Today’s Kindle deals include a solid biography of Martin Luther and several other good books. What Was It Like to Pastor at 17? HB Charles Jr.: “What was it like to pastor at seventeen? Ultimately, the short answer is God. For that matter, the long answer is God. God did it all! God saved me. God called me to preach. God gave me to my first church and my first church to me. And God provided everything and everyone I …
Today’s Kindle deals include a few solid titles from Crossway. This is going to be an “A La Carte only” week at the blog. I finished up the first draft of a book last week and am in a lot of pain from doing so (context). So I’m going to mostly stop typing for the week and hope it helps. I’ve also got an appointment with a specialist this week (that, coincidentally, was booked months ago) and hope to get …
Every now and again I like to share an example of a pastoral prayer from Grace Fellowship Church. I do this because there are few examples of pastoral prayers online and I thought these may serve to inspire themes, passages, or ideas as other pastors and elders prepare to lead their churches in prayer. Here is one Dwight Miller, one of our elders, prayed before our church not too long ago. *** O Great God, who is like you? We could …
Today’s Kindle deals include some classics and some newer works. If you’re looking for something even less expensive, you may want to browse through Nitoy Gonzalez’s latest roundup of free stuff. (Yesterday on the blog: Has the Bible Been Preserved For Us Today?) Sex Abuse Among Southern Baptists Keith Whitfield: “As Southern Baptists, we have to come to face reality: These reports show a systemic problem spanning decades of neglect in handling abuse cases in our local churches and through our …
This week the blog has been sponsored by Ligonier and Reformation Trust. What is baptism? Is it necessary for salvation? Who should be baptized, and how should we baptize them? In his new book, Baptism: Answers to Common Questions, Guy Richard tackles these questions and more. As he searches the Scriptures, he provides needed clarity on this topic and encourages us to deal graciously with our brothers and sisters in Christ even when we disagree. Ten Free Stuff Fridays winners …
I recently announced that my new book, A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible, is just about ready to launch and that we are now taking pre-orders. It is due to be released at the end of March. In the meantime, I wanted to give you a brief taste of what you’ll read and what you’ll see when it’s in your hands. Keep reading for a section that tells (and shows) how the Bible has been preserved for us. Buy …
I wasn’t able to track down any new Kindle deals, though there’s lots to sort through from the past week. However, Westminster Books has some new releases on sale, including John Piper’s new one as well as Mere Calvinism, which I very much enjoyed. (Yesterday on the blog: How Can We Glorify God with Our Time?) Why Men Like Me Shouldn’t Be Pastors Samuel James: “Why did it take whistleblowers and journalists to identify disqualifications that should have been obvious to those with the …
The way you spend your time says more about your spiritual condition than you may think. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” In this clip, I try to expose two ways in which we fail to glorify God with our time and the deeper heart issues that lie beneath these decisions. Transcript Time has a way of getting away …
Today’s Kindle deals include some excellent resources on the local church. You’ll also find my little book Run to Win and a few from Reformation Heritage Books. (Yesterday on the blog: Biographies for People Who Have Never Read a Biography) James MacDonald Fired from Harvest “In the midst of efforts to reconcile with longtime critics, Harvest Bible Chapel fired its founder and senior pastor James MacDonald for ‘engaging in conduct … contrary and harmful to the best interests of the church.’” …
In recent weeks I’ve encountered a number of people who have never read a biography. While there’s no law commanding the reading of biographies, there are certainly many good reasons to make them a regular part of a reading diet. Today I want to offer just a few suggestions and recommendations for people who are approaching biography for the first time, or for the first time in a long while. Three Tips I’ll begin with a few suggestions for getting …
There is, once again, a small list of Kindle deals to browse through. Yesterday I put out a little video about ESV Scripture Journals; shortly thereafter (and entirely coincidentally) they went on sale at Westminster Books. The Power of the Gospel and the Meltdown of Identity Politics Al Mohler has some really good and clarifying thoughts here about identity politics and intersectionality. “Virginia serves as a prime example of the self-destructive nature of identity politics—a political philosophy that expansively designates identity by …
You’ve probably seen something recently about the ESV Scripture Journals. According to the publisher, they “pair the entirety of individual books of the New Testament with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of the biblical text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture. Individual volumes feature one book of Scripture in a thin and portable format—great for personal Bible reading and reflection, small-group study, or taking notes through a …
Today’s Kindle deals include all kinds of books that are worth checking out. If you’ve going to be at the TGC conference in April, I’d love to see you for a Visual Theology breakout. And we’re working on a nice giveaway for all attendees. If you’ve already registered for TGC19, you can email [email protected] to sign up. (Yesterday on the blog: Meet My Friend Selina) How To Stop Hating Yourself I appreciated reading Emma’s thoughts on self-hatred. “Self-hatred is not God’s …
As I’ve traveled the world over the past year, I’ve made many new friends. Some of these friends are living, but many more of them have long since gone to glory, and I’ve had to meet them through their biographies and through the objects they’ve left behind. One of my new friends is Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon. In what follows, I want to briefly introduce you to her. She was born into prominence. She was born on August 24, …
Today’s Kindle deals include several books about marriage, among them a personal favorite–Married for God. (Yesterday on the blog: How We Worshipped One Sunday in February) Nevertheless, She Persisted in Christ What inspiring story of aging with grace. “Culture tends to portray images of strong women fitting a specific mold – successful businesswoman, outstanding athlete, influential leader. These can be appropriate examples, but if we measure strength solely by public achievements, we miss honoring the excellence of integrity. If we only …
Every few weeks I like to share an example of one of our worship services from Grace Fellowship Church. I do so hoping they serve as a model of how one church attempts to worship the Lord in a distinctly biblical way. This service’s cast of characters included Paul as our service leader and preacher, Brian as our lead worshipper, and Dwight as the elder who read the Scripture text and prayed. Steve, our associate pastor, closed out the service …
Today’s Kindle deals include a few books that are worth considering. (Yesterday on the blog: Travel Tips from a Journey Round the World) Valentine’s Day and Christian Dads Chap Bettis: “There is something about knowing florists, card-makers, and restaurants make a killing off this self-declared holiday that drives me a little crazy. Each year I stare it in the face and waver. But my kind wife gives me a little push. And I am glad she does. Each Valentine’s Day, my …
I spent a lot of last year traveling the world to carry out research for my forthcoming church history project–a project that took me to 24 countries across 6 continents. Now that the travel is winding down, I’m beginning to think about a few of the travel lessons I learned along the way. I decided to jot them down and share them in case they prove helpful to you next time you set out on a journey of your own. …
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
