Thursday, January 24, 2008

Forests, Dog Attacks and Discernment

I have been enjoying Tom Brown Jr.’s 1978 book, The Tracker. In it, Brown chronicles his childhood development into an amazing tracker and survivalist. So far, I have read about dog attacks, cabin building, spending days alone in the wilderness, finding lost persons, walking through snowstorms in summer clothes... and all this by age twelve!

One of the principles Brown stresses throughout the book, is that a tracker must spend endless hours observing the forest in its normal routine. In fact, for what others might attribute as some kind of “sixth sense” of approaching danger, Brown has a much more logical explanation. He suggests that when you are so familiar with the rhythm and flow of the forest, you will be quick to notice when some things are missing. Knowing what it should be like enhances your awareness of what is missing or out of place.

For instance, after his first dog attack he writes, “I should have noticed when the birds stopped singing that something tense was going on.” The “something tense” was getting stalked by a near-rabid wild dog!

The same holds true in our Christian life. The more familiar we are with the warp and woof of Scripture, the more quickly our mind will discern teachings that do not line up with the Word. The grade 6 educated Grandma in the back pew may spot a false prophet much faster than anyone else because of this developed “sixth sense.” Although she cannot explain all the terms and complexities of say, postmodernism’s epistemology, she can “just tell” that guys like Brian McLaren are not teaching what the Bible says. Most of what they say does not sing in harmony with what she knows to be true... and she rightly withdraws. She does not know what the error is, but “the forest tells her” that something is wrong.

Are you a person of the Book? Are you reading your Bible enough that it informs your thoughts and frames your understanding to the point that discerning error is less consideration and more reaction? Do you own the Scriptures so that your heart is set free to worship as the Word is ably expounded?

We need to become Word-trackers! Tracing out God’s remarkable story of redemption from start to finish and glorying in Him at every stop along the way.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Dr. D. A. Carson Toronto Itinerary

Ian has put together a great list of where Don Carson will be preaching next week.

Ruminations By The Lake: Don Carson - Spiritual Life Conference


Just a reminder for those who can make it: GO TO THE TORONTO SPIRITUAL LIFE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR!!! D. A. Carson is the keynote speaker - well worth the price of the ticket (free).

Also, Carson will be speaking at the January Sovereign Grace Pastor's Fellowship (aka. FRPS) on the Monday at 10am. The pastors meet at Thistletown Baptist Church on Kipling, near Albion.

On Tuesday he will be speaking at Tyndale College for their chapel service (don't know the details).

On Wednesday he will be at Toronto Baptist Seminary speaking in our chapel at 11:15am. We're at Jarvis and Gerrard in downtown Toronto.

So next week is definitely a Carson week. Make it worthwhile!

Great Idea for Special Needs!

A job to look forward to | Further | EducationGuardian.co.uk:

"Special needs teachers can sometimes wonder what is the point of the work they do. They spend years providing students who have learning difficulties with the life skills to go out and find paid employment, only for them to end up in day-care centres or at home.

Sharon Gould and Jenny Carr felt like that. Both lecturers at Havering College in Essex, they felt nothing but frustration at seeing their hard work lead to nothing productive for their students.

So, two years ago, they set up the Rose project, designed to find jobs for their students with local employers. Now, it is growing beyond their wildest expectations. Forty students have found jobs with more than 20 local employers in a project that has had senior politicians beating a path to their door to find out more."