Admitting My Incorrect Assumption

 

I made a mistake.

I’m too immersed in my own bias.

This is the presupposition that blinded me:

I thought everybody had heard of Tim Keller.

I posted this video assuming that Tim Keller was a household name.

As it turns out, that was wrong.

Several people commented on social media that they hadn’t heard of Tim Keller.

It’s like saying they hadn’t heard of Billy Graham.

So I am admitting my mistake.

And taking steps to correct this grievous oversight.

Step 1)  You must read Keller’s book, ‘Reason for God’

Get it here.

Read it.

Step 2) You can watch this video for an overview.

But you STILL need to read the book!

The Google talk doesn’t cover everything.

Step 3) Stalk Keller on-line.

You know how to use Google and search Facebook.

Spend a few minutes finding out who Tim Keller is and what else he’s written.

(There are TONS of sermons online.)

Now, to my heathen friends…

…Keller’s book is one of my apologetics playbooks.

I’m tipping my hand here!

You can use this book to formulate intelligent responses to my future blog posts.

Studying Ken Hamm is not a good way to prepare for engaging in this comment section.

Whew.

Confession is good for the soul.

I’m  glad I’ve gotten that off my chest.

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115 Responses

  1. As far as apologetics go, I haven’t reached four authors yet ( although Lewis and Ken Ham were my first influences). Some of my interests concern the practices of the Church, so books like: Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing Hell, Multiply ( all by Francis Chan) UnDaunted, UnStoppable, UnAshamed ( Christine Caine) Seeking the Divine, Organic God (Margaret Feinberg) Counter Culture, Follow Me ( David Platt)
    UnChristian, You Lost Me ( David Kinnaman), Jesus > Religion and Not What You Think ( Jefferson Bethke- the reason I know about Tim Keller) are several good-reads.
    However, I spent most of my childhood reading The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, a half a dozen books by Frank Peretti, and every book by Ted Dekker ( yes, every book.) Needless to say, I enjoy getting to know the Truth through fiction.
    So Dekker, Lewis, Tolkien, and Peretti are my four horsemen of parable-telling, while Chan, Platt, Kinnaman, Caine, Feinberg, Bethke, and (honorable mentions Louie Giglio and Kyle Idleman) are the top influencers of my everyday walk with Christ.
    Of course, Paul, Peter, John, James, whoever wrote Genesis, and the author of Esther, the authors of the Gospels, are great Biblical authors as well.
    I’ve heard of Tim Keller, I’ve just been busy elsewhere to read any of his books.

    Reply

    1. Margaret Feinberg is a personal friend of mine. I’ll send her your post. It will make her happy!

      Reply

      2. Correction: Scouting the Divine by Feinberg, regardless of my memory of the title, I loved the book.

        Reply

          1. I know, it’s not a book… BUT–you have to assume JZ is a busy guy! Copying-and-pasting the same six quotes all over the internet every day.
            I’m just saying: give him some credit for visiting Christianity Today for at least a few seconds, so he could rip some quotes out of context and ignore the remaining ten pages written there.

            Books are hard.

          4. Speaking of…what happened to the 2016 highlights? I don’t see it in the cue to be published.

          7. The book has a 4.19 rating with 30,500 people rating it. JZ sniffs and says he’s ‘never heard of Keller’ as though it’s Keller’s fault for not having anything worthwhile to say.

  4. He say belief is getting stronger in the US then he says most are ambivalent.
    Okay …

    There are always personal reasons. Exactly. There is no logic to belief.
    He uses the same Madagascar argument as he did in the other video. And goes on about need as much faith in non belief.
    So, so far, same crap as the interview video.

    All the arguments that prove there is no god.
    What horseshit is that?
    No atheist that I am aware of this says this..

    There is no evidence to lead any rational person to beleive in your god.
    So, just more apologetic nonsense ….

    Then the evil argument. Yawn… let’s move on.

    45 mins he gets his arse handed to him by the first bloke and it goes downhill from there.

    and the 500 witness argument at the end? Oh well. ..

    So,why must we read the book?

    Reply

  6. I did some “stalking,” as this post recommended, even though I already follow Keller on both Twitter and Facebook…
    Was the name of his church always Redeemer Presbyterian? I thought it was Redeemer Lutheran, a few years ago?

    (Obviously, if he became a Calvinist, I can’t follow him anymore!!!!)

    (Note for those who seriously shun people based on the name of their church: that last part was a joke.)

    Reply

    1. Calvinist or not, Reason for God is a great book. I’d never heard any Calvinism coming from Keller.

      I did hear him talk about free will awhile back and that makes me suspicious about the charge of Calvinism…

      Reply

      1. I’ll hear anyone.
        Won’t shun based on differences.
        I’ve learned much from Tim.

        (And I certainly won’t shun based on ALLEGED differences from a hostile source.)

        Reply

        1. I’m making a prediction:

          Pastor Mike will provide nothing in support of his claim. Then tell me to have a nice day.

          ‘IF’ this proves to be wrong, I will write a full apology.

          Reply

          1. Well, as usual, I’m far more interested in truth and expanding my information base than they are. So I’ve been looking into it for a few minutes.

            There are lots of websites which categorize Keller as a NEW Calvinist, which is a reformed sort… Also, I guess the Gospel Coalition is related to New Calvinism, which is another site I’ve been following for a long time now…

            Whatever.

            Sometimes I agree with what they say, and sometimes I don’t. The point remains: I’m not going to castigate a guy and throw out all the solid, consistent things he has said, just because of the “group” he most closely identifies with.

          2. Calvinism has NOTHING to do with Reason for God. Beta-Mike’s accusation is his way of ‘contributing’ to the conversation without actually having anything to say.

          3. Meanwhile, maybe you should apologize…
            He said have a BALL. (Not have a nice day, as you predicted.)

            😀

            Start writing haikus with me!

            (You should say sorry.
            He told you to have a ball.
            Not have a nice day.)

          6. Predicting Beta’s comments doesn’t require psychic ability. Just an understanding of fundamentalists.

    2. He admits the ‘if’. He admits he can’t prove it.
      The entire book is called ‘Reason for God’. It’s written in support of the ‘If’ that Keller sets out at the beginning.

      Reply

  8. I initially thought he was quite a pleasant chap until I listened to the ”interview” video you posted on the previous post.

    I then had to adjust my initial take on him after the first two minutes of that interview.
    He is an ignorant, arrogant and indoctrinated arse.
    On a par with Craig, only Keller has a nicer speaking voice.

    I prefer my ”rockstars” with a little more integrity.

    Ark.

    Reply

    1. That’s certainly reasonable.
      The first two minutes of that interview convinced me that you are an ignorant, arrogant, indoctrinated sexual predator.

      Reply

      1. Sexual predator?

        You are becoming more sick with each passing comment.
        Maybe you only think you are a Christian whereas you actually come across as one who much have been snared by Satanism.

        You really do come across as mentally unbalanced, Branyan.

        Reply

        2. Yes, sexual predator. I base that on two minutes of interview from a YouTube video. If you weren’t so blindly indoctrinated, you’d admit that you see it too.

          Reply

          1. Shame Branyan, you are sounding like some petulant child whose favorite pop star was not automatically hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread by all and sundry.
            Dear me, are you going to sulk as well?
            Maybe you should send Tim some of your comedy videos and see if he laughs.

            Re: Keller’s video.
            I suppose I could have mentioned that I had watched the entire Keller video in an effort to dispel this initial impression. Unfortunately, after nearly an hour and a half ( yes I did skip a few places) the impression was only strengthened.
            Very much like my first impression of you,in actual fact, when I came across one of your comment threads on John Zs blog.
            And that impression has only degenerated further.

            I wonder why?

            One would think as a Sunbeam for Jesus you would have a little bit more …. I am not sure what the term is …
            Humilty?
            Basic intelligence?
            Maybe you truly are an agent for Satan and you don’t even realise it?
            Now wouldn’t that be ironic?
            It would certainly explain your general behavior.

            Ooh look …. heeeeere comes
            McMommy! Yay,
            The gang is almost all here. Oh goody.
            I wonder where your mate, Senor Dipshit is today?

          3. And just think … you might be a child of a Devil worshiper.

            Check for Satanic Symbols if I were you.
            Or if he listens to his Justin Bieber records backwards.

            *Shudders*

          5. Have you noticed that his responses to me are exactly the same regardless of how I address him? He doesn’t need me to comment at all!

          7. He doesn’t call me out for making baseless claims about him personally. Instead, he responds with ad hominem of his own. He doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on. He is, in a word, completely blind!

          8. Apparently he lives by himself, surrounded by water…

            (Or, maybe he just misspelled “aisle.” He’s usually a pretty good speller, isn’t he?)

          10. My first impression of you confirmed that you torture animals and delight in the suffering of children. Keller’s video confirmed that impression.
            The fact that you’re a serial rapist was made plain when I skipped through a Monty Python video.

          11. To be fair, Branyan, I only torture small animals, not the big ones.
            And if making my kids listen to Jimi Hendrix, Beethoven and Sinatra records when they were young is considered torturing children then , Guilty as Charged, Y’honour.

            I suppose to qualify as a child abuser I could force them to watch a few of your videos?
            Any particular one you would recommend?

            FTR: I stopped raping babies after I was cured of AIDS , thanks be to the gods – not your god of course -and my local Witchdoctor.

            She is a honey.

            So, I am curious, considering how upset you are today about me not liking Keller’s video, what impressed you the most with it?
            Was it the way he projected a warm feeling of respect he has for non-believers, his overall open mindedness or that his beliefs are completely in line with yours?

          12. I was impressed by how he outlined your murderous tendency and your hatred for homosexuals. He also proved beyond all doubt that nobody likes you.

          13. Not completely murderous. Maybe just a bit of GBH, but I feel sure he is mistaken about the murderous tendencies.

            Although …. after listening to some of your last podcast, and your attempt at imitating your missus, ( I am sure she doesn’t sound like that?) which simply come out as a bloody irritating whine to be honest, John, I have to be say that I was almost about to kill, somebody …. or maybe something?My laptop, probably.

            I did put my wife and my dogs in the boot of the car last week and when I opened it after two minutes the dogs were thrilled to see me and licked me like there was no tomorrow.
            My wife was not so pleased to see me, for some reason.
            So we can conclude that the boxers do like me.
            You probably don’t, but I will just have to live with that.
            Of course, even though you are a rather nasty sinner, I am sure Dead Jesus still loves you., JohnB, right?
            Or, failing that, Satan will, I’m sure

            Isn’t that nice?

          14. Keller also writes at the end of chapter 4 in Reason for God that your IQ is slightly lower than that of a Rain Spider.
            So it’s all there in black and white. Undeniable truth. That’s why I’m such a Tim Keller fan!

          15. Really?
            You managed to read up to chapter 4?
            I am impressed, Branyan.
            Did you do it without having to run your index finger under the words?

            That’s why I’m such a Tim Keller fan!

            Good heavens, and there was I thinking it was the naked pictures of Calvinists that had your palms all sweaty.
            And the half jack you had hidden in the cut out space after chapter 4, of course.

            Rain Spiders have a lot going for them. Seriously. They are amazing arachnids.
            Generally they are quite placid, providing you don’t piss them off too much of course. You should see how they fiercely protect their nests.
            Then you have to watch yourself. Those fangs! Wow!
            For all that, they are very welcome in my home.

          17. Really? Did I forget to mention they don’t allow their little ones to play with guns?
            Would you like to see some very interesting Rain Spider photos?
            Designed by your god, I beleive?

            Guaranteed you are not required to colour in anything.

          18. All the pictures you post are stolen from some other source. That’s easily proven with a Google search.

          19. Yes, I was surprised when I type the name of a particular arachnid or bee or hover fly, up pops a picture that looks exactly like one I photographed.
            In fact, if you type Taienops ( a species of hover fly your god made), almost all the current pictures are mine.
            Or at least they look like the ones I’ve stolen, of course.

            Frakking amazing eh?

          20. You didn’t photograph any of them.
            There is no evidence that you even own a camera.
            Getting caught in a bluff is embarrassing, huh?

          21. Absolutely!
            Do you recommend I confess my sins?
            What type of confession do you think works best, Branyan?
            You mentioned that you had problems with sex, drugs and booze at one time, if memory serves, and Jesus saved you. Although you didn’t actually what he saved you from?
            A liver transplant perhaps?
            However, if you could offer some tips re: the Best Confessional, I would be obliged. One that works of preferably.
            Of course it must be difficult for you not knowing for sure that you are not on bending knees getting shafted by Satan rather than the Lake Tiberius Pedestrian.
            Pays y’money takes your chances right?

  9. Sorry, Keller is a Calvinist. The majority of the church will not agree with his take of god and doctrine of election. That’s why most of the Christians and almost all non Christians have never heard of him.

    Reply

          3. I don’t know anything about Keller’s Calvinist leanings. How did you come to the conclusion that he’s a Calvinist?

          5. I admitted that.
            And you obviously DO know Keller.
            Are you going to provide some indication of Keller’s Calvinism or am I just supposed to take your word for it?

          7. Do you EVER say anything true, Pastor Mike?
            Ever??!!
            I don’t recall a single fact ever being written by you.

          10. My Jedi Mind tricks work perfectly on you.
            I predicted this event precisely.

            Hope your day is full of uncomfortable introspection and despair.

          11. Oh no.. I’m pretty happy most times and introspection doesn’t always lead to dispair, comfortable or not… with me, it usually leads to Repair.

          12. You’ve jumped from one form of fundamentalism to another. You’re still a know it all.

            So again, I hope you have a miserable day contemplating your internal turmoil. It will be good for you!

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