The Current State of Education

Hello everyone. Today I'd like to talk to you about a concern I have with regard to the present state of education, including my own field of New Testament studies. Let me explain.

How we think is crucial to life itself. In ancient Greece, an impasse occurred when the struggle to gain ultimate truth was not resolved. The debate between the monists and the pluralists ended in the rise of humanistic skepticism. The influence of such skepticism was seen in many arenas, including education. Abandoning the quest for ultimate, normative truth was the sorry result.

Ultimately a worldview of relativism developed. Personal opinion replaced objective reality, and truth was slain both in the ivory tower and in the streets. The supreme credo became homo mensura -- man is the measure of all things. The skeptic Gorgias could even declare, "All statement are false" -- a patently self-contradictory statement if ever there was one.

As I said, as an educator I am profoundly concerned with how my students think. I care deeply about the content and methodology of New Testament studies. Every subdiscipline of New Testament studies, including textual criticism, has an ultimate concern. We need to be radical if we are going to get to the root of the matter. If learning and education are ever again to inspire our youth, we must solve the current crisis. In the coming days, I'll offer some hope, but I suspect there will be a lot of grief along the way. Such is the nature of controversy.

There is much that, in my opinion, is wrong with our approaches to New Testament criticism. Others have offered their own diagnoses of the problem. I readily admit that not every problem in the current impasse can be resolved. But I do believe we will have a much better grasp of the major issues after we recognize what the most proffered remedies are. It will become clear that I believe the key to our educational crisis lies in the hands of evangelical inerrantists. But other hands also hold the same key. This is not a time for inerrantists to ignore this struggle.

I hope to examine with you the extent to which traditional religious values are under attack at every level of public and higher education. We who believe and teach that the Bible is the inerrant word of God need a clearer picture of what our educational system is doing to undermine those values. Hopefully, increased understanding of these matters will translate into concern and then into action.

In my experience, academicians have all too willingly opened wide the door to trendy and faddish methods, accompanied by a flood of meaningless jargon within their academic disciplines. In his book The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom noted, "There is one thing that a professor can be absolutely certain about: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative." The major virtue in our universities today -- perhaps the only virtue -- is a commitment to "openness." No longer is there a hope that great minds can discern the truth about life. The quest for absolute truth and certitude has largely been replaced by relativism. The Sophists of our age have severed the tie between reason and virtue.

Irreparably?

I hope not.

In the end, a Christian philosophy of education is based unapologetically upon a Christian view of life and the world. It recognizes that education is never neutral. What sets a truly Christian approach to New Testament studies is the Christian's acceptance of the biblical perspective as both normative and authoritative. This biblical perspective provides a basis on which we may evaluate the non-Christian presuppositions operating in the various sub-disciplines. There is no such thing as removing Christian truth claims from education. Any attempt to claim to be able to do this is merely a substitute of one set of ultimate commitments for another.

One final word for now. We dare not forget the most important players in all this -- the young men and young women in our classrooms who have the potential to become the thinkers of tomorrow. They are the church's most precious treasure. They must be equipped with tools that will enable them to read the original thoughts and writings of some of the greatest thinkers in history rather than what others have written about them.

The Best Form of Cardio

The exercise that integrates best with muscle growth is undoubtedly walking. It's insanely easy to do and distributes the workload throughout your entire body. Currently my total daily steps range between 10 - 20,000 steps. As you can see, I average 15,000 steps a day. 

As long as I get that, all the cardio I need is getting done. As long as I control my diet and lift 3 days a week, it's awesome. I can walk for hours -- and I do! Remember, you don't have to be huffing and puffing to get a cardio workout. On the other hand, just because your body is burning fat for energy when you walk, this doesn't mean you're going to get leaner if you're in a calorie surplus. 

In the final analysis, walking is a great stress reliever, helps digestion after a meal, helps you sleep better, and means you're probably getting more vitamin D from the sun. It helps you burn unwanted body fat and prevents it from being stored in the first place. Walking is amazing and we should all be doing more of it. It's the best way to get lean.

Thanks for attending my TED talk. 

Hawaii, Nostalgia, and Melancholy

When I was a teenage, I built two of my own surfboards. The results were at best mediocre. It takes real skill to be able to design, shape, and fiberglass a board. So when I was 15, I decided to hire one of Oahu's best surfboard shapers to build my next board. This was the board that allowed me to finally get good at surfing. 

I rode it almost daily between the ages of 15 and 19 in Hawaii. Even after I left Hawaii for California, it was my constant companion. True, Huntington Beach ain't no Pupukea or Haleiwa, but a wave is a wave. As you can see, Bill Stonebraker was responsible for this masterpiece. 

Interestingly, Bill went on to become a pastor in Honolulu. You can read his amazing testimony here. 

Lord willing, in 23 days I'll be back on Oahu for 9 days of surfing. I've begun to rough out a schedule. Currently it looks something like this:

If Kailua Beach seems a bit prominent in the list, it's because that's where I grew up. I'll be staying less than a block from the beach where I surfed every day during my teen years.

I don't know why I've become so nostalgic about Hawaii in my later years. I do know that nostalgia is often triggered by happy memories. I get a rush of nostalgia as soon as my plane lands in Honolulu. I use the term "nostalgia" instead of "sentimentality" because the latter term is often used in a negative sense. That said, I'll admit that I become sentimental about the island of my birth. I mean, how can I ever forget my honeymoon in Kailua with Becky in my home while my family was on the mainland? You simply can't. I think sometimes I also become melancholic. Melancholy is a feeling of sadness, ennui, depression, and the like. It's like the beauty of a fading flower or the color of autumn leaves. Melancholy's song is a sigh. And sighing I will do aplenty during the 9 days I'll be in Hawaii.

Do you know the origin of the words nostalgia and melancholy? Nostalgia comes from the Greek words for "return" and "pain." Melancholy comes from the Greek words for "black" and "gastric acid." According to Hippocrates, if you had more gastric acid than you should, you turned into a bitter person like your stomach. Melancholy sometimes means you're in a low-level state of sadness. But if it's sadness, it's a sweet sadness.

Nostalgia can be a safe place, as long as it doesn't make you live in the past. The most beautiful songs are often remakes. Even the biggest movies are remakes (Mission Impossible, anyone?). As I think back to my young adulthood, I realize that many if not most of the things in my life today are better than they were back then. I suppose my nostalgia is mostly for the carefree surfer culture that was such a big part of my life in those days, though I'm sure I'm reading the past with rose-colored glasses. 

I never think, "Man, I wish I could relive those days." But revisiting the past for about 9 days every year seems about right. It does something for my spirit that's, well, inexplicable.

Have a wonderful day! 

In Praise of the Cathedral

Every once in a while it's nice to pay a visit to those cathedrals that graced the countryside in the 12th century and following. The Cologne Cathedral in Germany is one such example. 

I had the great fortune to be able to visit this magnificent structure back in the 1970s. It is a building that inspires the theory of the mathematical sublime. We can see all the individual components in their entirety but the brain simply is unable to compute this incredible structure. It causes a feeling of heavenly pleasure unrivaled in any modern church structure. For some strange reason, this boy from a beach in Hawaii has always loved the old architecture and even the ancient music from cathedrals such as this. The stunning architectural work of art that they represent takes my breath away. I always cry when I hear some hymn of the faith played on its organ. 

I shall forever be grateful for the years I was privileged to live in Europe and was able to attend organ concerts in such amazing structures.

Get Your Sleep!

Everyone knows just how important getting enough sleep is, but not everyone knows how important it is for fitness fanatics. Insufficient sleep can dramatically reduce our quality of life and even our productivity in the gym. It can slow down weight loss, lead to weight gain, and reduce testosterone levels. Not good! Think of sleep hygiene like your diet. It's working either for or against you, whether you realize it or not. Here's how I looked and felt when I got to the gym today. I felt great. 

I was about to get in my 20,000 steps for the day. I feel like this every single day thanks in large degree to the sleep the Lord enables me to get at night. I'm in bed at 8:00 pm every night and I wake up without an alarm at either 6:00 or 6:30 am. That's 10-10.5 hours of good quality sleep every single night. I couldn't do what I do without it. It's just how my body is programmed to work. 

Please get enough sleep at night!

Are Those Square Brackets Really Necessary?

I usually don't make too big of a deal about it, but with the UBS6 and NA29 coming out soon, it might be a good idea to rethink the use of square brackets in the text. I can see how some people would prefer to have square brackets in their Greek New Testament. But they're just not for me. I guess I feel that if you consider that a word/phrase/verse or whaverer is not in the original written by the author, you don't need to put brackets around it. Place it in the apparatus where it belongs. However, if you see brackets and go "That's amazing!" then I'm happy for you.

Here's a place where brackets are probably unnecessary. 

The words "in Ephesus" (1:1) enjoy early and widespread attestation. They seem to be original despite the letter's absence of any personal greetings. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Gettysburg

Had a monster workout today, plus got in 21,000 steps. So if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna rewatch the movie Gettysburg. Yes, all 4 hours and 31 minutes of it 😊

Take It from Me

Excess body fat is a problem you can literally run from. 

Another Completely Boring Blog Report

Feel free to skip. 

Thank you, Lord.

Think Thin

Do you remember the opening scene in Alfred Hitchcock's classic movie North by Northwest? It's where the character played by Cary Grant tells his secretary to write down two words in his day planner:

"Think thin."

I used to laugh at that line. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to me. Here's something you might want to try. 

Write down your goal weight on a piece of paper. Then imagine yourself at that weight. Let your mind's eye create a picture of you at that weight. Be sure to write down a number. It doesn't even have to be a realistic number. The only thing that matters is that you want to become thin(er). Then let the power of imagination propel you forward to your goal. 

About 6 months ago I did just that. I weighed 240 pounds. Then I said, "Lord, if possible, I'd like to get down to 215 pounds. Or maybe 210 pounds. Or -- and I know I'm asking for the moon here -- 205 pounds." 

Today I weigh 208 pounds. 

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or even imagine. That's his promise to us. 

Just wanted to share this thought. If it can help you -- that's great! 

P.S. Do you know how old Cary Grant was when he filmed North by Northwest? He was 55. Sure didn't look it. Biological age and physiological age are two completely different things. 

Hay, Hay, Whaddya Say?

We've begun getting up hay. So much fun!

Prayer AND Fasting? (Mark 9:29)

Dwayne Green has done it again with this excellent video.

I thought of it while going through Mark 9 in my Bible time this morning. 

The question is this: In Mark 9:29, did Jesus refer to prayer and fasting, or just prayer? The answer should be obvious at once. Even the most cursory examination of the textual apparatus will reveal that both the external and the internal evidence overwhelmingly support the inclusion of the words "and fasting." And yet some scholars insist that indecision is the best solution to the problem. (The ECM of Mark lists this variant as "splitlined." Unbelievable.) My friend Keith Elliott once referred to the "hypnotic effect of Aleph and B." Nowhere is this more clearly seen than here. And note: Once again, the Byzantine text gets it right. 

As I read Jesus' words, I recalled Bill Bright's famous dictum about fasting:

"I believe the power of fasting as it is related to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord Jesus has given us to destroy the stronghold of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world."

Powerful indeed. I hope to practice it more. 

Sneak Peak at a Conference on the Bible

These words of A. W. Tozer ring true:

The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God -- not an echo of what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice.

Today there are methods of biblical criticism that are undermining this essential distinction between the authentic word of God and man-made voices. When I am told that the goal of textual criticism is no longer the recovery of the original text, how can I know that what I am reading is the word of God? I am more convinced than ever that we when enter the field of New Testament textual criticism, we are entering a battleground. You cannot pick and choose from the Bible what you want to believe is inspired, original, and authoritative. If you do, you'll wander and follow every stray voice. Your whole life will be "recalculating." 

Some in the guild are, thankfully, waking up and realizing what is happening. They are awakening and reacting appropriately. This fall a conference on textual criticism will take place in North Carolina (details to come shortly). It will reaffirm our belief in the concept of "original text," and insist that our churches must believe the word, teach the word, and hold scholars accountable to the truths of the word. Otherwise, we're just playing religious games. 

Stay tuned ....

Hard Is a Good Teacher

I like hard. Hard is good for us. Since I started being active I have completely changed as a person. The change I'm speaking of is much more than physical. I have learned to think of myself as someone who doesn't give up. 

When we do hard things we know that when life goes south we can do hard things again because we did hard things in the past. Doing hard things has made me tougher. I need that toughness not only in my life in general but, yes, in getting older. When I'm in the middle of something that I think is way over my head, I realize when it's over that accomplishing those challenges is what life is all about. 

In my training today I tried to do something hard. I arrived at the gym dead set to perform a pull up with a pause at the top of every rep. 

Talk about hard. Some call this an isometric exercise. It's suppose to improve not only your strength but also your stamina -- and I'll need both in spades when I try to climb the Riffelhorn this August.  

You can see that my arms are literally shaking trying to hold myself up at the top. This was so hard I almost peed my pants. But I'm not giving up. I've got a long ways to go but that's half the fun. When we do hard things we gain a hard-won confidence. We know we can do hard things again. Not just physically demanding things, but things like heartache, betrayal, loss, even overcoming trauma. 

I want so badly for my grandkids to learn that lesson. 

I think we are well on the way. 

Yes, Inerrancy Still Matters

Today I was interviewed for the Bible and Theology Matters podcast at Dallas Theological Seminary. Paul Weaver, the podcast's host and a professor of Bible exposition at DTS, wanted to know why I wrote my book Why Four Gospels? The Historical Origins of the Gospels -- which espouses Matthean priority. (It's a position Dr. Weaver also espouses, by the way.) During our conversation (which should be online in about a month), we rejoiced that we are both part of faculties and institutions that love strong, biblical exhortation and practical application. But we quickly added that the so-called "battle for the Bible" isn't over. It never will be. 

Thankfully, our schools aren't alone in the struggle against the tide. In addition, many evangelical churches have awakened to the threat. You may be surprised to know that the main reason I wrote my book on the gospels was not to defend Matthean priority (although it does attempt to do that). Rather, my main goal was to defend the historicity, apostolicity, trustworthiness, veracity, inerrancy, and dependability of the four Gospels. Without constant, ceaseless effort to defend these truths, erosion will takes its toll on our churches and seminaries. We can't for a single moment take our hands off the wheel or our eyes off the road. 

God bless Dallas Theological Seminary (and others schools like it) for its courage and faithfulness to teaching and preaching the word. The apostle Paul was consistently faithful to teach the word with accuracy and integrity, and as a result the message of the gospel spread as congregations grew both deeper and larger. Ultimately, all of Satan's attacks against the church are assaults against God's word. Erosion will happen if churches fail to heed the warning. But (I repeat), where Satan is active, God is equally active. Christ is building his church, and he will honor and bless any plan that upholds truth and promotes his word! 

WARNING!

If you want to start exercising for fun, fitness, weight loss, or for any other reason, you are to be commended. But be warned:

Exercise may become addictive. Participation in exercise may cause feelings of improved self-confidence, an increased sense of personal accomplishment, and overall good health. Prolonged exposure to exercise may even cause endorphin highs to course through your veins and make you feel generally better about your life.

Still, I hope you'll give it a try! 

It's True

By refusing to spend a few hours each week on health and fitness, you're basically saying, "I don't care about the temple of the Holy Spirit." 

Family and Farm

There is joy in small things. Like a Chinese buffet after church.

And a baby saying "water."

And trying to look at your own hair without a mirror. 

And a cozy house to come home to. 

Once again, I am thankful for family. And for the farm. Not just geographically, but the feeling of the place. Family and farm in all of their simplicity make me feel alive and help restore me. 

I hope you had a great Sunday! 

Martin Luther the Bodybuilder?

In commenting on Gal. 6:2, Martin Luther wrote, "Christians must have strong shoulders and mighty bones." 

Luther the bodybuilder?

No. He's obviously referring to the fact that one of the ways Christ bears our burdens is through other human beings. By such "mutual burden-bearing" we fulfill the law of Christ -- that new commandment he gave us to "love one another" (Gal. 5:14). 

Luther's analogy is a reminder that the strengths we possess (be they physical or spiritual) are intended to be put to use in encouraging and helping others. When we see an elderly person carrying a heavy object, we offer to carry it for them. Likewise, when we see someone with, say, an emotional or financial burden, we must be prepared to share their burden. We can't help everyone, but we can help someone. And to do this requires "strong shoulders," shoulders that are sturdy enough to carry heavy loads.

So this is one way God lightens our burdens -- through the companionship and encouragement of a friend or a loved one. Thus Paul could write, "But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus" (2 Cor. 7:6). I love that expression "by the arrival of Titus." 

It refers not only to his arrival but also to his presence. Titus was there for Paul, and so should we be to others who could use a word or deed of encouragement.

I can't thank you enough for your words of encouragement as I faced the loss of my spouse or when I went through my health crisis in 2020. It means more than you know. I especially need to thank my friends and family who provided so much support to me during those tough times. Sometimes when you're in the thick of a difficult experience, you can't see your way out of it, but the people around you can. They help you know that there will be bright days again. Because there will be.

By the way, we must be humble enough to let others share our burdens. It's okay to be vulnerable. Have the courage to not be perfect and show the weak side of your life to others. One of the things that makes us human and so relatable to others is that we're not afraid to share our struggles and challenges. This doesn't mean you'll have a pity party or play the victimhood card. It means that when life gets hard we let others in. We're not afraid to say that we're discouraged. Don't be unwilling to say you're afraid of poor health or getting older or failing to achieve a goal. Connecting with others is the way God builds us up and gives us permission to be a bit easier on ourselves.

Have a wonderful day!  

First Cutting of the Year :-)

The 2025 haying season has begun 😋

Who's stronger than Papa B? 

Anybody Can Do It

Here's the coolest thing about working out for the past several years. Not only have I seen differences in my body but I also saw differences in my mindset. I was no longer training for aesthetics. I was no longer training for weight loss. I was no longer thinking about what I was eating all the time. I was training because I loved it and because I was seeing so many benefits from training. 

My passion was just growing and growing and quite frankly I was driving my friends and family crazy with how much I was ranting and raving about my love for the gym and for fitness in general. I started working on new skills, and from there my strength and  passion grew even more. 

As you know, eventually I was actually able to do one unassisted pull up. I can't describe to you the feeling of accomplishment. I worked so hard, and all that hard work had finally paid off. I saw improvements in my other exercises as well. But the biggest change I saw was in my happiness. I was so happy doing my exercises and was training because I loved it not because I had to or for the way it made my body look. Losing weight was just an added bonus. I was losing body fat and replacing it with muscle. I was starting to look leaner and stronger and that's when all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle just seemed to come together. 

I now understood that nutrition, exercise, and sleep were working together perfectly to give my body exactly what it needed. And the best thing about it all was that I was loving it. I have experienced the benefits of training in all aspects and I truly believe it was one of the best things I could have done after retiring from fulltime teaching. 

And the good news is that anybody can do it. Overweight people can do it. People who have never been able to do a pull up can do it. I feel like I am a testament to that because I've been through all of these experiences myself and I've come out on the other side with the best hobby and the best passion and hopefully with the ability to help others achieve the same thing. I really think the journey I've been on is the one thing that's kept me moving forward in my older years and to strive for. I am a living testament to the fact that you can lose weight and get fitter and stronger regardless of your age. I've learned so much about myself on the journey here. You'll learn about your own preferences and about what works for you and that might change in the future. But that information is invaluable in creating the freedom you want in the future. 

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you found this post useful in some way. 

(All photos from today's workout.) 

Surfing Sandy's

Yes, I'll be here in a month. Lord willing 😌

The Mighty Appomattox

Today it was back to the High Bridge Trail for a run, the highlight of which is always the bridge over the Appomattox itself.

10 miles. 😏

It's a good way to get in my steps and burn off some calories. 

Something to remember: People who are interested in getting fit aren't super-humans with special knowledge or insights. They've simply made health a priority. And that's something all of us can do. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Are You Less of a Christian If You Don't Know Greek?

As a Greek prof, I endorse this message.

The 3 Keys to Effective Bible Study

1. Open Bible.

2. Read.

3. Close Bible. 

Why Exercise?

Exercise to celebrate the body God has given you, not to punish yourself for enjoying pizza. 

Worship Wars

The Baby Boomer who complains that "Contemporary praise songs have too much meaningless repetition" is someone who's never heard Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." 

Two Questions

Do I want to read my Bible today? No.

Is that a reason not to read my Bible today? No. 

Pray

Let's never forget that Bible study is a spiritual matter. So be sure to begin your daily Bible reading with prayer. Just pray a simple little prayer like, "God, thank you so much for your word. May your Holy Spirit reveal the truth to me today. Not yesterday, not last year, but today." And he will. 

My Song Is Love Unknown

Today's workout playlist included this beautiful hymn:

Here might I stay and sing --

No story so divine!

Never was love, dear King,

Never was grief like thine.

This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise

I all my days could gladly spend.

This performance is sublime, and the accompaniment was perfect. I for one can't help but replay it over and over again.

Thank you, dear King, for thy love. 

A Simple Marriage Hack

It's easy to get excited when a mate's project excites you too. Most often, however, you need to be excited because they are excited, even if the idea doesn't thrill you. 

Try it!

Marriage, Partnership, and Greek Videos

When I met Becky in the cafeteria line at Biola, I knew immediately she was special. The more I got to know her, the more I realized I had never met a more selfless, compassionate, giving person. 

She was quick to laugh, quick to smile, quick to forgive, and quick to serve. She had an ability to make people feel important, and when she smiled, her face glowed.

In 2004 I was on sabbatical so we decided to do something we had long wanted to do -- visit the land of her youth, Ethiopia (which her dad called Utopia). We never planned to make more than one visit. That trip ended up being the first of 17 trips for me and 14 for Becky (eventually her cancer prevented her from returning). 

Her gifts of organization amazed everyone, including her husband. It was on our trip in 2005 that I was asked to teach 6 weeks of beginning Greek at the theological college there in Addis Ababa. Of course I said yes. Then Becky came up with an idea. "Why don't we videotape your lectures so we can make them available to a broader audience?" At once I agreed. It was Becky who organized all that. She hired the videographers in Addis, then had the videos professionally edited in Dallas, and finally had them published in New York. For years they were sold to help fund our mission trips, but several years ago I decided to put all of them online for free. Eventually the videos were dubbed into Mandarin for the church in mainland China. Still today I get many emails from people who've found these videos useful in conjunction with the use of my beginning grammar. I never read an email without thinking back to Becky's vision to tape these lectures. 

Happiness in marriage is elusive. You can't directly attain it. It appears to be the byproduct of living a caring, loving, and sacrificial life. Certain events can make you feel happy (like the birth of a child), but happiness in such instances is temporary. The one thing that lasts is living for something bigger than yourselves and your marriage. I am so glad for the way God used our marriage despite all of our flaws as a married couple. Human love is a reflection (a pale one, to be sure) of the eternal, selfless love of God himself, revealed on the cross. Marriages provide many opportunities to do just that. 

Here, by the way, is a picture of our class in Addis showing the videographers at work. 

And here are the 25 students who finished the 6-week course. 

We presented each one with their own copy of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament. They had worked hard for it! Again, this was (unbelievably) 20 years ago. And all because of Becky's foresight and imagination. 

Oops -- almost forgot. Here are the videos. 😊

The Value of Gym Trainers

Never underestimate the value of a good gym trainer. They are there to help not only their own clients but other gym members that ask. Especially if you're new to lifting, hiring a trainer will help to make you more confident in performing your exercises. Some gyms will give you free sessions when you sign a membership contract. See if it works for you. 

I can't speak too highly of the four trainers we have at our local Y. It's been fun trying to get stronger with their help. Today one of them gave me some very helpful advice on how to do neutral grip pull ups correctly. He told me, then he showed me, then he videoed me, and finally he critiqued me. He really knows his stuff. 

A good trainer is absolutely a Godsend. Thank you, Jordan! 

What Did You Train Today?

So, guys and gals ...

Today's workout was soooo good. 

I did the following: 

-- Lat pull downs

-- Standing dumbbell curls

-- Pull ups

-- Hammer curls

-- Incline dumbbell press

Oh, and a 2-hour treadmill walk afterwards!

What did you train today? Remember, we're in this together. Let's lock in, lift each other up, and make some awesome progress this month! 

Congratulations, Jayden!

Did you happen to see this? Seems an Arkansas student earned a perfect score on the National Spanish Exam. Way to go, Jayden! 

I'm so happy for you. Keep growing and excelling, young man. 

Introducing "The Bible Professor" YouTube Channel

Mel Winstead is one of my former Ph.D. students. He wrote an excellent dissertation on the famous warning passage in Hebrews 6. He currently serves as Professor of Biblical Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte. Recently he began a YouTube channel called The Bible Professor. I think you'd enjoy perusing it. There you'll find videos like:

• Science Proves God
• Discernment Is Our Duty
• Pastors Should Know Apologetics
• Equal Treatment for the Unborn
• Why Salvation Is by Faith Alone

Recently he interviewed yours truly. That interview was posted today in case you'd like to view it. 

Mel has outstanding gifts both as an apologist and a teacher which are enriching the church. To me he personifies the combination of enthusiasm and intellectual rigor, and I thank God for him. 

Thank you, Mel, for the honor of being on your channel! 

A Good Reminder

"I don't know what the heart of a bad man is like. But I know what the heart of a good man is like, and it's terrible." --Ivan Turgenev. 

Antietam As You Have Never Seen It Before

This is seriously good. 

What Fitness Is -- and Isn't

Fitness isn't some 30-day challenge for me. 

It's how I'm going to live my life.

I promise you: This is super simple stuff. 

It works. 

It truly works. 

Don't look for some quick fix. 

It's all about consistency over a long period of time.

You're gonna love your workouts.

You're gonna love eating better.

Fitness for me is now working out 6 days a week for about 3 hours every day (including my steps). 

I don't recommend you go out and start working out like this. It's just something I've slowly progressed to. 

And I just love it, almost as much as I love my daily time in the word and prayer. 

It's a massive mental challenge for me. 

And I LOVE challenges. 

It isn't just about looking fit. 

It's about feeling good about yourself. 

The choices you make each day slowly weave a tapestry that creates how you live on this earth. 

It's so important that you are very intentional with every single day in what you're doing. 

Every morning I pray, "Lord, since this day is a special gift from you, I will live it enthusiastically for you." 

It's not about fitness and nutrition. 

It's about truly embarking on the journey of a lifetime. 

Serious Bible Study Is Not Just for Scholars

I believe that one of the greatest challenges in the church today is intellectualism. Of course, I also see a strong anti-intellectual streak as well. But intellectualism is an even graver danger. Some scholars have so intellectualized the faith that it seems beyond the reach of everyday Christians. Seminary grads are often seen as out of touch with the people in the pew. One example is the trend in modern textual criticism. Someone has even suggested that when lay people get involved in this form of biblical interpretation they engage in "drive by" textual criticism. Academics now seem out of touch with the people in our churches. 

The Spirit of God is not to be tamed. Neither is he to be intellectualized. Serious Bible study is not just for scholars. It is for the whole church. 

No Bolder Boulder This Year

For the past few years I've raced the Bolder Boulder 10K in Boulder, Colorado. The event takes place each year on Memorial Day. The 10K is certainly one of my favorite race distances, and the Bolder Boulder is my favorite 10K race of all time. There's a bit too much going on family-wise this year for me to travel to Denver, so I've stayed home. To run this race with 50,000 other runners from all walks of life made it one of the best experiences I've ever had. 

Running (I hope) makes me a better person inside and out. Trying for new goals will never get old. 

On the course during last year's race. 

Life Is Not a Dress Rehearsal

Howdy folks. Care for a quick update? Of course you do!

Just finished my work on the farm. You know, chores like mowing the lawns, picking up fallen branches and tree limbs, and inspecting all the barns (there are 9 of them). I'm glad to report they are all empty. That's right. The Lord blessed the kids' business, and all of their winter hay is sold out. Time now to replenish the stock. 

But today wasn't all work and no play. I began my day at the local Bojangles. It's where I do my daily Bible time. In The Sound of Music, Maria had her

• raindrops on roses
• whiskers on kittens
• bright copper kettles
• warm woolen mittens
• brown paper packages tied up with strings

Maria could have added Bo's coffee.

Then it was off to the gym for my lifting session. Yes, I look happy here. Working out is nothing but a delight.

After an hour or so of lifting it was time to get in my steps. Today I decided to return to a trail I hadn't visited in a long time -- the Tobacco Heritage Trail right here in good old South Boston, USA. 

It's a nice enough trail all right. Lots of bugs through. That's probably because it's so close to the Dan River. 

As you can see, it was a lovely day for a walk.  

Have you heard the old saying, "Life is not a dress rehearsal"? You have only one life to live, the one you're living right now. Think about that. How do you want to live it? If you don't make it happen, you're the one who has the most to lose. Not to mention the fact that the people around you have a lot to gain from you when you're the most fulfilled self you can be. Pick a goal. Big or small. Then go for it. Don't pine for things to be different. An extraordinary life is quietly waiting for you beneath all that is ordinary. It screams at us, STOP PUTTING IT OFF. 

Life may not be tomorrow. 

But it most certainly is today. 

The Gift of Running

Just back from a 9-mile run. I am forever grateful for running. I never return from a run without a renewed appreciation for this blessing. It's an escape as much as it's a therapy session. Runners relish the fact that they can run. They don't have to. It's never a chore. It's always a gift. Forget all the "rules" and expectations and just go. It's a great way to get your daily steps in. 

Sure, your feet will look like a disaster (black toenails, calluses), but you will totally feel like a rock star. 

Thank you, Lord, for this gift! 

Surfing Is Not for Youth Only

Watch this amazing video of Brian Wilson sing his famous composition "Surf's Up." 

It's one of the most hauntingly beautiful tunes I know. The first time I heard it I was speechless.

Interestingly, "Surf's Up" has nothing to do with surfing. It's a play on words referring to the Beach Boys shedding their surfing image. "Surfin' USA" was now "columnated ruins domino." (For the song's lyrics, go here.) They had left the innocent surfing days behind -- much to the chagrin of Mike Love, who wanted more surfing songs. No, said Brian Wilson. "Surf's up," he wrote, "aboard a tidal wave." The song reflects the blissful innocence of youth, the moment that it is lost, and the trial of what is yet to come. 

For almost two decades, surfing was my life. All that changed when I left Hawaii for Biola College. I still surfed in California, but my days were now largely spent preparing for my career, for marriage, and for raising a family. Yet the child in me hasn't quite gone away. 

I find it highly ironic that as we age and our bodies decline, the desire to surf only increases. Surfing offers devotees of the sport -- falsely -- tantalizing longevity. On the other hand, some have called surfing a "late-blossoming pastime." I've personally found that to be true. Even though I'm almost 73, I think I'm just now realizing how important surfing is to me and have begun to really appreciate it. 

This doesn't mean I'll surf forever. I won't. But I don't worry much about that. I've decided that surfing gets better as you get older. I'll enjoy the sport as a gift from God as long as he enables me to do it. 

We Are All Human

The other day a Boeing 777 was departing from a major U.S. airport when the pilot had to suddenly abort the takeoff. Instead of pulling back on the yoke at V1, he pulled back on the throttles! The technical term for this is "accidental muscle memory." Thankfully the pilot quickly responded to correct the situation and prevented a disaster from happening.

When I lived in Germany, driving was a breeze because they drive on the right side of the road like we do. But the U.K. is another story. You automatically want to drive on the right instead of on the left. It requires a LOT of concentration for an American to do it right. Likewise, I have two bikes. One has rotary gear shifters and one has thumb shifters. Sometimes I find myself reaching for a thumb shifter that isn't there. 😏

You get the point.

My takeaways from the airport incident?

1. People make mistakes.

2. What matters is how we respond to them.

IOW, we are all human. Therefore we slip up. I learned long ago that to be a better, stronger, more successful runner/lifter/climber/surfer etc., I need to keep making mistakes to help me fine tune what works for me. Life is not about being perfect. It's about learning and improving. The airline pilot I mentioned above had 6,156 hours of total flying time. Yet at a critical moment, his muscle memory tripped him up. You can know intellectually what to do and not do it. When I first starting running I went way too hard. I even did two marathons on back to back Sundays. You just want to do ALL the races! You know you should hold back but you can't. Then you either get injured or burn out. Now you get it.

Friend, be the best YOU can be. And when you screw up, admit it and move on. 

For the Love of Music

My playlist during today's workout included:

Good Vibrations

Sister Golden Hair

Don't Worry Baby

We Just Disagree 

Saturday in the Park

The Things We Do for Love

Diamond Girl

God Only Knows

Turn to Stone

Suzie Q (Long Version)

Take the Long Way Home

Lyin' Eyes

Catch a Wave

Tracks of My Tears 

Brandy

Ventura Highway

Back in the High Life Again

Africa

Message in a Bottle

Hope you're having a wonderful day! 

Only 6 Weeks to Go

James 3:17 (Wisdom Defined)

Was in James 3:17 this morning. Here's my translation:

The wisdom that comes from above is first of all morally and spiritually blameless.

Then it's peace-loving and non-argumentative.

It's gentle and courteous.

It's reasoned, conciliatory, and willing to listen.

It's full of compassion and good fruits.

It's without a trace of partiality or favoritism.

It's without hypocrisy and self-serving motives.

Even in Old Age (Psalm 93)

Funny thing -- I just "happened" to read Psalm 93 in my Bible time this morning before heading off to the gym. It inspired me!

"Even in old age they will still produce fruit and be vital and green. This honors the Lord, and exalts his faithful care. He is my shelter. There is nothing but goodness in him!"

Amen!

Friend, life goes by so fast. It's as if it's but a breath of air, which is exactly what it is. As I lifted today, I prayed:

Lord, remind me how brief life on this earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered -- how fleeting my life is. My entire life is just a moment to you. At best, it is just a breath. May I therefore honor you with each day you give me.

Just thought I'd share. Have a wonderful day! 

Elisabeth Elliot on Grandchildren

"We never know what our grandchildren are remembering of the example we set. They may not remember a word we say, but they're going to remember our life and our love." -- Elisabeth Elliot. 

Below: Enjoying lunch today at the grandboys' farmhouse celebrating Peyton's 10th birthday and Ira's 4th. 

When You Ask God "Why?"

I read something the other day that I thought was interesting. The author pointed out that when John the Baptist was murdered by Herod, Jesus said nothing. His didn't try to console his followers. He offered no platitudes. He didn't glibly tell them that the Father would bring something good out of it. He explained nothing. All Matthew records is that Jesus slipped away to spend time with his Father and to mourn privately (Matt. 14:12-13). 

Maybe there's a lesson here.

My kids and grandkids are still experiencing the after-effects of their car accident a month ago. MRI's, x-rays, PT appointments, constant aches and pains, loss of work, the hassle of trying to find a replacement van. The list seems endless. Sometimes I wonder why God allowed such a senseless accident to occur. My kids are good, hard-working people who don't live high off the hog. It all seems so unfair. 

The plain hard truth is that evil exists in the world. And because it exists in the world, each and every one of us can expect to experience the pains of life. No one knew this better than Jesus. He knew that nobody was immune to suffering, himself included. The whys of life must be left to him. When we see him face to face we'll discover why our life turned out as it did. Until then, the believer is called upon to accept what he can't change. 

But not for long. Soon and very soon, every tear will be wiped away without a trace of pain or mourning. At the end of the long night, there will be light.

In the meantime, stand firm. The Lord stands beside you. 

Don't Skip Rest Days!

I'm so proud of myself. I'm taking not one but two rest days in a row. 

Expert lifters will tell you: Muscles grow during recovery, not during training. Rest days also provide a necessary mental break from training. Plus they uniquely lower your overall systemic fatigue. 

Rest days aren't a sign of weakness or lack of dedication. They are a non-negotiable component of proper training. They allow you to recover effectively, prevent burnout, and ultimately achieve better results -- like maybe catching a big wave in Hawaii or summiting a tough peak in the Alps. 

You grow when you rest.

So rest. 

😉

Getting to Know Jesus

When you look for a "doctor father" to guide your Ph.D. program, you'll try to get to know everything you can about him. Ideally you should have at least one interview with him in person. But for a well-rounded picture, you'll need to spend time talking with his associates and former students. This should give you a fairly balanced impression of who he is.

In trying to get to know Jesus Christ, the same method applies. You begin in the Gospels, reading what Jesus said about himself. A red letter edition of the Bible can be helpful here. In addition, you'll want to read what those who knew him best had to say. John's Gospel is a good example. He interpreted Jesus' life as only a close friend could. 

Then there's Paul. Though he never met the earthly Jesus, his epistles are full of reflection and commentary. He knew the Savior well, and he wants us to get to know him as well as he does.

I'd give anything to able to talk to Jesus in person. But I know that won't happen until I see him face to face. Until then, I can still see him clearly through his word. So can you. 

The Prayer of Jabez

I love the story of Jabez in 1 Chron. 4:9-10. It's a cameo appearance if ever there was one. The man is basically a nobody, a bit player on a huge stage. But one day he decided to ask God to give him bigger challenges and to expand his territory. He wanted more opportunities out of life, and he got them.

That's exactly what happened to me 11 years ago after the death of my wife. I asked, and he granted my requests. 

My friend, God is eager to do the same for you. If you're content with the rut you're in, maybe it's time to pray that God would enlarge your horizon. A relationship healed, a past memory erased, a sin forgiven, a habit broken, an alienated family member reconciled, a financial setback reversed, a feeling of inferiority replaced with a sense of self-worth -- nothing is too hard for God. Christ himself said so. "What is impossible for people is possible with God" (Luke 18:17). 

Nothing is too difficult for him. 

Achieving True Mastery of an Exercise

If you're new to lifting, you don't learn good form overnight. It takes hundreds if not thousands of reps to achieve true mastery of an exercise. If your form isn't perfect during the first month or two of your training, I wouldn't necessarily call that a terrible thing. But by the one year mark at the latest you should definitely be on point. 

The truth is that you need to spend dedicated time and effort to actually learning a movement. You shouldn't be just loading weight off the bat. This is why there are so many injuries from weight training. So my recommendation is to spend your first few weeks and months learning good form. Choose a weight that's not very challenging and just see if your form improves week after week. In learning how to perfect a band-assisted pull up, for example, this might involve how to retract your scapula before beginning the movement or being sure to lower yourself all the way back down so that your shoulder blades are stabilized before beginning to pull yourself up again. Next you might want to work on proper breathing or keeping your legs fairly straight while you're performing the exercise. 

Even if you're a few years into your fitness career, don't just automatically think that you already know everything you need to know about having good form on every single exercise you do in your program. Record yourself (as I did today) and make sure that your form is similar enough to a trusted professional. 

You have to be fully in control of the movement at all times, not only on the concentric part, but on the eccentric part as well on the way down. Moving forward, always have the mindset that says you can be performing that movement better and listen to your body if you're feeling any pain or undue muscle soreness, which might be a sign you're doing something wrong. 

Hope this helps! 

It's Your Birthright to Run

Got a grandson who LOVES to run. So every chance I get I send him (via his mom) vids and pics of my "exploits" haha. 

His name is Chesley and we are planning on running our first kid's mile together this summer. 

Eventually he'll probably take after his Papa B and begin running the High Bridge Trail himself. 

After all, ya never know who you might run across. 

Anyhoo, after 9 miles I was able to get in today's steps. 

Such great fun!

It's everyone's birthright to run. There's something magical about both of your feet being in the air at the same time. Ready to feel this yourself? Find a trail and go for it! 

Overweight? I Get It.

Overweight? I get it. I've been there. But something changed. I was tired of a lifestyle that kept me overweight and out of shape. When I made the commitment to drop from 35 percent body fat down to 15 percent body fat, it wasn't for vanity but for discipline. It was to gain control over old habits. And everything started to shift from that point on.

Getting lean is difficult. It's a war against your old identity. But if you can do it, even just once, it will change you forever. 

Before you start, you need to know where you are right now. When I first committed to getting lean, I took photos that genuinely made me cringe. 

But here's the truth. Clarity is power. I didn't like what I saw, but those pictures I took were the fuel I needed. I couldn't believe that I had let things slip so much. The camera doesn't lie. I began to track my weight daily, not to obsess over it, but to see the trend. This is where your "why" needs to kick in. You ask yourself, "What type of person do I want to be? Someone who gives in whenever they get hungry? Or someone who's building discipline?" This isn't a temporary diet phase. This is a lifestyle change. If you want to be lean then you have to become the type of person who lives an active lifestyle. This kind of disciplined mindset just bleeds into everything else in your life. 

The fittest people don't just work out. They see themselves as people who respect and take care of their bodies. If you want to have a great physique you have to change your identity. You need to take a long look at yourself in the mirror and decide who you want to be. Don't just say "I want to lose weight." Say, "I am an athlete in training." Go ahead. Write it down on a sheet of paper:

I AM AN ATHLETE.

Then prove it to yourself with small wins each and every day. Think of two guys trying to quit smoking. One of them is offered a cigarette and replies, "No thanks, I'm trying to quit." The other person is offered a cigarette and says, "No thanks, I don't smoke." The second person has adopted an entirely new identity, and their actions are just going to follow suit. 

The same applies to fitness. If you have to force yourself to go to the gym, it's not going to work. But if you start saying, "I am an athlete who never misses a workout," suddenly the gym is just a part of who you are. 

So who do you want to be? Someone who forces himself to follow a diet? Or someone who's just doing what an athlete does? Most people fail because they don't know how to make this pivot. 

Fitness is about building a foundation for success over every aspect of your life. If I can do it at my age, you definitely can do it as well. 

When A Is the New C

"Praise is warming and desirable. But it is an earned thing. It has to be deserved, like a hug from a child." -- Phyllis McGinley.

The message from the educational elites is clear:

• Don't give Ds or Fs.
• Inflate your grades to be more "fair."
• Boost test scores to get parents off your back.
• Your standards are too high.

I'm not about to do it. Not on your life. If I have to, I will give you a D or an F. Unearned grades help no one.

It should be no surprise that grade inflation has followed students into grad school. Some profs hesitate to grade accurately because they fear student evaluations,. Students are now accustomed to cherry-picking easy-grading teachers while administrators turn a blind eye. (Lowered standards = more students graduating.) Parents are stunned when their more-than-average children are failed.

Today I'm working on my final grades for the semester. I have mixed feelings about the process. The true goal of learning is not a grade or a degree. Unfortunately, grades and degrees are now little more than proxies for a genuine education. The result has been the inflation of both. So grade-assigning has its weaknesses. But unearned grades are even worse.

If you get a bad grade, don't act as if your professor is Scrooge or suspect him or her of being unfair. I'll never forget the first class I got a C in when I was in college. It stung. I needed that wake up call. Thankfully I had a prof who rejected sham work. 

For the record, I oppose grade inflation, but I am 100 percent in favor of rising grades. I am grateful that, for the most part, the students in my classes receive consistently high scores. But they work for their grades. Deep down, I believe they share my support of a grading scheme where a C is still average.