Andy Naselli quotes D.A. Carson on boasting: “Most people go through life concerned that others will think too little of them. Paul was concerned that others would think too much of him.” (with reference to 2 Corinthians 12:6)

Brad Wright asks and answers the question, “Do Christians live longer?” “There’s a big literature on ‘why’ religion is associated with longer lives, which I may blog about some time, but for now it suffices to say that church going Christians live longer than people who don’t go to church.”

David Lambert explains why The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman have not been released on DVD. “The concepts of the original Six Million Dollar Man where based on the Martin Caidin novel Cyborg, which is where Steve Austin comes from. So Universal had to get the rights to that book in order to make the show in the first place. But licenses like that periodically come up for renewal …” (Bring back Steve Austin – yeah!)

Mark Shead questions the wisdom of parents who give their children too much. “Every parent wants to give their kids nice things and most parents try to give their kids things that they didn’t have growing up. This isn’t always a good thing … My parents provided us with the support and encouragement to work hard. No one would have described us as ‘kids who had everything’, but what my parents gave us was much more valuable.”

Rick Phillips addresses the idolatry of pornography. “I prefer to speak of the idolatry of pornography rather than the addiction of pornography. Obviously, there are addictive elements to pornography … but the issue is not a straightforward one of addiction; the issues of personal identity and significance are hugely important … A man’s love for his wife is to be an act of holy worship. Learning to love the heart of a woman and to delight in the bride of your youth is one of the highest callings of godly masculinity — and there is glory in it.”

Alan R. Bevere pleads for civil discourse in politics and interviews on cable news channels. “If politics at its best is the discussion necessary to discover the good we have in common, then we need to speak to one another. There is nothing wrong with being passionate in our convictions, and asking the tough questions is one necessary element of a good interview. But in the midst of it all, we must retain our civility. Without civility our debate is no longer a discussion; it becomes a shouting-match in which good ideas are buried under the noise coming from big-mouthed pundits, who should have the sense to know when to be quiet.”

Nancy Beach says she needs to cut back on blogging so she can watch more TV. “This is truly another Golden Age for television, and anyone intrigued by the craft of writing/directing and acting can learn boatloads about character development and the creation of powerful moments. Some of the most gifted artists now invest their skills in the medium of television, and while there is still a lot of junk to wade through, there are also some gems to be deliciously devoured.”

Mark Roberts reflects on his sixteen-plus years as pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in California as he prepares to move to Texas for his new position as Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge. “It seems appropriate for me to compose some thoughts as I finish my ministry at Irvine Presbyterian Church. In the days ahead, I’ll put up whatever strikes me as worth sharing with my blog readers. My hope in doing this is not only to do some personal reflection, but also to help others in their thinking about the church in general and pastors in particular.”

Kevin Howard is offering a free download of his book Growing Up in Christ: Biblical Teaching for New Believers. “While this work discusses topics you would expect in a discipleship book, it also addresses issues that some books overlook–church discipline, fasting, sexual purity, tithing, dressing modestly, dealing with the poor, profanity, Sabbath rest, cults, persecution, dating and choosing a spouse, submitting to pastoral authority, confessing sins to other believers, involvement in missions.”  I did a quick scan of the book’s contents, and it looks like excellent material.  (HT: Between Two Worlds)

John Piper shares what he said at his granddaughter’s funeral this week. Felicity Margaret Piper was stillborn at full term on September 22, 2007.  “My father died six months and sixteen days before Felicity did. I believe the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ covers the sins of all who trust him and all who are not old enough to trust him here but will trust him later. Therefore, I believe Felicity and her great grandfather met each other early Sunday morning in the presence of Christ. And my father said, perhaps, ‘Hello, Felicity. I’m your great grandfather Piper. Come, there is somebody I want you to meet. His name is Jesus. He’s the reason you’re here. You don’t need to be afraid. Your Savior has led you all the way. And Jesus does all things well.”

Consumer Reports lets you crash test your vehicle online at this site.

Colin Adams emphasizes that children’s sermons (or children’s talks) should be: 1) scriptural, 2) stimulating, 3) short, and 4) simple.

Alan R. Bevere offers some reticent thoughts on global warming. “I am not a scientist, nor do I play one on TV . . . but I have read a fair amount on the matter from scientists on both sides of the issue.”

Meanwhile, Pete Dupont discusses Danish scholar Bjorn Lomborg’s new book “Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide To Global Warming.” “There is both global warming and global cooling on the planet Earth. There always has been and there always will be, because temperature change is cyclical: The Earth’s temperature oscillates up and down, ebbs and flows, over decades and centuries.”

Justin Taylor shares F. G. Hibbard’s response to his ten-year old son on whether it was right for the psalmist to pray for the destruction of his enemies. “My son, if an assassin should enter the house by night, and murder your mother, and then escape, and the sheriff and citizens were all out in pursuit, trying to catch him, would you not pray to God that they might succeed and arrest him, and that he might be brought to justice?”

Timmy Brister takes a look at the sad state of church membership in North America. “A prominent pastor from the United States … was introduced to the Kenyan church leadership as ‘pastor of one of the largest churches in America, with more than 20,000 members. Each week more than 8,000 attend his preaching.’ Visibly moved, the Kenyan leader led his brothers to pray for the American pastor who could not find more than half of his church members on Sunday morning!” (from “Church Planting Movements,” by David Garrison)

Joe Carter questions the conservatism of Fred Thompson’s federalism. “After surveying the entire field of Presidential candidates, I made the decision several months ago to give my tentative support to the campaign of Fred Thompson. I believed Thompson to be the most electable candidate whose views aligned most closely with my own. Now I’m not so certain. His views of the federal marriage amendment, the Schiavo case, and his general position on federalism are troubling. For me, conservatism trumps federalism, while the position Thompson endorses seem to reverse that order.” (This is interesting to me, because so far I really like Fred Thompson as a candidate.)

The Presurfer asks: Do you like tennis?

CNN thinks you can clean your house in 19 minutes a day. “With these room-by-room checklists, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day, giving you more time for family, friends and you.”

Mr. Dawntreader reports on an epidemic of cheating in the United States. “Cheating at school today turns into Enron tomorrow. Imagine a future of doctors, lawyers, politicians, civic leaders and business leaders who are all comfortable cheating when they think it helps. That is exactly where we are headed. Some would say we are already there.”

Tony Woodlief explains the realist approach to parenting. “This is lived out in our house by the dictum that parents are to be obeyed first, and politely questioned later. That seems oppressive to parents with the unconstrained worldview, who want to nurture Junior’s sense of autonomy and broad-minded reasoning. It’s awfully useful, however, when Junior is about to ride his bike into the path of an oncoming car.”

C. Michael Patton gives a comprehensive answer to the question, “What happened to the twelve apostles?” “They died because they proclaimed to have seen Christ die and then to have seen Him alive. They all died because of an unwavering, unrelenting claim that Christ rose from the grave. In my mind and for my faith, the gruesome death of the Apostles as recorded below was one of the greatest gifts that God gave to the Church.”

Fall carnival season is here, and Blifalloo spills the secrets on how to win at carnival games. Example: “Balloon Dart Throw: The balloons are under-inflated, and the dart tips are dull. Forget accuracy and throw the dart as hard as you can. Most people aim for the middle, so the game operators will often hide the ‘good prize’ tags behind balloons on the outside edges.”

Chad Knudson asks, “Would you buy a pocket Old Testament?” “We should not allow the word ‘old’ to distract us from the importance of the Old Testament. For example, when you go into Christian Bookstores you usually find pocket New Testaments and single volumes of the Gospel of John, but when was the last time you saw a pocket Old Testament or a single volume of the book of Deuteronomy?”

John Beukema relates a hilarious story called The Day I Tried to Preach Like Rob Bell (or, How a goat got into my sermon). “We noticed a potential drawback to the goat’s [Victor’s] usefulness in my sermon. Apparently my role in Victor’s abduction had traumatized him. As a result, every time Victor spotted me, he emptied his bowels and bladder. This was not the kind of Pavlovian reaction we were hoping for on Easter Sunday.”

D. A. Lague provides a brief biographical sketch of Henrietta Mears, the director of Christian education at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood and an influence in the lives of Bill Bright and Billy Graham. “From an early age she struggled with her eyesight and doctors told her mother that she would be blind by the age of thirty. However, Mears was convinced God had a purpose for her life so she read, studied and memorized large portions of Scripture in case her eyesight failed.”

Michael McClenahan reveals some things you probably didn’t know about Jonathan Edwards. “Jonathan Edwards is sometimes criticized for having too dim a view of human nature, but it may be helpful to be reminded that his grandmother was an incorrigible profligate, his great-aunt committed infanticide, and his great-uncle was an ax-murderer.” (from George Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life, p. 22) Note: That’s Jonathan Edwards the preacher/theologian – not John Edwards the presidential candidate.

Scot McKnight shares statistics on pastoral burnout from H.B. London’s Pastors at Greater Risk.

Brad Wright has an interesting article on role theory. “One of my favorite theories in sociology is role theory because it explains so much of what we do and don’t do in everyday life. It even explains why students don’t have pizzas delivered in the middle of class.”

Tim Challies reviews Tony Dungy’s new book, Quiet Strength. “I have read several NFL biographies, but none so serious, none so biblical as Quiet Strength . . . My lasting impression is not of Dungy’s life as a football player and coach, but of his life as a Christian. And I know this is just as he wants it.”

Al Mohler and Rick Phillips both share some thoughts about the recent disclosure of Mother Teresa’s long-term struggle with doubt and a sense of Christ’s absence. “The recent revelations of Mother Teresa’s spiritual struggle should remind all believing Christians that our faith is in Christ — not in our feelings.” (Mohler)

Fred Sanders demonstrates how Susanna Wesley refuted Aristotle’s teaching on a necessarily eternal world due to her deep understanding of the Trinity. “She was a full-time home-schooling mom, and didn’t write very much by scholarly standards. But what she put on paper is ample evidence that she had a lively intellect and a mind for what matters.”

Lifehacker has put together a nice collection of links to various archives accessible online for the following categories: historical information, multimedia, print media, science, web-specific information and government. “Some of the most intriguing resources on the web are located in archives—compilations of data that in the past, could only be found by making appointments in dusty libraries.”

Mike Metzger compares the Jason Bourne trilogy to the larger Christian story found within the Bible. “[The gospel is] the story behind every story – captured in four chapters: (1) Creation – addressing the existential question ‘Who am I?’ and how life ought to be, (2) the Fall – addressing ‘What did I do wrong?’ to make the world the way it is today, (3) Redemption – addressing ‘How can I escape what I am?’ and make things better and (4) the Restoration – ‘Where will I end up?'” (HT: Between Two Worlds)

This one is for Mission Impossible fans. Ten ways to send a self-destructing email message. (HT: Lifehacker)

WikiHow explains how to share your obituary with your online friends. “You are probably going to want your online friends, who may live all over the world, to know why your postings have suddenly stopped.” (HT: Lifehacker)

Steve Matthewson offers some good advice for male preachers on connecting with their female listeners. “Preachers communicate truth through personality, but sometimes personality gets in the way – especially in the area of gender.”

John Stott retired from public ministry after preaching a final message at the annual Keswick Convention in England on July 17. The message was on the topic: What is God’s purpose for his people? “God wants His people to become like Christ. Christ-likeness is the will of God for the people of God … If we claim to be a Christian, we must be Christ-like.”

Tim Challies reviews Wendy Shalit’s new book, Girls Gone Mild: Young Women Reclaim Self-Respect and Find It’s Not Bad to Be Good. Shalit describes her book as “. . . my search for an alternative to our Girls Gone Wild culture. It’s about finding a way to acknowledge sexuality without having to share it with strangers. It’s about rediscovering our capacity for innocence, for wonder, and for being touched profoundly by others.”

Star Trek: The Original Series will be released in a 10-disc HD DVD/DVD combo disc set on November 20, 2007. “1960s special effects have been replaced with 21st century computer-generated imagery to give new depth and atmosphere to various elements including the main title sequence, the galaxy shots frequently seen from the Enterprise’s bridge, the battle scenes, planets and alien ships, some of the matte paintings used as backdrops for new worlds, as well as the Enterprise and other Starships, which have been replaced with state-of-the-art CGI-created ships. The new computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the original model, which now rests in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.” Is this a case of George Lucas Syndrome? Actually, it all sounds very cool to me.

Blogs for Fred is having a Guess the Date Contest. See if you can be the first to guess the date when Fred Thompson will finally announce his candidacy for President of the United States. You may not apply if your haircut costs between $400-$1200.”

No time to cook? The New York Times Summer Express offers up 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less. Sample: “Pan-grill a skirt steak for three or four minutes a side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, slice and serve over romaine or any other green salad, drizzled with olive oil and lemon.” Yummmm.

Joe Carter lists (in his own words): “the top 100 blogs that I have found to be the most convicting, enlightening, frustrating, illuminating, maddening, stimulating, right-on and/or wrongheaded by Christians expressing a Christian worldview.” No, I am not on the list, but Joe has some great blogs represented here.

Doug Groothius shares lessons learned from Francis Schaeffer. “Having recently reread many of the works of Francis Schaeffer, it seems right to list several lessons he can teach Bible-believing Christians (and others) today.” Francis Schaeffer’s books had a significant impact on my life as a young Christian. (HT: SmartChristian)

Michael Hyatt, president and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, is pleased with the results of his email experiment. “I have been unbelievably productive . . . I have made major progress on several projects that had languished on my to-do list. I have also found myself thinking more clearly than ever.” (HT: Unashamed Workman)

John Mark Reynolds writes about 5 things you can learn from Harry Potter. “Third, some people choose to be wicked, enjoy being wicked, and cannot be helped in the end . . . We can pity He Who Must Not Be Blogged About and understand why he became what he is, but he still has to be stopped. The delusion that everyone bad is ‘sorry’ or ‘misunderstood’ is more a fantasy than the magic in Potter.”

Claire Wolfe explains how she works and lives in a 360 square foot cabin. “First learning experience: In small spaces, every dirty dish left on the counter, every pile of bills you set on a tabletop upon return from the Post Office, becomes—proportionally—a big mess. Unlike in a large house, they’re right there in your face . . . Also, when all your activities are confined to one small space, that space will get dusty and dirty more quickly than when your activities are spread around 2,000 square feet.” (HT: Lifehacker)