A La Carte: This is a gift you can give / On the domestication of animals / Fiscal hilarity / Best Christian folk and worship of 2023 / Blessed among all women / Uncomfortable Christmases and witnessing to family during the holidays / Kindle deals and free book / and more.
From time to time I like to share an example of a pastoral prayer that was prayed at Grace Fellowship Church. The pastoral prayer is a time for one of the pastors or elders to pray before the congregation and to intercede on their behalf. It’s a precious element of a service. I prayed this…
Weekend A La Carte: Why I changed my mind about deconstruction / Yes, there’s room for women in missions / Sheila Wray Gregoire, sex and the evangelical girl / 15,409 days / Did Paul write the pastorals? / Shepherd feet / Kindle deals / and more.
This week Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by BJU Seminary. They are giving away a commentary on Matthew written by the late Dr. Stewart Custer, who served 56 years at the Seminary and BJU. BJU Seminary equips Christian leaders through an educational and ministry experience that is biblically shaped, theologically rich, historically significant, and evangelistically…
Like a River Granger Smith Not too long ago a friend asked me, “Hey, did you hear that Granger Smith is now a student at Southern Seminary?” “No, I hadn’t heard that,” I replied. Then I surreptitiously Googled “Who is Granger Smith?” I learned that he is—or was, at least—a country music singer, and apparently…
December 15 A La Carte: Tasting heaven now / Called to ministry? / Bridging your real-life and virtual identity / Still talking about it / The second advent / Six reasons for the virgin birth / and more.
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 coordinated with Visual Theology to create something that may be right up your alley—the 2024 Christian Reading Challenge. Whether you are a light reader or…
Thursday A La Carte: My grandfather died with dignity / There is no inconvenience too great for godliness / Christmas should humble us / Why was a man killed for touching the Ark of the Covenant? / Nobody can know the trouble you’ve seen / a year in the Greek NT / Commentaries on sale…
I have wide-ranging tastes in music and will gladly listen to a host of different genres. Apple Music recently put together an accounting of all I listened to in 2023 and that got me thinking about the songs that resonated most. I eventually narrowed my favorites down to this list of 12—my 12 favorite songs…
December 13 A La Carte: How long does grieving take? / The tyranny of seeing only power / Finding grace in infertility and loss / They came to shepherds / Connection to God that connects us to one another / More light, Lord / Logos deals / and more.
Today’s A La Carte: Top 10 theology stories of 2023 / Just a stay-at-home mom / Think you know the Christmas story? / Pastoral oversight and the music ministry of the church / The greatest joy is Jesus / The weary world rejoices / Kindle deals and book sale / and more.
Today’s post is sponsored by BJU Seminary and written by Brian Hand, professor of New Testament interpretation. BJU Seminary equips Christian leaders through an educational and ministry experience that is biblically shaped, theologically rich, historically significant, and evangelistically robust. Melancholia—on a spectrum from simple sadness to profound discouragement, then crossing a moral line into despair—marks…
There are many different ways to chart the journey through life. We can do it in life stages, like childhood to adulthood to middle age to old age. We can do it in decades, like teens to twenties to thirties and so on. But lately I’ve been pondering the passing of the generations, how when…
Good morning. Grace and peace to you. Today’s Kindle deals include a new selection from Crossway. I’ve also created a list of all the best commentary deals that are part of Eerdmans’ month-long sale. I am aware that subscribers to the daily newsletter may be having trouble opening links if they are using Avast antivirus.…
I have finally launched a long-awaited and much-overdue refresh to the design of this site and the accompanying newsletter. The update includes the look of the site but also goes much deeper into its design and architecture. It’s easily the most significant update in the past 20 years and firms up the site’s foundation as…
In today’s A La Carte: When grief like sea billows roll through your holidays / looking upwards amidst chronic illness / 8 practical ways to flee from temptation in the moment / strong, weak, and godly / loving your adult children and grandchildren / it’s more awkward to reject the virgin birth / Kindle deals…
This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Reformation Heritage Books. Glorifying and Enjoying God (written by William Boekestein, Jonathan L. Cruse, and Andrew J. Miller) is a new devotional on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. These fifty-two short lessons teach us how reformed theology affects our daily lives. Click here to listen to a series of podcasts with the authors…
As another year draws to a close, I wanted to take some time to consider the books I read in 2023 and to assemble a list of my top picks. Apart from the first book, which I consider the best I read this year, the rest are in no particular order. In each case I’ve…
In today’s A La Carte: The antipsalms we sing / God’s writing a story of redemption in your life / seeing what you have as something that doesn’t belong to you / 7 tips for loving “those” people in your church / a lavish love / light overcomes darkness / and more.
A La Carte: Behind a tragic, Instagram-perfect life / Ayaan Hirsi Ali and our Constantian moment / don’t think about pink elephants / advice for someone about to enter seminary / a brief history of the Huguenots / blessed be the name of the Lord / Kindle deals / and more.