On a recent trip to Scotland, I held an Ask Me Anything event at FM Bookstore and Cafe in Edinburgh. One of the questions I was asked was “how do you create a reading culture in your church?” Here is my answer. Transcript How do you create a culture of reading in your church? Yes,…
Today’s Kindle deals include a really random collection of bits and pieces. (Yesterday on the blog: How God Speaks To Us Today) Ries Jansen — A War Criminal Converted You may enjoy this story of a Dutch believer. “Wife, family, look back once more. Look at me. See how calm I am. Remember this. Listen!…
This week the blog is sponsored by The Gospel Project. “The wise man builds his house on the rock.” We’ve all heard it; maybe we even have the passage memorized. We sang songs about it as kids. We read through it almost like it’s a little poem, a tip, or a fable. But when Jesus…
In recent days there has been much discussion and debate about how God speaks to his people. The conversation continues, and as it does so, I find myself looking back to the basics, returning to some key principles related to the voice of God. Let me share those with you through four statements. Statement one:…
It seems to be getting harder to do, but I did track down some Kindle deals for those interested. (Yesterday on the blog: The Haunting Beauty of Scotland) Why the Book of Acts Matters for Your Life It’s one of my favorite books! “The Book of Acts gives us an example of radical generosity to…
I recently returned from a trip to Scotland. I was there first to conduct my research for my worldwide EPIC project and then to enjoy some vacation with my family. We traveled far and wide and saw from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye. We were blown away by the haunting beauty of Scotland, made…
Once again I haven’t been able to track down much by way of Kindle deals, though there is at least one classic there that may be good to add to your collection. (Yesterday on the blog: A Few Humble Suggestions for Reformed Worship Services) 7 Spiritual Realities of God’s Church “The Bible is full of…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by The Gospel Project, who also sponsored the blog this week. They are giving away five sets (though, unfortunately, we need to limit them to North America) of resources from The Gospel Project for Adults. These sets include: The Gospel Project helps adults encounter the gospel of Jesus…
As Christians, we set aside the first day of each week as a day of worship. We gather together as communities to worship God through what we call “church services.” One of the struggles we may encounter is related to doing roughly the same thing in the same way week after week. We may begin…
I had a wonderful time in Scotland, both shooting video for the EPIC series and getting in a little bit of vacation with my family. We returned home a couple of days ago and are now focused on the next thing–getting my son off to college! (Yesterday on the blog: The Joel Osteen Sermon that…
This marks the final entry in a series of videos I’ve very much enjoyed putting together: The Great Sermon Series. And for this last video we are going in a different direction by looking at a not-so-great sermon. Joel Osteen’s “The Power of I Am” may be the most popular sermon on YouTube, but it’s…
For some reason, Kindle deals have been reduced to little more than a trickle. I sure hope they pick up again! I did find a few, at least… (Yesterday on the blog: How an Emerging Church Pastor Inadvertently Changed My Life) Old, Resting, Reformed This one is worth reading even if just for the quotes.…
The Lord often works in mysterious ways. At least, he certainly has in my life, and this was exactly the case with my first real introduction to Charles Spurgeon. Of course I lived far too late to be introduced to him face-to-face, but I did come to know him through his sermons. Here’s how. It…
Logos users will want to use coupon code SAVE10JULY to get $10 off any order. Meanwhile, Westminster Books has 50% off 25 of their favorite books. (Yesterday on the blog: Porn’s Ever-Evolving Verbs) Where Do People Who Never Hear of Jesus Go When They Die? You know the answer, I’m sure. But it’s still worth…
Porn existed before the digital era, though it was rarely spoken of and was relatively scarce. In these days it primarily took the form of images printed in magazines stashed in (and stolen from) the forbidden top rack in convenience stores. It seems quaint now, but in those days porn was something we only looked…
I wasn’t able to find any new Kindle deals for today. However, if you are looking for kid’s books, for a week only, you can get Ligonier’s collection of children’s books at 50% off. (Yesterday on the blog: Citizenship and the Gospel of Jesus Christ) I Believe in the Devil By now I’m sure you’ve…
This week the blog is sponsored by The Gospel Project. “My dearly loved son,” Paul addresses Timothy, “I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:2, 5 CSB). Timothy had a lineage of faith, passed…
When people translate the New Testament from the original Greek language into modern English, they need to make decisions about how to best communicate the author’s intent. The translator doesn’t only ask “what words did he use?” but also “what did he mean to communicate to his readers?” In Philippians 1:27, most translators have made…
I was able to track down a few Kindle deals that may be of interest to you. (Yesterday on the blog: One Spirit, One Faith, Many Opponents) A New ‘Peculiar Institution’ Treats Human Beings as Legal Property Technology such as IVF invariably solves some issues while introducing others. Here’s an example. “A new Arizona law…
There was a time when believers often spoke of the Christian faith using military language. “Onward Christian Soldiers” may sound antiquated now, but not long ago it was known and loved. Yet martial language is quite common in the New Testament, and Paul relies on it to communicate key realities. He describes Christians as being…