“…they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”
Christ the Lord is Risen Today: Like tens of thousands of other churches, this year Christ Church’s service was online. I want to pass along this remarkable video of Christ Church musicians performing Christ the Lord is Risen Today. It was (is) remarkable.
Will COVID lead to Revival? In this Newsweek article, Southern California pastor Greg Laurie notes the spike in spiritual interest since COVID settled in. Some are suggesting the virus may spark revival. We can (should) pray to that end, but the study of revivals suggests they are preceded by two things: 1) prayer; and 2) repentance. At the moment, I see growing prayer but not much repentance.
Yet Another Correction: Last week I noted that Good Friday is only called Good Friday in the US. I went on to say that in other countries they refer to it in more somber terms. Well, apparently there are a few smaller countries – such as Denmark and China – where Good Friday is also called Good Friday. I am rethinking how I feel about this letter having international readers.
Locust: While most of the world is focused on COVID, other stories go under-reported. One such story is the way locusts are ravaging Africa. A second wave of “billions” of locusts is threatening food supplies for millions of East Africans.
Happiness: If you, like me, are a fan of Arthur C. Brooks – the former president of the American Enterprise Institute and now a faculty member at Harvard – you may have already read his recent Atlantic piece on Happiness. For what it’s worth, Brooks – who says, “I practice the Catholic faith and am happy to recommend it to anyone” – doesn’t go as far as I think he should on some points, but I think his piece is worth reading. And it is worth noting that in Christ we can know joy even in the midst of global disruption.
Living and Leading in an Anxious Age: This week I had a chance to interview Dr. Nii Addy, a Yale medical school professor who is involved in research around topics of anxiety, addictions and depression. Dr. Addy approaches these topics as a neuroscientist, but also as a person of faith. The interview is here.
Keller at Google: Over ten years ago, Tim Keller gave a talk at Google on his book, the Reason for God. You can watch that video here or look at detailed notes here.