Author Archives: Seth Grotzke

The Crusades

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At First Baptist Baxter, we took a brief look at the Crusades from an apologetic viewpoint.

Philippe_Auguste_arrivant_en_Palestine

“Philippe Auguste arrivant en Palestine” by Mahiet, Master of the Cambria Missal

 

Here are some resources to consider if you are interested in reading more about the Crusades:

Books:

  1. Stark, Rodney. God’s Battalions. Reprint. HarperCollins, 2009.
  2. Madden, Thomas F. The Concise History of the Crusades. 3rd ed. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013.

Blogs and Articles:

  1. DeYoung, Kevin. “Yeah, Well, But What About the Crusades?” Kevin DeYoung.
  2. Madden, Thomas F. “The Real History of the Crusades.” ChristianityToday.com.

Imaginative:

  1. “Crusades – Facts & Summary.”HISTORY.com. (A resource if you are looking for the culture’s current understanding of the Crusades. In a word – “confused.”)

 

The point of the whole study is not to win an argument. It is that we effectively move people from arguing about the Crusades to an understanding of the gospel. We can do that by correcting fallacious thinking, but ultimately by answering the deeper questions.

Hope in Dark places

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Anger
Disgust
Fear
Sadness
Those were my initial reactions to the courses we were required to take to complete our clearance process with BMM. Every missionary is required to take two classes on Prevention of Sexual Abuse. One is an in-house seminar on problems and procedures, and the other is an online course.

It is hard to hear statistics like “One in four women and one in six men have been or will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime” (Holcomb & Holcomb, God Made All of Me).

But there is hope. There is hope for those who have been abused and there is hope for those who seek to eliminate the abuse. There is hope because of Jesus Christ. With that hope I encourage everyone to investigate these resources:

Darkness to Light – www.d2l.org
A website devoted to ending child sexual abuse. They offer articles, statistics, and a 2 hour course which helps to “raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse.” While it is not a specifically Christian organization, they are doing a good job at informing us of the dangers of abuse and opportunities to eliminate it.

God Made All of Me by Holcomb & Holcomb
A children’s book which helps parents talk with their 2-8 year old children about their bodies and how to protect them.

On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church by Reju
A book dedicated to examine“ why child predators target churches and offers eleven straightforward strategies to protect children from abuse and to help young victims recover if it does happen.”

A Proposal:

  • I would encourage every individual to take the Darkness to Light 2 hour course.
  • I would encourage every family with young children to purchase Holcombs’ book and read through it.
  • I would encourage every church to purchase Reju’s book and teach a class for leaders, teachers, and families on the principles.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Matthew 18:5-6

The Art of Neighboring by Pathak and Runyon

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Book: Pathak, Jay, and Dave Runyon. The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012.

For a full review – click the link above

Point: Until we recognize that “neighbor” in the second greatest command in Scripture can actually mean “someone living next to us,” we will fail to see our responsibility to those God has placed in our lives to love.

Agreement: I appreciated the challenge. How easy is it for me to generalize “neighbor” to everyone, and miss the individual right next door. It was very convicting to see what was, and at the same time, exciting to see what could be.

Personal App: Am I loving my neighbor specifically? Do I know my neighbor?

Stars:  4.5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

  • Is interested in obeying the Great Commandment
  • Is looking for good ideas about how to love their neighbor

Other books along this theme would be:

  • Coleman, Robert E. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Revell, 2006.
  • Dever, Mark. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism. First Edition. Crossway, 2007.
  • Stiles, J. Mack. Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus. Crossway, 2014.

Would Daddy Love Me More?

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Here is a short board book written to relieve my daughter from the overwhelming burden of trying to earn her father’s love. That love cannot be earned. It is given.

I wrote the text and Andrew Nolan illustrated it for me. He did an excellent job, and it passed its ultimate review (Tanzen loved it).

Free PDF here: https://t.co/cQ8szmsoxV
Kindle book here: https://t.co/bwndJOxVqg

Screen Shot 2016-01-18 at 11.45.25 AM

God’s Battalions

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Book: Stark, Rodney. God’s Battalions. Reprint. HarperCollins, 2009.

 

[Read the full review by clicking the above link]

Point: “The Crusades were not unprovoked. They were not the first round of European colonialism. They were not conducted for land, loot, or converts. The crusaders were not barbarians who victimized the cultivated Muslims. They sincerely believed that they served in God’s battalions” (kindle 3371).

Personal App: When people bring to the conversation arguments about the Crusades and why ISIS cannot be blamed for their horrific violence, I can now say, “Yes, about those Crusades…””

Stars:  4.5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

  • Is interested in history
  • Is interested in the Muslim world

Do More Better by Challies

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Book: Challies, Tim. Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity. Challies, 2015.

Pages: 119

Point: To be productive is not merely to complete more tasks. Productivity means that one does what is most important and does it well. “Productivity is effectively stewarding my gifts, talents, time, energy, and enthusiasm for the good of others and the glory of God.”

Path: Challies does an excellent job of defining what productivity is, what it is not, why it is necessary, and how one can plan to be productive through the effective use of tools.

Sources: This book is not a composite of “prodicutivity gurus.” In the pages you can find hints of David Allen, Peter Drucker, and other time management specialists, but you don’t find strings of quotes.

Agreement: This is an excellent book and I found it very helpful. I went through Matt Perman’s book, “What’s Best Next” early this year and also Challies’ blog series on productivity, so my habits have not changed dramatically, but it was an excellent read. His brief but thoughtful critique of our obsession and misunderstanding of productivity was challenging to me. Everyone with a computer or smart phone would benefit from reading his chapters on tools.

Personal App: Am I just trying to get things done, or am I intentionally investing my time in meaningful pursuits in a manner of excellence?

Favorite Quote: “Productivity is not what will bring purpose to your life, but what will enable you to excel in living out your existing purpose” (10).

Stars:  5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

  • feels like they are daily spinning their wheels
  • wants to streamline their workflow
  • struggles with disorganized living
  • is way to busy to read a book
  • is just starting college or a new job

Other books along this theme would be:

  • DeYoung, Kevin. Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem. Crossway, 2013.
  • Perman, Matthew Aaron. What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. Zondervan, 2014.
  • Glei, Jocelyn K., and 99U. Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind. Amazon Publishing, 2013.
  • Allen, David. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. New York: Penguin Books, 2001.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review

We are not worthy

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Giving is one of the predominant ideas for the season we are experiencing, and it is in full force. We are amazed at how so many people and churches have poured out their love for us in tangible ways, including, but not limited to:
extremely generous financial gifts,
sacrificially giving time or effort for our good,
shamelessly promoting the vision for Spain,
and thoughtfully pursing our wellbeing.

shopping bag

It has reached a point at which it is so overwhelming that it is painful.
When a church calls and notifies us that they are partnering with us in a sacrificial way, or an individual explains that they are cutting expenses to see us reach the field sooner, or a child rushes to our side and gives us something he has been saving, smiling all the while, we are left speechless. What do we say? How do we express what God is doing through them?
Love, generosity, and sacrifice is like sunshine. A nice glow pouring through a frosty window can lull one to sleep as they bask in its warmth. But those same rays, when focused into a single beam through a magnifying glass, can burn.
If someone gives a gift from a generous heart you smile. You laugh. You give them your thanks. But if someone lays aside part of their life for you, you feel the heat. The intensity of the focus begins to burn. A smile seams false. A word of appreciations seems trite. You feel like shouting, “No! I am not worthy of this. I could never accept this. I can’t ever repay you. Please stop.”
I can’t. I cannot repay the gifts flowing into my hands. I am not worth of what you have given. Your sacrifice is burning through my comfortable shell of self appraisal and self sufficiency. Your generosity has started a fire which is touching my soul, it is revealing my unworthiness. It hurts.
I suppose that you givers are one of God’s ways of reminding me that I am not worthy, that the gift is flowing from a heart transformed by him. This painful experience of extravagant giving to an unworthy recipient is another physical reminder of the gift given in the Gospel. “I am not worthy. I could never repay you.”
God’s people are pushing this message home in our lives.