Juletters

Re. A Little Preliminary Horsing Around
200 proof gratitude is more to the mark. 200 proof = 100%, though I’m likely not the first to say so.
Have a nice day!

Mr. Bugs

“When I am around 89 . . . I will be done holding back by that point.”
So . . . the November of your life will be no quarter November, eh?

Kyriosity

I hope you are well. I could use some advice. I find myself constantly getting upset by my brother-in-law and his soft parenting approach on his kids. We’re both Christians but we don’t attend the same church. I notice the lack of corporal punishment on their kids just by how they behave in certain aspects. I don’t want my daughter thinking certain behaviors are okay. Also I don’t want to keep being upset by this. How should I respond when I see Christian parents not doing their duty? Especially when they’re family?
Grace and peace!

S

I thank God for your gospel work in Christ.
I’m a student (at Hillsdale). I am a regular listener of your blog and Andrew Klavan’s weekly podcast. A couple years ago, for a period of six months or so, I was listening to Tucker Carlson regularly. I stopped, because I began to question whether he had a clear alternative proposed to the ideas/people he didn’t like.
I’m writing to ask where your criticisms of Tucker stem. I was talking with my brother recently and both of us are confused with the seemingly outsized criticisms of Tucker (we were discussing Klavan’s criticism). It seems strange that his name is joined to criticisms of Candace and Fuentes. I’d appreciate advice on how to think about Tucker. Just to reiterate, I haven’t tracked Tucker super closely recently, but I’ve listened to a few full episodes again more recently to try to understand why people I respect are critiquing him to a strong degree.
P.S. I just missed meeting you in Hillsdale. I had to go home to CT to play music for a wedding, and instead encouraged my history teacher from Italy to go. I believe you spoke to her for a while. I also just met your grandson Judah at a restaurant in D.C.

In Christ,
Paul

I have read a few of your books on Christian Education and profited much from them, thank you.
My question is, do you think it is sin for a Christian to be a teacher at a public school? The reason I ask is that I would like to be an educator and to that end may be attending university in the fall. All things being equal, I would rather teach at a Christian institution. The snag is that I owe my ex-wife alimony and child support based on a high income for my job as a functionary, and downgrading careers will not lower the amount owed her. As the Christian schools pay less than half of what the public schools pay, I do not believe it feasible to provide for myself on a Christian school salary and pay alimony and child support.
Also, there are few Christian schools, and no Classical Christian schools, in the Canadian Province where I reside, so job prospects for Christian teaching are not great.
Your insight is appreciated,

In a Tough Spot

I have a question about parenting, specifically about sleep training (no, this is not with reference to any specific post on this blog). We have heard—and been encouraged—to consider either the cry-it-out or graduated cry-it-out methods to train our 4-month-old baby to sleep independently, especially at night. But, to us, everything about how the method works seems unnatural, even cruel. Do you have any wisdom to offer on this? Are we missing something?

Jiby

A good litmus test, I would think, for edgy sorts of right wingers would be whether they love (white) women (I do not mean they support feminism) or whether they are constantly mocking women, as Nick Fuentes is understood to do. If they clearly understand husbands are to be kind to their wives, and recognize that women are lovely and to be protected, and feel sorry for women who have been led astray by radicalism, they are probably authentic in what they think and concerned about real problems, even if they like some dubious or evil characters. If they hate women, particularly, in the case of right wingers, white women, they are either deranged or perhaps some kind of plant.

James

I have a question regarding elder meetings and leadership.
I am a pastor that is part of a more charismatic/baptist church. I serve as the “lead pastor” and have other pastors and elders that serve alongside me.
Over the years, the topic of whether or not it is appropriate to have a “lead pastor” has come up. The thought is that the “lead” guy seems to have more authority than the rest of the leaders. I understand that from a presbyterian or even baptist point of view, elder sessions may vote on large decisions which would be a kind “checks and balance” for a lead pastor. At our church, our elders have chosen to do everything by unanimous decision. Meaning if someone has a pause in their discernment or judgement about an impactful decision, the leadership team would wait until unity can be found. That elder often understands that eventually he has to willingly “submit” or move on from leadership so unity can be arrived at. I see this as similar to having a vote though less formal. The lead guy often does quite a bit of heaving lifting in driving the conversation and providing direction on where the session should go.
However, I know that if I make an overarching decision without any regard for my fellow elders, I have overstepped in my leadership.
As the “lead” guy, I don’t believe I have more authority than the other pastors/elders. I was placed in that role unanimously by the other leaders several years ago and have done my best to faithfully lead but also encourage the other elders/pastors beside me. If any of them have a concerns or thoughts about something, I and the others weigh them intently. But it is undeniable that I lead the staff and in many ways the church through teaching most regularly.
It seems to be that leadership structures that flatten all authority and remove someone from being the point man turns it into “too many cooks in the kitchen”. Maybe that’s not the appropriate saying. I hope you gather the essence of the question. I’ve read Strauch’s book on Biblical Eldership and find myself agreeing with many of the biblical principles he concludes. However, it seems to me that he suggests then that any sense of someone taking the “lead” role does injustice to the plurality.
When I consider the Bible, it seems to me that men like Peter and Paul were undeniably strong leaders. Their words carried immense weight yet they would still say they were “fellow elders”.
How do you see balancing a leadership where there is a “senior minister” or “lead pastor” and letting him lead but also ensuring that leadership is properly shared? How does he freely lead but not overstep? How is a church led by a plurality of a session yet still have a senior minister? Am I off on how I’m thinking about leadership?
Thanks for considering! Any recommended readings?
Cheers,

James

I hope you’re doing well. This summer I went to Antigua for 10 days. We were afforded this opportunity from friends who pilot boats back-and-forth for the ship’s owners.
Since we knew, we were going to be away from home over the Lord’s day, we scheduled attending church in Antigua with Hensworth W.C. Jonas from East Caribbean Baptist Mission.
He is a very interesting man. He shared with us the struggles that men have there, and I was surprised to find out, he even conceal carries at church. It seems even paradise is messed up.
Homeschooling is illegal in Antigua, so he went and got his doctorate in education and opened a school. I just saw that one of the children who graduated became a senator on the island.
I don’t know if you know the man, but I’m sure he’s not hard to find. I think he would be a great guest on Man Rampant. He’s entertaining and I think would be interesting to viewers. I believe they have four or five churches, and the elders rotate around to the churches for live preaching every Sunday.
That’s all I have. I hope you have a great day.

Vernon

“Andrew Nelson Lytle . . . once that . . .” should be “once wrote that . . . “? (Or “said”?)
Just fix if worth that—no need for credit. (I tell my trainees at work, Don’t let MY obsessive-compulsive ruin YOUR day.”)

Andrew

I know that you’ve covered the issue of Christian parents taking their kids out of the government school system (public schools). There has been quite a dust-up on X recently re: a post by Jen Wilkin. Apparently, she has stepped in it big-time. Here’s the offending “tweet” and comments.
Take care,

Matthew

Beyond the obvious judicial nonsense generated by Obergefell (and the legal and social taboos against the other obvious candidates), do you have any personal pastoral principles (or established church policies) regarding when to refuse to perform a marriage (or to permit use of church facilities to that end)?
In the messier realms in which many modern relationships function (e.g. pornography, cohabitation, divorce and remarriage), are there particular criteria you and Christ Church seek to have couples meet before/when beginning premarital counseling? Or would you direct towards any particular resources for discerning and developing such guidelines?

A Rural Rector

During your post about AI, I really enjoyed one specific quote you said. I’m thinking about using that quote in a music project I plan on doing this week:
“The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prompts.”
Let me know if you don’t want me to.

Tim

I appreciate your work as a moderating force against dangerous and destabilizing extremism and perhaps I will even put in a good word on the reddits or some such in your direction. Respect. Believe it or not the Good Lord does at some times break through my shell of irony and doubt and shines brightly.

Ding Dong