Bible Geek Gone Wild

Book reviews and other tidbits from Shaun Tabatt (AKA aspiring Bible scholar, Christian home educator, & all around nice guy).

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21

Jan

Biblio-Blogger of the Week: Jason Skipper

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers, Interview

Once again, it is time for another installment of Bible Geek Gone Wild’s Biblio-Blogger of the week.  This time around our lucky victim volunteer is none other than Jason Skipper.  If you’re not yet familiar with Jason’s pastoral musings, be sure to subscribe to his RSS feed at pastoralmusings.com and follow him on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/pastoralmusings.  Many thanks to Jason for his willingness to participate in this interview.  I’m always blessed to learn more about the Biblio-Bloggers I encounter on the web and I’m sure you will be too.  ;)

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

  • Pastoral Musings @ pastoralmusings.com.  I chose that because I’m a pastor and I originally intended to record my simple thoughts on the blog.  Over the last few months I’ve also been invited to contribute to the King James Only Debate Blog @ kjvodebate.wordpress.com and have begun another team blog called Fundamentally Changed @ fundamentallychanged.wordpress.com.

2. How’d you get into blogging?

  • I saw that others were doing it, thought I might have something to say occasionally that might encourage someone, and it has gone from there.

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

  • A good Christian, father, and pastor.

4. Do you have a family?

  • Yes.  I have a wife, Tonya, to whom I have been married for eighteen years, and two precious children who we were blessed to adopt, and were blessed that we could adopt siblings.  They are Titus Luke (3) and Abigail Ruth (4).

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

  • No answer.

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

  • The Pleasures of God and Desiring God by John Piper.   In addition, I would add Portraits of God by Coppedge.

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

  • Doxology.

8. What’s your favorite Bible translation?

  • I grew up KJV only.  I still love and use the KJV primarily.  I have recently come to love, appreciate, and enjoy the ESV.

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

  • A great mixture. Some country, bluegrass, Casting Crowns, Kingdom Heirs, John Piper, John MacArthur, Mark Driscoll, and some courses from Covenant Seminary.

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

  • I have only fifteen hours of any kind of formal education after high school.  I strive hard to read and learn. I read widely, and I read seriously.

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

  • I am shepherd/pastor to two small country churches, preach six times weekly, and love it.

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

  • I am deeply interested in the Genesis debate.  If I were to write, however, I would write some simple doctrinal studies in a systematic form for the churches and preachers in the circles where I minister.  There is a great need to move beyond some of the more extreme fundamentalist attitudes that I see in my particular area and I would love to be able to help folks do that.  Of course, I am deeply interested in the KJVO debate as well as historic fundamentalism and have begun blogging about that.  Apologetics is also something that interests me and I find myself reading about quite often.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers, Interviews

7 comments

1

Dec

Biblio-Blogger of the Week: Jeff (AKA Scripture Zealot)

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

JeffMany thanks to Jeff who blogs over at www.scripturezealot.com for agreeing to be featured as this week’s Biblio-Blogger of the Week.  I’ve been following Jeff’s blog for more than a year now and I’ve come to value his insights.  Be sure to add his site to your feed reader and please take a few minutes to read this brief interview below, so you can get to know Jeff a little better.

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

The name of my blog is Scripture Zealot at www.scripturezealot.com. Romans 12:11 says to never be lacking in zeal. Over the last few years my zeal for getting to know God through Scripture has increased exponentially so I came up with the name with those ideas in mind. I love reading the Bible and reading about the Bible. There’s so much I want to learn and learning through reading is worship for me.

2. How’d you get into blogging?

I spent a lot of time on the Internet and not much time at all reading Christian related material which wasn’t right so I started looking around. I found a Christian message board or two but was dissatisfied. Then I found various Christian blogs and found what I was looking for. When I started reading commentaries I decided to start my own blog so I could write about what I’m learning, have a place to collect quotes and links and hopefully lead people to some good resources I come across.

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

A wise old man who isn’t wise in his own eyes.

4. Do you have a family?

I’m happily married and we have two very lucky cats.

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

It’s definitely a hobby for me but I’d call it more than a hobby. I was born in 1964 and didn’t start really getting serious about studying the Bible until a few years ago even though I’ve been a Christian for 25 years and have always been very serious about my relationship with God. My interest in finding refuge in God has increased as chronic suffering has gotten much worse from various conditions.

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

I can’t say I have a favorite. I haven’t read more than two or three books of any one author. Some of my favorites are A.W. Tozer, Gordon Fee, J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul and D.A. Carson. The latter may become my favorite. I’m reading his commentary on John right now, I’ve read two of his books, A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers and Exegetical Fallacies along with some papers and articles and I have two of his books on my list–How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World: An Exposition of Matthew5-10.

One fairly unknown book I would recommend is The Lord by Romano Guardini. He was a Catholic scholar and the book goes through who Christ is from the beginning to the new heavens and the new earth. Other than some things about Mary the mother of Jesus and John the Baptist that I don’t agree with it’s a great book.

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

They would simply be Jesus, Prayer, Suffering and God’s Sovereignty/Providence. The latter two overlap quite a bit of course.

8. What’s your favorite Bible translation?

The HCSB because of its use of traditional theological terms but less archaic language than many others. The NLT comes in a close second even though it’s very different. The NRSV was my primary translation for three years until earlier this year and the NIV was my main translation for about 20 years before that.

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

Mostly orchestral music from the Romantic period and electronic music–both ambient for sleep and some with beats–along with a bit of big band and New Flamenco. I like music without vocals so I can read or sleep while listening.

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

I had a full music scholarship to a major university but couldn’t keep up the required grade point average and then dropped out. I don’t have fond memories of that.

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

I brew my own beer along with a friend. With my bad back and chronic fatigue there’s no way I could do it by myself. I can’t say I enjoy the process but it’s nice to brew beer where you make up your own recipe and drink high quality beer at a lower cost. I don’t drink very much of course so we only brew a few times a year between the two of us and give some away. I also roast my own coffee. (I have too many hobbies) even though ironically I can’t handle very much caffeine. My afternoon cup along with reviewing memorized Scripture is a nice time of the day. The flavors that God put in those things are amazing.

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

In 2010 I’m going to start educating myself more on the Old Testament. We’re studying Ecclesiastes in our small group Bible study right now. I love that book.

I can’t get enough of the Sermon on the Mount. We studied that in our small group Bible study and want to keep studying that. I read D. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ exposition of it which was great, Stott’s which was kind of like cliff notes for the former and a little one by Oswald Chambers in addition to France’s commentary on Matthew and other bits and pieces here and there. I mentioned that I’d like to get Carson’s book on it and may look for others. I’m familiar with Betz but it’s very expensive.

I want to study Colossians as in-depth as I can and possibly write a Bible study for use in small groups. I love Colossians.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

14 comments

19

Nov

Lining up Biblio-Blogger of the Week Interviews for December

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

I’m working on lining up three or four new Biblio-Blogger of the Week interviews for December.  You can read the previous Biblio-Blogger of the Week interviews here:  LINK.  If you’re a Biblio-Blogger and you’d like to be interviewed, please drop me a note through my contact page.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

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13

Sep

Biblio-Blogger of the Week – Shaun Tabatt

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

A long time ago, a dear friend of mine told me to never ask others to do something that I wasn’t willing to do myself.  I figured I’d take his advice to heart and interview myself as the latest Biblio-Blogger of the week.  Happy reading!

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

The name of my blog is Bible Geek Gone Wild.  I chose the name for several reasons.  I wanted to use the word geek, because I’m a long-term computer geek and also consider myself a geek when it comes to Biblical & theological studies.  I enjoy talking at length about subjects that bore many of my family and friends to tears.  For me, writing in a blog felt like “going wild” at the time as I’ve historically been an introvert.  Although if you met me today, you’d never think I was all that introverted.  Originally my blog was hosted at www.shauntabatt.com.  The old blog is still there.  Eventually this url will be transitioned to a web site for Shaun Tabatt, hopeful author.  A few months ago, I moved the blog over to wordpress and a new url:  www.biblegeekgonewild.com.

2.  How’d you get into blogging?

Peter Edstrom, who is my best friend and long-time Mac evangelist had been pestering me for quite awhile to check out google reader and get into blogging.  Getting started was a little slow and there was period of nearly a year that my blog was dormant.  However, I got back into it about 2 years ago and have been going strong ever since.  Be sure to check out Peter’s blog:  Project Oriel.

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

That’s kind of a funny question for me.  Ever since my early days in college, I’ve had aspirations of being a professor at a college or seminary & an author.  Professionally, I’ve been working in information technology most of my adult life.  To be honest, I’ve been very successful in the information technology field.  I currently work as a Customer Support Manager for a software company in Minnesota.  No matter how successful I’ve been in IT, I still can’t kick the sense of calling and purpose I feel towards Biblical & theological studies.  For the time being, I’m an IT guy by day and a fledgling Bible scholar by night.

4.  Do you have a family?

I have a great family.  My wife & I have been married for nearly 11 years.  We now have 5 children and as young as we are, I imagine there will be a few more in our future.  I grew up as an only child, so my life as a father of 5 has been very educational.

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

Can I answer, “All of the above.”?  My love for Biblical & theological studies is a big part of who I am and spills over into pretty much all other areas of my life, so I’ll stick with my original answer.

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

Paul L. Maier – A Skeleton in God’s Closet, Pontius Pilate, More Than a Skeleton.

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

I tend to be more of an Old Testament guy.  I’m fascinated with the tabernacle, especially with the ark of the covenant.  A few other topics of interest are the indwelling of the spirit and the ascension of a physical body.

8.  What’s your favorite Bible translation?

My favorite English translation is the ESV.  I do enjoy the NLT as my favorite dynamic equivalence.  I’m trying more and more to do more of my work and study in the original languages.

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

There are number of things on my ipod right now.  1.  Confessions of Saint Augustine, 2.  The Blood by Kevin Max, 3.  A few sermons by Mark Driscoll, 4.  Modern Heart Exhibit by Ill Harmonics.

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

It could be easier to tell you where I didn’t go to school.  You might call me an itinerant student.  My bachelor’s degree (Management & Network Administration plus a 2nd major in Christian studies) is from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN.  I also attended Conconrdia University & Bethel University in MN before finishing up at Crown College.  I spent a little bit of time in the Biblical Exegesis program at Wheaton College Graduate School.  I’m currently working on my master’s degree in the virtual program offered through Reformed Theological Seminary.

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

I’m guessing that most of my readers didn’t know I had 5 children.  I love coffee.  Also, I’ve been a hardcore PC guy my entire life, but through Peter’s evangelism I’m ready to replace my trusty Dell with a macbook as the budget allows sometime in the next year or two.

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

I’ve been working on quite a few ideas and outlines during the past few months.  I’d like to start some writing projects on scribal practices & scriptoriums, physical ascension, & the call to “be fruitful & multiply”.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

8 comments

28

Aug

Biblio-Blogger of the Week – Mark Warnock

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

Many of you may not immediately recognize Mark’s name, but I’m willing to bet many of you are familiar with his great site:  www.seminarysurvivalguide.com.  Be sure to pay Mark’s site a visit and add it to your feed reader.  Mark offers a lot of practical advice for current and aspiring seminarians.  Mark, thanks again for your willingness to be the latest Biblio-Blogger of the week!

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

I was prodded to start Seminary Survival Guide.com because of the really terrible attrition rate both in seminary and in ministry. Only ten percent of those who begin a ministry career stay in it until retirement, and about half of the students who start seminary fail to finish. Some of this is a natural weeding-out process, but many times I’ve seen the dropout come because of unwise living.

My church has several seminary students studying now. I love those guys very much, and I want them to succeed.

Seminary’s important; it gives you necessary skills, and prepares you to think well, but it can’t fully prepare you for on-the-ground reality in the church. If seminary is boot camp, then church is the front line. Seminary Survival Guide is there to share practical wisdom from the trenches of ministry, in hopes that wisdom will protect and encourage you.

The gospel of Christ is the hope of the world. The church is the steward and bearer of the gospel. Pastors who lead the church are therefore the most critically important leaders in the world today. Seminary Survival Guide is my small contribution toward helping these leaders to start well.

So far, the feedback I’ve gotten has been very encouraging.

How’d you get into blogging?

Randy Elrod is an uberblogger, and the convener of the re:create conference, which I attend each year. He’s called “The Blogfather” because of all the people he’s gotten to start blogging. So while I never had a conversation with him about it, it was his enthusiasm and influence that got me first into my personal blog, and then to do Seminary Survival Guide. The power of blogging still amazes me. I’ve had visitors to my blogs from all over the world.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A professor. I love teaching, can’t get enough of it. Philosophy, apologetics, history, humanities, theology, literature….. In 2002, I had an opportunity to start a Ph.D. in philosophy at Marquette, but it was clear to me that it wasn’t God’s time for it, so I set that aside for a while. I keep wondering if the Lord will allow me to come back to that, but I know I’m where I’m supposed to be right now.

Do you have a family?


I am single, and really enjoy it. My parents, sister and brother-in-law live in Florida, and I try to see them whenever I can. I have brilliant, beautiful twin nieces who are twelve and a very smart three year old nephew.

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


I’d have to say neither. It’s a career, yes, but also a life. Vocationally, I’m a worship pastor, but I’ve gotten to do a lot of teaching and preaching here, too. I’m particularly passionate about seeing the Bible lived and not just studied. I lead a men’s Bible study group on Monday nights, and I’ve watched those guys really be transformed by their obedience to Christ. (Four of us went on mission to China this past spring.) Also, theological issues come up from time to time. Right now we have a couple of guys in our church who are seriously questioning the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, so I get to meet with them and talk through the whole counsel of scripture on the subject. It’s all part of the life leading the church.

Who’s your favorite author?  Recommended books?

Hard question. Here’s a short list:

  • William Shakespeare. Othello is my favorite.
  • C. S. Lewis. It’s a tie between Surprised by Joy and The Abolition of Man.
  • I was a Tolkien fan before it was cool. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings over twenty times, and still find it very instructive on human nature, and character-driven leadership.
  • I’m a huge fan of Winston Churchill, and love reading things by and about him.

For ministry: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders is a must-read.

You didn’t ask about my favorite films, but unquestionably, the best movie of all time is Braveheart.

What’s your favorite theological subject / topic?

I’d have to say soteriology, especially justification, adoption, and sanctification. I’ve become very interested in how fully embracing our new identity in Christ becomes a powerful force for sanctification. You can hear a sermon I preached on it here.

On the other end, I am utterly uninterested in eschatology.

What’s your favorite Bible translation?

I use NIV most of the time, much to the dismay of the growing hordes of ESV snobs I keep running into. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s a decent standard translation. We preach from it at my church, mainly because of its accessibility (8th grade reading level). For study I like NASB and ESV.

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

Mostly worship music. I run to a high-tempo mix of Hillsongs, Passion and Lincoln Brewster. I also listen to Ravi Zacharias’s radio show via podcast.

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

I got a Bachelor of Music Education at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida (Go Noles), and earned a M.Div. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. I also studied philosophy (non-degree) at University of Illinois-Chicago for a year.

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

All my friends know I’m a pianist, but SSG readers might not. I have recorded two albums, both with singer friends of mine. I recorded a Christmas album with my friend LeAnna Grooms, who tragically died of cancer two years later at the age of 32. In 2002, I gave a benefit concert for a local homeless shelter with my friend Chris Terry, who has just an awesome voice. We recorded it, and it made for a pretty nice CD.

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

My main writing focus right now is to work on Seminary Survival Guide. There are still entire topic areas I haven’t gotten around to addressing. I have a lot to say about emotional health for leaders and churches. I don’t get to write as much as I need or want to, because life in a healthy church keeps you pretty busy. I have four very major projects I have to lead here before the end of the year. I have to practice what I preach, which means sometimes the writing gets put on hold.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

1 comment

22

Aug

Biblio-Blogger of the Week – Bob Hayton

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

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.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

4 comments

14

Aug

Biblio-Blogger of the Week – W. Ryan Burns

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

Thanks to W. Ryan Burns for agreeing to be our latest Biblio-Blogger of the week.  If you’ve been thinking about going to seminary, you may already know who Ryan is through his very popular website at GoingToSeminary.com.  I found this site very helpful as I was deciding whether or not to start the Virtual program at RTS.  Ryan is a fellow who is near and dear to my own heart.  He’s both a web developer and full-time seminary student at RTS Orlando.  There just seems to be something about us technical folk loving Jesus and wanting to go to seminary.

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

Going to Seminary (www.goingtoseminary.com) – I chose the name because that’s what I was (am) doing.  When I was trying to decide if I could actually make it in seminary as a husband and father of two I didn’t find much help online.  I decided that I’d blog my way through seminary so that the next time someone googled “family going to seminary” they’d find something that might actually help them.  Also, I recently launched a new site/bog called Best Bible (http://www.Best-Bible.org).  The site is designed to help answer basic questions about bible translations and bible resources.  I am also running a blog on the site that will cover bible news.

2.  How’d you get into blogging?

I can’t really remember… I know it was January 2005 (my original blogger blog is still floating around out there… and no, Im not giving you the URL), but I can’t remember what got me stated to begin with.  However, once I started I’ve never stopped.

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

Primary – A good husband and father.
Secondary – A good friend and pastor.
Tertiary – A good photographer and pro-blogger… oh, and I want to fly a plane.

4.  Do you have a family?

I got married in November of 2000 to Jennifer.  We have two children, Asher Charles (2005) and Grace (2006).  Grace has no middle name because grace is sufficient.  Should the Lord bless us with another son, his name is predestined to be Calvin.

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

Neither.  I’d say it is a response.  God has created and saved me.  My worship and response is to seek to know him and make him known.

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

Alive – John Piper (Supremacy of God in Preaching, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ)
Dead – John Calvin (Everything)

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

The Gospel

8.  What’s your favorite Bible translation?

ESV ( I use the Pew Edition)

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

I’m SO uncool when it comes to music…
- Choir Of King’s College – Various Hymns
- Recording of a Waterfall – (I work in my house, so that white noise helps block out the screaming children)
- Stavesacre
- Various Blues

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

Georgia Southern University (Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, AKA – BS in BS)
Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando (Currently MDiv Student)

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

I love rock climbing and am afraid of heights.

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

I’ve been working on a eBook about going to seminary… but it is slow going.  I actually have a 3 part series of eBooks on the topic planned… but only the Lord knows if I’ll ever get around to finishing them.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

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5

Aug

Biblio-Blogger of the Week – Nick Norelli

Posted by Shaun Tabatt  Published in Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers

When Nick received the e-mail asking him to be my very first victim interviewee for Biblio-Blogger of the Week, I’m sure he realized that he has finally reached the pinnacle of blogging success.  While I can’t promise immediate fortune and fame following this interview, I can offer my sincerest thanks for taking the time to complete the interview.

1.  What is the name & URL of your blog?  Why’d you choose that?
The name of my blog is Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (http://rdtwot.wordpress.com).  I chose this name because it was what I called my old AOL homepage.  When I originally got into studying the Bible, 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) had a great impact on me.
2.  How’d you get into blogging?
I was debating a young man by the name of Moses Flores on the topic of Total Depravity and I noticed that he had a blogspot blog, so I read a few of his posts and thought that it would be something I’d like to try.
3.  What do you want to be when you grow up?
As I say in my blogger profile (http://www.blogger.com/profile/12476840322475063434), I have delusions of grandeur of becoming a NT scholar one of these days, but I’m a realist and I know that probably will not happen.
4.  Do you have a family?
I do.  I have a wonderful six-year-old daughter named Deanna.
5.  Is Bibilical & Theological studies a hobby or a career aspiration?
It’s more than a hobby because it helps me fulfill my vocation as a teacher in my local church, but I doubt that it will ever turn into a career.  Although I do have goals to write some books and get them published.
6.  Who’s your favorite author?  Recommended books?
That’s a tough one.  My two favorite books were written by Robert Letham and Larry Hurtado respectively and I really enjoy the way that both of them write.  But I own quite a few books written/edited by both Richard Bauckham and Darrell L. Bock respectively, and I really enjoy the way that they write.  So I said all that to say that it’s a toss-up between the writer of Mark’s Gospel or the writer of John’s Gospel. ;-)   Oh, and for recommended reading check out my book reviews (http://rdtwot.wordpress.com/books-received-reviewed/)
7.  What’s your favorite theological subject / topic?
The doctrine of the Trinity with an emphasis on 3rd-5th century Patristic trinitarianism.
8.  What’s your favorite Bible translation?
The King James Version is the old standard.  It’s what we use in my church and it’s what my pastor preaches from.  I think it *sounds* better than any other translation when read aloud, although I recognize that there’s better translations out there.  I owe a great debt to the NIV though because it’s the Bible I started on, and as of right now I’ve been reading the NLT because as you know I’m reviewing it for Tyndale House.
9.  What’s in your CD and/or MP3 player right now?
I’m probably the only guy under thirty-years of age who doesn’t own an MP3 player, but in my car’s CD player I have a mix that has a bunch of great songs from the 80s (e.g., “Enjoy the Silence” – Depeche Mode; “Sweet Dreams” – The Eurythmics; “Tainted Love” - Soft Cell).
10. Where did you go to school?  (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)
Well, I actually dropped out of high school in 1997 and went to work full time.  Eventually at the nagging of my mother I got my diploma (an actual diploma, not a G.E.D., although there’s nothing wrong with that) from the Hamilton Township Board of Education.  I have unrealized dreams of college and grad school.  We’ll see where the Lord leads.
11. What is something interesting that most of your readers don’t know about you?
Hmm… I’m pretty much an open book (and an uninteresting fellow at that).  Some readers might not know that I used to rap and was pursuing a record deal before I came to faith in Christ.  We were actually talking to Universal Records but nothing ever came from it.  Most folks might not know that I cooked in various restaurants for a living and that I love to cook, although I’m quite the picky eater.
12. What are some research / writing projects you’re interested in pursuing?
I’ll continue researching the doctrine of the Trinity and all that comes along with it.  I’d like to refine the book that I started writing on the subject, which was basically an apologetic defense of the doctrine.  I’d also like to produce material that can be used to teach the doctrine of the Trinity to lay-audiences in local church settings.  Other research interests are Christology (but that’s pretty much wrapped up in the Trinity); Church History (1st-5th centuries); and Patristic theology/exegesis.

Stay tuned for next week’s Biblio-Blogger of the week:  W. Ryan Burns of GoingToSeminary.COM.

Tags: Biblio-Blogger of the Week, Bibliobloggers, Nick Norelli

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