Tuesday, June 26, 2012

My Ten Favorite Blogs 2.0 (7 and 8)

The countdown continues:


8. Dave Black Online

Keeping with the seminary theme from yesterday, Dave Black's blog comes in at number eight. Dr. Black is a New Testament and Greek professor at SEBTS. I had the privilege of taking a class from him that focused on the gospel of Mark in Greek. Dr. Black is an interesting individual with a varied background. He was born in Hawaii, did his doctoral studies in Switzerland, and now lives on and runs an operational farm in rural southern Virginia. He is a prolific writer.

Dave's blog is as varied as his background. He writes on all sorts of things ranging from farming and gardening to surfing and the church. His greatest passion, however, is world missions. He and his wife visit Ethiopia a few times each year to both minister to Christians and witness to the lost. It is clear that the Great Commission is a driving force in Dr. Black's life.

Dr. Black just announced on his blog that he's going to soon be taking a break from blogging. I both understand and admire it. However, in my own self-interest I hope his blog break doesn't last too long.


7. Beyond Evangelical

Like Dave Black, Frank Viola has had a significant impact upon my life. The difference is that while I spent time with Dr. Black, I've never met Frank. Despite this, his influence has affected me deeply. This has come in the form of his writings. In glancing at my bookshelf, I realize that I've read seven of his books. Three in particular have challenged my thinking about what the church is and how it should function (Pagan Christianity?, Reimagining Church, and From Eternity to Here).

On his blog, Frank writes a good deal about both organic church life and personal spiritual growth. The specific topics are somewhat varied. Frank's writings are challenging because he asks hard questions and seeks biblical answers. If you are willing to think outside the evangelical box, then this is an excellent blog for you.

2 comments:

Jeremy Myers said...

Glad to see Frank Viola made the list. He has a great blog.

Eric said...

Jeremy,

I agree. Yours is a great one as well. Keep up the good writing! I appreciate your willingness to challenge the way we think about the Christian life.