Inspired by dear blogging friend, Julia, I've visited MyHeritage to determine my celebrity look-alikes. It's a little surprising . . .
11/28/07
Copying Jewels (or, My Celebrity Look-Alikes)
Inspired by dear blogging friend, Julia, I've visited MyHeritage to determine my celebrity look-alikes. It's a little surprising . . .
Cool Free Stuff!
I just wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't let my reader-friends know about some very cool free stuff my own Discovery House Publishers is offering. Every week between now and Christmas, on the DHP Web site (www.dhp.org), you can have a free Christmas song download.
The other really great thing is tied into a book that has just released: A Blossom in the Desert. The book would make a great Christmas present for the art lover in your circle of friends and family. It's a beautiful hardcover coffee table gift book, and I'm not just saying it's beautiful because it's a DHP book. The artist, Lilias Trotter, lived during the Victorian era and studied under English artist John Ruskin. Although she showed great promise and probably could have become quite famous, Lilias instead left her comfortable, plush English life and became a missionary to the Arabs of Algeria. During the years she served as a missionary, Lilias kept art journals, filled with exquisite, delicate watercolors of the people, animals, landscape, and flowers that she observed. She also recorded her thoughts, and her writings are as poetic and as lovely as her paintings. Lilias is a fascinating woman, and her biography, A Passion for the Impossible, is also available from DHP. What a role model for young women! Anyway, you can learn more about Lilias and choose from several of her pieces of art to download as wallpaper at www.dhp.org/passion And if you should happen to want the book as a Christmas gift, and you live somewhere near me, I would be happy to pick the book up for you so you can avoid shipping charges. You can also purchase it at the RBC bookstore at RBC Ministries. Have fun checking out Lilias's site!
The other really great thing is tied into a book that has just released: A Blossom in the Desert. The book would make a great Christmas present for the art lover in your circle of friends and family. It's a beautiful hardcover coffee table gift book, and I'm not just saying it's beautiful because it's a DHP book. The artist, Lilias Trotter, lived during the Victorian era and studied under English artist John Ruskin. Although she showed great promise and probably could have become quite famous, Lilias instead left her comfortable, plush English life and became a missionary to the Arabs of Algeria. During the years she served as a missionary, Lilias kept art journals, filled with exquisite, delicate watercolors of the people, animals, landscape, and flowers that she observed. She also recorded her thoughts, and her writings are as poetic and as lovely as her paintings. Lilias is a fascinating woman, and her biography, A Passion for the Impossible, is also available from DHP. What a role model for young women! Anyway, you can learn more about Lilias and choose from several of her pieces of art to download as wallpaper at www.dhp.org/passion And if you should happen to want the book as a Christmas gift, and you live somewhere near me, I would be happy to pick the book up for you so you can avoid shipping charges. You can also purchase it at the RBC bookstore at RBC Ministries. Have fun checking out Lilias's site!
11/27/07
Speaking Christianese
I've had a lot of time to think about the issues raised at Publishing University but very little time to write until now. As an editor, obviously I'm interested in how we use language to communicate effectively, and as an editor in a Christian publishing company, I'm especially interested in how we can communicate the truths of God's Word with clarity and integrity. It's not surprising that one of the recurrent issues that comes up for editors at Publishing University is how to communicate in such a way that we reach audiences that are typically difficult to reach. Three audiences tend to be the focus: Generation X, the emergent church, and those outside of the church.
I find in all of this conversation some trends that concern me, some underlying assumptions that would tend to drive us away from the source of truth, Scripture, as we devise "fresh, new ways" of communicating the gospel to each of these groups.
Assumption 1: We should avoid using the language of Scripture (disparagingly called Christianese) because it does not reach people in their context.
I'm currently editing a book about the benedictions of the Bible by Dr. Warren Wiersbe, longtime pastor and Bible teacher. He makes an interesting point about what is termed Christianese: "Paul wrote this letter [1 Thessalonians] to young Christian believers and dared to use a theological word like 'sanctify.' It disturbs me when I'm confronted with teachers, preachers, and writers who try to 'dumb down' the Christian vocabulary and turn the Bible into a first-grade primer. If students of chemistry and physics can learn scientific vocabularies and if young children can understand the instructions for using computers and other electronic devices, why can't people learn the inspired Christian vocabulary that tells them how to live godly lives?"
At Publishing U, we editors were discouraged from using jargon like "baptism," "grace," and "redemption," concepts and terms frequently occurring in Scripture, because we can't assume that readers will understand. And yet as Dr. Wiersbe points out, we would expect those studying to be doctors to learn the language of medicine, those who want to become IT professionals should learn the language of IT, and a carpenter would certainly be expected to learn the language of the trade. Certainly we should expect no less of those who would be Christians, followers of Christ and His Word.
Assumption #2: The language of Scripture is no longer contemporary, relevant, or authentic. We need to use fresh new metaphors to attract people to the gospel.
There are so many things wrong with this sort of thinking that it is difficult to know where to begin. First, if we believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, then we believe that God has created all things, including people. And since the point of His giving us His Word is that we can come to know Him, then it would seem that He would be the best determiner of how to convey His truth to us. When we start to talk about making Scripture relevant and fresher and more authentic, we forget that God Himself defines what is relevant. He does not need our help with fresh metaphors and authentic language (whatever that is). There is nothing more relevant or authentic than what He communicates to us in Scripture, and while I do believe that obviously we need to reach out to the lost with His Word in a way in a way that is understandable, I don't think we need to create new metaphors, such as comparing our spiritual life to the mating habits of penguins. Such an approach trivializes God's Word. God is out of touch with what we twenty-first-century people want to hear, so let's help Him out. And twenty-first-century humans are a different breed from the humans of the previous twenty centuries and require special means of communicating truth. God's truths are eternal, and they are just as relevant, authentic, and understandable to us today as they were to the recipients of the apostles' letters in the early years of the church.
Assumption #3: The gospel communicated as it is in Scripture is off-putting. We need to find a way to make it more appealing so that people will be drawn to it.
The first part of assumption #3 is actually true. To those who are disobedient, Peter tells us, Christ is "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (1 Peter 2:8). Some of the initial things we need to understand about the gospel are not pretty--Paul begins the book of Romans by discussing God's wrath against sinners, His righteous judgment, and the fact that no one is righteous before he finally reaches the good news of 3:21: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law." And if we believe that Paul's approach was inspired by the Holy Spirit, we really can't criticize him for his harshness, for not taking a fresher, more seeker-sensitive approach. Paul tells God's truth in the way that God wants us to hear it. If we present something kinder and gentler, we present another gospel, one that is untrue. And so we sigh and think, "Alas, but no one wants to hear such a hard gospel, one that offends and accuses." And of course, no one does. But the good news for those of us whose task it is to communicate the gospel is that the Word is living and powerful, and it isn't up to us who will receive it and believe. We don't need to strategize, be more creative, and do market studies on how to make the gospel reach people. As our pastor pointed out so well in his morning sermon last Sunday, God's grace is irresistible, and the truth of the gospel will reach and convict those He has called, not because we have presented it in a clever, appealing way, but because the gospel is "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
Effective, clear, and carefully crafted writing that explains the truths of Scripture should always be the goal. But we must never forget that the Author of truth has defined relevancy and has certain expectations for how we ought to understand His truth. To suggest that we can somehow improve upon His method is to become our own source of truth, which really is neither a fresh or new approach.
I find in all of this conversation some trends that concern me, some underlying assumptions that would tend to drive us away from the source of truth, Scripture, as we devise "fresh, new ways" of communicating the gospel to each of these groups.
Assumption 1: We should avoid using the language of Scripture (disparagingly called Christianese) because it does not reach people in their context.
I'm currently editing a book about the benedictions of the Bible by Dr. Warren Wiersbe, longtime pastor and Bible teacher. He makes an interesting point about what is termed Christianese: "Paul wrote this letter [1 Thessalonians] to young Christian believers and dared to use a theological word like 'sanctify.' It disturbs me when I'm confronted with teachers, preachers, and writers who try to 'dumb down' the Christian vocabulary and turn the Bible into a first-grade primer. If students of chemistry and physics can learn scientific vocabularies and if young children can understand the instructions for using computers and other electronic devices, why can't people learn the inspired Christian vocabulary that tells them how to live godly lives?"
At Publishing U, we editors were discouraged from using jargon like "baptism," "grace," and "redemption," concepts and terms frequently occurring in Scripture, because we can't assume that readers will understand. And yet as Dr. Wiersbe points out, we would expect those studying to be doctors to learn the language of medicine, those who want to become IT professionals should learn the language of IT, and a carpenter would certainly be expected to learn the language of the trade. Certainly we should expect no less of those who would be Christians, followers of Christ and His Word.
Assumption #2: The language of Scripture is no longer contemporary, relevant, or authentic. We need to use fresh new metaphors to attract people to the gospel.
There are so many things wrong with this sort of thinking that it is difficult to know where to begin. First, if we believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, then we believe that God has created all things, including people. And since the point of His giving us His Word is that we can come to know Him, then it would seem that He would be the best determiner of how to convey His truth to us. When we start to talk about making Scripture relevant and fresher and more authentic, we forget that God Himself defines what is relevant. He does not need our help with fresh metaphors and authentic language (whatever that is). There is nothing more relevant or authentic than what He communicates to us in Scripture, and while I do believe that obviously we need to reach out to the lost with His Word in a way in a way that is understandable, I don't think we need to create new metaphors, such as comparing our spiritual life to the mating habits of penguins. Such an approach trivializes God's Word. God is out of touch with what we twenty-first-century people want to hear, so let's help Him out. And twenty-first-century humans are a different breed from the humans of the previous twenty centuries and require special means of communicating truth. God's truths are eternal, and they are just as relevant, authentic, and understandable to us today as they were to the recipients of the apostles' letters in the early years of the church.
Assumption #3: The gospel communicated as it is in Scripture is off-putting. We need to find a way to make it more appealing so that people will be drawn to it.
The first part of assumption #3 is actually true. To those who are disobedient, Peter tells us, Christ is "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (1 Peter 2:8). Some of the initial things we need to understand about the gospel are not pretty--Paul begins the book of Romans by discussing God's wrath against sinners, His righteous judgment, and the fact that no one is righteous before he finally reaches the good news of 3:21: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law." And if we believe that Paul's approach was inspired by the Holy Spirit, we really can't criticize him for his harshness, for not taking a fresher, more seeker-sensitive approach. Paul tells God's truth in the way that God wants us to hear it. If we present something kinder and gentler, we present another gospel, one that is untrue. And so we sigh and think, "Alas, but no one wants to hear such a hard gospel, one that offends and accuses." And of course, no one does. But the good news for those of us whose task it is to communicate the gospel is that the Word is living and powerful, and it isn't up to us who will receive it and believe. We don't need to strategize, be more creative, and do market studies on how to make the gospel reach people. As our pastor pointed out so well in his morning sermon last Sunday, God's grace is irresistible, and the truth of the gospel will reach and convict those He has called, not because we have presented it in a clever, appealing way, but because the gospel is "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
Effective, clear, and carefully crafted writing that explains the truths of Scripture should always be the goal. But we must never forget that the Author of truth has defined relevancy and has certain expectations for how we ought to understand His truth. To suggest that we can somehow improve upon His method is to become our own source of truth, which really is neither a fresh or new approach.
11/21/07
Come, Ye Thankful People
I love Thanksgiving. As our chapel speaker, Bill Crowder, pointed out today, Thanksgiving, unlike Christmas and Easter, is one of those holidays that secularists just can't mess up for us. Tomorrow, our family will go to church in the morning, and then come home and make some final food preparations before going to my parents' house for dinner. This year should be a special celebration, with my brother Tim and his family, my cousin Joy and her husband and two-year-old twin boys (adorable!), and my parents all gathering together. We'll eat the traditional favorites, like broccoli and cheese casserole, pecan pie, and the Selden stuffing.
And somewhere along the line, probably during dinner, we'll go around the table and name the things for which we are thankful. In a school newsletter this week, Jonathan's principal, Mr. Netz, suggested that everyone name five things for which they are thankful. So to honor family tradition and Mr. Netz, here are five things for which I am full of gratitude (not in any real order here).
1. The catechism writers said it best, and I am thankful for the heritage of words full of truth and beauty that they have left us: That I am not my own, but belong--body and soul, in life and in death--to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all of my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
2. My family: Katie and Jonathan are my blessings from the Lord. It is a joy to see Him working in their hearts and lives, to hear them laughing, to see them studying, to watch them with their friends, to talk with them, pray with them, correct them at times, and to enjoy their love. My parents are a priceless treasure, a godly example of love in action. What a blessing they are to Katie, Jonathan, and me.
3. A new person in my life to love: Yet another demonstration of God's generosity to me, and an example of how He surprises us sometimes when we aren't expecting it with His greatest gifts. This is another example of how God is able to give "more abundantly than all that we ask or think." What an amazing thing for God to place a person in my life who is so special that I wouldn't have even known to ask for someone with his excellent qualities.
4. My church and pastor: Again, what a great blessing to be a living member of a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. It is a happy thing each week to go to church with the expectation that I will hear preaching about Christ and Him crucified, and to have that expectation met. Our pastor faithfully opens the Word of God to the congregation, and we know that Word has been delivered in wisdom and boldness. And this evening I was reminded of our pastor's care for the flock when I walked into the church to pick Katie up from catechism and saw her and another young man having a great conversation with their pastor about some important issues. He gave his time happily to discuss important matters with these two teens.
5. My job and my co-worker friends: What a rare thing to have a job where I have the opportunity to do the things I love and use the talents I have been blessed with. And I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with; they are far more than co-workers. We are truly a team, and we all are friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who work together. The special people I work with everyday have become such an important part of my life, and now I find it hard to imagine what life would be like without them.
6. (I know, I said five!) My friends, some of whom read this blog. You are all treasures, and I so value your encouragement, the time you give to me to talk and laugh and share, and the prayers you offer up on my behalf. You are among His "countless gifts of love."
And somewhere along the line, probably during dinner, we'll go around the table and name the things for which we are thankful. In a school newsletter this week, Jonathan's principal, Mr. Netz, suggested that everyone name five things for which they are thankful. So to honor family tradition and Mr. Netz, here are five things for which I am full of gratitude (not in any real order here).
1. The catechism writers said it best, and I am thankful for the heritage of words full of truth and beauty that they have left us: That I am not my own, but belong--body and soul, in life and in death--to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all of my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
2. My family: Katie and Jonathan are my blessings from the Lord. It is a joy to see Him working in their hearts and lives, to hear them laughing, to see them studying, to watch them with their friends, to talk with them, pray with them, correct them at times, and to enjoy their love. My parents are a priceless treasure, a godly example of love in action. What a blessing they are to Katie, Jonathan, and me.
3. A new person in my life to love: Yet another demonstration of God's generosity to me, and an example of how He surprises us sometimes when we aren't expecting it with His greatest gifts. This is another example of how God is able to give "more abundantly than all that we ask or think." What an amazing thing for God to place a person in my life who is so special that I wouldn't have even known to ask for someone with his excellent qualities.
4. My church and pastor: Again, what a great blessing to be a living member of a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. It is a happy thing each week to go to church with the expectation that I will hear preaching about Christ and Him crucified, and to have that expectation met. Our pastor faithfully opens the Word of God to the congregation, and we know that Word has been delivered in wisdom and boldness. And this evening I was reminded of our pastor's care for the flock when I walked into the church to pick Katie up from catechism and saw her and another young man having a great conversation with their pastor about some important issues. He gave his time happily to discuss important matters with these two teens.
5. My job and my co-worker friends: What a rare thing to have a job where I have the opportunity to do the things I love and use the talents I have been blessed with. And I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with; they are far more than co-workers. We are truly a team, and we all are friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who work together. The special people I work with everyday have become such an important part of my life, and now I find it hard to imagine what life would be like without them.
6. (I know, I said five!) My friends, some of whom read this blog. You are all treasures, and I so value your encouragement, the time you give to me to talk and laugh and share, and the prayers you offer up on my behalf. You are among His "countless gifts of love."
11/15/07
Publishing U
The second major event of November--but not as important as Jonathan's birthday, of course--was the ECPA Publishing University, held in Lombard (Chicago), Illinois, from November 4-6. This was the third Publishing University, offered by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, that I have had the opportunity of attending. Various tracks for the different aspects of publishing are led by leaders in the industry, and it's always a good time for professional development.
It's interesting to be in the same hallways and elevators with industry leaders like Mike Hyatt of Thomas Nelson and Dwight Baker of Baker Publishing Group, but attendees were given a special look at one of the giants of publishing with keynote speaker Jane Friedman, CEO of HarperCollins, owner of Zondervan.
The next two days were filled with sessions devoted to the different areas of book publishing. I primarily attended the sessions for editors, but I did attend one marketing session and one publicity session. Two of the editorial sessions had to do with working relationships between editors and authors and editors and literary agents. The authors want us editors to have a relationship with them, and honestly, even though I'm kind of new to this, I never imagined not being friends with my authors. So I was happy to learn that I have been taking the right approach.
One session had to do with editing books for readers beyond the church. The presenter explained to us that writing that reaches readers beyond the church must depict a Christ-saturated worldview, be authentic (I've never heard that before [sarcasm here]), and maintain that Christ is a mystery (i.e., we don't have all the answers). It shouldn't be bogged down with "Christianese," should offer up fresh metaphors (one example was a passage from Donald Miller comparing his spiritual journey to penguin mating habits, and I still don't quite get it), and have conversational diction peppered with four-letter words (if we REALLY want to reach the unchurched).
Having just celebrated Reformation Day by sharing an article on Luther's understanding of the power of the Word in team devotions, this session was less than inspirational to me. I'm a believer in presenting the gospel as the Scriptures present it, and I get a little nervous when people start talking about "making it relevant" so that it will be appealing to nonbelievers. The truth is that the gospel will always be an offense to those who don't believe; we are called to tell the truth, and then we need to trust the Holy Spirit to do His work. And this is the exciting potential for those working in Christian publishing: offering gospel truth in an understandable, yet uncompromising, way and watching to see how God, in His providence, will use it. His Word will not return void, and we must be faithful in presenting it, even if it means using Christianese.
ECPA Publishing University is an important tool and worthwhile experience. There is much to be gained by sharing in the knowledge and accomplishments of others in the Christian publishing industry. It's always exciting to hear about the trends and issues facing Christian book publishers, hopefully making us all more effective in our jobs.
It's interesting to be in the same hallways and elevators with industry leaders like Mike Hyatt of Thomas Nelson and Dwight Baker of Baker Publishing Group, but attendees were given a special look at one of the giants of publishing with keynote speaker Jane Friedman, CEO of HarperCollins, owner of Zondervan.
The next two days were filled with sessions devoted to the different areas of book publishing. I primarily attended the sessions for editors, but I did attend one marketing session and one publicity session. Two of the editorial sessions had to do with working relationships between editors and authors and editors and literary agents. The authors want us editors to have a relationship with them, and honestly, even though I'm kind of new to this, I never imagined not being friends with my authors. So I was happy to learn that I have been taking the right approach.
One session had to do with editing books for readers beyond the church. The presenter explained to us that writing that reaches readers beyond the church must depict a Christ-saturated worldview, be authentic (I've never heard that before [sarcasm here]), and maintain that Christ is a mystery (i.e., we don't have all the answers). It shouldn't be bogged down with "Christianese," should offer up fresh metaphors (one example was a passage from Donald Miller comparing his spiritual journey to penguin mating habits, and I still don't quite get it), and have conversational diction peppered with four-letter words (if we REALLY want to reach the unchurched).
Having just celebrated Reformation Day by sharing an article on Luther's understanding of the power of the Word in team devotions, this session was less than inspirational to me. I'm a believer in presenting the gospel as the Scriptures present it, and I get a little nervous when people start talking about "making it relevant" so that it will be appealing to nonbelievers. The truth is that the gospel will always be an offense to those who don't believe; we are called to tell the truth, and then we need to trust the Holy Spirit to do His work. And this is the exciting potential for those working in Christian publishing: offering gospel truth in an understandable, yet uncompromising, way and watching to see how God, in His providence, will use it. His Word will not return void, and we must be faithful in presenting it, even if it means using Christianese.
ECPA Publishing University is an important tool and worthwhile experience. There is much to be gained by sharing in the knowledge and accomplishments of others in the Christian publishing industry. It's always exciting to hear about the trends and issues facing Christian book publishers, hopefully making us all more effective in our jobs.
11/13/07
Happy 14, Jonathan!
November has been a whirlwind, with concerts, conferences, finishing up my editing project, and taking kids where they need to be. But the most important date in November for us was back at the beginning of the month--November 3--when we celebrated Jonathan's birthday. It's hard to believe that fourteen years ago he was snuggling on my shoulder, the happiest little guy imaginable. In keeping with my blog tradition, here are ten things I love about my Jonathan.
1. His nose--Jonathan has always had the cutest little button nose. (I'm sure he'll love that one!)
2. His loyalty--Whether it's for his longtime Nascar hero, Jeff Gordon; his friend since fourth grade, Steven; his favorite restaurant, Taco Bell; or for his family, nothing can shake Jonathan's undying loyalty to the people and things he loves.
3. His interest in history--Interestingly, Jonathan was only 2 years old when his father died and really has no memories of his time with him. But he seems to have inherited his father's love for the study of history.
4. His compassion--Jonathan is not too cool to love babies and animals. And he wrote one of the sweetest e-mails I've ever read to a cousin who was going through a hard time. He genuinely cares.
5. His memory--Jonathan can memorize like few people I've ever known. This serves him well in lengthy Scripture memory assignments, studying for tests, and in recalling promises made in the distant past--particularly involving bribes of some sort from me. If only he could remember his homework assignments that well . . .
6. His growth--Unfortunately for him, I'm not talking about physical growth just yet. But I'm sure that it's coming. I'm talking about the little things that I see happening in his life every week that show me that he's becoming a responsible young man--and give me hope that one day he will be a responsible adult man. He's opening doors for his sister and me, getting better and better about remembering his homework, and getting fewer and fewer discipline cards at school for lack of organization. He's taking care of responsibilities without being asked more often. Step by step, Jonathan is growing up.
7. His seriousness about spiritual things--Jonathan understands the importance of knowing God and His Word, and I've been told by his catechism teacher that he listens well and asks very good questions in catechism class.
8. His ability to deal with the fact that he's the only male in a household of females. That's been a tough one for Jonathan, and a reality that has often broken my heart for him. I try to put myself in his place and imagine what it would be like to be an adolescent female in a household of males. It's unimaginable. But Jonathan has a grandpa who has been the man for him, so there has been a bright side to it all.
9. His nonconformity--Jonathan can only be himself, and he really doesn't seem to care "if everybody else is doing it, wearing it, listening to it, or watching it." He knows what he likes and how he wants to live, and as long as it's not immoral and within reason, it's okay with me.
10. His devotion to his mom. How could I not love that? A recent story: Jonathan found himself in math class taking a test and realized he had forgotten his calculator. Here was his dilemma: He realized that if he asked to get his calculator, he would get a discipline card, which would mean he was up to three, which would mean a noon hour detention, which means grounding for a week from the computer at home. He really didn't care that much if he did well on the test, but he realized that he wouldn't do well without his calculator. And yet he asked the teacher if he could get it and suffered all of the disciplinary consequences. Why? Jonathan told me that he knew I'd be unhappy if he did poorly on the test. And he'd rather have me happy and suffer personal consequences. "I sacrificed for you, Mom," he told me. He only got grounded for three days. What can I say?
And that's my Jonathan. While the blog posting is a little late, the love is always on time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)