One Little Word Newsletter - May 2, 2022
A final Nashville bonfire, discussing 2022 midterms, a tribute to Senator Hatch, and Elon Musk buying Twitter
Well, it’s been an eventful week. We are savoring (including a final bonfire with friends) our last few weeks here in Nashville before we pack up a moving truck and head to Fort Worth. I managed to wrap up a book manuscript that I turned into Zondervan. Look for that next year, a book on Christian unity in an age of division. I also watched both NBA playoffs and the NFL draft. I even managed to write a newsletter on leadership lessons we might glean from this annual sports rite of passage. On Saturday I spoke at my friend Erik Reed’s church in Lebanon, TN.
If you’re interested in keeping up with the work we’re doing over at The Land Center, here’s an article I wrote about what we envision. My latest World article comes after a conversation with a friend who works in a corporate environment and is feeling all sorts of pressures. I urged pastors to help guide their church members to know how and when to resist affirming ideas that conflict with their faith.
If you are curious about the upcoming midterms, you might be interested in this conversation I had with journalist Josh Kraushaar about the 2022 midterms, early 2024, presidential polling numbers, and the absurdity of remote baseball broadcasts. You can listen below:
I’ve regularly have folks ask me how to get op-eds published in newspapers and news magazines. So I invited my friend Erika Anderson, who was written for places like The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and other places. She is also a fellow World columnist. Her latest piece defends the desire for Christian parents to protect their children from harmful ideas. You can hear that conversation below:
Here are a few good reads from this week:
Senator Orrin G. Hatch recently passed away. National Review’s Jay Nordlinger had a touching tribute to this iconic Senator from Utah. And while we are on the subject of tributes, Dr. Richard Land’s tribute to the late Secretary of State Madeline Albright is worth reading. He was one of the distinguished guests invited.
I loved reading this tribute to Bill Kynes, a long-time faithful pastor in northern Virginia, from The Gospel Coalition.
I’ve started reading, more frequently, offerings from Front Porch Republic. I enjoyed this reflection by Grayson P. Walker, who does an excellent job of reminding Christians of our calling even in such confusing times:
“While God’s mission in the world is global in scope, it is usually accomplished and lived out in ordinary and local ways—among the people and places we know best.”
That’s so good.
David French explains why the Supreme Court rule in favor of a football coach praying.
Are you interested in how Elon Musk came to the decision to buy Twitter? This deep dive by the Wall Street Journal was fascinating.
Isaac Adams on why he’s thankful for the T4G conference, which will be no longer. I’m thankful too.
Alan Jacobs says that perhaps there is more to our incivility, perhaps, demonology?
And lastly, Jim VandeHei of Axios has another in his really good series on leadership, this time some simple but important steps for generosity and kindness.
So many good things to read. I had a hard time cutting down this list. And then there are books. I started two new ones this week:
Kelly M. Kapic’s You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News. I’m already liking it. I admire great thinkers who can write in such a way that you forget you are reading. Kelly does this.
I’m listening to Ian O’Connor’s new biography of recently retired Duke basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski. I’ve been watching Coach K all my life but still, I had to google the spelling. He’s lived a remarkable American life.
I can’t quite communicate the joy of cracking open a new book, with all of its possibilities. I never get over it. I leave you with this, a poor soul who just couldn’t hang on to this foul ball. Bro, you’ve got to bring it in: