The ‘Challies Who?’ Ballyhoo!
Jan 8th, 2008 by davidmw
Chances are, if you do much poking around on the Internet pertaining to Christianity, you’ve heard of Tim Challies. If not, he’s first on my blogroll and always has been. I say that because chances are he does not even know I’m alive and if my readership ever reached a regular double digit (without my Mum logging on from every PC she could lay her hands on…) I’d consider myself popular. Which is to say having him on my blogroll is about as close to blog-success as I will ever get!
The Internet Monk writes an insightful (i.e., I agree completely and wish I had said it as well in my remarks in the threads) post about the bewildering attack that surfaced against Tim in particular, and laity in general, to mark the occasion of his first book being finally available for purchase.
Among the factors mentioned by critics were “age” and “maturity.” Like….hmmm…..David Brainerd? Spurgeon at New Park Street at 20? Josh Harris? If Challies was too immature, etc. to say anything worthwhile….how did he earn his audience? He’s not exactly running pictures of girls in swimsuits over there.
Mike (and he probably hates being called that, but I don’t know him any better than I do Challies) is a great writer; so watch for Michael Spencer at a B&N near you. Naturally, he will be viperously attacked as soon as he goes near the place.
Mike H. and I disagree about the importance of education in the life of the Christian. Reading the ungracious and, frankly, un-Christian attacks on Tim makes me almost agree with him.
Jeepers, and a new blog skin too!
Let’s not be confused about me saying that Christians shouldn’t be educated, but I don’t feel that someone needs a seminary degree to teach. In fact, an older lady in my church I grew up with knew the Bible more than anyone else I have ever met and she didn’t have an eighth grade education — but she read the entire Bible every year.
So go, Challies! I hope your book does well . .
Hey Mike
Yeah, I guess I might have stated that with more clarity but I agree that as you state it above is where we tend to diverge. And as I’ve usually replied - you can teach well without a degree but often you can teach better with one!
Hey - is that a spot I can see on your dishes?
http://mike.hostetlerhome.com/2008/01/02/another-kenmore-elite-dishwasher-follow-up/
It’s a strange phenomenon that I can share my wisdom on technology or talk about my faith and family, but most people come to my blog to read about my dishwasher. And it’s a great dishwasher, it really is but I think I have more to offer.
You can’t read Challies without realizing that he has the gift for teaching and writing. So let him! But, hey, I’m preaching to the choir.
I know it. By far and away the most frequent google search that brings folks here is for ‘broken hearts’ and the story about Gunner’s broken toes, naturally I guess, is three or four times more read than any other.
I think it speaks to there being a lot of hurting people out there. I wish I could track them individually and share with them the true Healer of Hearts.