Tools for Contending
We all need tools to push us forward.
If you'd like to check out previous "Tools for Contending" emails, head here (and here). What are these tools? Contending is a posture for living—a leaning into the Lord. But we also live in a world that is producing a variety of things that point to and push us toward the Lord.
Here are some tools I've found helpful so far in 2022:
By far the best online article of the year was written by Jonathan Tjarks for The Ringer a few weeks ago, titled "Does My Son Know You?" The entire 2nd of half of it is quotable. It's heartbreaking and beautiful. I sat in silence for several minutes after reading it. "Human beings aren’t supposed to go through life as faces in a crowd."
Gang of Youths is a band full of former Hillsong Church students, who now champion atheistic viewpoints in their music. It's a fascinating glimpse into the thoughts and questions of those who have now rejected the Christian faith. Their music is also excellent. In describing their musical focus, lead vocalist David Le’aupepe said, "I guess it was the church in me and how I was raised, but I’m always looking for the minor chord and the major lift, in a Leonard Cohen sense." Listen to their latest album here.
In studying for our church series through the book of Colossians I read Alan Noble's latest book You Are Not Your Own. Highly recommended. Alan excellently describes our society's focus to make our individual lives the focal point, and why this will continually lead to problems.
Speaking of the book, The Henry Center hosted a symposium of essays on You Are Not Your Own, and John Starke's essay on disenculturation was a helpful response to Alan's book. Here's Stark's conclusion: "As desperate as our society may feel, it just proves that our only hope is in the renewal of the Holy Spirit, who gives witness to our spirit that we are adopted children of God, heirs with Christ (Rom 8:14-17), who himself has received all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places and shares them with us (Eph 1:3-6)."
Ok, for something fun. Ben Rector's latest album is just good, fun music. I'll readily admit sometimes I want music to be serious and to have something important to say. Music at its best moves us and draws us close to the Lord. But sometimes music is just fun. Titled: The Joy of Music.
Josh Howerton has a fascinating Twitter thread on the massive narrative gap between what our society believes about evangelical Christians and what is actually true. For instance, our culture says Christians aren't actually pro-life, they're just anti-abortion. But, as he points out, Christians are 2.5x more likely to adopt than others. Read the whole thread here. Unsurprisingly, people had plenty of takedowns in response.
I've been running with my Aftershokz headphones for over a year now and I have to say if you do any sort of outdoor exercise, these are a must-have.
My friend Brett spoke so highly of the HBO show Station Eleven I decided to give it a shot. 4 episodes in I was ready to quit, but he said to stick with it so I did. Good decision. By the end I was openly weeping. Just a beautiful show putting on display the power of human relationships.
What have been your tools? What did I miss? Respond to this email I'd love to hear from you.
Contending,
Tyler