Nathan R. Hale

A personal blog

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  • What I believe about immigration and giving up the right to bear arms, in brief

    I am in favor of Christians treating illegal immigrants humanely, hospitably, and fairly (and advocating for the same) as a witness to the future universal Kingdom, imperfectly present now in the Church, where the gates will never be shut at the end of the day (Rev. 21:25)

    I am not in favor of the breaking of reasonable, just civil laws without extreme extenuating circumstances.

    I am in favor of Christians voluntarily giving up their right to bear arms (and advocating for the same) as a witness to the future universal Kingdom, imperfectly present now in the Church, where swords will be beaten into plowshares (Is. 2:4)

    I am not in favor of a blanket condemnation on all forms of self-defense or any penalty (ecclesiastical or civil) toward those that choose not to voluntarily give up their right to self-defense.

  • Christians are weak and lawless

    Christians are indeed by definition weak and lawless according to worldly standards.

    Our weakness is in loving our enemies and caring for the stranger, even though it’s risky.

    Our lawlessness is a rejection of any authority that would seek to usurp the Lordship of Christ who commands us to do those things.

    But we are not weak, we only appear that way.

    Jesus appeared weak on the cross to many, like a lamb led to the slaughter, but he defeated death there once and for all. This is how God works through Christ, and how he works through us–Christ’s Body on earth (2 Cor. 12:9-11).

    And we are not lawless.

    Only now we live not by laws grounded in lies and worldly commitments. These always result in suffering and death for others. No, we are empowered to live according to a different kind of law that leads us–through death to ourselves–to life. This is the law of love, which comes from the Spirit (Rom. 8, 13:10)

  • 7 observations regarding social media in the present time

    Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

    Social media is both more important and less important than we often give it credit for as communications medium.

    I submit the following observations for your consideration.

    (more…)

  • My GTD system, June 2018

    • Capturing
    • Clarifying 
      • GTD workflow
    • Organizing ideas and next actions in a useful way
      • Trello
      • OneNote
      • Google Calendar
      • Microsoft OneDrive (current/work files)
      • Google Drive (Personal archive)
      • Physical file cabinets at home and office
    • Reflecting
      • Weekly review checklists

    Previous tools and techniques

    • Capture: Field Notes + Pilot G2 Mechanical Pencil (full write up)
    • List management: Trello (full write up)
    • Calendar: Google Calendar
    • Email: Archive + Trello
    • Physical Tickler
    • Files: Dropbox (church), Google Drive (personal), OneNote (research), Physical file cabinet (1 personal +  1 work)

     

     

  • The essential books

    This is a “living post” and will be updated over time. You’ll find a curated list of books here that have proven themselves life-changing and helpful over time.

    • How to be filled with the Holy Spirit by A. W. Tozer. A deeply biblical yet accessible work that avoids much of the popular hype surrounding the charismatic gifts, while embracing fully the person and work of the God the Holy Spirit.
    • The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. A definitive work on spiritual growth and the spiritual disciplines.
    • The Meaning of Marriage  by Tim Keller. Probably the best overall book on marriage from Christian perspective out there. Read my full review.
    • Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Where you want to start if you’re questioning Christianity on any level.
    • Worship Old & New by Robert Weber. Academic, but important for understanding the meaning and development of Christian worship over time.
    • My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Undoubtedly one of the most profound devotional works of all time.

  • Growing in gratitude

    This 5-day, Bible-based devotional ebook is designed to help you:

    •  Learn how to live a life infused with joy
    • Enjoy living in authentic community
    • Discover St. Paul’s “secret” to contentment
    • Experience the presence of God
    • Understand your greatest calling in life

    (more…)

  • Meditation made simple

    Learn Christian meditation in 15 minutes or less per day for 21 days, and make it a life-giving habit that lasts.

    We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship. – C. S. Lewis

    Learn to to become silent, to be still, to practice solitude. Learn to become truly self-aware. Learn to listen to God. Experience joy and peace and community that lasts.
    (more…)

  • Super-quick sermon prep

    Finish your sermon or Bible study in half the time.

    Are you a busy pastor, small-group leader, or Bible-teacher that struggles to get your sermon or Bible studies done in a reasonable amount of time? Do you sit down to study without a clear plan and struggle to find your next step? (more…)

  • Beginning with the Common English Bible

    I started reading through the Common English Bible today.

    This is a controversial translation, to be sure (well, two or three verses, anyways). Sponsored by mainline Protestants but taking advice from both evangelicals and Roman Catholics, it aims to be a truly ecumenical translation.

    This is part of the attraction for me, even though there are SO MANY English translations out there; all of them good. Nevertheless, I dig the ecumenical vibes and I appreciate the boldness of the translation while simultaneously missing the familiar English idioms that carry over from the KJV to ESV.

    God willing I’ll read the whole thing this year.

    http://www.commonenglishbible.com/explore

  • Skye Jethani's IMMEASURABLE is a book I’d like to give every person just starting out in ministry

    I’m very grateful to be part of the launch team for Skye Jethani’s brand new book Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc. As part of the launch team, I got this book for free in exchange for a fair review. I signed up on a whim; but I’m really glad I did.

    Immeasurable is a book I’d like to give every person just starting out in ministry. (more…)