Vocation and What I Value

Yesterday, Jonathan Parnell posted a note and a link to an an excellent challenge delivered by John Piper to a group of students in 1977.  As these students faced the beginning of their seminary studies, Piper wanted to lay before them "the goal and difficulty of teaching theological studies and the personal traits that fit you for it."  From my limited experience, I found this advice to be true and worth your notice.

The opening lines are excellent on their own with regard to vocation:

The only reason for living is the achievement of what you value. Nobody should ever sacrifice a higher value to a lower one. You should always aspire to deciding what you value. Until that happens you cannot make any reasonable steps toward choosing a vocation (or anything else).

Read the entire, short article here, which goes on to describe the task and traits of a theological teacher.

Vocation and What I Value

Pastorum Live - A Bible Study Conference

This looks exciting.  Logos Bible Software is presenting a Bible study conference called Pastorum Live.  The itinerary is packed with a fast-paced lineup of scholars presenting on the full gamut of thorough Bible study: from background studies, to exegesis and interpretation, to application, and "connecting the dots."

Send your pastor, interns, licentiates, and me!  Seriously, this looks great.  See the details here:

• Conference website
• Speakers
• Itinerary
• Logistics

Venue

Park Community Church
1001 N. Crosby Street
Chicago, IL 60610

Pastorum Live - A Bible Study Conference

"The person who has learned to read well is..."

I encourage you to read the rest if these excellent thoughts on the discipline of reading!

The Vocation of a Lifetime (This is a short except from John Piper's article, “Teaching, Schooling and Reading” (September 1, 1974) posted by Tony Reinke on his blog, Miscellanies.)

Truly, degrees and credentials are one thing and disciplined learning is quite another!

"The person who has learned to read well is..."