Biblio-Blogger of the Week – Bob Hayton

Welcome to the latest installment of Biblio-Blogger of the Week.  This week I’m interviewing somebody I’ve actually met in person.  The last two interviews were with folks that I’ve only met via the web, so this is a nice change.  This week’s Biblio-Blogger of the week is none other than Bob Hayton.  I’ve seen Bob around church on and off during the past year, but never had a conversation with him.  Our paths crossed at a church picnic a few weeks ago.  It turns out we have a number of things in common.  I’m looking forward to getting to know Bob better and have had fun doing it through this interview process.  Once again Bob, thanks for your willingness to be featured as a Biblio-Blogger of the week!

1.  What is the name & URL of your blog?  Why’d you choose that?

My blog is named Fundamentally Reformed (http://fundyreformed.wordpress.com).  It has a double meaning, I used to be an independent fundamental Baptist (IFB), but I’ve since embraced Reformed theology (while abandoning many of my former legalistic tendencies and super strict positions).  I detail “my story” of coming out of strict fundamentalism on my blog.

2.  How’d you get into blogging?

I was introduced to blogging by none other than Justin Taylor (of Between Two Worlds).  He was an intern and then an assistant for my current pastor (John Piper).  I sat in a Bible institute class taught by Justin, where he gave us his blog url (http://theologica.blogspot.com/).  I checked out his blog, and fell in love with the concept of blogging.  That would have been the summer of 2005.  My aim in blogging (I started in October 2005) was to provide help for others going through the same struggle I went through.  When you start owning up to the errors of your theological system, the going gets pretty tough and lonely.  I had looked for help online, and didn’t find much out there.  So I determined to share my story, and thereby help anyone else in a similar situation.

3.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

Yea, I probably haven’t grown up yet!  Seriously, though, I really hope one day to become a pastor, and shepherd a church.  I see so many bad churches, and there is such potential in today’s world for what one solidly Biblical church can do.  To become a pastor, given my current situation, will take a while.  We’re paying off debts, raising four girls, and becoming adjusted to our life within conservative evangelicalism (which is much different in many respects from our fundamentalist past).

4.  Do you have a family?

I have a lovely wife Carolyn (we’ve been married for 6 years now), and four daughters: Emily Grace (5, and starting kindergarten next month), Megan Faith (3 and a half), Amber Joy (2 and a half), and Rachel Charity (10 months).  They keep us quite busy!

5.  Is Biblical & Theological studies a hobby or a career aspiration?

I enjoy Biblical and Theological pursuits, but they are more than a mere hobby.  They impact my Christian life and help me lead a small group, and serve in my church.  Ultimately they will be needed in my career should God be pleased to find me faithful and put me in the ministry.

6.  Who’s your favorite author?  Recommended books?

I enjoy a variety of books.  I love everything to do with books.  Sometimes I don’t finish the ones I start reading however….

J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) is a favorite of mine.  I also enjoy Stephen R. Lawhead’s (Celtic Crusades, Pendragon Cycle, Paradise War Trilogy, Byzantium) Christian historical and fantasy writing.  I can’t forget C.S. Lewis (the Narniad / Space trilogy) either.

I like anything by John Piper (Don’t Waste Your Life, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, his biographies and devotionals, The Dangerous Duty of Delight, What Jesus Demands from the World) but I haven’t finished as many of his as I should.

Sam Storms (Convergence: Spiritual Journeys of a Charismatic Calvinist / Chosen for Life) and C.J. Mahaney (Sex, Romance and the Glory of God / The Cross-Centered Life / Humility, True Greatness) are also favorite authors of mine.  I also highly recommend Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology and The New Dicitonary of Biblical Theology (InterVarsity).

7.  What’s your favorite theological subject / topic?

Biblical theology and Redemptive-historical hermeneutics have been my favorite topics of late.  Seeing Christ as central to all of Scripture is so wonderful, and important.  I now own works by Graeme Goldsworthy, O. Palmer Robertson, and Edmund Clowney, and am working my way through them.  This topic has led to my abandoning dispensationalism for Covenant Theology, but it encompasses more than just a denial of dispensationalism.  Seeing how the Bible fits together to tell one overarching Redemptive story, helps one see how everything fits together.  Jonathan Edwards reflects this line of thinking in his excellent “The History of Redemption”.

8.  What’s your favorite Bible translation?

I prefer the ESV, although I like to reference the NASB and even the NET Bible.  I’m not ESV only, or anything.  I respect the NIV and am helped in study by the NLT, for instance.

9.  What’s in your CD and/or MP3 player right now?

Well, I’m another guy who’s less than 30 years old and has no MP3 player.  I’m too cheap!  I do get lots of free CDs through my music club though.  I’ve been enjoying Stephen Curtis Chapman’s This Moment, Steve Green’s Always: Songs of Worship.  If someone wanted to give me Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door, I’d be thrilled.  I try to explore other music styles as well (even non-Christian music).  But considering my roots, I’ve come along way .

10. Where did you go to school?  (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)

Fairhaven Baptist College (B.A. in Pastoral Theology with Greek emphasis)
Fairhaven Baptist Seminary (M.A. in Bible with language emphasis)

This school is located in Chesterton, IN and is a small independent Baptist school (unaccredited).  So I have degrees, but I’m not always sure how much they’re worth!

11. What is something interesting that most of your readers don’t know about you?

I spent a year of my life in Africa.  My parents are missionaries and I spent my senior year with them in Livingstone, Zambia.  It was a wonderful time, and a life changing experience.

12. What are some research / writing projects you’re interested in pursuing?

Well, I am trying to organize my blog better.  I have lots of plans for it.  I also am working on a site dedicated to the King James Version Only controversy (http://www.freewebs.com/kjvonlyresearch/).  I have some more articles to write for it.  I’d like to write a booklet on that issue one day, maybe even something on my exodus from strict fundamentalism.  I’m not sure if other writing is in store for me or not.