The Big Picture – The Big Picture has a gallery of photos of the devastation in Oklahoma. Also, these before and after pictures are startling and display the power of the storm. Modern Parables 2 – I have often expressed my appreciation for the Modern Parables series of films. Well, they are now using Kickstarter…
Just about every Christian has memorized the closing verses of Galatians and Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is the character of the man or woman who has been justified by grace through faith. Yet as we review the list, and especially as…
Pope Francis and the Re-Marianization of the Papacy – “Benedict XVI has been portrayed as a less Marian Pope, although he has always prayed to Mary on a daily basis and has included many Marian elements in all his work. After a short recess, Mary is once again a prominent figure with Pope Francis. His…
Who is publishing good books today? I found myself wondering which publishers are releasing the kind of books that end up in my mailbox and the kind of books that are then read and reviewed. I don’t mean to say that I am the final arbiter of which books are good and which are not;…
You may be one of those Christians who serves. And serves. And serves some more. When you head to church on Sunday you are preparing yourself to serve and when you return home you are exhausted. And if you are one of those servant-hearted Christians it may just be that the more you serve, the…
The Goodness of God and the Reality of Evil – Dr. Mohler reflects on the tornado in Oklahoma: “Every thoughtful person must deal with the problem of evil. Evil acts and tragic events come to us all in this vale of tears known as human life. The problem of evil and suffering is undoubtedly the…
We all know that the story of Jonah is really the story of Jonah and his whale, right? Every childrens’ Bible majors on that whale and its role in miraculously delivering Jonah from the depths of the sea. The whale is the hero of the story, the knight in shining blubber who comes to the…
Why Have Babies? – Candice Watters offers a really helpful take on this question: Why have babies? “You may think your reasons for having babies are biblical, but if you’re like me, you’ve absorbed a lot more culture and a lot less Bible than you realize.” Aiming at Heaven – A missionary seems particularly able…
Explore the World – Here’s a fascinating way to pass a few minutes. Using Google Map’s street view, you get dropped somewhere in the world and have to try to guess where you are. Embarrassing Moments in Ministry – I haven’t been in ministry long enough to have a collection of embarrassing moments like these.…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Christian Focus. They are giving some great prize packages this week. There will be five winners and each of them will receive these five new books. Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative by Sam Storms – Described by Kevin De Young as “the standard bearer for Amillennialism for…
Last night my wife and I sat and did a rough tally of the number of couples we have known as they have gone through dating and engagement. It’s a pretty good number of friends, family, and fellow church members. Then we thought about how many of them maintained healthy and God-glorifying physical boundaries and…
Daily Slogging – Ray Ortlund with a great blog post: “I am not impressed by young pastors who seem too eager to publish books and speak at big events and get noticed. They are doing the work of the Lord, and that’s good. But what impresses me is my dad’s daily slogging, year after year,…
Everyone has had to ask or answer the question at one time or another: When it comes to the physical component of a dating relationship, how far is too far? Can we hold hands? Can we kiss? Can we do a little bit more than kiss? Should we even explore the physical relationship a little…
How Do Fortune Cookies Get Written? – You’ve probably wondered at one time or another how fortune cookies get written. Now you know. (I have previously suggested some possible connection to Joel Osteen sermons.) Religious Liberty in America – Denny Burk commends this article on the changing face of religious liberty in America. Idle of…
God spoke to me on Sunday morning. It was clear. It was undeniable. God spoke to me in a moment of need, he brought me a word of comfort, and gave me exactly the message I needed to hear. Preaching a sermon is one of the most difficult things I do. It is a good…
Kermit Gosnell’s America – Dr. Mohler writes about what Kermit Gosnell’s trial really reveals about America. “While the trial was not an open debate about the morality of abortion, that issue is what every thoughtful person recognizes is at stake — which is precisely why the pro-abortion movement had to insist, over and over again,…
I am in the unique and enjoyable position of receiving copies of most of the latest and greatest Christian books and I like to provide regular roundups of some of the best and brightest of the bunch. Of all the books I have received recently, here are the ones that appear most noteworthy. Glimpses of…
There are some books on preaching that are meant for preachers. These are books that teach the nuts and bolts of preaching, that are full of practical tips and illustration. There is a place for such works. There are other books on preaching that are meant for all Christians. These are books that describe the…
The Bible Miniseries – Andy Naselli offers “3 Reasons I Don’t Enthusiastically Recommend the History Channel’s ‘The Bible: The Epic Miniseries’.” He brings some good reflections on both the strengths and weaknesses of the series. Americans and Germans Fought Together – “Days after Hitler’s suicide a group of American soldiers, French prisoners, and, yes, German…