Helped Our Kids This is entry 4 of the blogchain TBRI. Meeting the physical and connection needs of a person—big or …

2019-12-31: Essential Skills and Beliefs for TBRI This is entry 3 of the blogchain TBRI. After working my way through an online TBRI course, …

2019-12-29: We had a great time a few days ago at the Winterhaven Festival of Lights. It was put on for charity …

2019-12-28: Read Ultralearning by Scott H. Young. It’s a great book for anyone wanting to improve their ability …

2019-12-25: For Classics Nerds: The PM Recites A Bit Of The IIiad From Memory (In Greek!) - The Heidelblog

2019-12-24: We’re feline festive over here.

2019-12-23: Last Saturday I went to Cello Christmas 2019 hosted by super-teacher Mary Beth Tyndall. About 40 …

2019-12-19: John Calvin: music is “a gift of God” “…among the other things which are appropriate to recreate …

2019-12-19: 🕵️‍♂️ on the trail of an ink thief!

2019-12-17: I read Music, Singing, and Emotions: Exploring the Connections in Themelios. What a great essay.

2019-12-14: Someone should write a Christmas carol based on Rev 21:16 and call it Angles from the Realms of …

2019-12-13: It won’t be long now.

2019-12-11: Twitter aims to build an open standard for social networks - Axios

2019-12-10: Aquinas on Emotions: A Summary of Peter King’s Research Peter King has written a top-shelf article on Thomas Aquinas’s view of emotions. This is my …

2019-12-07: An Invitation to Hope An old man named Zecharaiah is filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesies about the miraculous …

2019-12-07: Better Leading, Better Meeting: What to Read This is entry 2 of the blogchain Better Leading, Better Meeting. At the most general level, any good …

2019-12-06: Meeting are Gatherings This is entry 1 of the blogchain Better Leading, Better Meeting. You can lead better meetings and …

2019-12-06: 👎 Social Network + Like Button - Moderation = Incentive to Game the System. @manton explains in …

2019-12-05: How do you wait on God? Among other helpful points, @mwerickson writes: Unlike generalized “waiting …

2019-12-03: What is Productivity? Productivity is a measure of your output divided by your input. Output is measured by the importance …

2019-11-28: 🦃 My daughter loves to choreograph, my son has a lot of energy, and we’re all thankful for the …

2019-11-27: Mercy and Empowerment This is entry 2 of the blogchain TBRI. When my wife comes home with groceries in the car, the kids …

2019-11-27: How to Improve Your Thinking and Conversations Learning how to think and have good conversations are two skills you can and should improve. They’re …

2019-11-26: How Much Does A Turkey Really Cost? How much do you really pay for a turkey after you subtract the weight of the non-edibles like …

2019-11-26: 📚 Looking forward to reading @manton’s forthcoming book, Indie Microblogging.

2019-11-23: What is TBRI? This is entry 1 of the blogchain TBRI. TBRI stands for Trust-Based Relational Intervention. …

2019-11-22: 🎨 Nice! This easy to use tool can tell you if certain color combos meet web accessibility standards …

2019-11-17: ⚠️ Don’t leave your lightsaber on the floor. It’s dangerous!

2019-11-05: How to Change the Order of Posts in a Category (Micro.blog + Hugo) Like most blog themes, my current theme uses reverse chronological order to display posts. Newest …

2019-11-05: American Cursive I’m on a learning adventure to master the fundamentals of cursive penmenship. It’s a relaxed …

2019-10-31: 🗺 Explore the future of blogging and the Internet by adding to this group blogchain. Or, if you …

2019-10-27: 🧺 Beautiful day for a picnic! We had a relaxing time and got to meet some more of our great …

2019-10-25:

2019-10-24: 📚 Read: about Aquinas on emotions. Excellent…and fascinating.

2019-10-21: ⛪️ Great sermons yesterday at Covenant. Listen to Phil Kruis’s exhortation from 1 Timothy to …

2019-10-16: 📚 Members of my church are sharing books with each another through Inventaire. The UI could use some …

2019-10-14: Improving Our Communication System at Covenant Over the next few months at Covenant, we are working to improve and align the various ways we share …

2019-10-12: 🌵 We saw a bunch of these little guys last Saturday at the Tucson Reptile and Amphibian Show. They …

2019-10-01: 👩‍💻👨‍💻 Let’s take some personal responsibility for our media landscape and diet. Jim VandeHei of …

2019-09-26: 📖 Last night in Going Deeper, I taught the distinction between archetypal and ectypal theology. The …

2019-09-25: 🧔🏻 Check out my new learning page. Thank you Jared Pereia for the idea.

2019-09-24: Being Spiritually Mature is Important According to Ephesians 4, it is God’s will that the church grow and become more mature. That the …

2019-09-23: ✍🏻 @Dellachelpkaart’s peaceful meditation on the 23rd Psalm, which I preached last night. “The …

2019-09-21: 📷 Lots of barrel cactus.

2019-09-16: ❤️ this picture of my daughter in front of a giant moon. @dellachelpkaArt made it with charcoal!

2019-09-14: 📚 Read The Whole Systems Approach by Bill and Cindy Adams. Great book! It helped me to better see …

2019-09-14: Class: Going Deeper Going Deeper is designed to help you mature in Christ through twice per month, in-person classes a …

2019-09-14: Class: Covenant Life Starting next Wednesday, I will be teaching a micro-class called Covenant Life. We’ll meet twice: on …

2019-09-11: 📚 Read: Catholicism Made Me Protestant by Onsi A. Kamel in First Things

2019-09-03: 🇭🇰 There are so many remarkable things about the protests in Hong Kong.

2019-08-31: 🎨 Maybe a tenth of the whole mural at Olé Mexican Grill. Who painted this? It’s so fun.

2019-08-19: 🎨 Another beautiful sunset in Tucson.

2019-08-18: ⛪️ In John 7, John says that the Holy Spirit had not come because Jesus was not yet glorified. What …

2019-08-16: Your Amazing Body A lady recently commissioned my wife to paint a helmet for her foster daughter. As usual, Della …

2019-08-09: 📕 You can now get a PDF of the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Very handy.

2019-08-05: 🌴 I’ve seen prickly pear growing out of rain gutters before but never on the side of a palm tree.

2019-08-03: 📚 In another translation gift from David Noe, Beza writes a fervent letter to a Polish prince about …

2019-07-27: 🧘‍♂️ Mindfulness is Loaded with (Troubling) Metaphysical Assumptions by Sahanika Ratnayake is spot …

2019-07-23: 🎯 Kevin Vanhoozer explains the goal of doctrine: The goal of doctrine is to help people understand …

2019-07-22: 📚 Finished: Scaling Leadership by Robert Anderson and William Adams. It’s very similar to …

2019-07-19: 🤔 Think about this: Jesus is one person with two natures. You can understand what that means by …

2019-07-17: 📚 Kevin Vanhoozer has a lot of great ways of explaining the connection between doctrine and …

2019-07-17: Me and my sweetie. ❤️

2019-07-13: When it Rains it Pours A nervous exit into a parking lot and now we are standing on the side of Ft. Lowell Rd. It only …

2019-07-12: 💯 I’m trying to help someone very special to me level up as a freelance professional. So I took Seth …

2019-07-11: 📚 I wanted to read a book of poetry on my vacation. So glad I chose Nine Horses by Billy Collins. …

2019-07-08: 📚 I read Andrew Thomson’s bio of Thomas Boston. Boston was zealous in man-fishing, intimate with …

2019-07-08: 😲 I can’t believe how easy it was for our dachshund to blast up and down this steep hill. He did the …

2019-07-07: 🔊📚 Finished listening to another amazing Laura Ingalls Wilder book, On the Banks of Plum Creek.

2019-07-06: 📚 Finished reading Mastering Leadership by Bob Anderson and Bill Adams

2019-07-06: 😋 My son is harvesting our grapes today. Look at this juicy bunch!

2019-07-04: 🇺🇸📚 Watched fireworks from the roof tonight with my kids and read some pieces in What So Proudly We …

2019-06-26: 🦞 Celebrate crawdads!

2019-06-25: 🐾 Watching the ground squirrels from the window in my study.

2019-06-24:

2019-06-24: 💪🏻 I met and passed my goal of 40 push-ups. It was easier than I thought it would be; the …

2019-06-23: ⛺️ The first campground was full. The second had one old man camping in his van and a zillion frogs. …

2019-06-22: 📚🔈 My family and I finished listening to The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. What an amazing …

2019-06-22: 💪🏻 A week ago, I could only do 26 pushups spread out over three sets. Today, I did 36. I’m surprised …

2019-06-19: ⏸ Let’s just stand here for a moment.

2019-06-17: 💌 I updated my Now Page yesterday. And if you want the extended play version, subscribe to my …

2019-06-15: When Can My Child Receive the Lord's Supper? Covenant Kids Your child is already a precious member of the church. He (or, she, as the case may …

2019-06-15: 🍔 From an Arizona softball game a few weeks ago. I didn’t know you could do this with bread.

2019-06-15: A Simple Liturgy on Ephesians Verses for a Prayer of Invocation “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm …

2019-06-14: Finished Reading Diakonia Studies by John Collins As I understand it, Diakonia Studies: Critical Issues in Ministry is a kind of updating and …

2019-06-14: I suppose that when you create your own Indiepaper read-later feed on Micro.blog, you could share it …

2019-06-13: 🎵 For your summer playlist: My friend, Austin Britton, singing and playing his heart out on his …

2019-06-13: ⛪️ One of my elders asked me to write another ready-to-use liturgy in case I get sick or some …

2019-06-13: A Simple Liturgy on The Holiness of God in His Temple Verses for an Invocation Prayer: “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, …

2019-06-12: 📚 We have different reasons but Daisy loves books too.

2019-06-11: 📚 Currently reading: Diakonia Studies: Critical Issues in Ministry by John N. Collins

2019-06-11: Four Types of Meetings According to Patrick Lencioni For me, the most helpful point Patrick Lencioni makes in Death by Meeting is what he calls …

2019-06-08: Calling God “Father” Let’s do a little theology. In the Nicene Creed we call God, “Father.” According to Scripture, there …

2019-06-08: Sustained Focus is Not a Fad The necessity of focusing may be more difficult in the digital age, but it is not a new problem. …

2019-06-07: 🍸 Lift a glass to this beautiful olive tree. It’s about 65 years old. I wrote a little meditation on …

2019-06-07: Review: Scripture Doctrine of a Call to the Work of the Gospel Ministry William Plumer (1802–1880) was a southern Presbyterian minister and professor. He held various …

2019-06-06: Four Things Jesus Does With Miracles Jesus once fed more than 5,000 people using only five loaves of bread and two fish. With something …

2019-05-30: 👋 Meet Watchman Wee. He was created by my dad, a meticulous craftsman who always keeps a bit of …

2019-05-30: 👁‍🗨 It’s the middle of the night. Do you know who your iPhone is talking to? from The Washington …

2019-05-29: 🌀 “the household gods utter nonsense”

2019-05-29: 🐌 Loading problems for my website are fixed now. Thanks to the Micro.blog slack community, esp. …

2019-05-28: Multiple Names for God The beginning of the Nicene Creed refers to God as Father and Almighty. I believe in one God, the …

2019-05-27: 🌱 Inspired by the Johnny Appleseed of hollyhocks, I now have a bag of seeds and am on a mission.

2019-05-25: ⍟ If you’d like to better understand Jesus’s relationship to the Father, or the Trinity in general, …

2019-05-25: I Believe. Amen. The Nicene Creed contains core doctrines of the Christian Faith. It puts forth a set of objective …

2019-05-24: ⍟ How a journalist pretended to be scientist and fooled the media into reporting that chocolate …

2019-05-22: A Pastoral Rule for Today I finished reading A Pastoral Rule for Today: Reviving an Ancient Practice. Drawing lessons from …

2019-05-21: Review of Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport Most of us are accustomed to a maximalist approach to technology. As long as it’s new and has some …

2019-05-20: 🎵 Finzi, Parry, and Bridge: today is a great day for listening to English string orchestra music.

2019-05-19: ⍟ Spring flowers in the backyard.

2019-05-18: Tears of Love David sang, My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue. …

2019-05-17: ⍟ I’ve had a my own website for almost two decades. But since I moved it to Micro.blog about a year …

2019-05-17: ⍟ My most valuable app got a major update. Accordance Mobile 3.0 is snappier, the UI is so much …

2019-05-16: Love Incorruptible in Ephesians 6:24 Paul ends Ephesians, with the following benediction: ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν κύριον …

2019-05-14: ⍟ If you know a kid learning Latin, tell them they can win $150 and a beginning Greek course from …

2019-05-11: ⍟ You think making pancakes is soooo easy. 🥴

2019-05-11: John Cassian Explains Suffering John Cassian (ca. 360-435) was a world-travelling ascetic who thought a lot about suffering. And in …

2019-05-11: Preventing Shootings at Church What can a church do to prevent a shooting in their congregation? Here are a four practical ideas …

2019-05-08: ⍟ Beautiful California.

2019-05-05: ⍟ I love these lines in Michael Perry’s “O God Beyond All Praising”: And whether our …

2019-05-02: ⍟ A family picture

2019-05-01: ⍟ Alan Jacobs (@ayjay) on Snakes and Ladders: I have come to believe that this is what almost all …

2019-04-28: Show Me the Evidence When the other disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, risen from the dead, Thomas didn’t …

2019-04-25: Two Shortcuts for Quickly Sharing Books with WorldCat Shortcut: WorldCat Search Shortcut: WorldCat Markdown Link Until recently, I used Amazon almost …

2019-04-24: ⍟ My mother is so creative. And she puts tons of love into her work. Congrats, Mom, for finishing …

2019-04-23: ⍟ Listen to my two sermons from last Sunday on what Christians can expect concerning their …

2019-04-22: ⍟ Chelpkid Number 3: “If you could snap your fingers and have anything if you want, what would you …

2019-04-21: Two Resurrections ⍟ Because Jesus’ rose from the dead, all who belong to him will be resurrected too. Westminster …

2019-04-20: ⍟ I hiked about 6.5 beautiful miles east of Tucson this morning with my son and some men from …

2019-04-16:

2019-04-15: ⍟ Read this mini-lesson about ancient copies of the Bible.

2019-04-15: ⍟ The power of the devil can be terrifying, but Christians overcome him “by the blood of the lamb …

2019-04-15: ⍟ Congrats to Crema Coffee! Now open for business in northwest Tucson (near Bookmans on Ina). Go …

2019-04-13: ⍟ After his resurrection, Jesus said, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these …

2019-04-13: How I Learned to Prune Mesquite and Palo Verde Trees This is the story about a 45-minute video on how to prune Mesquite and Palo Verde trees by Angelo …

2019-04-13: When Jesus Won’t Do a Miracle Lutheran pastor, Johannes Brenz (1499–1570), writes in his Commentary on John: It is not a true …

2019-04-13: ⍟ If you are looking for ways to improve your teaching, check out my little guide called Links for …

2019-04-12: Conversations on Focus and Distraction Here are three thoughtful conversations about focus and distraction. They approach the subject from …

2019-04-11: ⍟ Seth Godin’s Avacado Principles are ripe and ready to use. 🥑

2019-04-09: ⍟ It’s probably true.

2019-04-06: ⍟ Will and Lee brought down the house at the Tucson Folk Festival this afternoon! This is how they …

2019-04-06: 5,860 Households According to the Post Office, there are 5,860 households within a half-mile of the church I pastor. …

2019-04-05: ⍟ Lots of beautiful bells.

2019-04-04: ⍟ What would be a great set of classic texts to read on the doctrine of the Trinity? Fred Sanders …

2019-04-04: Appreciate Worship to Participate in Worship When you understand what worship is, it’s easier to be active and truly present in worship. Like …

2019-04-03: ⍟ Giant butterfly at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park

2019-04-03: Introducing Young MacDonald Let me introduce you to a teenage Americana band that will knock your socks off, our good friends, …

2019-04-02: The Story of Reality This Sunday at Covenant, a young man we’ve been mentoring for a few months is going to profess his …

2019-04-01: The “Lost” Books of the Bible Were Never Lost Michael Kruger, author of Canon Revisited writes on his blog: So, no one hid or suppressed these …

2019-03-30: The center of a clay tile mural handmade by Gail Roberts. You can see her amazing art all over …

2019-03-29: ⍟ According to this WaPo story, you should breathe through your nose.

2019-03-28: Dog? at (32.7299, -114.6378)

2019-03-26: ⍟ I learned a little more tonight about how to make my website more accessible to people with visual …

2019-03-23: How to Read Opposing Arguments A Play-by-Play Description Fred Sanders, professor of theology at Biola, on Twitter: Clarity …

2019-03-22: Incline Your Ear, Listen Diligently to Me “Paying Attention in Worship” John Muether, professor of church history and dean of …

2019-03-22: Pictures of the Yuma Territorial Prison I took these photos of the Yuma Territorial Prison. Another picture worth seeing is the mug shot of …

2019-03-21: Our Visit To Yuma, AZ Dear Covenant, As you know, this last Saturday through Monday I went with my family to Yuma. While …

2019-03-18: Helicopter on a stick.

2019-03-16: Golden fried alligator.

2019-03-15: ⍟ I’ve posted an update on what I’m doing now.

2019-03-15: ⍟ I wrote some summary notes on John Owen and Herbert Croft’s thoughts on deacons. Their books on …

2019-03-13: Review of Think Again: How to Reason and Argue by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong Every so often I find it helpful to read a book about reasoning. It was about that time again when …

2019-03-12: Review of How to Think by Alan Jacobs, Plus Quotes The following is a repost from my November 2017 review on Goodreads. Alan Jacobs. 2017. How to …

2019-03-12: Thanks to @ayjay, I read Think Again: How to Reason and Argue by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. This is …

2019-03-12: Private Conversations in a Very Public World Prof. Kate Klonick teaches her students about privacy with a “creepy assignment”. She …

2019-03-11: On a short walk at Thono Chul between classes.

2019-03-11: At the Ann Day Community Park.

2019-03-10: This is my sermon from this morning about Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman. She wants to …

2019-03-08: Hymnary.org Helps You Find Better Hymns Faster Hymnary.org is a fantastic tool for researching church music and for finding songs to sing in …

2019-03-08: How We Choose What to Sing at Covenant The following guidelines help us choose our songs for worship each Sunday at Covenant Orthodox …

2019-03-05: On the recent @monday episode, @macgenie and @manton discussed how and why M.b is not set up up for …

2019-03-05: My church has a long name: Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Here’s a short explanation …

2019-03-04: What the Gospels Say I asked my students taking New Testament Survey to read half of one of the gospels, then write at …

2019-03-04: Why Reformed Preachers Read the Fathers Reformed preachers study the writings of our church fathers for many reasons. One reason is that new …

2019-03-02: I’m not sure what I’m listening to because I don’t know Danish, but it’s so beautiful. These kids …

2019-02-28: How to Preach like a Child Sometime preachers are told, “Preach to the children.” The idea is that if you speak in a way …

2019-02-27: Long-term project I’ve been putting off. And my wife wants this done. Do you think I can DIY this? …

2019-02-26: How (Not) to Think About Time We think about time a lot, but not always in the best ways. Seth Godin explains.

2019-02-26: Arizonans, My Family Needs Your Help Two of our kids attend Veritas Academy of Tucson, which they love. But we need help paying their …

2019-02-25: Tower Records and Apple Music When I was growing up in Phoenix, I used to buy classical music CDs from the Tower Records on 40th …

2019-02-22: “Mind-blowing” is so overused, it’s _______________! staggering startling …

2019-02-22: 📷 Today, it snowed in Tucson! This is what it looks like outside the window of my study.

2019-02-21: I deleted my LinkedIn and MeWe accounts tonight. 🥳

2019-02-21: When You Overpromise Have you ever overpromised on some work you were doing for someone else? Augustine did that when he …

2019-02-20: There is too much going on right now! 🤪

2019-02-20: Why Am I Suffering? Sometimes, when you’re in the middle of pain and suffering, it is difficult to trust that God …

2019-02-20: δύο αἴλουροι

2019-02-19: Advice on Preaching Law and Gospel Charels Spurgeon once lamented how many Christians, especially ministers, don’t get the …

2019-02-18: Get Digital Minimalism I just wrote a review on Cal Newport’s new book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a …

2019-02-16: Hospitality Requires “Systems, Not Just Smiles” Ti Adelaide Martin specializes in hospitality. She recently opened New Orleans Culinary and …

2019-02-16: I surprised my kids yesterday with personalized dance bags. Fun and organized! 😁

2019-02-15: Idelette was “the best companion of my life”, wrote John Calvin. Her biographers call her “a woman …

2019-02-14: Me and my sweets. Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

2019-02-13: “Hey, guys! I’m at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show for a few more days!”

2019-02-13: If you love typography or the Bible or languages, you’re going to love Dodecaglotta. If you love all …

2019-02-12: Is Capitalism Based on Greed?

2019-02-11: Della hand-painted this for my mom. It’s a little creamer pitcher.

2019-02-08: You’ve got to watch Dave Tull singing “Texting and Driving” while he plays the drums. If anyone can …

2019-02-07: Is there an easy way to pull all my posts off Facebook and add them to my blog without changing the …

2019-02-07: Here is my Sunday morning sermon on John 2:1-12, where Mary says, “Do whatever he tells you.” I …

2019-02-07: Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence - Imprimis “I soon realized that in all my years as a …

2019-02-07: If you haven’t seen my I Recommend page recently, take a look. I’ve added new links and lots more …

2019-02-06: Taken just before the dentist said, “That’s one of the weirdest cavities I’ve ever seen.”

2019-02-02: Augustine on humility: “For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility …

2019-02-02: Ten Reasons I Write Everything in Notebooks App New writing apps are multiplying like rabbits, and the old standbys keep improving. Frankly, it’s …

2019-02-01: I like your new profile pic @blot.

2019-01-28: techcrunch.com “Nasty FaceTime bug could allow others to eavesdrop on your microphone or …

2019-01-23: Three Lectures on the Trinity Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando has posted the three main lectures of the inaugural Paideia …

2019-01-22: With the Humble is Wisdom This morning, I sent the following letter (edited here) to my students taking New Testament Survey. …

2019-01-22: We’re mailing these to all the families in our church with young kids (ages 3–12). It’s a great …

2019-01-19: Woody Guthrie’s Fan Letter To John Cage and Alan Hovhaness (1947) - Open Culture

2019-01-18: Updated my Now Page. Check it out to see what I’m up to these days. 🤠

2019-01-18: Links for Improving Your Teaching It’s easy to get in a teaching rut and rely too much on what’s comfortable. But those …

2019-01-16: “The Top 6 Places To Try Sparkling Banana Milk” and other ridiculous headlines with this food hype …

2019-01-16: Isaac Watts Impresses Me Whenever I read Isaac Watts, I feel like I see in him the kind of pastoral disposition I want. His …

2019-01-15: James M. Wilson on The Office of Deacon You may be familiar with Samuel Miller’s book on on the ruling elder. As far as I know he …

2019-01-14: “No one is afraid to climb the heights, at least not if they have brave hearts and high courage. But …

2019-01-12: I learned a lot at the Paideia Center’s conference on the Trinity this week. Thanks to RTS in …

2019-01-12: Is Sunscreen the New Margarine? - Outside Online You can guess what this is about. And you already …

2019-01-11: Post-vacation: here’s what I’m doing now.

2019-01-07: Thanks to an @appademic article, I found and read “On Intellectual Craftsmanship” by C. Wright Mills …

2019-01-07: A few feral chickens by the night blooming cereus.

2019-01-05: I went to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with two of my kids and about forty other people from …

2019-01-02: Snow in Tucson! My sweetie and I had fun taking the kids to play in the white stuff this morning.

2019-01-01: With the new screens, the iPhone is almost a Klingon P.A.D.D. now. Should Apple go all the way?

2019-01-01: My son wants to know why K’Tesh is wearing the Roblox logo.

2019-01-01: Twenty years later, I’m relearning this awesome game and playing it with my son. Wow, time flies.

2018-12-29: I added a kind of blogroll to my Now Page. Blogrolls are a great way to discover and help others …

2018-12-28: Now I have a now page.

2018-12-27: I am determined to play the first movement of the a-minor Saint-Saëns cello concerto in tune and up …

2018-12-26: Good news! You don’t have to wait until 2019 to start reading the Bible.

2018-12-26: Magnets: A Common Apple Magic Trick As a young kid, I thought magnets were about the coolest things …

2018-12-25: Leo is having a very cute Christmas.

2018-12-24: Christmas Eve fondue!

2018-12-24: Should My Church Use GitLab? I’m trying to learn how to use GitLab. I know it’s designed for developers, but I think it may be …

2018-12-24: Feel the fun.

2018-12-21: Salt River Canyon

2018-12-20: I just added Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ by Andrew David …

2018-12-18: Christopher Green’s talk on project management and teamwork is really good. And it includes some …

2018-12-17: My dad’s beautiful handwriting.

2018-12-15: Do You Believe in the Trinity? Tomorrow, we have three people joining our church. One is a new believer. Yay! To join, each will …

2018-12-14: Your Blog Doesn’t Have to Be on Facebook or Twitter Anymore About ten years ago, a lot of people started to abandon their own blogs and personal websites …

2018-12-14: Reading the various reflections tonight on the closing of the Weekly Standard reminds me of all the …

2018-12-14: Warning: this lost baby javelina might melt your heart.

2018-12-14: Robot celebrities are going to redefine the media, according to me, based on this.

2018-12-12: I am enjoying @manton‘s current “12 days of microblogging” series. If you are curious about blogging …

2018-12-11: Our Trip to Concho Valley OPC This last weekend I took some of my kids to the White Mountains. We went to celebrate with the …

2018-12-11: You can greatly improve your knowledge of the Bible by memorizing these brief outlines of the Old …

2018-12-10: Christopher! Exercise is Really, Really Important Exercise Wins: Fit Seniors Can Have Hearts That Look 30 Years Younger 🖇 Every now and then I need a …

2018-12-10: Check out Michael Kruger’s great list of books on the nature/authority of Scripture. He annotated it …

2018-12-09: My daughter thinks, “He’ll have a short but good life.”

2018-12-04: I’m looking forward to reading Cal Newport’s thoughts on digital minimalism.

2018-12-04: J. Todd Billings and Stephen Shaffer explain how pastors who tend to their theology strengthen their …

2018-12-03: To help my Old Testament studetns learn how to read Song of Songs, I shared with them Billy Collin’s …

2018-12-03: Do you pray for librarians? Read John Dury’s (1596–1680) job description of the Reformed …

2018-12-01: Musical Masterpieces Recomposed Only a month and a half ago I heard a new recording of Bach’s Cello Suites, which had been …

2018-11-30: How To Change Your Micro.blog Font (To Display Multiple Languages) With websites hosted on Micro.blog, you can edit the default themes by adding custom CSS. Here’s how …

2018-11-30: The Incarnation and God’s Eternal Presence And the Word became flesh. Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο. These words in John 1:14 testify to the …

2018-11-30: What non-dance items would you put in your dance bag?

2018-11-29: Helping Men Find Good Work I learned about two new studies today that I can’t wait to study more closely. The first is …

2018-11-25: Guess what I get to read? 😁

2018-11-24: When Telling Off the Devil, You Don’t Need to Say Much Be bold. Don’t hesitate. In a sermon on John 1:14, Martin Luther tells us how to beat back the devil …

2018-11-23: ProtonMail is 50% off!

2018-11-22: How To Give Thanks During a Civil War The following is Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863: The year that is drawing …

2018-11-21: 😋 Some Thanksgiving veggies, with marshmallows.

2018-11-20: A Tucson sunset and moonrise at Christ the King Episcopal Church.

2018-11-20: 📚 I’m excited to read Loving God with Our Minds: The Pastor as Theologian today. Gonna start with …

2018-11-19: 👍🏼 Manton Reece - Breaking up Facebook is up to us

2018-11-17: If you eat more mozzerella cheese, can you increase the number of doctorates awarded to civil …

2018-11-16: A Simple Liturgy for When the Pastor Isn’t at Church What do you do when the pastor isn’t at church to preach and lead worship on Sunday? This happened …

2018-11-16: Guess who said this about Martin Luther. ”That great man of God, a third Elias, and a second Paul, …

2018-11-15: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will …

2018-11-14: String Musicians, Christmas Kaleidoscope is the Christmas Music Book You Need to Buy It’s almost Christmastime, and if you’re a string player wanting to play some Christmas music this …

2018-11-09: Prof. Libbie Groves’s dramatic recitation of Jonah (in biblical Hebrew!) is both funny and serious, …

2018-11-08: An Easy Way to Type Ancient Greek and Hebrew on an iPad I’m using an Apple Smart Keyboard with a 10.5” iPad Pro running iOS 12.1. 1. Connect a keyboard. You …

2018-11-07: Today, I’m going to learn Hebrew like my daughter eats spaghetti.

2018-11-06: Learning about discourse analysis in Biblical Hebrew this morning.

2018-11-04: His first time seeing pumpkin seeds in a pumpkin. “Awesome!”

2018-11-03: Pie eating contest. Ready, set, no hands!

2018-11-03: Google+, Mike Elgan, and the Future of the Internet In order to reestablish the Internet as thee online social network, we need to study social network …

2018-11-02: Good Customer, Bad Customer Everyone with a bank account, cellphone or online shopping habit has at least one CLV score, more …

2018-11-01: Re-Scheduled Gregory of Nazianzus Reading Group Because I’m trying to get over an illness, I am rescheduling the last session of the Christian …

2018-10-31: Is Reformed worship boring? Imagine that for your whole life you had only eaten dinner at Medieval Times, the stadium seating …

2018-10-30: Can an iPad Pro replace your laptop? It works for me. For a little more than a year now, I’ve been successfully using my 10.5” iPad Pro + Apple Pencil + …

2018-10-27: Tomorrow, I’m going to start preaching through the amazing gospel of John. If you’d like to hear …

2018-10-23: You can identify some cat breeds by the cat’s pawsition.

2018-10-22: Anyone want a pizza burrito?

2018-10-22: Covenant colors in Tucson.

2018-10-21: I saw the Salton Sea for the first time on my way home from presbytery yesterday. And since I only …

2018-10-17: Has anyone invented a spam filter for phone calls? I could really use one. 😩

2018-10-16: Thomas Watson has some good advice on how to read and search the Scriptures.

2018-10-15: This is my former professor, W. Robert Godfrey, as drawn by my seven-year-old. Note the handsome …

2018-10-15: Q. What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand? A. Cuatro sinko.

2018-10-13: It’s been fifteen months since the accident. But after many repairs, Matt Haimovitz is getting his …

2018-10-12: No school today and it was raining. So while the ground was easier to dig, the kids expanded our …

2018-10-12: I’m bad about overusing the word like. The Linguistic Evolution of ‘Like’ helps explain why.

2018-10-11: This one is for @MichaelHorton_: “Connected with this general view are the facts that he “learned …

2018-10-10: Ryan McGraw on Corporate Prayer: Why and How Today, I read Ryan McGraw’s exegetical defense for corporate prayer and its necessity for preaching. …

2018-10-10: Charm, writes Joseph Epstein, is “a disappearing luxury”. Which is sad because charm …

2018-10-09: The dictionaries won’t tell you this, but when a scream and squeak have a baby, it’s called a …

2018-10-09: If you do work that benefits your community, you can dramatically increase your impact by …

2018-10-06: I’m trying to get faster at arranging a little pile of Hebrew Strong Verbs into a chart. I give …

2018-10-04: It’s #NationalPoetryDay and my son, Samuel, is about to turn twelve. Time moves so fast! Here he is …

2018-10-04: I’m learning Latin so that I can read untranslated books. But, as this video shows, there are many …

2018-10-02: Learn to teach; teach to learn.

2018-10-01: The U. S. economy is massive. The GDP for just the Tucson metro area—where I live—was $39 billion in …

2018-10-01: Brent Orrell: “Amid the fast-forward distractions of our high-tech world, studying more durable …

2018-09-29: Wouldn’t it be great if you could read an conversation between Bryan A. Garner and David Foster …

2018-09-28: In Christian Dogmatics, @jtoddbillings writes that ministers are “representatives of the unity …

2018-09-28:

2018-09-27: “Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God …

2018-09-23: Wisdom is reading and living the patterns of life well. 💬 Mark Strom, Lead with Wisdom

2018-09-22: I’m reading Divine Rule Maintained by Stephen Casselli and was blown away his description of …

2018-09-21: So, I’ve been learnig and using Notebooks on my iPad all week and am loving it.

2018-09-21: “Siri, if I’m still using social media in six months, remind me to read this article by @ayjay …

2018-09-21: They were getting ready for school in the bathroom when I overheard one sibling say to another, …

2018-09-20: Thanks to @appademic for sharing these workflows for study and research.

2018-09-20: What happens when a we fail as a community to hear a true accusation or wrongly believe a false one? …

2018-09-20: This mostly vacant mall in #tucson is going to get redeveloped as a town center. 👏

2018-09-19: Scrivener’s zoom feature is very useful for those who speak/teach/preach from an iPad. So, I made a …

2018-09-18:

2018-09-18: Watched the CSO perform Beethoven’s 9th tonight with the kids. You can too! With your own kids, of …

2018-09-18: Cool. With iOS 12, Voice Memos are now available on iPad.

2018-09-17: Have an opinion on Scrivener vs Notebooks (for iPad)? I’d love to hear it!

2018-09-14:

2018-09-14: Good news! We’re installing a new elder at Covenant this Sunday.

2018-09-14: WaPo: In a discovered letter, Ronald Reagan writes to his dying father-in-law about Jesus.

2018-09-12: Read @MichaelHorton_’s chapter in Locating Atonement: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics (ed. …

2018-09-06: I had a good time meeting teachers and students at the Quest Carnival tonight. Yummy food trucks! …

2018-09-04: Watch out for these three enemies of productivity: excitement, frustration, and fear. Advice from C. …

2018-09-03: ⛪️ I preached from John 1 for my third sermon on wisdom.

2018-09-03: Celebrate Labor Day with Mark Twain, Mother Jones, Samuel Gompers, and more!

2018-09-01: Fowler’s Modern English Usage is Still Super-Duper Two weeks ago, I got a copy of the amazing Garner’s Modern English Usage. I thought it might replace …

2018-09-01: Last night, I finished Loving the Poor, Saving the Rich: Wealth, Poverty, and Early Christian …

2018-08-30: Tucson loves her murals. This one is at the Spay Neuter Clinic (Grant/Stone).

2018-08-29: A 📷 from my study: a nostalgic clown bank.

2018-08-28: Un-slumping yourself is not easily done. 💬 Dr. Seuss

2018-08-28: Christian Theology Reading Group (Tucson, Fall 2018) If you are in Tucson and interested in discussing classic Christian texts, please join me this fall …

2018-08-25: My church has a new website! What do you think?

2018-08-25: We woke up to a zillion flying ants in our atrium!

2018-08-24: Man Refuses To Join Local Gym, Claims He’s Just Part Of The ‘Universal Gym’

2018-08-23: 📷 from my study: Leo enjoys the new couch.

2018-08-23: NewsGuard uses a set of criteria to tell you if a news organization is trustworthy. And they just …

2018-08-21: I’m working to improve my Hebrew over the next few months with help from Matthew Patton. Thankful …

2018-08-20: Wow. A father and son record their scary drive through a wildfire.

2018-08-20: 📷 from my study. This honeycomb party-ball hangs over my desk. Someday, I might replace it with a …

2018-08-20: I finished The Writer’s Diet by Helen Sword. It is a brief guide to writing well. And it explains …

2018-08-19: ⛪️ My a.m. sermon on Psalm 104; the first in a series on wisdom. O LORD, how manifold are your …

2018-08-18: Finished: Wisdom Christology by Daniel J. Elbert IV. He answers the question, “Why seek wisdom in …

2018-08-18: dare, drill, cram, hide, ambush, sling, haunt, walk, grapple, trade, sing, purr, absorb, suffuse, …

2018-08-17: I like the new Indiepaper integration. Since “read later” articles can be accessed within one’s …

2018-08-16: I finished Paul’s Theology of Preaching: The Apostle’s Challenge to the Art of Persuasion in Ancient …

2018-08-15: This guy is perfectly mimicking our grape vine, just not on the grape vine.

2018-08-12: Master, the scribes are getting restless.

2018-08-11: Cloudy With a Chance of Wisdom Proverbs tells us that fools ignore the world God has made. They live their lives against the grain …

2018-08-10: Excerpt: Notes Nearing Ninety: Learning to Write Less by Donald Hall (HT: aldaily.com)

2018-08-10: I had planned to start teaching A Stronger Servant last week but had to postpone in order to prepare …

2018-08-09: Definition of the wisdom of God: >That perfection of God by which He uses His knowledge for the …

2018-08-09: I just noticed that the Kindle editions of Vos’ Reformed Dogmatics are 80% off right now, only $5.99 …

2018-08-09: Want free Greek/Latin lessons taught by an A+ classicist and educator? Check out latinperdiem.com by …

2018-08-08: In that last Gregory quote, Gregory was commenting on the book of Jonah. I thought I was done …

2018-08-08: I’ll have whatever he’s having tonight 👉 @ayjay

2018-08-08: For God alone of all things cannot be escaped from or contended with; if He wills to seize and bring …

2018-08-07: 📚 I loved Duane Litfin’s big-picture intro to Greco-Roman rhetoric in part one of this book. I’ve …

2018-08-07: Use your frequent flyer miles to help families separated at the border (HT: Lifehacker)

2018-08-06: My wife just turned a big dream into a reality and finished painting the first of THREE large murals …

2018-08-06: It would be better for us to talk about attributes of canonicty instead of criteria of canonicty. …

2018-08-05: 📚 Finished reading: Divine Covenants and Moral Order: A Biblical Theology of Natural Law by David …

2018-08-04: Google has released its 2018 Scholar Metrics. You can see the most-cited articles from among the …

2018-08-02: A new version of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is under way. And anyone can help. 🚀

2018-08-02: ⛪️ In my recent sermon on Psalm 139, I compare Jonah’s feelings about the presence of God to …

2018-08-01: My son wants to teach himself how to code. He’s eleven. Any suggestions?

2018-07-31: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?” — Wisdom in Proverbs 1:22

2018-07-30: I’m planning to preach a series of sermons on the subject of wisdom. To prepare, I’m …

2018-07-30: “Like any other life-sustaining resource, language can be depleted, polluted, contaminated, eroded, …

2018-07-27: My son and I looked up what family the badger is in. It’s in the mustelid family, which includes …

2018-07-27: Our lab mix and dachshund had themselves a real good time cornering this guy tonight. Thankfully, we …

2018-07-26: 📚 Life in the Trinity and The Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption are two books that need to fall …

2018-07-26: 📚 Finished reading: Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to Theology with the Help of the Church …

2018-07-24: Finished Reading: From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research by Michael Kibbe. It’s a …

2018-07-24: Some of the young adults at Covenant are challenging themselves to memorize Jonah 2. Way to go! I …

2018-07-23: Ever thought deeply about the story of Jonah? It’s a simple story, but its simplicity has a way of …

2018-07-23: Lampham’s: Where Writers Work

2018-07-20: On meditation: >There is as much difference between a truth remembered, and a truth meditated on, …

2018-07-19: I finished Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations today and I’m trying to take his advice: “To read …

2018-07-18: Dance classes have started again for the Chelpkas and all five kids are involved now. They love it …

2018-07-17: The reading spree continues! 📚 Today I finished On the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus and Gregory …

2018-07-17: Over the weekend I finished Eugene Peterson’s memoir, The Pastor. I highly recommend it. 📚 At one …

2018-07-16: On being anxious : >Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow—only today of its strength. — …

2018-07-15: “Let’s make lunch for Mommy! I’ll pick the ingredients.”

2018-07-14: I finished Saving Eutychus: How to Preach God’s Word and Keep People Awake today. By Gary Miller and …

2018-07-14: Singing this at church tomorrow: What thou, my Lord, has suffered was all for sinners’ gain: Mine, …

2018-07-14: The number of people in 2015 that watched a Bob Ross marathon: 5.6 million.

2018-07-13: The snuggle is real.

2018-07-12: “You can observe a lot by watching.” —Yogi Berra

2018-07-11: Mini-review of The Covenantal Life by Sarah Ivill For a class I’m teaching on covenant theology (i.e. the study of God’s promises), I read The …

2018-07-11: Currently reading: The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene H. Peterson 📚

2018-07-10: Tim Herrera: “Our brains tend to prioritize immediate satisfaction over long-term rewards.”

2018-07-05: Quotes from Lead with Wisdom: How Wisdom Transforms Good Leaders into Great Leaders by Mark Storm Of the many books on leadership I’ve read, Mark Strom’s Lead with Wisdom: How Wisdom Transforms Good …

2018-03-16: 21 Prayers for Mealtime I found a collection of mealtime prayers in a Bible that once belonged to my wife’s …

2017-08-04: The Productive Pastor Everyone wants a pastor who works hard and works smart. Productive pastors make good use of limited …