David Westerfield

How Did the Economic House of Cards Fall? (MP3’s)

On February 17, 2009

In Audio, Business, Economics, Events, History, Reviews

These two three four five six radio programs on This American Life do an excellent job of giving an on-the-street perspective from the Wall Street investors to the lenders all the way down to the individual home-buyers and finally the results of the recession in everyday life. In addition, there is a very good explanation of how banks work and why they are becoming insolvent. If you haven’t dug in to understand how we have gotten into this mess, you must listen to these programs. Excellent journalism.

The Giant Pool of Money (MP3) – 05.09.2008
Another Frightening Show About the Economy (MP3) – 10.03.2008
Bad Bank (MP3) – 02.27.2009
Scenes From a Recession (MP3) – 03.27.2009
The Watchmen (MP3) – 06.05.2009
Return To The Giant Pool of Money – 09.25.2009

More in-depth economic analysis can be found here:

(Update: 9.28.2009 – Though they don’t come to this conclusion in these shows, after much investigation and personal reflection on the events of the last two years, I have come to the conclusion that the Federal Reserve is ultimately at fault for meddling in markets, making money super cheap to obtain, and promoting an environment of pure moral hazard. Certainly, all those who took the bait, everyone from lenders, to consumers, to those on Wall Street, are all responsible in some manner. But ultimate responsibility for the over-arching cause of the crisis is the reckless policy decisions of our central bank over the last 30 years, starting with Paul Volcker (as I understand it), who is oddly one of Obama’s economic advisor’s. It is unfathomable to me that the same people who promoted reckless macro-economic policies are supposed to be the same people to get us out of this mess … by spending us even further in the hole. Unbelievable. And contrary to the assumption that “no one saw this coming,” think again … watch below.)

Jesus As Judge

By David Westerfield

On February 11, 2009

In Scripture, Theology

This isn’t a portrayal of Jesus we like to ascribe to Him very often because, frankly, it is terrifying. Tim Keller has concisely and eloquently said, “If we play down ‘bad’ or harsh doctrines within the historic Christian faith, we will find, to our shock, that we have gutted all our pleasant and comfortable beliefs, too.” And this is certainly true with how we envision Jesus. Jesus is fully God and as such He is the same God of the Old Testament. Yes Jesus is fully loving as clearly demonstrated in His very condescension to man, His whole life lived, His death, and His resurrection for sinners! Yet He is also fully just and is the very One who will judge the world. This seems to easily slip past us very often. There is simply no way to escape this picture in the Scriptures. And it’s either true or it’s not.

History of the Internet

By David Westerfield

On February 10, 2009

In History, Science, Technology

A Biblical Response to the Church-Growth Movement (MP3)

By David Westerfield

On February 10, 2009

In Audio, Christian Culture, Culture, Theology

John MacArthur does an excellent job of explaining the fundamental error lying at the heart of this movement in many of our churches: it is a misapprehension of 1) how God saves people, and 2) how God builds His church.

Reality Sets In

By David Westerfield

On February 6, 2009

In Politics

(Original): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020502766_pf.html

(Archived): http://www.westerfunk.net/archives/politics/The%20Fierce%20Urgency%20of%20Pork/

Political euphoria, on the part of the people and the President, has now given way to reality. Obama seems to be winging most of his policy decisions so far. He instituted “sweeping” ethics reforms which I myself was excited about and yet nominated not just a few current and former lobbyists to top positions in his cabinet. This is simply amazing, not in a “see I told you and I’m glad this is happening to him” sense. No, I want Obama to succeed, honestly, because it affects all of us if he fails.

A Little Loopy After a Dentist Visit

By David Westerfield

On February 6, 2009

In Funny, Video

A Discussion on Christianity and Culture (MP3)

By David Westerfield

On February 5, 2009

In Audio, Christian Culture, Church History, Philosophy of Ministry, Theology

This is a very important program that ministers, leaders, counselors, and pastors in the church should take the time to listen to. The White Horse Inn radio program recently did a show entitled The Foolishness of God in which a discussion took place on the relationship of the church to culture. There are a thousand different “approaches” out there. But more and more, it seems many within evangelicalism are bent on the idea that the primary role of the church is to address the various needs of the culture in various temporal ways, instead of primarily ministering the Gospel to its own people. This isn’t just in the emerging church now either, it’s in many average evangelical congregations and fellowships. The question is which approach is Biblical?

The Seeming Successes of Evangelicalism – John Piper (MP3)

By David Westerfield

On February 5, 2009

In Audio, Christian Culture, Church History, Philosophy of Ministry, Theology

This has to be one of the best introductions to a sermon I’ve heard. At only seven minutes long, John Piper hits the nail right on the head concerning the state of evangelicalism. Very excellent analysis, yet very saddening. The truth is hard to hear sometimes, but we must properly and truthfully identify the problems in order to administer an adequate remedy. This is an audio excerpt from the sermon My Anguish, My Kinsmen Are Accursed, pertaining to Romans 9:1-5.

MP3 Sermons on Romans 9 – John Piper

By David Westerfield

On February 4, 2009

In Audio, Reviews, Scripture, Theology

If you really want to dive deep into the implications and ramifications of God’s grace and mercy to us in Christ, you really need to take the time to listen to this series of sermons on Romans 9 by John Piper. It is unfortunate these passages get skimmed over, ignored or nuanced to such a great degree there is nothing left but hollow theology. There is gold here if you will spend the time with it. Romans 9 answers these questions (though Romans 10-11 continues the answers as well):

“If God has made such great promises to us in Christ that will NEVER fail (as explained in Romans 8), why is it that a majority of Israel rejected Christ, the only One who could save them?”
“If all of Israel is not saved, and God’s promises have failed them, what are we to make of the promises of God given to us in Romans 8?”
“Is God required to show mercy to everyone?”
“Is God free to show mercy to whom He pleases?”
“Is God bound by what the creature does or doesn’t do, or is He free to do as He pleases, to His own glory and for His own purposes?”
“From where did our faith come from?”

Growing in Love – Jerry Bridges

By David Westerfield

On January 31, 2009

In Theology

Excerpt from The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges, pgs. 122-23

How then can we develop this love for God so that our obedience is prompted by love instead of some lesser motive? The Scripture gives us our first clue, or point of beginning. when it says, “We love God because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our love to God can only be a response to His love for us. If I do not believe God loves me, I cannot love Him. To love God, I most believe that He is for me, not against me (Romans 8:31), and that He accepts me as a son or a daughter, not a slave (Galatians 4:7).

What would keep us from believing that God loves us? The answer is a sense of guilt and condemnation because of our sin. Charles Hodge said,

The great difficulty with many Christians is that they cannot persuade themselves that Christ (or God) loves them; and the reason why they cannot feel confident of the love of God, is, that they know they do not deserve His love, on the contrary, that they are in the highest degree unlovely. How can the infinitely pure God love those who are defiled with sin, who are proud, selfish, discontented, ungrateful, disobedient? This, indeed, is hard to believe.

A tender conscience that is alert to sin, especially those “refined” sins such as pride, criticality, resentment, discontent, irritableness, and the like, is a great advantage in the pursuit of holiness, as it enables us to become aware of sins that lie deep beneath the level of external actions. But this same tender conscience can load us down with guilt, and when we are under that burden and sense of condemnation, it is difficult to love God or believe that He loves us.