New Tim Keller resources for you...
Here are the performances of Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers, and then both of them backing Bob Dylan at the Grammys. Love it...
It is Valentine's Day and Radiohead loves you. 
The King of Limbs is what Radiohead is calling their new album. Pre-order it and download it this Saturday.
Digital download: $9 for MP3 or $14 for WAV uncompressed. Another option is the $48/$53 world's first (perhaps) "Newspaper Album"...
Radiohead's new record, The King Of Limbs, is presented here as the world's first* Newspaper Album, comprising:
- Two clear 10" vinyl records in a purpose-built record sleeve.
- A compact disc.
- Many large sheets of artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork and a full-colour piece of oxo-degradeable plastic to hold it all together.
- The Newspaper Album comes with a digital download that is compatible with all good digital media players.
- The Newspaper Album will be shipped on Monday 9th May 2011 you can, however, enjoy the download on Saturday 19th February 2011.
- Shipping is included in the prices shown.
- One lucky owner of the digital version of The King Of Limbs, purchased from this website, will receive a signed 2 track 12" vinyl.
Love this new video preview for Sojourn Music's new duel EP release from Brooks Ritter and Jamie Barnes (I posted on it last week). It's beautifully done. (via) If you are looking for a church to be an example of leading in the arts and developing a community of artists without bailling on the gospel or deep theology, look to Sojourn & Sojourn Music.
If you haven't checked out the Puritan Reformed Journal (from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary) before, I suggest you grab a subscription. The seminary gave me the two most recent copies at the Desiring God Pastors Conference and so far it's outstanding...
1. It's book size rather than magazine size. Great for shelving and referencing rather than sticking it in a magazine file. And it deserves book space.
2. It covers more categories than most theological journals.
The issues I have contain at least 3 articles in each category, often 4 or 5, at times even more. So that's 20+ articles plus reviews & endorsements. And because of the wide variety of articles and categories, this isn't just a journal for scholars. From Reformation 21: "I have increasingly been finding theological journals rather esoteric, philosophical and generally unhelfpul (with some exceptions, of course), but PRJ is a fine blend of confessional, experiential and practical theology."
3. The articles I've read so far are really strong.
For example, Joel Beeke's "The Age of the Spirit and Revival" was a big help for my current sermons on revival. Joe Thorn read and recommended to me for my studies "Preparationism as Taught by the Puritans" by Cor Harinck and "An Uncommon Union: Understanding Jonathan Edward's Experimental Calvinism" by William M. Schweitzer. I've yet to read "Samuel Davies: On of America's Greatest Revival Preachers" by John E. Skidmore or "Jonathan Edwards and A Divine and Supernatural Light" by Kevin C. Carr. Tons of great stuff just for my current series.
Yet revival only covers a small bit of the articles. There are articles on specific Scripture passages, comparing confessions of faith, concerning Jeremiah Burroughs on worship, considering the relevance of John Bunyan for today, on raising a spiritual family with Jonathan Edwards, on theological writing, and tons more.
*****
There is no theological journal I've seen that I've been this excited about. Themelios is another one I enjoy, it's free and has some great content. But I feel compelled to plug PRJ for putting together an outstanding offering to the church out of a rich, reformed, Puritan heritage. A subscription is $20 a year.
...Asahel Nettleton in America knew the importance of communities praying for each other. At Milton he urged the Christians to pray for revival but then added ' Whether you do or not, it is possible there may be one, for Christians in other places have agreed to pray for you'! This is a reminder than in our praying for revival we should never be parochial and long for the touch of God only for ourselves; we must pray for those churches that do not pray for themselves, as well as for those that do.
Brian Edwards, Revival: A People Saturated With God, p84
Check out the other books on revival I'm using for my current sermon series.
On February 22nd Sojourn Music (Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY) is releasing a dual EP with two Sojourn artists, Jamie Barnes and Brooks Ritter. It's 10 new songs available for download on the 22nd, 2 EPs of 5 songs each: The War (Ritter) and The Mercy Seat (Barnes). I've had it for a week and have listened multiple times through the whole thing. It's exactly what I've come to expect from Sojourn and these two great artists -- truth, beauty, creativity, worship. It's just great & already a family favorite.
Here's an interview of both artists (via) which includes a song from each EP. MJ Butterworth already has a review up, and check out the great artwork...
If you know The New Pornographers, this video will be hilarious & awesome. If you don't know them, it will be hilarious & awesome...and this song will probably win you over to their music. One of the best music videos I've seen in a long time. Some famous folks throughout and a fake movie trailer to start.
Here's the video for "Moves" from the excellent album, Together.
CHEAP
NEW
STREAMING FREE / COMING SOON
Another month, another great list of $5 albums from Amazon. My favorites...
Check out the rest of Amazon's 100 $5 albums for February.
Prayer therefore is one half of our Ministry and it gives to the other half all its power and success. It is the appointed medium of receiving spiritual communications for the instruction of our people. Those who walk most closely with God are most spiritually intelligent in "the secret of his covenant." Many can set their seal to Luther's testimony, that he often obtained more knowledge in a short time by prayer than by many hours of laborious and accurate study. It will also strengthen our habitual devotedness to our work as well as our natural capacities for it. Living near to the fountain-head of influence, we shall be in the constant receipt of fresh supplies of light support and consolation to assist us in our duties to enable us for our difficulties and to assure us of present acceptance and a suitable measure of ultimate success.
Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry - at least part of the quote by Joel Beeke, DG Pastors Conference 2011 -- the words that got me are in bold.
And the winners of Reclaiming Adoption are (by comment number)...
#20 - Bryan Lopez
#6 - Kevin Fiske
#29 - Brian Thornton
#36 - John Alexander
#2 - Jonathan Griffiths
Someone will get in contact with you through email soon. Congratulations! I think you will be greatly blessed by Reclaiming Adoption (or Kindle). If you didn't win, I do hope you'll pick up a copy.
And, by the way, according to the 5 winners, the Packers are a sure thing.
BOOK GIVEAWAY
I recently read and endorsed Reclaiming Adoption: Missional Living Through Rediscovery of Abba Father (Kindle version only $5.99). Check out my endorsement & many others. Love this book by Dan Cruver, also with John Piper, Richard D. Phillips, Scotty Smith, and Jason Kovacs. There's a PDF study guide and sample of the book available.
By the way, Dan Cruver is also leading a breakout session at the Desiring God Pastor's Conference at 3:15-4:15pm this coming Tuesday.
*****
So, to the point. I've been given the chance to host a GIVEAWAY of 5 COPIES of Reclaiming Adoption. Here's your chance to pick up one of the best books I've read in the last year.
Do this...
STEP 1: Copy & share the following without the quote marks on Twitter (if you aren't on Twitter, use Facebook, or do BOTH!): "Get a FREE copy of Reclaiming Adoption! RT this & comment at Reformissionary to win: http://bit.ly/ih1LeK "
STEP 2: Leave a comment below (so I can verify you did step 1). Include your full name and real email address (kept private) so I can contact the winners. For fun, also comment on your Super Bowl winner & score.
I will randomly choose 5 winners in the late afternoon/early evening on Friday (28th).
GO!
One of my favorite bands (and favorite live bands), Delta Spirit, showed up to play "White Table" on Kimmel. It's from their album History From Below, my #4 album of 2010. Ode To Sunshine, their debut, is also outstanding. Their latest is The Waits Room EP. Oh, how I wish more folks would find this band. Crank it UP!
I was invited to Crossway Books in Wheaton for the release of the Four Holy Gospels project featuring the ESV version of the four Gospels in a giant book format illuminated through the artwork of Makoto Fujimura.
The whole family got to attend and I really enjoyed it. Upon arrival the crowd was abuzz, the sugar water was flowing, appetizers were being served, and within a few minutes my wife and four kids found and "cornered" Mako. I was busy talking with Collin Hansen who introduced me to Stan Guthrie, an editor at large at Christianity Today. Then I noticed Molly talking to Mako and looking for me. That's a good woman. So I ditched Collin and Stan, who (I think) understood my abrupt departure, and went to talk to Mako.
He was kind and humble. We talked about his church, Redeemer in NYC, and his time at Resurrection Presbyterian during their time as a plant. I mentioned how much I have enjoyed his book, Refractions, which really is a great book on faith, art, and culture. So glad I got a chance to interact with one of my favorite artists of any stripe. Then the presentation got formal as Mako and others spoke.
The Four Holy Gospels really is beautiful. I'd love a copy, but can't afford one just now. It's $130 (cloth) through Crossway (or $350 leather, wow), but you can get cloth on Amazon for $73.40. I can imagine sitting down with my family every night and reading through the Gospels illuminated by this great artwork.
Crossway's post after the event explains the art...
The Four Holy Gospels incorporates five large-scale paintings, including the frontispiece, “Charis-Kairos (The Tears of Christ)” and four opening plates (one for each of the Gospels); plus eighty-nine initial letters (each painted, and many adorned with gold flecks and foil) specifically created for each chapter opening; as well as more than seventy individually-painted reflections and embellishments complementing the Gospels.
I do hope many will take advantage of the opportunity to own this unique piece of art. I'm grateful to Crossway for the invite, and grateful for the chance to look through this beautiful book and meet Makoto Fujimura. Visit Mako's website, read some of his writings, and follow him on Twitter @iamfujimura.
January has set a standard for new music that the rest of 2011 is going to have to live up to. Try out something new. Stretch your music-loving horizons.
Out Today
Out Last Week
Joe Thorn is talking about music to study to. Yesterday, film scores. Today, jazz. Tomorrow, I'm assuming it'll be black metal. We'll see.
Go and comment on your favorite music to study to.
Wanda Jackson on Letterman. Jack White plays on, and I believe produced her newest album, The Party Ain't Over. He's with her for this fun, live performance of "Shakin' All Over"...
Check out this father-daughter rendition of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes song, "Home." If you don't have it, their self-titled album is so good & only $5.
The Spirit is blowing upon our churches now with His genial breath, but it is as a soft evening gale. Oh, that there would come a rushing mighty wind, that should carry everything before it!
C.H. Spurgeon | Revival Year Sermons | p. 9
I'm reading Joe Thorn's new book, Note To Self, right now. Go pre-order it. I'm really liking it. Helpful for my soul.
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals: III/IV is $3.99 today. (21 tracks)
My family is headed tonight to the Crossway Books premier book reception and art exhibition for the publication of the FOUR HOLY GOSPELS (leather or cloth), featuring paintings by the renowned artist Makoto Fujimura. Check out some of it. More in a mini-documentary...
Before visiting the exhibition we are eating at the new Wheaton Chick fil-A and perusing books at Richard Owen Roberts Booksellers. We are leaving early as I'm going to try to meet with Mr. Roberts for a bit. He is a well-known speaker, writer, and editor specifically on the issue of revival, which is what I'm preaching on. He was also interim pastor of the church I currently pastor and I have received good advice during sit-downs with him before. So I'm going to look for books on revival and speak to an expert on the subject. It's going to be a great night!
Oh, and if you haven't seen my post on John MacArthur's uncharitable response to Darrin Patrick's excellent book, Church Planter, you should go check it out.
