Two news items that caught my attention this past Thanksgiving season are the new federal law in Australia forbidding youth under sixteen from having access to social media and the new book by humanist chaplain at MIT Greg Epstein who argues that “technology has become religion.”

Fifty-two weeks ago I tore out a page from my church bulletin and put it in my Bible.

When David Hansen’s thoughtful volume on pastoral ministry came out in 1994, my wife, Nancy, read it and said it should be required reading for every pastor.

I genuinely love to attend worship. In my position at Gordon-Conwell I have the opportunity to attend many types of Christian worship services.

I had prayed in the morning (with two friends) that God would open a space and time for me to share the gospel with someone as I traveled.

“Hey, can I sit down here for a few moments?”

Now I am a seminary president and, oddly enough, I also need to get ready for a new school year . . . How?

Recently we lost a longtime friend and supporter of the seminary, former chair of the board of trustees, Dr. Bill Wood. In addition, our faculty member Dr. Gwenfair Adams just lost her mother. These deaths both occurred in the past week. So my thoughts have turned to reflect upon sobering transitions and the place of death in our lives.

History is very important. One of the ways Christian history is important is that the more we read the more we discover the core, foundation, and lifeblood of the Christian life.

History is very important. One of the ways Christian history is important is that the more we read the more we discover the core, foundation, and lifeblood of the Christian life.