Installation

This was taken at my installation service as assistant pastor for Westminster Presbyterian Church. The service was on Mother's Day evening. Since my parents live far away (or I should say, we live far away from my parents), it also happened to be the first time in about 14 years I was able to spend Mother's Day with my mother, making it even more special.

My home for the next week

I'll try to manage.

On reading the Bible biblically

Peter Leithart has a nice summary of how evangelicals do, and then should, read the Bible. Go starting point for further reading.

Letter to a young parent

"One of the terrible lies of our culture—and even the rhetoric of 'family values'—is the crippling myth that our homes are self-sufficient incubators for child-rearing. If you buy into that myth, you'll be isolated by a constant sense of failure." So writes James K.A. Smith in his letter to a young parent.

In defense of the liberal arts

Take a look at this chart summarizing findings of a survey of employers. They were asked what skills they looked for in hiring.

"The amount of unfilled jobs is alarming"

This article from the Des Moines Register makes two points. One, the area references is rooted in a strong, historically Protestant work ethic, of which the plethora of jobs is arguably the fruit. Ideas (worldviews) do matter. Second, jobs in the trades are readily available for those who, one, see such work as having intrinsic value, and two, are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. I'm not sure this is something many of our local teens will be all that interested in.

Bilingualism in the United States

Here is an interesting infograph that I found that increasing use of languages in addition to English here in the United States.