A La Carte (11/8)

Burying the Dead [2] - This is an interesting reflection on the church in Turkey. “Church-planters probably never even consider factoring this in when they start. That was certainly the case for some friends of mine in Turkey. For who would have guessed that setting up a cemetery might have to become a key feature of their growth strategy?”

The Googlization of Bible Study [3] - Mike Leake on where Google is most unhelpful: “Google disseminates information.  That's great and helpful...when what you need is information. But the vast majority of what I need in personal Bible study and even sermon preparation is not information. I need the Spirit of God to enliven the Word of God and transform my heart. I need to chew on a text and sweat through it.”

The Girl’s Guide to Understanding Porn [4] - “I am tired of being frustrated, confused and lied to about men, pornography and lust. I am a college-aged girl dealing with the frustrations of dating. My first college boyfriend made me aware of the problems men have with pornography, masturbation and lust. He shared with me his struggles and asked for my help in keeping him accountable. This all crashed and burned a year later when our relationship ended, and I discovered I had been lied to all along about his ‘progress’.”

Train Up the Next Generation [5] - Mike Bullmore challenges pastors to train up the next generation. “I find there is a persistent temptation in my life and ministry. It is the temptation to just finish my own race faithfully.” But God calls us to more…

Love Our Neighbors [6] - Gloria Furman reflects on how Jesus frees us to love our neighbors. As today’s A La Carte goes live, my plane should be landing in Dubai where Gloria and her family will be putting me up for a couple of days.

God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving. —Randy Alcorn