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Why pay for it when you can get it for free?

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Last week I found a website by a person who who was offering a particular service for $1497. This was a discount from the $2497 they usually charged…

My question is… why pay that much money when you can get it for free?

Yep, my newest eBook is free this week on Amazon, and I don’t want you to have to pay for it. 

…What did you think I was talking about?

 The normal price for this eBook is $9.99, but this week only, I am offering it as a free download at Amazon. So go download it now! 

FREE Book Publishing Instructions

Book Publishing InstructionsMost of what I have learned about publishing books was learned through lots of trial and error, buying and reading similar books by others (none of which are as complete as this book), and spending hundreds of hours reading and deciphering thousands of blogs posts and instruction guides from the internet. I boiled all that information down into 184 pages of step-by-step Book Publishing Instructions.

As indicated above, I found a website last week which will help you publish your book on Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble, for about $1500.

I completely agree that such a service is worth that amount of money. It literally takes scores of hours to turn a manuscript into a publishable book and then prepare it for distribution on Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.

So I think you will agree that the $9.99 price I set for this eBook is a screaming good deal.

But you want to know what is even a better deal?

free ebooks

Fifteen years ago when I first started pursuing publishing, I probably would have been glad to pay $1497 for all the information I have packed into Book Publishing Instructions.

You want to know why I didn’t? Two reasons:

  1. I was dirt poor (Our total income was less than $10,000).
  2. I don’t think such information was available back then.

Today, while the information is probably worth $1497, I still probably wouldn’t pay that. Why not? Two reasons:

  1. I am not really “poor” but I don’t have $1497 to spend on publishing a book (or anything else for that matter… I don’t own a cell phone, pay for cable TV, or go out to eat).
  2. Why pay $1497 when I can get the same information for less than $10….

Or better yet…

free ebooks

OK, OK, I won’t show that annoying graphic again…

Look, Book Publishing Instructions contains everything I have learned so far about publishing books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, and Apple. It also teaches you to publish your book as a paperback. It is incredibly valuable information, and I am giving it away for free this week only. 

Book Publishing Instructions is primarily written for people who want to self-publish their book, but even if you are pursuing traditional publishing with an established publishing company, this book will provide valuable insight and resources for helping you prepare your manuscript and build your reading audience so that you have a better chance of getting your book picked up by a publisher. 

As for me, I always self-publish my books (though that might change in the future) because traditional publishers would never allow me to give my books away for free, and right now, that is something I really enjoy doing with all the books I write. 

Giving away my books doesn’t make much sense (or cents!) from a business perspective, but I try to write and publish my books from a Kingdom perspective, which for me (this doesn’t mean this way is for everyone!) means that I initially give every new book away for free. (If you want to get notified of future book giveaways…. and immediately get a second free eBook, make sure you subscribe to my free email newsletter.)

free ebooksSo anyway, while most of my books deal with Scripture and theology, this current free eBook is intended to help you get your books into print as well. I want you to be as successful as possible in getting your words and your ideas into the minds and hearts of others…. do these three things:

  1. Go download my free eBook of Book Publishing Instructions.
  2. Read it.
  3. Get published. 

P.S., If you have already downloaded it… Thanks! Would you mind inviting others to do the same using the share buttons below? Double Thanks!

Everything I have learned about Publishing… for FREE!

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Books by Jeremy MyersI don’t know how many books I have written. Twenty or so….

Nine have been published.

Like most authors, I have about 97 other book ideas on my computer that I want to write. This is part of the reason I struggle so hard to finish books. I get half-way through, and then a new book idea comes along which I just have to work on right now!

As I mentioned a few months ago, I am half-way through three big book projects… and as you can see, I put them all aside to write this current book which I am giving away for free this week… At least I finished this one though. Now I hope I have the perseverance to get back to one of the others.

My Publishing Experience

Over the last ten to fifteen years of writing, I have learned a lot about publishing. I wrote a few books, got published in a few theological journals, worked for a publishing company, wrote a few more books, and even started my own publishing company (more on that at a later date).

This book I am giving away for free this week contains all the information I have pulled together over the past fifteen years of writing. Book Publishing Instructions contains almost everything I have learned about publishing. I am sure I will learn a lot more in the future as I continue to write and publish books, but this book contains what I know up to this point.

And I want to give you a copy FOR FREE.

Download Book Publishing Instructions for Free

How can you get it? Easy. Just go to Amazon and download a copy for yourself. You can read it on a Kindle or any computer, phone, or eReader with a free Amazon Kindle App.

Here is a screenshot of the table of contents so you can see roughly what sort of information the book contains.

Book Publishing Instructions Table of Contents

Does this new book look boring?

Be honest…

Of course it looks boring. It’s a “How to” book! It’s definitely not full of intrigue, suspense, and plot twists. But the information this book contains is invaluable.

Frankly, $9.99 is a fantastic deal for this book. But this week, you get an even better deal. You can download it for free.

So don’t delay. Go download it now:

Book Publishing InstructionsHow about telling others on Facebook and Twitter to go download it as well:

Paul the Apostle of the Last Days

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Buy Apostle of the Last Days on AmazonDr. C. Marvin Pate has written an excellent volume on the theology of the Apostle Paul. It is titled, Apostle of the Last Days. Kregel sent me a review copy, and it is already one of the best books I have read in the past year.

Apostle of the Last Days

I had Dr. Pate as a professor when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute, and really enjoyed his insights into Scripture, his wit, and his quirky personality. I only took him for one or two classes, but consider him to be one of my influential professors from college. He challenged me to really consider the historical and cultural background material of Scripture.

Grammar and word studies are nice, but if you don’t know the history and culture behind a biblical book or passage, you will never really understand what Scripture teaches.

This book by Dr. Pate provides excellent historical and cultural background into the life, thinking, and theology of the Apostle Paul. Though I have not yet read N. T. Wright’s Paul and the Faithfulness of God, this volume on Paul’s theology is by far one of the best on this topic I have found. 

Apostle of the Last Days challenged me to read Paul’s letters not just in light of the history and culture of Judaism, but also in the history and culture of Graeco-Roman thinking, and most importantly of all, in light of the eschatological expectations of both groups. 

Eh… what? 

Let me put it in simple terms: 

Apostle PaulBoth the Jews and the Romans had hopes and dreams for what would happen at the end of days. Pate shows that Paul wrote to reveal how Jesus fulfills and completes these hopes and dreams. 

Summary of Apostle of the Last Days

After a chapter of introduction about the views on the theology of Paul and some of the central tenants of Pauline theology, Pate goes letter by letter through the writings of Paul to show how Paul tied together Jewish and Graeco-Roman hopes about what would happen at the end of days, and shows how these hopes were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. 

Serious students of Pauline theology must not overlook this important volume by C. Martin Pate. Pate is on to something about Paul’s thinking and theology that is often missed by Pauline scholars: Paul is not only writing a response to Jewish theology, but is also writing a response to Greek and Roman theology, and especially the Imperial Cult of Caesar worship. 

It could probably be said that the letters of Paul are not only intended to show how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, but how Jesus also fulfills the Graeco-Roman expectations for what Caesar was supposed to be and do. 

This is a challenging idea on multiple levels, and if true, the ramifications are far-reaching. As such, Apostle of the Last Days is a critically important book for thinking about Pauline theology and teaching. If you are preaching or teaching on any letter of Paul, I highly recommend this volume. You can get Apostle of the Last Days at Amazon.

I liked this book by C. Marvin Pate so much, it inspired a book idea of my own which I really want to write. First, however, I have to finish with the five books I am already writing… sigh…

Are you an Author? Get Published This Year!

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I have published nine books and have contributed to several others. My most recent book, however, is written to help YOU get published. 

I have learned quite a bit over the years about the process of publishing my own books, and very early on, I created a little guide to help me remember the steps to preparing my manuscript, editing it for publication, and submitting it to the various websites on which I sell my books. This little guide has helped me get published. 

As of last July, that little publishing guide of mine was 8 pages long. 

But it was cryptic, messy, disorganized, and not very clear. 

So last August, I decided to rearrange the guide to make it more useful. As I began to do this, I thought, “You know what? I bet author new and aspiring authors would like to have some of this information. As long as I am organizing it for myself, I might as well do a little bit of extra work and make a little book out of it. Why shouldn’t I help other authors get published?”

Five months later I sent a 184-page book to the printers.

Yes, my little 8-page guide turned into 184 pages of detailed instructions, screen shots, publishing tips, and suggestions for helping you get published, get your book into print, and ultimately, get it into people’s hands.

Get Published with Book Publishing Instructions

And guess what?

Though this book is already available on Amazon (Go ahead on over there to get a sneak peak inside the book)….I will soon be sending out a FREE PDF copy via email… but ONLY to those who have subscribed to my email newsletter!

So do me one of two favors:

1. If you haven’t subscribed and want to get published:

If you have not yet subscribed to my email newsletter and want to get published in 2014, then…. subscribe already! Here’s the form:

And just for subscribing, you will immediately get a free copy of Skeleton Church, one of my most popular eBooks! 

2. If you have already subscribed and appreciate my free eBooks:

If you have already subscribed and appreciate getting my free eBooks, please invite others on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to subscribe by using the sharing buttons below. This is especially true if you know anyone who wants to get published. Thanks!

4000 Books 2014

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I once heard that an active reader only reads 2000 books in their lifetime. I found that depressing at the time, since I already owned at least 2000 books. If the statistic was correct, that meant that I would never be able to read all the books I already owned…. let alone the books I might obtain in the future. 

start reading books youngA few years ago I decided to sit down and figure out if it was true. It turns out that 2000 books was probably a bit of an overestimate…. especially considering the fact that most people probably don’t read more than a dozen books a year or so (the median is 8, the average is 17). If you read 17 books per year from age 20 to age 80, you will read just over 1000 books. 

I read a lot, but wanted to make sure that I read more than 1000 books in my lifetime. I think I can read about 4000 books. The problem is that there are so many really good books out there! So I decided to start keeping track of how many books I have read. And I am doing it on this blog. 

4000 Books

Here are the posts from previous years, and the lists of books I have read, with the total count so far: 

I don’t count the books I write in that list, which really should count for about 10 books each (I wrote 3 in 2013), since not only did I read the book while writing it, but I also read it and re-read it in the process of typesetting, editing, and proofreading the book…. 

It’s a little crass, but did you ever see that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine hears a rumor that the birth control sponges are going to be discontinued, and so she buys every one she can find in the entire city? Then, to conserve her sponges, she has to decide if each boyfriend is “spongeworthy” or not?

bookshelfYeah, it is strange, but that is how I have come to view books. Though there are millions of books available to read, I can only read 4000, so I have started to try to decide if each book is “readworthy” … that is, does it deserve a spot on my list of 4000 books I will read in my lifetime? 

How I Choose Books to Read

Anyway, here is a bit more about how I choose which books to read:

  1. Will it challenge my thinking?
  2. Does it look like it says something new, or present a traditional truth in an insightful way?
  3. Is it written by someone who is credible? 
  4. Will it help me in one of my own writing projects?
  5. Will it help answer a biblical or theological question I am struggling with?
  6. Is it enjoyable to read? (Sometimes, you have to just read books for the fun of it.)

I Do Accept Review Books, but…

I do accept review books, but I am doing this less and less. I probably received and read about ten books in 2013 that I read and reviewed on this blog and on Amazon.com. A few years ago when I first started this list, I was happy to receive any free book that any author wanted to send me to review on this blog. I read dozens. But it got to be that these were the only books I was reading…

So this past year, I was much more selective in which books I accepted for review. I turned down a lot of offers. I feel bad about that, but it is what I have to do to read the books I really want to read.

Of course, I often accept review books from people who read my blog, because if you take the time to read my stuff, I definitely want to take the time to read yours. So if you have a book you want me to read and review on this blog, contact me through the About Page.

Books I “Must Read” in 2014

Here are some of the books that are “Next Up” in my Reading Queue: 

My Favorite Books of All Time

Oh, and are you curious what books I have read that I highly recommend for others to read? I made a list of them at this page: Books Every Christian Should Read. 

How about you? How do you decide which books to read, and which books are on your “Must Read NOW” stack for this coming year?

100 Top Christian Blogs 2014

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Below is a list of the 100 Top Christian Blogs. If you made it onto this list of top Christian blogs, here is a badge you may display on your website:

300 x 300 badge 125 x 125 badge
100 Top Christian Blogs 100 Top Christian Blogs
use this code:

<a href=”https://redeeminggod.com/100-top-christian-blogs/” title=”100 Top Christian Blogs”><img alt=”100 Top Christian Blogs” src=”https://redeeminggod.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Top-Christian-Blogs.jpg” width=”300″ height=”300″ /></a>
 use this code:

<a href=”https://redeeminggod.com/100-top-christian-blogs/” title=”100 Top Christian Blogs”><img alt=”100 Top Christian Blogs” src=”https://redeeminggod.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Top-Christian-Blogs-125.jpg” width=”125″ height=”125″ /></a>

About this list of the 100 Top Christian Blogs

To make this list of top Christian blogs, I gathered and inspected about 500 Christian blogs and ranked them using a variety of factors. Some of the blogs I inspected are listed below the list of the 100 Top Christians blogs.

I will update this list occasionally, so if you want your blog to be considered for future ranking, and your blog is not listed below the list of 100 Top Christian blogs, please include a link to your blog in the comment section. Thanks!

Oh, and do I need to say it?

I guess so…. sigh.

Disclaimer: I do not necessarily endorse all the views or perspectives of the bloggers on this list. The list contains many Christian bloggers who write from theological perspectives with which I have some disagreement.

Like who? (Let’s see who I can offend…) Calvinists, Charismatics, Conservative Baptists, and Catholics, just to name a few. Remember, I, Jeremy Myers, am the ONLY correct blogger in the world. (I’m KIDDING!)

Anyway, if someone is on the list of Top Christian blogs and you think they are a heretic, don’t burn me for it! Go be a troll on their site…. (I’m kidding again).

How I Created the List of 100 Top Christian Blogs

Below is an explanation of how I went about ranking these 100 Top Christian Blogs.

First, I gathered the list of Christian blogs using these sites:

Second, I removed all “Community Blogs” which had multiple authors. This caused all blogs from Patheos, the Gospel Coalition, and other similar blogs to be dropped from the list. The reason I did this twofold. Many of these community blogs are not accurately ranked by Alexa, Compete, and Quantcast, which are three of the ranking factors I used (see below). But more than this, I wanted this list to honor the individual blogger who started his or her blog from scratch, and has labored away at it for years, slowly building an audience and faithfully writing quality posts which get read and shared. Those huge mega community blogs often overshadow the quality writing and hard work of individual bloggers. So if a blogger was writing on a community blog, I kept them off my list.

Finally, once I had my list of individual bloggers, I ranked them using a variety of factors. These factors include:

  • Traffic Rank on Alexa
  • Traffic Rank on Compete
  • Traffic Rank on Quantcast
  • Back link Count (one of the factors for Google’s PageRank)
  • Pages Indexed by Google (shows that the blogger is writing a lot)
  • A variety of other traffic and social signals

The ranking number in the list below is a compilation of these ranking signals. The lower the number, the better the blog ranks.

How to get on this list of Top Christian Blogs

If you are not on this list and you want to work toward getting on it, or if you are on it and want to know what you can do to rise in the ranks of these top Christian blogs, here are several recommendations:

  1. Hone your blogging skills by watching my free Blogging Tutorial Videos
  2. Add the Alexa Traffic Rank Extension to your preferred web browser.
  3. Register your site at Quantcast for tracking.
  4. Join Synchroblogs, blog chains, and interact with others on their blogs to get back links.
  5. Get a WordPress plugin like Social Network Auto Poster to help your posts get listed on social sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and others.
  6. Write, write, write, and write some more!

Here then, are the 100 Top Christian Blogs

100 Top Christian Blogs

Rank Score Blog Title and Link Blogger Name
1 99,113 A Holy Experience Ann Voskamp
2 120,618 Challies Tim Challies
3 139,194 Christian Personal Finance Bob Lotich
4 168,709 Fr. Z’s Blog John Zuhlsdorf
5 273,397 Rachel Held Evans Rachel Held Evans
6 275,477 Albert Mohlers Blog Albert Mohler
7 282,994 Storyline Donald Miller
8 309,248 Thom Rainer Thom Ranier
9 332,037 Beyond Evangelical Frank Viola
10 354,891 Jarrid Wilson Jarrid Wilson
11 398,360 Alpha & Omega Ministries James White
12 479,041 Jen Hatmaker Jen Hatmaker
13 483,304 Denny Burk Denny Burk
14 517,977 The American Jesus Zack Hunt
15 527,273 Living Proof Beth Moore
16 541,066 Ron Edmondson Ron Edmondson
17 570,502 Stuff Fundies Like Darrell
18 619,495 James MacDonald James MacDonald
19 642,797 The Naked Bible Michael S. Heiser
20 665,978 Liturgy Bosco Peters
21 683,267 Josh Harris Josh Harris
22 686,420 Blog and Mablog Doug Wilson
23 691,747 Kingdom Living Matt Dabbs
24 725,019 Head Heart Hand David Murray
25 736,090 Sarah Bessey Sarah Bessey
26 761,909 Red Letter Christians Tony Campolo & Shane Claiborne
27 780,872 Mark Driscoll Mark Driscoll
28 803,956 The Very Worst Missionary Jamie Wright
29 813,340 Moore to the Point Russell Moore
30 837,484 Everyday Theology Marc Cortez
31 917,121 Unsettled Christianity Joel L. Watts
32 959,448 More Than Dodgeball Joshua Griffin
33 995,242 Tony Morgan Live Tony Morgan
34 1,055,231 Ragamuffin Soul Carlos Whittaker
35 1,056,793 Christianity Cove Mary-Kate
36 1,087,879 Elizabeth Esther Elizabeth Esther
37 1,136,429 Acts 29 Scott Thomas
38 1,237,976 Communicate Jesus Steve Kryger
39 1,266,830 XXXChurch.com Craig Gross
40 1,273,906 Todd Rhoades Todd Rhoades
41 1,343,793 Adam McLane Adam McLane
42 1,376,877 Modern Reject Nicole Cottrell
43 1,384,271 Grace Evangelical Society Bob Wilkin
44 1,393,550 Istoria Ministries Blog Wade and Rachelle Burleson
44(b) 1,395,446 Jason D Bradley Jason Bradley
45 1,401,735 John Shore John Shore
46 1,504,771 Cerulean Sanctum Dan Edelen
47 1,613,464 Kingdom in the Midst Marty Duren
48 1,644,682 Growing Kids Ministry Lindsey Whitney
49 1,745,169 Margaret Feinberg Margaret Feinberg
50 1,787,301 Here I Blog Mark Lamprecht
51 1,811,828 Counseling Solutions Rick Thomas
52 1,835,130 WithoutWax Pete Wilson
53 1,848,275 Frame & Poythress John Frame & Vern Poythress
54 1,861,287 Robert Cargill Robert Cargill
55 1,874,540 Dave Black Online Dave Black
56 1,920,230 ReKnew Greg Boyd
57 1,953,804 Worship Matters Bob Kauflin
58 2,027,656 Man of Dravity Tyler Braun
59 2,030,697 Matthew Paul Turner Matthew Paul Turner
60 2,129,407 DJ Chuang DJ Chuang
61 2,171,907 Blogging Theologically Aaron Armstrong
62 2,221,661 Brian McLaren Brian McLaren
63 2,250,025 Provocations & Pantings Timmy Brister
64 2,275,503 Simply Church Felicity Dale
65 2,296,565 Andy Naselli Andy Naselli
66 2,309,229 Church Leader Insights Nelson Searcy
67 2,528,833 Doug Fields Doug Fields
68 2,569,968 Borrowed Light Mike Leake
69 2,630,949 Near Emmaus Brian LePort
70 2,633,763 In A Mirror Dimly Ed Cyzewski
71 2,644,639 Ordinary Pastor Erik Raymond
72 2,672,943 Daniel Darling Daniel Darling
73 2,677,817 Living By Faith Blog Steve Fuller
74 2,708,672 Brad Lomenick Brad Lomenick
75 2,780,185 What’s Best Next Matt Perman
76 2,805,797 Faith and Theology Ben Myers
77 2,841,332 RPM Ministries Blog Bob
78 2,848,030 Practical Shepherding Brian Croft
79 2,873,444 Stuff Christian Culture Likes Stephanie Drury
80 2,885,246 Children’s Ministry Online Kenny Conley
81 2,898,369 Perry Noble Perry Noble
82 2,934,477 J.D. Greear J.D. Greear
83 2,949,969 5 Minute Bible Tim Bulkeley
84 3,010,755 M and M Matt and Madeline Flannagan
85 3,020,653 The Museum of Idolatry Chris Rosebrough
86 3,038,618 Joe Thorn Joe Thorn
87 3,046,724 Fundamentally Reformed Bob Hayton
88 3,069,437 Sam Luce Sam Luce
89 3,074,040 Mark Oestreicher Mark Oestreicher
90 3,113,795 Counseling One Another Paul Tautges
91 3,171,891 Jonathan McKee Jonathan McKee
92 3,323,097 Don’t Eat the Fruit John Dyer
93 3,348,962 My Song in the Night Kristen Gilles
94 3,358,360 Jonathan Merritt Jonathan Merritt
95 3,402,942 Mark Batterson Mark Batterson
96 3,405,811 See Preston Blog Preston Yancey
97 3,599,241 Religious Affections Scott Aniol
98 3,638,192 Brandon A. Cox Brandon Cox
99 3,648,942 Alise. . . Write! Alise Wright
100 3,679,831 DashHouse.com Darryl Dash

If you want to know about some of the other blogs I ranked, they are listed below in alphabetical order. This is not a complete list, and if you are not listed above or below, but want to be considered in future updates to the list of Top Christian Blogs, leave a comment below, and I will add you to the list.

20 Schemes Blog Mez McConnell
9Marks Various
A Deeper Church Various
A Letter from Kabwata Conrad Mbewe
A Pilgrim’s Progress Eric Carpenter
A Place For the God-Hungry Jim Martin
Adrian Warnock Adrian Warnock
Against Heresies Martin Downes
Allergic to BS Brian Swan
Alvin Reid Alvin Reid
An Open Orthodoxy Tom Belt & Dwayne Pok
Andy Goodliff Andy Goodliff
Another Think Charles Lehardy
Anxious Bench Various
Apologetics 315 Various
Are Women Human? T.F. Charlton
Baptist Twentyone Various
Before the Cross Various
Beggars All Various
Beginning and End Various
Being Filled Chuck McKnight
Between the Times Various
Between Two Worlds Justin Taylor
Bible Places Various
Biblical Christianity Dan Phillips
Biblical Evidence for Catholicism David Armstrong
Biblioblog Various
BioLogos Various
Black, White, and Gray Various
Bock’s Blog Darrell Bock
Bruce Reyes-Chow Bruce Reyes-Chow
Bruxy Bruxy Cavey
Burnside Writers Collective Various
Call & Response Various
CBMW Blog Various
CCEF Various
Charisma Mag Various
Christ and Pop Culture Various
Christ is Deeper Still Ray Ortlund
Christian Piatt Christian Piatt
Christian Theology Various
Christian Web Trends Paul Steinbrueck
Christianity Today Live Blog Various
Chuck Warnock Chuck Warnock
Church Leaders Various
Church Mag Various
Church Marketing Sucks Various
Church Relevance Various
Claude Mariottini Claude Mariottini
Compassion International – Christian Blog on Child Poverty  
Coveneant of Love Derek Ouellette
Cranach: The Blog of Veith Gene Veith
Credo Magazine Blog Various
CreedoHouse Various
Dallas News Religion Blog Various
Daniel Wallace Daniel Wallace
Dave Ferguson Dave Ferguson
Deeper Story Various
Delivered by Grace Josh Buice
Desiring God Various
DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed Kevin DeYoung
Domestic Kingdom Gloria Furman
Downshore Drift Alan Cross
Dry Bones K. Mulhern
Ed Stetzer Ed Stetzer
Efrem Smith Efrem Smith
Emergent Village Various
Emerging into Orthodoxy Drew Tatusko
ERLC Various
Euangelion Various
Eugene Cho Eugene Cho
Ev’ry Day I’m Pastorin’… Anonymous
Experimental Theology Richard Beck
Exploring Our Matrix James McGrath
Faith and Leadership Various
Faith Barista Bonnie Gray
Faith Forward Various
Faith Village Various
Ferrell’s Travel Blog Ferrell Jenkins
First Things Various
Following to Lead Kevin East
For His Renown Jim Hamilton
For the Love of God D.A. Carson
Formerly Fundie Benjamin Corey
Founders Ministries Blog Tom Ascol
From Law to Grace Howell Scott
Gathering in Light C. Wess Daniels
Gifted for Leadership Various
Glocal Christianity Matt Stone
Glory to God for All Things Father Stephen
Gospel Centered Discipleship Various
Gospel Husbands Various
Grace & Truth Various
Grace Commentary Jeremy Myers
Grace Ground Various
Grateful to the Dead Chris Armstrong
Green Baggins Various
Heavenward Scotty Smith
Helm’s Deep Paul Helm
Hip and Thigh Fred Butler
Home Word Culture Blog Various
Homebrewed Christianity Various
In Search of the City Joshua Lawson
In The Name of Love Bianca Olthoff
Insight Grahame Knox
Interfaith Encounters Robert Hunt
Internet Cafe Devotions  
Internet Monk Various
J.C. Ryle Quotes  
Jared Moore Jared Moore
Jenni Catron Jenni Catron
Jess in Process Jessica Kelley
Jesus Creed Scot McKnight
Jonathan Martin Jonathan Martin
Joshua Blankenship Joshua Blankenship
Juicy Ecumenism Various
Kathy Escobar Kathy Escobar
Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise Kem Meyer
Kimberly Knight Kimberly Knight
Kingdom Copy Wes James
Kingdom People Trevin Wax
Koinonia Various
L. A. Freland L. A. Freland
Lane Chaplin Lane Chaplin
Larry Hurtado’s Blog Larry Hurtado
LeadingSmart Tim Stevens
Learning my Lines… Walt Mueller
Life and Theology Ben Reed
LifeChurch.tv : swerve Craig Groeschel
Lifestream Wayne Jacobsen
Ligonier Ministries Various
Limping into Truth Dave
Logos Bible Software Blog  
Managing Your Church Various
Marc 5 Solas Marc Yoder
Mark Beeson Mark Beeson
Mark D Roberts Mark D Roberts
Mere Orthodoxy Various
Milt Rodriguez Milt Rodriguez
Ministry to Children Various
Missional Shift Steve Knight
MMI Weblog  
Modern Faith Evan Dolive
Musicademy Various
Nadia Bolz-Weber Nadia Bolz-Weber
nakedpastor David Hayward
Nathan Finn Nathan Finn
Nathan W. Bingham Nathan W. Bingham
New City Catechism Various
Notes in the Key of Life Cindy Swanson
Nouthetic Jay Adams
NT Blog Mark Goodacre
NT Resources Rod Decker
On the Box Ray Comfort
One Hand Clapping Julie Clawson
Orange Leaders Various
Out of the Ordinary Various
Out of Ur Various
Parable Man Jeremy Pierce
Pastor Joe McKeever Joe McKeever
Pastors.com Various
Peter Enns Peter Enns
Peter Leithart Peter Leithart
Philgons Bible & Tech Phil Gons
Political Jesus Various
Pomomusings Adam Walker Cleaveland
Possessing the Treasure Mike Ratliff
Prodigal Magazine Various
Progressive Renewal Various
Project TGM Various
Pure Church Thabiti Anyabwile
Pyromaniacs Various
Rachel Miller Rachel Miller
Reading Acts Phillip Long
Reclaiming the Mission David Fitch
Redeemed Reader J.B. Cheaney & Emily A. Whitten
Reformation 21 Various
Reformation Theology Various
Reformissionary Steve McCoy
Relgion Dispatches Various
Rethinking Youth Ministry Various
Rev Gal Blog Pals Various
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth Kick Norelli
Roger Olson Roger Olson
Sarah Posner Sarah Posner
Sayable Lore Ferguson
SBC Heritage Drew Wales & Joshua Breland
SBC Today Various
SBC Voices Various
Scripture Zealot Jeff Oien
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3 Angelic Voices for Christmas

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Merry ChristmasI hope you are having a great Christmas.

Here are some Christmas Carols sung by my three daughters as a Christmas present for my wife, Wendy. My daughter, Taylor, played the piano and sang (she’s only been playing for about three months), while my other two daughters, Selah and Kahlea, sang.

I am taking the rest of the year off from blogging so I can spend more time with my family.

When I come back, it will be with a flurry of activity…. I’ve got a lot planned for the first 10 days of 2014…

  1. A list of the Top 100 Christian Blogs
  2. The release of my newest book… (Have you signed up for the newsletter so you get the eBook for free?)
  3. The Official Launch of my Publishing Company
  4. An update on how I’m doing at reading 4000 books
  5. My publishing goals for 2014, and some of the free eBooks I plan to distribute

And so much more! See you in 2014!

The Kingdom of God is Like The Little Drummer Boy

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Pentatonix
This “Little Drummer Boy” video by Pentatonix is so cool on multiple levels:

Little Drummer Boy by Pentatonix

Here is why I love “The Little Drummer Boy” by Pentatonix.

First, it is by far the best rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” I have ever heard. I don’t know why, but it brings me to tears just listening to it.

Second, it is so cool because they are not using any instruments at all… only the amazing talent of their own voices. It is shocking to hear what the human vocal chords can do.

Third, I wrote a while back about how Susan Boyle reminded me that the Kingdom of God is among us, and how eternity will allow us to be and do what we were made for, even if we don’t get the chance in this life. I think it is pretty obvious that the members of Pentatonix are doing some of what they were made for. The things they can do with their voices gives glory to God and reminds us of the beauty and shocking majesty of God’s creation, especially humans made in His image.

Fourth, and most significantly, the lyrics of this song align perfectly with what the members of Pentatonix are doing. I mean, in the song, the little drummer boy doesn’t have much to offer to Jesus… just an ability to bang on a drum. But he offers it anyway: “Just me and my drum.”

So also with Pentatonix. We may be tempted to think sometimes that a voice is nothing special. I mean, everyone has one. We use it tens of thousands of times every day. A voice is about as ordinary a thing as exists. Noise coming through lips is about as common as dirt (from which we come).

But the beauty that a voice can produce is one of the most amazing things in all creation.

You are a Miracle

I think sometimes we humans are led to believe we have nothing special to offer God. We are not famous, rich, powerful, or pretty. We have no great talents or skills. But you know what? God doesn’t really want any of that. God wants what is ordinary and normal. You know, things like dirt. Or a voice. A work-hardened hand. A watchful eye. An attentive ear. Nothing great or special, just things we all have.

But when given to God to use in His Kingdom, these ordinary, every-day things become full of majesty, splendor, and glory.

Pentatonix Carol of the Bells

This Christmas, don’t wish you had some great skill to use in God’s service. Don’t wish for great riches, fame, or power. Just look at the normal, everyday things that everybody already has. Then say, “God, I don’t have much… it’s just me and my drum… but I’ll play for you if you want.” Then watch, wait, and listen.

See how God can use the dirt in your life to plant flowers for somebody else.

See how God can use your voice to speak words of encouragement, love, forgiveness, or hope to others.

See how God can use your work-hardened hands for acts of kindness toward others.

See how God can use your watchful eye to observe the needs of others.

See how God can use an attentive ear to listen for the pain and fear in the lives of others.

You don’t need anything special…. you just need what you already have… which, when you think about it, is actually the most special and amazing miracle in the universe. The miracle of a voice, the miracle of sight, the miracle of touch, these are the ordinary, everyday miracles which tell us time and time again, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”

You are the little drummer boy, and you and your drum are the miracle of Christmas. In the Kingdom of God the most normal of things become miracles of God.

Are Christmas Trees Idols?

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Did you know that Christmas tress are idols?

At least, that is what I was once told by a member of my church.

Several of us had gathered together on a Saturday afternoon in early December to decorate the church for Christmas. We put up lights, tinsel, red and green ribbon, poinsettias,  and the crowning glory… a tall, beautiful Christmas tree – right up in front of the sanctuary to the left of the platform. We used all white lights and wrapped it with silver and gold ribbon.

The next day, after the Sunday service concluded, one of the men in the church pulled me aside and said, “Pastor, I cannot attend a church that erects idols in the sanctuary.”

I just stared at him. I had no clue what he was talking about.

Christmas tree idolHe pulled out his Bible and turned to Jeremiah 10:3-4 and had me read it. It says this:

For the customs of the people are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers”
So that it will not topple.

“You see?” he said. “You have erected a Christmas tree idol in the church sanctuary. Until you remove it, I and my family will not be back.”

Being a young pastor at a small church, I didn’t want to lose any family over such a things as a Christmas tree, and so I called a few of the elders that afternoon, and we decided that while we could not get rid of the tree (another family had donated it to the church and they would be offended if we threw it out), we could move it into the foyer. I called the man who had pointed out Jeremiah 10:3-4 to me, and while he wasn’t happy that we were keeping the pagan Christmas Tree idol, he said that moving it would be good enough, and he and his family would be back in church the next Sunday.

Ironically, he and his family had a little Christmas party over at their house that year. We went. I remember walking into his house and seeing all the normal Christmas decorations. He had the lights, the tinsel, the ribbon… even some ornaments which he had hung on the wall, but no Christmas tree. Cookies were on the counter. Christmas music played on the stereo. There were even Christmas presents piled in a corner. But no Christmas tree. I remember thinking that it seemed a bit hypocritical…

He and his family left the church a few months later over something else. It had to do with the worship team this time. (And I lost the worship team as well… Ah, the joys of a small church.) I remember thinking after he left, “I sure wish I had left that tree in the sanctuary. In fact, I wish I had added a few more Christmas trees!”

Christmas Tree Idolatry

So are Christmas trees idolatrous? If you put up a Christmas tree in your house, or in your church building, are you engaging in pagan idolatry?

The answer is no… unless of course you are praying to the tree and worshiping it… in which there might be some Christmas tree idolatry going on. And no, singing “Oh Christmas Tree” does not count as praying to the tree or worshiping it…

Look, I fully admit that there was a pagan practice of chopping down trees and erecting them in public spaces or homes and decorating them with lights and gold and silver. This is a common practice among many cultures that goes back thousands of years and is part of their cultural and religious celebrations at this time of year.

Christmas Tree idols Jeremiah 10

I don’t think that is exactly what Jeremiah 10:3-4 is talking about, however. If you look at the surrounding context, it appears that after the tree is cut down, it is carved into a shape and then gold and silver is hammered onto it. What Jeremiah is talking about, it seems, may be the actual crafting of an idol, not necessarily the decorating of a tree itself.

But regardless, even IF Jeremiah 10:3-4 is talking about a practice that is almost identical to our tradition of putting up a Christmas tree, it is still not idol worship.

Why not? Because in the minds and practice of most Christians, the Christmas tree does not represent a pagan holiday, but represents a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas tree reminds us of how the Light of the World arrived to bring hope to those in darkness. The Christmas tree reminds us how shepherds and wise men brought gifts to honor His birth, and how Jesus Himself brings the free gift of eternal life to all the world. The Christmas tree even reminds us of how Jesus died upon a tree, taking our curse upon Himself, so that we might become the righteousness of God.

Though it is true that the Christmas tree may have once been a pagan symbol, it is a symbol that has been redeemed in Jesus. Just as Jesus redeems us, so also, Jesus has redeemed the Christmas tree. For most people, the Christmas tree is no longer an idol, but is a reminder of what Jesus did for us in coming to this earth as a humble babe.

Jesus is in the business of redemption. Take the cross as another example of a “tree” that has been redeemed. At the time of Jesus, the cross was a symbol of brutal torture and Roman military power. Nobody would dream of erecting a cross in their house or wearing one around their neck. But Jesus redeemed it! When people see a cross today, nobody thinks of brutal Roman torture. They think of Jesus.

The Christmas tree is the same. Though it used to be (and still is in some places) a symbol of pagan idolatry, the Christmas tree has been redeemed by Jesus and we can put one up in our houses and in our church buildings as a way of celebrating the birth of Jesus and all that He accomplished for us through His birth, life, death, and resurrection. Christmas trees have been redeemed by Jesus, just like you and me and everything else Jesus touches.

So Merry Christmas! I hope your Christmas tree is especially beautiful this year.

P.S. I wrote a short eBook on this subject…. you can get it here.

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