A couple of times a year I like to browse through the statistics software that lies behind this site to see which articles have been read the most. Here, in case you’d like to catch up a little bit, are the top ten articles from 2011 (from January through to June 30):

#10 - 5 Questions With John MacArthur - Part 2 of an interview I did with John MacArthur.

#9 - Letting Herself Go - This was an article I wrote to interact with an always-difficult topic. It gained quite a lot of traction and was much improved upon.

#8 - The New Evangelical Virtues - A reaction to Rob Bell’s book and some of the areas of concern it highlighted within the evangelical world.

#7 - Why John Piper Should Not Have Invited Rick Warren - I wanted to reflect on why I thought it was unwise for John Piper to invite Rick Warren. This was actually published last year.

#6 - Book Review - 90 Minutes in Heaven - An old review of a book that keeps being read.

#5 - Thinking About Rick Warren and John Piper - This was a reflection that followed John Piper’s interview with Rick Warren.

#4 - Facebook Makes Us Miserable - I was surprised to see this one gaining so much attention. But I think it’s true—in many ways Facebook does make us miserable.

#3 - A Review of The Shack - There’s another book that just keeps flying off store shelves.

#2 - Heaven Is For Real - I really disliked this book. Apparently lots of people were eager to know what it is all about.

#1 - Love Wins - A Review of Rob Bell’s New Book - No big surprise here. Rob Bell’s Love Wins was a huge topic of conversation in the church and across social media. This review got close to 100,000 reads on just the first day.

Jimmy Balcom's new job selling newspapers is a great blessing to a kid working hard to help his family survive during the depression. But Jimmy begins to wonder and then to figure out what's happening in the candy shop across the street. This confronts him with a choice that no twelve-year-old should ever have to face: To give his family a better life or to keep his soul.”

The Candy Shop is a fairy tale or parable about the child sex trafficking epidemic. Though the film is dark and atmospheric, it contains no overtly sexual material. In its own way it is very powerful. I would suggest that it is equally applicable when it comes to issues related to pornography in which every woman involved was once a little girl and is still somebody’s daughter.

I wonder if there are some teenage boys who would benefit from watching this short film…

Happy July! It is Canada Day up here in Canada and to celebrate a new month we’ve got a new batch of desktop wallpapers for you to download. They are all free for the taking!

A few notes: 320 x 480 is for your iPhone; 1024 x 1024 is for your iPad; your desktop or laptop may take any of the other sizes depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. If you’re not sure of the size, just find one that looks like it would be pretty much the same size as your screen. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

One of the designers will win a $50 Amazon or Westminster Books gift certificate courtesy of Church Plant Media. How can you have your say? You can have your say in who wins by downloading a wallpaper? Each download counts as a vote (and no, you can’t download the same wallpaper 100 times and have your vote tallied each time).

This month’s featured designer is Shannon Brown.

Be Still

Created by Michael Davenport from Mebane, NC. We as Christians know too well the tendency of Martha - we are busy about many things, even for the Master. Let us not forget that Mary made the better choice - to sit at the feet of Jesus - to be still, and know that He is God.

• with calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440

• without calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440

The Harvest Is Plentiful

Created by Dale Jackson from Corona, CA. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:37-38).”

• with calendar: 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440

• without calendar: 320x480, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440

Tim Chester’s new book A Meal with Jesus recently showed up at my door and I’ve been quite taken by it. It’s a book about what seems a strange topic—sharing a meal. Yet there are many profound truths to be found here. Let me share a quote that I found particularly compelling.

In his book Bowling Alone, Robert Putman reveals that there’s been a 33 percent decrease in families eating together over the last three decades. And more than half of those families are watching television as they eat together. Over the same period there’s been a 45 percent decline in entertaining friends. Growing up I would ask each Sunday, “Who’s coming for dinner today?” Not whether but who, because I knew my parents always would have invited someone. “In the typical American household, the average number of dinners eaten together is three per week, with the average length of dinner being 20 minutes.” Many homes no longer even have a dining room. We protect ourselves from outsiders, but our security systems and garden gates are our prisons, cutting us off from community. Instead we get our community vicariously through soap operas. Friends is a television program or a Facebook number, not people with whom we eat and laugh and cry.

Instead we’ve commercialized hospitality. In his history of Starbucks, Taylor Clark argues that the secret of Starbuck’s success is not in its coffee, but “the pull of the coffeehouse as a place.” When sociologist Roy Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to describe a neutral gathering spot that’s neither home or work, “the company,” Clark writes, “now had its philanthropic rallying cry: it wasn’t a coffee company, but a third place bringing people together through the social glue of coffee.” Starbuck’s research showed that people wanted “a cozy social atmosphere above all else. … For those seeking a refuge from the world, the cup of coffee they bought was really just the price of admission to partake of the coffeehouse scene. Starbucks is selling us hospitality.

Gary Wilkinson is an independent Christian television producer and one who has been hard at work creating quite a list of excellent little church history documentaries. I recently received several of these DVDs and have very much enjoyed them, and perhaps especially the ones that deal with characters who are not quite so well known. I believe he currently has 5 DVDs for sale through Vision Video. I have watched and enjoyed the following:

• John Newton - This documentary explores Newton's life from his turbulent youth to his involvement in the 18th century African slave trade, his dramatic conversion aboard a sinking ship and on through his remarkable ministry as an evangelistic preacher, hymn writer and abolitionist.
• Robert Jermain Thomas - A young Welsh missionary name Robert Jermain Thomas left the shores of Britain to minister God’s Word in China and Korea. His martyrdom would be the seed that would grow and contribute to the Korean revivals in 1903 and 1907. Be encouraged by his testimony and the growth of Christianity in Korea.
• The Welsh Revivals - The revivals of 1859 and 1904 in Wales stand as powerful examples, marked by a commitment to prayer, bold preaching for repentance within the church, and a community-wide spiritual awakening. During this time, churches were packed, crime rates and other social ills decreased dramatically, and nominalism and dead orthodoxy were replaced by passionate love for Jesus. This documentary traces the origins of the revival, introduces us to its leaders, and follows its lasting impact upon the world.
• Patrick - Learn about Patrick's extraordinary life in this docu-drama, featuring enlightening interviews with noted scholars and captivating reenactments of Patrick's life.

The other one is:

• Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - A small group of believers earnestly prayed for Revival in England at the beginning of the twentieth century. Little did they know how God would answer that prayer - an answer that would impact the church worldwide. This revival would lead to the birth of Pentecostalism in Britain and awaken people to a new relationship with God.

I always find it difficult to spend $11 or $12 or $15 on a DVD that is just 30 minutes or an hour long. I think DVDs like this are just waiting for a download distribution model that can negate the physical costs and the shipping costs. In the meantime, though, these films are perfect for buying, watching and then either passing around or donating to your church library. Each one contains a powerful testimony of what the Lord has done through a life or at a particular time in history. I’m grateful for Wilkinson’s labor of love and am glad to recommend these documentaries.

Over the past week I’ve been linking to some ebook deals and have been surprised at how many people have apparently taken advantage of the deals. This got me thinking about the best way to build a library of Christian ebooks. I thought it would be worthwhile to combine forces here, to put together a list of the places you go to find ebook deals. So the purpose of this post is not so much to point to individual deals as much as to point to the places we go to find those deals.

One of the concerns when buying a Kindle or another ebook reader is the initial expense. However, with the price of both books and devices falling rapidly, many of us are finding it increasingly justifiable. If you are a heavy or even moderate reader, most of these devices will pay for themselves before long. Even if you save just $4 or $5 per book by purchasing it in an ebook format, you will very quickly account for the cost of the device. Meanwhile, you should be able to build an extensive library of classics while barely spending a penny.

But that’s not all; there are now many contemporary books that are available at ultra-low prices. Many publishers are investigating the value of deeply discounting some backlist ebook titles and we are the happy beneficiaries. The deals come and go quite rapidly, so you need to keep your ear to the ground.

So here we go. Let’s build a list of places to go to find those deals. We can do this in two sections: Kindle and Other Devices.

Kindle

In some ways it is easier to build a library of contemporary books on the Kindle than on other devices. This is simply because the Kindle has so much momentum behind it right now; publishers are easily persuaded to offer Kindle editions at low prices. Remember that you can read Kindle books not just on the Kindle but on all kinds of other devices such as iPads, iPods and even your personal computer.

How do you find those cheap Kindle books? Truly, there isn’t a great trick to it. The best way is to head to the Kindle Store and click on the Christian section. Doing that turns up a treasure trove (though granted there’s lots of junk to sort through to get to the treasure). As of today all of the following can be found in just the first 10 pages: Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef ($2.99), Think by John Piper ($2.99), Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper ($1.99), What Is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert? ($0.99), Affirming the Apostle's Creed by J.I. Packer ($0.99), Contentment by Lydia Brownback ($0.99), On Who Is God? by Mark Driscoll ($0.99), Church Planter by Darrin Patrick ($2.99).

In recent weeks I have been doing quite a bit of thinking and writing about personal devotions. A couple of days ago I came across an article I wrote back in 2009 titled “The Quiet Time Performance.” It seemed rather apropos and showed me that I’ve been thinking about these things, on an off, for quite some time now. Here is how I began that article:

Like all Christians, I love my quiet time. I am always thrilled at the prospect of sitting down for a few quiet moments before a busy day to spend some time alone with God--a few moments one-on-one with my Creator. I love to open the Bible and to carefully and systematically read the Word of God, allowing it to penetrate my heart. I love to sit and think deeply and meditatively about the Scriptures and to seek ways that I can apply God's word to my heart. I love to pray to God, pouring out my heart in confession, praise, thanksgiving and petition. It is always the best and greatest part of my day. I couldn't live without my quiet time.

But that's not reality, is it?

I sometimes love my quiet time. I am sometimes thrilled at the prospect of sitting down to spend some time with God; too often, though, I dread it. I'd rather catch up on the news or spend some time writing or reading a good book or find out how badly the Blue Jays beat the A's the day before. My quiet time is often invaded by little children, demanding my time and attention. Too often I hate to make my way through a difficult book of the Bible and dread spending another day reading through the prophecies of Isaiah. Thinking requires more time and effort than I am willing to give and it usually seems that a quick, cursory prayer is enough to make me feel that I've done my duty and asked God to bless my day and to forgive me for being a jerk with my kids the night before. I skim Scripture, breathe a prayer, and settle down to my breakfast.

That's a little closer to reality, right?

If you, like me, have struggled to make your devotions something that is done with joy instead of something that you do only out of guilt-filled obligation, you may enjoy the article.

You can keep reading it here.

Last weekend I mentioned on Twitter that I had finished planning out my kids’ daily devotions for another week; this led a few people to ask what these devotions look like. Though I am by no means an expert in this area, I am glad to share how I lead my children in their personal devotions.

I have always wanted my children to form the habit of doing personal devotions, but it took me a surprising amount of time to realize that if they were going to do this, I would need to take leadership—not just one time but on an ongoing basis. I find that the kids are quite eager to do devotions, but also very quick to lose the habit if I do not help them maintain it. It was not until I stepped up my leadership that they began to do it with regularity.

I aim to have my children do personal devotions at least 5 times per week (we also do family devotions every evening following dinner). Ideally I would love to have them doing devotions every day, but experience shows that this will be the exception more than the rule. On Wednesday evenings, for example, we have a mid-week service at church and are typically not home until well after the kids’ usual bed time. So for practical reasons, 5 seems like a reasonable target.

My children are currently 11, 8 and 5. The 11-year-old and 8-year-old are good readers and are largely self-sufficient when it comes to devotions. The 5-year-old is not reading much yet so we have a different system for her. Let me tell you what these look like.

Devotions for Children

Every weekend I budget a few minutes of time to sit down and organize a week’s worth of devotions. I begin with David Murray’s Bible Reading Plan for Kids. David has very helpfully put together a plan that takes children a few verses at a time through books of the Bible. You may like to read about the philosophy behind his program here. Essentially he emphasizes brevity, variety, simplicity, accountability and unity, seeking to have his children spend just a few minutes each day reading the Bible and reflecting on what they have read. I am indebted to David for this program but even more for modeling a father’s involvement in leading his children in their personal devotions.

David offers the devotions in two versions. The first is for families that will have their children doing morning and evening devotions and the second is for families that will have their children doing only one or the other. I have opted for just one time of devotion per day.

Of all the books I receive, there is a certain category I find myself filing away and holding on to. Sometimes I read them right away but more often than not I save them for when I’ll need them. These are the books targeted at pastors and dealing with niche areas of the ministry. I want to make you aware of 3 such books, all of which are new releases. The second and third fit squarely in the category, while the first is one that I’d like to read more immediately.

If You Bite & Devour One Another: Biblical Principles for Handling Conflict by Alexander Strauch. Strauch is the go-to author when it comes to books related to church leadership. Here is what the publisher says about his newest book: “Conflict in churches is a pervasive problem we know all too well. If You Bite & Devour One Another is the only book of its kind, examining all the biblical passages on conflict and outlining key scriptural principles for handling various kinds of conflicts among Christian—whether personal disputes, issues of Christian liberty in lifestyles, congregational matters, or disagreements about important doctrines. The book emphasizes Spirit-controlled attitudes and behaviors through solid Bible exposition and true-to-life stories of Christians handling real-life conflicts in a Christ-honoring way.”

Elder Governance: Insights into Making the Transition by Daniel Evans & Joseph Godwin. This book speaks about making the sometimes-difficult transition from a board-run church to a church governed by elders. Here is the publisher’s description: “When the leadership of Patterson Park Church looked for a book explaining the process of transitioning from a board-run church to an elder led form of church government, a structure they had come to believe was more in line with Scripture, they found none. God honored their efforts and two of their elders decided a book still needed to be written. Elder Governance: Insights into Making the Transition examines church government from a biblical and historical context and tells the story of Patterson Park’s transition. The authors are hopeful that God will use their experience to help others considering such a transition.” It comes endorsed by R. Kent Hughes, James Grier and Alexander Strauch.

Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals: Applying the Gospel at the Unique Challenges of Death by Brian Croft & Phil Newton. I guess the title pretty much says it all in this case. I love that DayOne is willing to continue to publish niche books like this—books that can be extremely useful when put in the right hands. Here’s what the publisher says: “Our calling as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to make Christ central in all we do. Yet, in many funeral occasions, the gospel of Jesus Christ is lamentably overlooked as the primary purpose of the funeral service and that upon which all true hope depends. The aim of this book is not just to inform you of all the different kinds of important logistics, challenges, and practicalities that often accompany any funeral, but so that you will know how to apply the power of the gospel in the midst of those unique challenges.”

You know by now that for the past 9 Wednesdays I have been showing a series of films that look at the Old Testament appearances of Christ as the Angel of the Lord. The films are produced by HeadHeartHand Media and each of them is free for you to view for one week. Today we come to the last of these 10 episodes.

After the week is up you will need to purchase the series. Here's how you can do that. The DVD and Study Guide (sample here) are available now. You can also buy the digital download of the whole series here for $5. Or visit Ligonier's online store for the download or physical copies of the DVD and Study Guide.

Episode 10 is titled, “He’s Coming.”

David Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a pastor in Scotland for 12 years before coming to Grand Rapids in 2007 with his wife Shona and their four children. He blogs regularly at Head Heart Hand.