holiness and sin

[The Christian religion] teaches men both these truths: that there is a God of whom we are capable, and that a corruption in our nature makes us unworthy of Him. It is equally important for us to know both these points; for it is equally dangerous for man to know God without knowing his own wretchedness, and to know his wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer who can cure him of it. Knowledge of only one of these points leads either to the arrogance of the philosophers, who have known God and not their own wretchedness, or to the despair of the atheists, who know their wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer.

- pascal

finding contradictions in the bible is not "bold" and "courageous" but "lazy"

Here's a methodological driving principle that I hope remains at the foundation of our education for centuries, if Jesus tarries: namely, that it is not bold and courageous to oppose sacred tradition by finding contradictions in the Bible. Sometimes people will be described: "He's a courageous scholar!" and then he says something negative about the Bible or points out a contradiction and therefore he's "courageous" and "bold."

My assessment of that is that it's not courage but laziness, and a failure to go deep for the unity that is there. It will make a superficial institution of higher learning if we opt for the cheap solution of finding contradictions, instead of saying "If I work long enough and hard enough with all my might and as much help as I can get by the Holy Spirit I can find the unity beneath this apparent problem."

- Piper

truth in language

We simply must acknowledge that even though our finite understanding of God is limited, it is no less true! We possess exhaustive knowledge of very little; all reality, including the visible and physical, remains something of a mystery to us. Our talk of spiritual matters, including those of our own souls, is necessarily metaphorical, figurative, poetic. But this does not mean that what we say is untrue and incorrect. On the contrary, real poetry is truth, for it is based on the resemblance, similarity and kinship that exist between different groups of phenomena. All language participates in this rich interpenetration of visible and invisible. If speaking figuratively were untrue, all our thought and knowledge would be an illusion and speech itself impossible.

- Bavinck

the sinfulness of man

"In the worst of times, there is still more cause to complain of an evil
heart than of an evil world."

Robert Fleming (1630-1694)

knowledge and wisdom

There are those who desire to acquire knowledge for its own value – and this is a base vanity. But there are others who desire to have it to edify others – and this is charity. And there are others who desire it so that they may be edified – and this is wisdom.
Bernard of Clairvaux, The Song of Solomon

be unconventional, don't always choose "safe"

The path to effectiveness is often unconventional. The conventional approach is often the easy, risk-free, uninspiring path of low impact. It often seems safer, but actually isn’t. Organizations that make a difference are those that “stand for a truly distinctive set of ideas about where [their] industry should be going.” (Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win)

- Matt Perman

dream big and then push hard to get to those dreams. they may fail, but you may also achieve something previously unthinkable, even in failure.

management

It’s not your role to “motivate” and closely supervise people, but to hire people who are self motivated, make sure they know the purpose of their role, make sure they have the knowledge they need, and make sure there are some helpful (but not overbearing) structures and systems that provide a context for the work. And then let them direct themselves.

matt perman

never give up

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Thomas A. Edison

the job of ministers

Ministers are set as guides and teachers, and are represented in Scripture as lights set up in the churches; and in the present state meet their people from time to time in order to instruct and enlighten them, to correct their mistakes, and to be a voice behind them, saying, “This is the way, walk in it” [Is. 30:21]; to evince and confirm the truth by exhibiting the proper evidences of it, and to refute errors and corrupt opinions, to convince the erroneous and establish the doubting.
- Jonathan Edwards, “Farewell Sermon”

the need for preaching

It is authority that the world chiefly needs and the preaching of the hour lacks, an authoritative Gospel in a humble personality.

PT Forsyth, Positive Preaching and the Modern Mind, (1907) p. 136, cited in Stott, Between two Worlds, p. 59

preach with your words too

Unless you preach everywhere you go, there is no use to go anywhere to preach.

- Francis of Assisi

motives

motives are a funny thing. everyone's motives are pure in their own mind.

Laura

insane sports

Mountain climbers are roped together to keep the sane ones from going home.

- quoted in Dave Harvey, Rescuing Ambition,