Are you going to take the 2016 Reading Challenge this year? I talked it over with my family and we have decided to team up on it. We have the poster up, we are ready to go, and are just waiting for January 1. Whether you do it alone or with others, 100 books in…
3 Reminders as You Enter the New Year These are simple but important reminders as we head into a new year. Gluttony: Gospel Reflections for Foodies & Comfort Eaters “Are we really going to talk about gluttony at this time of the year? Do we have to? Yes, we need to talk about it, and…
I love book recommendations. So when various friends take the time to put together lists of their favorite books in 2015, I enjoy seeing not only what they recommend, but why. So I thought I would compile a variety of book roundups that I’m aware of for this past year: Another list that may be…
As you may already know, I plan to begin 2016 with a ten-day focus on productivity. I would love to have you join me and the several thousand people who have signed up for this program I’m calling 10 Days of Productivity. (Have you heard enough already? Sign up here.) As you know, I recently…
2015: A Christian Music Review Jeremy Howard has a roundup of some of this year’s best Christian music (and the most precise rating system I’ve ever seen). You’ll need to scroll all the way down to see his top-5 picks. Why Sexual Metaphors of Jesus and His Bride Embarrass Us John Piper unblushingly answers two…
John Piper sparked a firestorm with his recent article, Should Christians Be Encouraged to Arm Themselves? Piper’s article was a response to Jerry Falwell Jr. who has encouraged the students at Liberty University to secure permits to carry guns. I appreciated Piper’s attempt to answer a difficult question, and equally appreciated some of the measured…
The Dior Woman and True Freedom This is a must-read article. “Have we really reached a point where freedom is portrayed by such petty play things like a little black dress, a helicopter ride, and a man to kiss but not commit to? Is freedom merely the absence of responsibility? If that’s the definition of…
This sponsored post was prepared by Mitch Maher. “Clarifying The Bible goes to war with that intimidation [a big Bible!] and equips and frees men and women to engage the Scriptures with a passion and freedom. I’ve personally seen people move from Biblical apathy to passionate students of God’s Word after engaging Mitch and Clarifying…
A site I visit from time-to-time dedicated Christmas day to displaying nothing but videos of people receiving puppies for Christmas. They meant to spread Christmas cheer, I suppose. There were little boys and girls, grown men and women, and even seniors, all screaming and weeping with joy as they came face-to-face with their new pets.…
If I Suffered, It Was Worth It “Last week I read an article called “Should the Children Suffer?” It’s about a missionary father’s struggle to trust God with the suffering his children are experiencing on the mission field.” This response comes from Amy, who grew up the child of missionaries and who is now a…
This morning, all across the world, thousands of ordinary pastors will preach ordinary sermons to ordinary people, and through these sermons they will communicate the most powerful, extraordinary news of all. This news will slowly but definitely make its mark on these people, conforming them ever more to the image of Christ. These congregations will…
It is Boxing Day in Canada (and other Commonwealth nations) and that is a day to take advantage of deals and bargains. And for that reason I’ve got a bonus giveaway. This one is sponsored by Crown and Covenant and is a natural follow-up to this week’s sponsored post by Rosaria Butterfield, Why I Sing…
Everlasting Father Wait—“Everlasting Father”? Isn’t he the “child … born,” the “son … given”? Isn’t he the Son of Man and the Son of God? Isn’t it God the Father who is, well, God the Father? I’m Stephen, By the Way What do you do after you’ve been Canada’s Prime Minister for a decade? Basically,…
Good morning, and merry Christmas. I trust you are enjoying a sweet and meaningful holiday today. My family has two Christmas traditions: The at-home-in-Canada and the away-in-Chattanooga traditions. This year we are in Chattanooga where my family lives. Some friends of friends were kind enough to allow us access to their home while they are…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is actually the first-ever Free Stuff Thursdays. With Christmas tomorrow, it seemed prudent to bump up the giveaway by one day. This week’s giveaway is brought to you by Kress Biblical Resources and they are giving away some book packages. There will be 5 winners this week, and each of…
How C.S. Lewis Made Christianity Seem Like Common Sense I was surprised to find this little article in the National Post. Inside Chipotle’s Contamination Crisis This is quite an interesting look at Chipotle’s crisis with their contaminated food. “Almost 500 people around the country have become sick from Chipotle food since July, according to public-health…
I am not one of those good bloggers, those by-the-book bloggers. The good ones always know exactly who reads their articles, how many visitors they get each day, how people found their way to the articles, and on and on. But I have never paid much attention to such metrics. However, once or twice a…
I Have Parkinson’s and I Am at Peace Wayne Grudem shares some difficult news and tells of the hope he has through it. The Church Comes First This is a timely word from Nick Batzig. “As we come to the end of the year and press into yet another new year, it is always beneficial…
What would you do if the lights went out? What if they went out not only for an hour or a day but for a week or a month? That’s the question behind Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath, a book I decided to read after seeing it sit for several…
Good morning. I write today from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We drove 824 rainy miles yesterday (with only 3 brief stops) to come down here and celebrate Christmas with family. We are glad to be in the South! Our Relatives and Friends Without Christ Jim Elliff has a helpful little article on your inevitable times together with…