Apprentice 2 Jesus

Reading

  • Do not read a book for YOUR argument

    I am finishing Paul: A Biography by N.T. Wright and my oldest son was looking at it briefly. He mentioned a guy he knows doesn’t call himself a Christian but says the Apostle Paul is the one that is relevant. Not even Jesus, who was to the Jews only. I advised my son to put… Read more

  • Reflecting on 2021 Reading

    I was curious about the books I read over this year, so I checked my list to reflect on what I read (or listened to). Some folks don’t count “listening” as “reading.” I disagree. I wouldn’t have any fiction in my life without being able to listen. Read more

  • Deep reading

    I am handicapped in my reading. Over the years I have allowed the short attention span of media and the internet and social media drain my ability to read deeply. It is hard work and I’ve too often allowed myself the bad habit of skimming and skipping. Read more

  • Race and trauma

    There is no such thing as race. None… Scientifically, anthropologically, racism is a construct — a social construct. And it has benefits. Money can be made off of it, and people who don’t like themselves can feel better because of it. It can describe certain kinds of behavior that are wrong or misleading. — Toni… Read more

  • Repeated lies of Christian nationalism

    This is the era in which I grew up. Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority. Right to Life. Republican Party. God bless America. All rolled into one. Over the years I began to extract myself from that. Remnants remain and I will probably always be picking out small roots that fiercely remain. Kristin Kobes DuMez… Read more

  • The paragraph that broke me

    I am far more able to slowly make my way through Eugene Peterson’s biography than most other books because I have to stop and repent so often. Read more

  • Books this year

    I had a smaller goal for reading this year, but then just kept on reading. I also listened to books on Audible since I was driving quite a bit at particular times of the year. I was able to read more widely this year than probably ever before. More female authors. More authors of color.… Read more

  • If there was one book…

    Given the opportunity to get away to refresh yourself in prayer and you can take your Bible, a notebook, and one more book that would help refresh you in this spiritual exercise for a few days, what book would be going with you? Read more

  • Book launch day — get this one!

    I had the privilege of interviewing Marlena Graves along with Dennis Edwards on another subject a few weeks ago. Today Marlena is launching her latest book: The Way Up is Down. Get this book! She is a fresh, powerful voice needed in this generation. I WILL BE GIVING AWAY ONE COPY OF HER BOOK. HERE… Read more

  • The deep hunger in our souls

    Almost every year I pull out Seven Storey Mountain (the autobiography of Thomas Merton) and read it. It’s one of the few books I have read multiple times. I have a fresh (used) copy so I can try to read with fresh eyes instead of floating to my markings and skimming too much. This first… Read more