Andy Rowell

link.springer.comEvidence-Based Insights for the Development and Talent Promotion of Young Athletes in a National Sports Context - Sports MedicineThe development of young athletes continues to be a key concern for sports organizations, coaches and policy makers. In Sweden, the public debate on the balance between early talent promotion programs...

Excellent Sept 2026 overview of the literature on childhood and teenage athletic development focused on Sweden but applicable broadly. "pure junior to senior developmental linearity evident in less than 7% of cases" (Patterns of performance development in elite athletes, 2013).

Andy Rowell reposted

Ruth Graham

@ruthgraham.bsky.social

Christianity Today has seen about half its staff quit or laid off in the last 14 months. Former employees told me that new business leaders have intervened in editorial decisions and are effectively abandoning the outlet's commitment to independent journalism. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/21/u...

nytimes.comChristianity Today, a Voice of Centrist Evangelicalism, Is in Turmoil (Gift Article)Former employees of the publication say new leadership has been pushing back on independent journalism. About half of its staff members have left or been laid off over 14 months.

Visited two college campuses for parents' weekend two weekends in a row where I also went for undergrad and grad school so it triggered many realizations and wonderings! ... And I should have kept some of them to myself. Fellow thoughtful parents, you've been warned. 🤐

nytimes.comOpinion | I Teach at a Business School. It’s Time to Shut Them Down. (Gift Article)Students come in with noble intentions and leave with flawed expertise.

The cycle "pulls money, attention and legitimacy away from the disciplines best equipped to question this logic: history, philosophy, sociology, political theory." "I Teach at a Business School. It’s Time to Shut Them Down." By Chris Marquis Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/18/o...

open.substack.comYou can't legislate communityThere's no replacement for believing in things

"Probably the last thing the world needs is another basically secular Jewish intellectual opining that it would be good for Americans to go to church more. But I’ll accept being a cliche in service of getting people to appreciate the actual role religion has played" open.substack.com/pub/theargum...

Andy Rowell reposted

ProPublica

@propublica.org

NEW: ProPublica’s Jake Pearson lost $10,000 mimicking the betting patterns of a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company’s “responsible gaming” safeguards. One week in, he was invited to become a VIP — and faced little pushback as he spiraled.

propublica.orgI Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP.Amid growing public health concerns, operators like DraftKings have touted “responsible gaming” tools and prompts. But as I went off the deep end, I found they were no match for the incentives and pro...

Andy Rowell reposted

The Atlantic

@theatlantic.com

Religious faith and a thriving sex life don’t tend to go together in the popular imagination—but the data tell a different story, Brad Wilcox and Grant Bailey write. According to their new study, religiosity might actually lead to a better sex life.

bit.lyThe Americans Having the Most SexRegular churchgoers have a surprising advantage over secular couples.

x.comNoah Ram (@Noah_ram1) on XBreaking: Tim Tebow announces he is pausing all relations with Life Surge after Pablo Torre’s investigation Tebow, who serves as a spokesman for the company, says he takes the allegations very seriously and his team will be conducting their own investigation Listen his whole reaction to the situa…

Tebow responds by stepping back from Life Surge. x.com/Noah_ram1/st...

Andy Rowell@andyrowell.bsky.social

Pablo Torre doesn't mind Tim Tebow’s inspirational preaching at a $30 conference. The problem is LifeSurge pressures people to do a $99 3-day seminar and then pressures vulnerable people to pay $10,000-30,000 for scam financial investments.

open.substack.comTim Tebow’s Kingdom ImpactEPISODE 431: We investigated a Christian “scam.”

All the back end people are shady. Yes, the speakers bear responsibility for drawing in the innocent lambs for slaughter. open.substack.com/pub/pablotor... or youtu.be/uh7s2jr0b48?...

Tebow responds by stepping back from Life Surge. x.com/Noah_ram1/st...

jonmalesic.substack.comHow I uncovered a prolific AI author in religious magazinesCan we preserve the connection between personal writing and human experience in the Slop Age?

Good sniffing out AI and exposing a fraud. -- How I uncovered a prolific AI author in religious magazines Can we preserve the connection between personal writing and human experience in the Slop Age? Jonathan Malesic Sep 24, 2026 jonmalesic.substack.com/p/how-i-unco...

millersbookreview.comBooks Will Never Die—if Publishers Remember What Books Do and How They Do ItResisting AI Market Erosion by Publishing for the Encounter Economy

Helpful and inspiring reflection on what books do. -- Books Will Never Die—if Publishers Remember What Books Do and How They Do It Resisting AI Market Erosion by Publishing for the Encounter Economy Joel J Miller Sep 23, 2026 www.millersbookreview.com/p/books-will...

17 Sept

"I will not lie to myself even when the truth makes me feel bad about myself." Andy Stanley, What Great Leaders Do. “Responsibility begins with a fidelity to truth expressed in the resolve not to lie to oneself and not to collude with being lied to.” Rowan Williams, Solidarity.

nytimes.comThis started as a story about a pickup basketball loss. It turned into something bigger (Gift Article)A story from Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti led to another, and then another, creating a chain of mentorship that stretched back 80 years.

17 Sept

If you're a coach, this is a must read. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/757...

papers.ssrn.comThe University after AIThis paper develops an analytic framework to offer strategic guidance to rebuild or reform universities through the AI era. We review the history of universitie

15 Sept

Stimulating reflections here in the 28 page white paper by Jason Potts on how universities are complicated systems needing constant reform and honing. (I think my university (Bethel University in Minnesota) is working on all the strategic fronts recommended here). papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

11 Sept

Your periodic reminder that Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) does allow pastors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers, professors, and anyone else who works for a non-profit or church or government to get their student loan forgiven with 120 payments over 120 months.

Systematic theology should only be formed by the building blocks of diligent Bible reading and interpretation. Karl Barth: "Take now my last piece of advice: Exegesis, Exegesis, and once more, Exegesis!" The context for the quote is in my dissertation. dukespace.lib.duke.edu/server/api/c...

open.substack.comWhat if transferable skills don’t exist?The implications for schools, universities, and the British civil service

7 Sept

Yes, I teach that effective leadership depends on domain specific knowledge. E.g. For pastors, most decisions depend on judgement based on biblical knowledge. ---- Here open.substack.com/pub/daisychr..., she links to her article The Problem with Transferable Skills. www.aei.org/research-pro...

Beware of overestimating "transferable skills" like critical thinking or leadership or grit. Domain knowledge still matters. Whether it is Bible, history, biology, physics, math, accounting, or plumbing—eventually, one needs to develop the relevant knowledge for the work.

This new study shows meetings are good. In teaching leadership, I warn students that running effective meetings is the work.

nber.orgMeetingsFounded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...

"Meetings are the broccoli of work – widely disliked, but probably good for us anyway." September 2026 www.nber.org/papers/w35706

davidbentleyhart.substack.comDylanA long delayed consideration of his Nobel Prize

One of the best living theologians reflects on Bob Dylan. Dylan: A long delayed consideration of his Nobel Prize By David Bentley Hart Sep 04, 2026 davidbentleyhart.substack.com/p/dylan?utm_...

substack.comWendell Berry | Man of AffectionWendell Berry was a gift to me, a gift to so many.

1 Sept

Wendell Berry | Man of Affection Wendell Berry was a gift to me, a gift to so many. Winn Collier Sep 01, 2026 substack.com/@winncollier...

nytimes.comWendell Berry, Writer Who Extolled America’s Agrarian Past, Dies at 92 (Gift Article)A Kentucky farmer, he railed against agribusiness and championed small family farms and the environment, winning widespread acclaim.

1 Sept

Wendell Berry, Writer Who Extolled America’s Agrarian Past, Dies at 92 By Robert D. McFadden Aug. 31, 2026 Gift link www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/u...

theatlantic.comWhat Happened to Yoga?It used to be the peak symbol of wellness. Now many studios can barely stay open.

31 Aug

What Happened to Yoga? It used to be the peak symbol of wellness. Now many studios can barely stay open. By Rheana Murray August 31, 2026 Gift article: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

nytimes.comDolly Parton and the ‘Pretty Darn Good’ Southern Church (Gift Article)For many Americans, Ms. Parton represented an idealized style of faith: one centered in small rural congregations that prize community over ideology.

31 Aug

Dolly Parton and the ‘Pretty Darn Good’ Southern Church By Ruth Graham and Emily Cochrane Aug. 30, 2026 Gift Article www.nytimes.com/2026/08/30/u...

30 Aug

Totally enjoyed David Epstein's book "Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better" (May 2026). Great follow up to "Range", which could suggest doing everything is good. Here Epstein argues that limits fuel creativity.

18 Aug

A realization I had earlier in the summer is that my grading rubrics were vulnerable to grading inflation because bad work prior to AI was still generally a C-. Now every criterion ranges from A+ to F so I can give severe low grades for suspected AI or similarly superficial work.

18 Aug

The old bad work prior to 2022 was procrastination or hurried or didn't do much of the reading or had poor English or was harsh. I was sympathetic: C The new bad work is superficial, pablum, platitudes, generic synthesis. The student needs to know it shows: D-

Finished the 4th Barchester novel "Framley Parsonage" by Anthony Trollope. Fun and insightful as usual. Stanley Hauerwas: "I hope that Barth has read it by now, for what good is heaven if it does not give us time to read all of Trollope's novels?" Dispatches from the Front, 76.

Questions from a college senior: 1. Shouldn't I prioritize serving younger people and outsiders and hurting? Yes. So, no time with good friends? No. 2. Will anyone want me (employer and romantic partner)? You will feel relief when / if yes, one wants you. Good normal questions!

@karenswallowprior.bsky.social

I took about four months off X, Substack, Bluesky, and Threads to read and teach novels. And ... I missed hearing what other thoughtful people are reading and thinking about on these text-based social media. Reading books is great as is reading shorter bits by these same writers.

Andy Rowell reposted

Karen Swallow Prior

thirdoikos.comIs Your Marriage a Conspiracy Against the World?Leah Sargeant thinks it should be

Lots of good stimulating reflection from Leah Libresco Sargeant on ethics, life, parenting, and marriage here. www.thirdoikos.com/p/is-your-ma...

nytimes.comOpinion | I Let My Students Watch Me Struggle With a Masterpiece. It Changed Everything. (Gift Article)Teachers need to model the passion they want to see.

I had my students read Part 1 of Brothers Karamazov as our first book. And half decided to finish it as their fourth book of the course. Matt Dinan also read Karamazov with his students. Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/o...

nytimes.comWhat Do Students Lose When They Stop Writing? (Gift Article)Educators are worried that many students can no longer write essays without A.I. And it’s costing more than just grammar skills.

"What Do Students Lose When They Stop Writing? Educators are worried that many students can no longer write essays without A.I. And it’s costing more than just grammar skills." By Dana Goldstein Aug. 17, 2026 Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...

nytimes.comMiss ‘Grantchester’? Here Are More Crime-Solving Clergy (Gift Article)The longtime PBS mystery series just ended. But TV has a surprising number of other theological murder investigators to fill the void.

5 Aug

"Miss ‘Grantchester’? Here Are More Crime-Solving Clergy The longtime PBS mystery series just ended. But TV has a surprising number of other theological murder investigators to fill the void." By Amanda-Rae Prescott Aug. 4, 2026 Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/a...

Good quotes on pastoring from Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

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"A good sermon is one side of a passionate conversation." p. 45

13 July

I finished rereading Gilead and I didn't note more insights into pastoring after page 45. There may be more but the pastor's reflections turn more to his complicated feelings about Jack. There is also a lesson about dying prayerfully and gratefully and generously.

youtube.comAnxiety: How to take in the world. Paul’s emotional cognitive behavioral therapy.YouTube video by City Church Minneapolis

13 July

I substitute preached yesterday on Philippines 4:6-9 on Anxiety and How to take in the world and Paul's emotional cognitive behavioral therapy. www.youtube.com/live/BIpqXgm...

3 July

Rereading Gilead and it is on page 20 that the reader learns the pastor is age 76 and his wife is 41 and their child is 6. So they married maybe 6 years back at him age 70 and her age 35. The first time I read the book I hardly could get over this to enjoy the rest of it. 🤷

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"I'd never have thought to ask her to marry me. I would never have dared to. It was her idea. I remind myself of that often. She reminds me of it, too." p. 52

I'm enjoying rereading Gilead and posted today some good quotes on pastoring from it. I'm teaching the book to seminarians. Like any fiction, there may be plot devices or plot premises that need reckoning with for some readers but the book is still worth it. Many weren't bothered by this plot point.

Good quotes on pastoring from Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

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"My grandfather never kept anything that was worth giving away ... It was an innocence in him. He lacked patience for anything but the plainest interpretation of the starkest commandments ... He thought we should all be living at a dead run." p. 31-32

"A great part of my work has been listening to people ... Not that I thought of these conversations as if they were a contest ... But as you might look at a game more abstractly—where is the strength, where is the strategy?" p. 44

Good quotes on pastoring from Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

On writing and on writing sermons in particular: "For me, writing has always felt like praying." p. 19

On the experience of baptizing people or praying for people: "I don't wish to be urging the ministry on you, but there are some advantages to it. You might not know to take account of if I did not point them out." p. 23

3 July