Lately, the words of this classic hymn have echoed in my head. The stirring melody by Jean Sebelius has become the theme music for my summer. Be Still My Soul.

As Chris Anderson argues in his book, Theology That Sticks,* the great hymns of the faith often remind us of the truths of God’s Word far longer than any book we read or sermon we hear. Let’s walk through the lyrics of Be Still My Soul and discover what Scripture passages German hymnwriter Kathrina von Schlegel (and translator Jane Borthwick) reference throughout this hymn.

“Isaiah records one of God’s invitations to be quiet: ‘Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength’” (Isaiah 30:15).” - Desiring God

“As for RICO, Georgia has a much more expansive law than the federal government, with many more state laws that can be used for charges…. also requires less proof to show a criminal enterprise has been formed and less proof to show a comprehensive conspiracy.” - World

“The University does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression per se, but it does regulate conduct that is inconsistent with the religious values and beliefs that are integral to its Christian faith and mission” - BPNews

Related: Baylor University wins exemption from Title IX’s sexual harassment provisions - RNS

“In recent years, industry giants like Capitol Christian Music Group (CCMG), which, as of 2021, claims over half the market share of the Christian music industry, have invested more in catalog acquisitions and are seeing profits from publishing catalogs increase.” - CToday

When I’m having a get-acquainted conversation with someone new, it’s common for them to ask what I do. “I’m a Baptist pastor,” I reply. They will usually ask the name and location of my church. Then comes the big one, “And how long have you been there?”

It’s a reasonable question. People ask because pastors move fairly often and it’s helpful to know if he is a newcomer or is well established in the community. However, I answer reluctantly, since I know my answer is rare, almost shocking. “You may find this hard to believe, but I’ve pastored Beacon for fifty years.” Surprise crosses their face. “Fifty years! I don’t think I’ve ever known a pastor who’s been at the same church fifty years.” But that’s the truth.

“Congress recently held hearings on the subject of UFOs…. numerous claims were made by those called before the subcommittee, including by former military or intelligence personnel.” - Breakpoint

“ ‘What worries me is that we make decisions without thinking about the consequences for ethnic churches…. There are many ethnic churches that, for translation reasons, use the title of pastor for a person. But it’s a matter of translation. It’s not that the person is ordained.’” - BPNews

“The Internet leads to ‘context collapse.’ It places into a space that is intrinsically faceless and lacks geographic borders. That space generalizes language and thought, ignores the very real differences between people and places, and pushes us toward highly generic ways of speaking and thinking.” - 9 Marks

“Some of the ‘fresh thinking’ [of the new right] is strangely reminiscent of New Deal-style policies and Marxist critiques of capitalism. Sohrab Ahmari’s new book, Tyranny, Inc. is a prime example.” - L&L

See also, a less negative review at Acton: Tyranny, Inc. and the Future of American Labor

"Anyone who adds the qualifiers of standards of dress, styles of music, or translations of the Bible, or any other arbitrary thing to the Gospel and uses that as a standard of separation is not a fundamentalist."

“When I talk about the majority of dechurching stories being a story of slowly rolling down a slope…. I’m also thinking about specific choices that churchgoers will make that announce to everyone in their family and friendship groups that church is actually not that important.” - Mere Orthodoxy

“The 8 percent rise in suicides among adults 65 and older was the highest driver in suicide deaths, the CDC said, with 10,433 deaths in that age group alone.” – BPNews

“Intellectual objections to the faith should be addressed. However… It should be apparent something inexplicable on natural grounds is at work. That’s Christian love.” - TGC

“What is interesting now is that the general culture is seeing the mental health damage that pornography brings…. Louisiana house passed this bill 96-1, the state senate 34-0, and a left-leaning governor… signed the law without argument.” - P&D

“we must be mindful that even a righteous political cause if pursued with intemperance while claiming His name, will discredit our cause and even His” - CPost

Are conservative, Bible-oriented churches too driven (by and large), in your opinion. Or is the problem occasional here and there. Or is it a problem?

If you want an example of what I mean by “driven,” think of Amway or some other agency that depends upon motivational techniques and pressure.

By driven, I mean do church leaders/pastors try to put a lot of guilt on church members and undue pressure to do more? This is different, obviously, from preaching the Word which will naturally put a level of guilt (conviction) upon us at times. Yet some leaders feel like if the clear meaning of a passage does not heap guilt on us, they must dig up some application so that it will.

“Among Gen Z adults between the ages of 18 and 21, 49% agreed that the Bible had a transformative effect on their lives. That number rose to 52% among Gen Z respondents between the ages of 22 and 26.” - CPost

“Recent decisions by World Aquatics, requiring transgender men to compete in an ‘open’ category rather than against women, are examples of common sense prevailing in the transgender debate, according to two Southern Baptist leaders.” - BPNews

This article (part 2 in the series) posted at Sharper Iron in 2019. It is reposted here with original comments included. Read Part 1.

“Overall, Mapping Atonement accomplishes its goals of providing a historical and theological survey and a critique…. many of us will wish the authors were less reticent to embrace penal substitution as the central motif of an integrated atonement theology.” - TGC

“The proportion of Americans who say they smoke marijuana has more than doubled since 2013, when Gallup first asked the question. That year, 7% said they did.” - Gallup

“People now jump from job to job throughout the course of their lives. If we viewed our work under the rubric of God’s calling, we would be more apt to settle into whatever lawful work God has gifted and called us to do.” - Nick Batzig

“Starting with the emergence of the ‘Alt-Right’ during the 2010s, a different group of political right-wing ideologues have surfaced to defend very different principles from those of traditional American conservatism.” - Acton

“Our members are not my sheep. They are God’s. The church is not my flock. It is God’s.” - 9 Marks

Read Part 1.

We are in the midst of a short series intended to bolster our confidence in the fact that God still has a future for Israel. His Word to His chosen people will certainly be fulfilled literally—not merely spiritually—in accord with the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3). This unconditional covenant provided a paradigm as to how history would unfold from the day it was given until the final coming of God’s kingdom to Earth. It was also the basis of the other unconditional covenants that God gave to Israel.

“When LeMaster asked if Baucham had seen ‘The Chosen,’ Baucham said, ‘No. 2CV, man. Second Commandment violation,’” against making images. - C.Leaders

“…’most conservative evangelicals gave up on the politics of character in 2016’ and still consider their relationship to Trump as a pragmatic bargain.” - CToday

“Leading worship while dressed as characters from the Toy Story franchise suggests theological problems that go way beyond debates about the nature of Paul’s teaching on eldership.” - Carl Trueman

“Among Deneen’s more outlandish proposals is the suggestion that the separation of Church and State be abolished. Pointing to rising ‘deaths of despair,’ Deneen insists that it is not enough to ‘ensure [the people’s] freedom to pursue’ essential goods of human life, such as religious faith.” - Juicy Ecumenism

See also, at Providence: A New Vital Center?