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You are here: Home / 2013 / Archives for August 2013

Archives for August 2013

Crossway's UBS Greek New Testament

August 23, 2013 by Matt Perman

UBS Greek NT

 

Following up on my post about getting a Hebrew-English OT: It goes without saying that, if it’s valuable to have a Hebrew Old Testament, it’s even more important to have a Greek New Testament, if only for this reason: Greek is a much easier language than Hebrew.

Hence, if you’ve been to seminary and taken Greek, even if you’ve forgotten some of it, you probably still remember much of it. If you make it a habit to read in the original languages every day, even just a small amount, you can maintain your Greek and begin to recover what you’ve forgotten.

The reason I like this particular edition is that the more challenging verbs are parsed, and any word occurring less than 30 times in the NT is translated in the footnotes. I have unfortunately not developed the discipline of reading in the Greek on a regular basis, but it is a standard practice of mine to go back to the original languages whenever there is something that is unclear, I want to go deeper on, or that is ambiguous. This Greek NT is the best I’ve encountered for doing this, because of the fact that the more complex verbs are parsed and the less common words are defined right there on the page in the notes at the bottom. That is awesome.

Note that the one in the image above has a black cover. That’s what I recommend. Why would you ever get burgundy? You wouldn’t. Get the black one.

Sorry if this sounds like a day of advertisements today. I’ve had these stacked up on my “to blog” shelf for quite a while, and they were there for one reason: because they are super helpful, I genuinely recommend them, and I think that anyone who has taken some of the original languages should have a Bible in the original languages. For the NT, this is the one I recommend.

Here’s the description from Crossway’s site:

This reader’s edition of the UBS Greek New Testament is an essential resource for pastors, professors, and others who regularly work with the New Testament in its original language, as well as students and others learning Greek. Containing the complete UBS4 Greek New Testament text from the United Bible Society, this edition features a clean layout with the Greek text above notes on every page. These notes include parsings of difficult verb forms as well as translations of Greek words occurring 30 times or less in the New Testament. In addition, a dictionary in the back defines words occurring 30 times or more, serving as a helpful reference for all learning to read Greek. Published in two different leather covers, the UBS Greek New Testament will serve as a lasting resource for all seeking to study the New Testament in its original language.

Filed Under: b Biblical Studies

Crossway's Hebrew-English Old Testament

August 22, 2013 by Matt Perman

Hebrew-English OT

 

For any pastors or others who have gone to seminary, taken Hebrew, but forgotten most of it: this is for you.

I’m in the category of those who took Hebrew and have forgotten almost everything they learned. Learning Hebrew was truly a miserable experience (though not nearly as bad as writing the book!). Most days we would have “board time,” which meant going to various rooms in the building to do Hebrew drills on the white board. One day, I started walking to the room where my white board was…and just kept right on walking back to my apartment because the drills seemed so futile!

BUT, I do think it is very important to be familiar with the original languages (and, I like Greek much better than Hebrew). For those who, like me, want to do what they can to stay connected with the original language of most of the OT, the ESV Hebrew-English Old Testament is a great way to do it. You have the English on one page, which you can actually understand; and then the Hebrew on the other page, where you can make out what you can with the help of the English and, as you do this, recover some of the things you had learned and slowly grow just a bit.

More significantly, of course, for those who do still remember their Hebrew and can read it straight, a Hebrew-English Bible is the best resource of all, and this is the one I would recommend.

Here’s the summary from Crossway’s website:

Using the standard Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) text, the Hebrew-English Old Testamentdisplays the ESV Old Testament alongside the original Hebrew. On each spread, one page shows the English rendering of a passage while the other shows the Hebrew, enabling readers to work through either language undistracted and uninterrupted. A durable hardcover and Smyth-sewn binding ensure this volume will last for many years. Anyone learning or proficient in Hebrew will find this a resource for everyday reading and study, as well as a comparison tool to see how the ESV translates Old Testament passages.

Filed Under: b Biblical Studies

Keeping Your Computer Cables Organized

August 22, 2013 by Matt Perman

 

This is one of my favorite new products. Finally, someone got cord organization right. You don’t need anything complex. You just need something…like this.

It’s compact, just sits on your desk or table, and uses rubber grip things. And, it’s not ugly, which is what I like most about it.

Wait, there’s actually one thing I like even more about it: it was designed with a crowd-sourced approach. That’s the model utilized by quirky, where anybody can submit new product ideas. The top concepts are chosen (voted on by real people) and then refined by the community.

I love the creativity of this approach, and submit that that process is one of the reasons this product is so awesome.

Filed Under: Organizing Space

Register for Catalyst Atlanta

August 22, 2013 by Matt Perman

As I blogged last week, Catalyst Atlanta is coming up  October 2-4, 2013 in Atlanta, GA. 13,000 young leaders from across the United States and around the world will converge for one of the best leadership experiences around.

Some of the speakers this year I’m most looking forward to are John Piper, Andy Stanley, Lecrae, Malcolm Gladwell, and Reggie Joiner.

Today is the last day of special registration rate of $219 (which saves over $100). You can register by calling 888.334.6569 to speak with the Catalyst Concierge team, or online. Use the rate code BLOG or MP.

I’ll be blogging the conference, and it would be great to see you there!

Filed Under: Catalyst 2013

How Do You Love Your Neighbor at Work?

August 20, 2013 by Matt Perman

As I learned from Tim Sanders’ excellent book Love Is the Killer App several years ago, the best answer is: always be on the lookout to share your knowledge, networks, and compassion.

I show what this means and some biblical foundations in my guest post at the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics blog.

Filed Under: Career Success, Love, Work

12 Characteristics of "All In" Leaders

August 17, 2013 by Matt Perman

A fantastic post by Brad Lomenick. Nails it. Here are the first five:

1. You don’t look at the clock, and you’re not punching a time card. Your role is not defined by 9 – 5.

2. You get it done no matter how long it takes. You are “managerless,” meaning no one else has to worry about whether you are getting it done.

3. You realize you are part of something bigger than yourself, and humbly accomplish the goals because of a larger motivation than just you.

4. Giving just the “minimum” amount of effort required to get by without “getting in trouble” doesn’t even cross your mind.

5. Your hard work and excellence is done with pure motives. You are not worried about climbing the ladder or impressing anyone.

Read the whole thing.

Filed Under: 3 - Leadership

The Call to Do Good and the Call to Work: Are They at Odds?

August 15, 2013 by Matt Perman

That’s the title of my guest post from yesterday at the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics. I will be guest posting there twice a month on the connections between theology, work, and economics, along with how we can live out the biblical doctrine of work in practical ways.

I am very excited about the work that is being done by the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics. They exist to educate and inspire Christians to think Biblically about issues of faith, work, and economics and “to steward their whole lives in a way that benefits society and glorifies God.” Thus, one of their chief aims is “to awaken Christians to the strategic role their work plays in God’s loving and redemptive narrative in the world.”

One of the reason I’m so excited about the institute is that creativity, purpose, and freedom are three of the core biblical principles behind everything they do. Here’s how they put it on their site:

  • Each person is created in God’s image and, like Him, has a desire to be creative and fulfilled using their God-given talents through work.
  • As we explore a comprehensive Biblical view of work, we understand that our work – whether paid or volunteer – matters to God and is an integral part of His purpose in this world.  For many of us, this is a paradigm shift in how we view work.
  • Indeed, God’s call to Christians is to pursue excellence throughout the week – not just on Sundays – stewarding all that we’ve been given for the good of others and God’s glory.
  • Therefore, if this is true about work, we as citizens must cherish and sustain an economic environment that not only provides us the freedom to flourish in our work but also reflects the inherent dignity of each human being.

In my view, those three principles are precisely what needs to be at the forefront if we are going to truly recover the biblical doctrine of work for what it really is.

You can learn more about IFWE on their website and also read their blog, Creativity, Purpose, Freedom.

Filed Under: Work

Catalyst Atlanta is Coming Up

August 13, 2013 by Matt Perman

Catalyst Banner 393x120-2013_2

Catalyst Atlanta is this October 3-4 in Duluth, Georgia. Speakers include John Piper, Jon Acuff, Malcolm Gladwell, Andy Stanley, Lecrae, and many more.

I attended my first Catalyst in the fall of 2008 — the week before I started this blog. My fourth post on this blog, in fact, was a list of some highlights from Andy Stanley’s closing message.

When people ask me what leadership conferences I recommend, Catalyst is at the top. It serves you both in the short-term and long-term. Some conferences are great energy bursts, but don’t offer much long-term wisdom and guidance. Catalyst is strong on both fronts. It will give you a much needed energy boost and equip you with solid leadership wisdom for the long-term.

And, of course, I especially recommend it this year since John Piper, who I worked with for 13 years at Desiring God, is one of the speakers.

Catalyst is offering a special rate for readers of this blog. If you register by Thursday, August 22 you will get the special rate of $209 (the regular rate is $329, so this is a huge savings). Just register online using the rate code BLOG or by phone at 888.334.6569. You can find all the logistical details such as the schedule, FAQs, and so forth on their site as well.

What Catalyst Is

For those who want to know a bit more:

Catalyst Atlanta is a powerful gathering of young leaders, a movement of influencers and world changers who love Jesus, see things differently, and feel a burden for our generation. We seek to learn, worship and create together with a momentous energy passionately pursuing God.

On October 2-4, 2013, 13,000 leaders from across the United States and around the world will converge—a revolution of ideas where you’ll challenge the process and think unconventionally. Even more than a cutting-edge event, Catalyst Atlanta is an experience that leaves you enlightened, rejuvenated, and ready to embrace the life to which you’ve been entrusted and the journey to which you’ve been called. Expect a fully immersive learning, worship and creative experience, where timely inspiration can come from the thought leaders who grace our stage, or the person sitting in the seat right next to you.

This Year’s Theme

This year’s theme is known:

When you lead authentically, with an inner confidence birthed by your Creator, when you are willing to be true and vulnerable before God and others, you become a leader without pretense. A leader worth following.

You can only know where you are headed, when you know where you’ve come from.

Lead from who you are.

Register at the Discount

As I mentioned above, if you register by Thursday, August 22 you will get the special rate of $209 (regularly $329). You can register online or by phone at 888.334.6569. Just use the rate code BLOG. (Update: you can also use the rate code MP).

I’ll be attending again this year. Would be great to see you there!

Filed Under: 3 - Leadership

Find a Career Path that Utilizes Your Talents and Passions

August 12, 2013 by Matt Perman

Well said by Brad Lomenick in his book The Catalyst Leader: 8 Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker:

The next generation of Christian influencers is passionate about finding and pursuing their divine purposes. They don’t want to work thirty or forty years in a job that fails to fulfill their deepest longings. Instead, this generation wants to find career paths that utilize both their talents and their passions. They are locating and living their callings, and we’re all better for it.

Amen. Don’t settle for forty years in a job that doesn’t call on the best of you. Find something that calls on your strengths and passion, and do it with all your heart.

Filed Under: Career Discernment

Is it Really Biblical To Love Your Work? A Closer Look at Ephesians 6:5-8

August 12, 2013 by Matt Perman

I’m a firm believer in doing work you love. Not only is this an intrinsic good, it also enables you to be more effective at what you do — and thus serve others with greater effectiveness, passion, and clarity.

But someone might say “Since God can use us wherever we are, it doesn’t matter if we love our work or not. So let’s get rid of this silly quest to actually like what we spend 40 hours (or more) of our weeks doing.”

Sounds a bit spiritual, right? Or, maybe I should say, sounds a bit…over spiritual. Which is the first sign of the problem. So let’s take a closer look at Paul’s core passage on work, Ephesians 6:5-8.

Paul does indeed teach that the Lord can use us anywhere, and that we can find joy in our work no matter what it is (assuming it is lawful). His teaching to slaves here is to “do the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, not that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord.”

So, no matter our work is, we can indeed find a way to take joy in it because we can do it for the glory of Jesus. Specifically for slaves, Paul’s counsel is: “If you are a slave, don’t worry about. Do your work with joy, knowing that you are ultimately serving God. Your ability to make an impact will not be lessened because you are in slavery; do all the good you can in your work, knowing that you will be rewarded abundantly for it from the Lord.”

This is a precious, fundamental reality. So, following from this, we might then say: “So it doesn’t matter, then, if we actually like our jobs themselves. Who cares if you have a job you like? God uses you anyway.”

This is where the fact that Paul is here addressing those who are in slavery comes into play. I’ve always been slightly uncomfortable with how everyone applies this text directly to modern-day employees, as though we can just take it over wholesale. The general principles certainly remain, but the fact that Paul is addressing those in slavery here does mean something.

This flips us over to 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, where Paul addresses the issue in some more detail. Here Paul teaches us that we are to live according to the condition in which God has placed us. Paul’s counsel to slaves is “don’t worry about your condition. I know it is hard, but don’t worry that it diminishes your relationship with the Lord. You can do everything in your condition to God’s glory, and he will be fully pleased with you.”

The thing is this: God pays attention to the specific contexts of our lives and seeks to give us counsel tailored to our unique situations. Whereas those in slavery didn’t have any say over their work and roles, those who are free do have a say. That’s what it means to be free.

That matters. If you notice the argument of the passage, Paul’s point is that it is OK to live according to the context in which we find ourselves. “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him” (1 Corinthians 7:17). If you became a Christian while a slave, that’s OK. Likewise, if you became a Christian while free, that’s OK to. You can keep living as a free person. “In whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God” (1 Corinthians 7:24). And part of what it means to be a free person is that you have control over what jobs you choose and which career path you want to take. You can make those choices — it’s up to you.

So Paul is not saying to free people “just put up with whatever you’re given.” That’s contrary to the nature of being a free person. Paul expects free people to live as free people. Thus, it’s OK to seek a job you love. Again, that’s part of what it means to be free.

Paul’s counsel to those who are free, then, is simple: live as a free person. It’s OK! If you want to work in a field you love and have a job where the bulk of the activities are things you find engaging and which challenge you, go for it. You don’t have to fall for the trap of the over spiritualizers who say that since some people (maybe them?) don’t like their jobs, you shouldn’t either. “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him” (1 Corinthians 7:17). For those who are free, that means living according to the fact that you have freedom over what you choose for a job. So if you prefer, then seek a job you love.

It’s OK. Go for it!

Filed Under: c Career Navigation Skills, Work

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What’s Best Next exists to help you achieve greater impact with your time and energy — and in a gospel-centered way.

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About Matt Perman

Matt Perman started What’s Best Next in 2008 as a blog on God-centered productivity. It has now become an organization dedicated to helping you do work that matters.

Matt is the author of What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done and a frequent speaker on leadership and productivity from a gospel-driven perspective. He has led the website teams at Desiring God and Made to Flourish, and is now director of career development at The King’s College NYC. He lives in Manhattan.

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