Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, and book reviewer.
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Though May has come and gone, it proved to be a good month for Christian book releases. I sorted through the stacks that landed on my desk and arrived at this list of new and notables. In each case I’ve provided the editorial description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there’s something here that catches your eye! ESV Teen Study Bible. The new ESV Teen Study Bible is targeted at teens from 14 to …
A La Carte: Greetings from Chile / the symbolism of the rainbow / the worthy work of the stay-at-home mom / the evil that haunts us / what is the unpardonable sin? / why do we pray for our president? / social media is causing our children to suffer / Logos monthly sale / Kindle deals / and more.
Some of my earliest memories are of creeds and catechisms. Parents and pastors alike taught me the truths of the Christian faith and encouraged me to study creeds and the many questions and answers of the catechisms. What a foundation this laid in my young heart! No words resonated more deeply than the fourth answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which responds to a simple but crucial question: “What is God?” The writers of the Catechism combined sound doctrine with …
May the Lord be with you and bless you as you begin a new day and a new month. (Yesterday on the blog: To Surprise Us At the Last Day) A Word to Gen Z Graduates Aaron Menikoff has a message to Gen Z graduates that may encourage and challenge them in useful ways. What Is Prudence? “As a protective Father, God calls us to prudence, to think before we act. This may sound simple, but even prudence has its …
The world was still new, the earth was still young, humanity was still barely east of Eden. And deep in virgin forests, unseen by human eye, untrod by human foot, a gentle fern was summoned forth from the soil. Its fronds were perfectly symmetrical, its leaves were vibrant green, it was uniquely patterned with the most delicate of veins. When the sun broke through the trees above, it illumined the fern with beams of gold. When the dews fell in …
A La Carte: Is being salt and light worth it? / known but to God / let’s pray real quick / the Bible and wallpaper / treading the path toward death / uprooted / Logos sale / sale on Christianity & Liberalism / Kindle deals / and more.
"The way to conquer sin is not by working hard to change our deeds, but by trusting Jesus to change our desires." (David Platt)
I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with a church in the lovely town of Villarrica—in the shadow of Chile's most active volcano.
Breakfast in Chile makes this the 34th country where I've eaten at McDonald's, for those keeping score. 🇨🇱
(And, no, I'm still no great fan of McD's—it's just kind of become a thing.)
"A prayer breathed from a sincere heart, it is heaven’s delight." (William Gurnall)
"Why should the frail creature doubt the wisdom and the goodness of the strong Creator? Why should the child distrust the love and wisdom of the Father?" (J.R. Miller)
"Every test and trial, every storm in life is another opportunity for you to see the glory of Jesus Christ and discover his power in your life." (Sinclair Ferguson)
A La Carte: 7 reasons why your church should engage in door-to-door evangelism / on not giving up (aka why ministry has changed from golf to hockey) / Lutheran vs Dutch Reformed view of baptism / offerings at the door of Eden? / how to pray at a military grave / reconstructing my faith / Kindle deals / and more.
Today’s post is sponsored by P&R Publishing and written by P&R’s editorial director, Amanda Martin. I learned a new word last year, as I often do when talking to my dad. Diatessaron. Five syllables of majestic-sounding Greek. He said it with relish, which is exactly how such a word ought to be said. It was a word I immediately wanted to use, but my opportunities to do so are limited. This is because a diatessaron is a single-narrative arrangement of …
There was no silence like the silence that descended over the trenches of Western Europe on the morning of November 11, 1918. At exactly 11 AM, an armistice came into effect that brought a halt to all fighting on land, sea, and air. Never had silence been better appreciated than when that silence marked the end of the four brutal years we now call the First World War. In its own way, the silence was a song that told of …
Good morning. Grace and peace to you. Today’s Kindle deals include a good selection related to women’s ministry. (Yesterday on the blog: Worship Round the World: An Update) Definitive, Positional, and Progressive Sanctification Nick Batzig explains an often-overlooked aspect of sanctification. “Many tend to think of sanctification as something entirely progressive, and, therefore, miss out on understanding one of the richest and most spiritually impacting Gospel truths.” Why Did God Send Bears to Attack a Group of Boys? We have …
It seems like a very long time ago that Tim Keesee and I announced a new project called Worship Round the World. In fact, in some ways, it was a very long time ago since it happened before any of us had ever heard of COVID and before any of us imagined that world travel could one day just slam shut. It happened before my family experienced our great loss and before the other Tim was diagnosed with cancer. Back …
I’m grateful to Radius International for sponsoring the blog this week to let you know about their forthcoming conference (which you can attend in-person or virtually). Sponsors are crucial to the functioning of this site, so I’m thankful for each and every one. Today’s Kindle deals include a small selection of classics. (Yesterday on the blog: Urban Legends of Theology) Forgiving Ourselves This is a good take on the idea of forgiving ourselves. “I don’t think it is appropriate to …
This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Radius International. They are giving away a conference package that includes: 2 tickets, a Radius pullover, and 4 books. The winner will receive two free tickets to The Radius Conference being held June 28-29, 2023, at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA. This event will be live in person or available as a live stream. John MacArthur, Costi Hinn, Ian Hamilton, Wayne Chen, Brooks Buser, Chad Vegas, and others from the Radius …
For every truth of the Christian faith, it seems there is a corresponding fallacy. For every great doctrine there is an opposite misconception. It is a constant challenge to sort the good from the bad, the right from the wrong, the truth from the error. Yet that is exactly the task Mike Wittmer takes on in Urban Legends of Theology. An urban legend “is something popularly believed—in the church or culture or both—that is not true.” Yet not all errors …
A La Carte: Stopping to pray / two sexes, created to be distinct / how did animals recolonize the world after the flood? / tagless / the basics — election / find your way to help the hurting / The Biggest Story Curriculum on sale / Costi Hinn on The One True Gospel Throughout the World / and more.
A La Carte: Are they the ones who pray all the time? / cynicism isn’t a spiritual gift / are you casual with the holiness of God? / fear is a function of worship / more than you can handle / why every church should practice both “open” and “closed” communion / Logos Memorial Day sale / Kindle deals / and more.
It has been about 8 months since the release of my book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God. And it has been an encouraging time. I wanted to share a few updates and pieces of information that may be of interest to you. Perhaps the greatest encouragement has come from grieving families who have gotten in touch to share how the book has been meaningful to them. Subsequent to that has been people who …
A La Carte: You can’t tear down the norm and then be surprised by what comes next / things I wish I heard in a funeral sermon / may I never outgrow the walls of my church / those who walk in pride / God is good to bring afflictions / five reasons why pastors should share their pulpit / book and Kindle deals / and more.
I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in today’s digital world. It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Read More
