Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, and book reviewer.
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Yesterday morning my father sent a quick email to ask if he could call me later that evening—he wanted to hear about my experiences in Africa, I’m sure. Yesterday afternoon my sister made a tearful phone call to say that she had found him unconscious and unresponsive. There was nothing she or the paramedics could do—he had very suddenly and unexpectedly gone to be with the Lord. This has come as a terrible shock to the entire family—my mother, the …
On Saturday I returned home from a lengthy overseas trip and thought I’d share a few notes about what I saw and experienced along the way. While the original and primary purpose of the visit was to get to northern Zambia to speak at a conference for pastors and church leaders, it turned into an opportunity to do quite a lot more. After back-to-back overnight flights from Toronto to London and London to Johannesburg, I took advantage of a 25-hour …
Today’s Kindle deals include books that come from a pretty healthy list of different authors and publishers. (Yesterday on the blog: A Textbook Pastoral Prayer) Controversial Compromise If you’re in the US, you might have heard about this and had some questions about it. “A Republican congressman on Friday introduced sweeping legislation he says will balance the rights of religious and LGBT people, advancing a controversial religious freedom approach.” See also Joe Carter’s FAQ. The Dark Psychology of Social Networks …
A couple of Sundays ago, Paul Martin prayed a pastoral prayer at Grace Fellowship Church that I think stands as a textbook example of how a pastor can pray for his people when they gather to worship. If the pastoral prayer is the time for the pastor to intercede before God on behalf of his church, I believe he did so in an especially powerful and effective way that Sunday. Please read and benefit from it. ***** God of Adam, …
Having just done the long Frankfurt airport sprint, I made an impossible connection and am on my way home! I can’t wait to see my family. I’ll provide a kind of trip report next week. Today’s Kindle deals include a few “everyday” books and a couple of Christmas selections. Plus, Westminster Books has a deal on my pal Mez McConnell’s new book (plus all those ESV Bibles still). (Yesterday on the blog: How To Turn A Retired Bible Into A Precious …
I do not often run guest articles on this site. But every now and again I do make an exception—usually for my friend Paul Carter. In this case, he is going to suggest a great way to turn a retired Bible into a precious family heirloom. What follows is from Paul… ***** If you are a Bible reader, a note taker and a highlighter then you have probably asked the question at some point in your life: what do I …
Today’s Kindle deals include a list headlined by books from Eerdmans. I am just now about to leave Kitwe, Zambia, to make the long journey home (which involves driving to Ndola, then flying to Johannesburg, Frankfurt, and finally Toronto). If all goes well, I should be home Saturday afternoon. Weeknight Dinner Around the World Here are some photos from around the world showing different families and what they eat for dinner. Somehow something so mundane can still be interesting. Preparing …
There is a good and diverse collection of Kindle deals to look over today. Westminster Books has all Crossway Bibles heavily discounted this month. (Yesterday on the blog: The 2020 Christian Reading Challenge) The Self-Help Movement That Is Upending American Christianity This longform article, which is not written from a Christian perspective, does a good job of showing why the Enneagram should be so concerning to believers. “Though derived from an ancient wisdom tradition, and not explicitly Christian, the Enneagram has recently …
Do you love to read? Do you want to learn to love to read? Do you enjoy reading books that cross the whole spectrum of topics and genres? Then I’ve got something that may be right up your alley—the 2020 Christian Reading Challenge. Whether you are a light reader or completely obsessed, this 2020 Christian Reading Challenge is designed to help you read more and to broaden the scope of your reading. How It Works The 2020 Christian Reading Challenge is …
Today’s Kindle deals include a long list of books, the great majority of which are by Matthias Media, one of those “everything they publish is sound” publishers. Good News! God Does not Love You Unconditionally Good news, indeed! “Just to be clear, the Bible does not teach that God loves unconditionally or that you should love unconditionally and that is good news, a sign that the Bible is wise.” The Problem With Relying on ‘Wirecutter’ Reviews This article was probably …
It has been strange working 7 hours ahead of my usual time zone this week. I’ve not been able to track down any Kindle deals for today, though may add some later if and when I gain internet access again. (Yesterday on the blog: Is There Still a Place for Blogs in 2020?) What Does the True Christmas Spirit Look Like? Elisha Galotti: “It’s Christmas. It’s the season where Christians celebrate a Savior who gave up everything to come and …
As you’d expect for Cyber Monday, there are lots of Kindle deals available today. Because I’m in Africa and have spotty internet plus an intense schedule, I’ve not been able to put the time into gathering other Cyber Monday deals. I’ll just refer you to the Black Friday page and suggest that most who had deals on Friday will also have deals on Monday. Is God Going to Wipe Out the Ocean? Revelation 21:1 seems to indicate that God will one day …
I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon. Just before a new piece of camera equipment gets released to the public, it often gets sent to the camera stores so they can review it. This being the 21st century, they tend to create YouTube reviews of that product and invariably recommend it in the most positive terms. And you can’t help but wonder: Are they really being objective in their reviews? After all, they are the very ones who stand to gain from …
Hymn Sunday is a collaboration with Getty Music. This month they have generously decided to provide you with three hymns! Two of these three hymns may be found in the Keith Getty Top 10 Carols for Christmas. Keith has also written an article about why we should still be singing Christmas Carols. In the Bleak Midwinter “In the Bleak Midwinter” is among our most plaintive carols, partly because of the melancholic melody by Gustav Holst. Penned by English poet …
Good morning from Lusaka, Zambia, where today I am scheduled to speak at the graduation ceremonies for African Christian University I’ve put together a list of a few Kindle deals that might interest you. Door-To-Door With a Difference This article contains some good and honest ideas for door-to-door evangelism in neighborhoods. 8 Ways Expository Preaching Changed Our Church “Faithful expository preaching meant that the Word of God is presented as the words of God. It sounds funny to write it that way, in …
This week, the giveaway has been sponsored by Heritage College & Seminary. They will be giving away five copies of the book The Path of Life by Dr. Stephen Yuille, Vice President of Academics and Academic Dean of the College at Heritage College & Seminary Discovering the Path of Life Psalm 119 is noted for its call to delight in the word of God. But we must not fail to realize that this great psalm is also infused with great …
While there are many places you can go today to find deals on electronics and other big-ticket items, I like to provide a place for Christian retailers to make their deals known to Christians who are trying to kick-start their Christmas shopping. I will update this list regularly throughout the weekend, so check back often. Be sure to check back on Monday for Cyber Monday deals. Amazon Amazon has lots of deals, of course. They have lots of general market …
As you would expect, there are a lot of Kindle deals today. And beyond the Kindle deals, there are tons of other Black Friday specials to be had. Please consult my dedicated Black Friday Deals for Christians page to see what might be of interest to you. Can a Fallen Christian Leader Ever Be Restored? D.A. Carson answers the question. “This question has become increasingly pressing, owing in no small part to the number of Christian leaders who have fallen into publicly …
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
