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A La Carte (5/9)

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Her Primary Ministry – I’ve been enjoying Gloria Furman’s series on the pastor’s wife. Looking to the New Testament she asks, “But where is the list of qualifications to be an elder’s wife? Scripture-based ecclesiology offers no explicit job description for the office of pastor’s wife, because there is no such office.” Her answer is very helpful.

The Quotable Elizabeth – While we’re on that topic, I really enjoyed this interview with Elizabeth Bass, a pastor’s wife. In this interview, and in part one, she is refreshingly honest about what she does, what she doesn’t do, where she is prone to sin, and so on.

The North Carolina Vote – Ryan T. Anderson writes about the way the vote in North Carolina is being framed. “How we talk about an issue affects how we think about it… . Today’s vote in North Carolina is not about banning anything. Nothing will be made illegal as a result.” (HT)

A Disturbing Trend in Publishing – This is, indeed, a disturbing trend. Unfortunately I’m not sure that it’s likely to end with anything less than the disappearance of the hardcover book.

What Sermon Prep Looks Like – I can identify with some of this, though I typically work extra hard to make sure that my sermon’s done by Friday afternoon. I guess that doesn’t keep me from tinkering with it on Saturday night and Sunday morning…

Heavenly Mindedness – Randy Alcorn writes about the value of being heavenly minded. “If you lack a passion for heaven, I can almost guarantee it’s because you have a deficient and distorted theology of heaven (or you’re making choices that conflict with heaven’s agenda). An accurate and biblically energized view of heaven will bring a new spiritual passion to your life.”

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl – N.D. Wilson’s DVD Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl, which makes rather a good graduation gift, has seen a price drop at Amazon. It’s worth checking out.

You can have a head full of Scripture and a heart full of sin.

—Vance Havner

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Matthias Media)

    This week the blog and the giveaway have been sponsored by Matthias Media. Matthias Media is hosting Evangelize 2024 in Denver, Colorado on October 7-9, 2024. We have partnered with 10ofThose, Calvary Family of Churches and Vinegrowers to help you raise the evangelistic temperature at your church. We want to motivate and equip people to…

  • When Christians Disagree

    When Christians Disagree

    Wouldn’t it be nice if Christians only ever got along? Wouldn’t it be grand if all the discord we see in the world around us was completely foreign to the church? Wouldn’t it be heavenly if believers ever only experienced peace? I suppose it would be heavenly and, therefore, more than we can realistically hope…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (July 26)

    A La Carte: Therapy and bug men / How to have joy in hard times / Can a single pastor date in his church? / Life from barren ground / Shulamith Firestone was a prophet / Different ways of reading people we disagree with / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (July 25)

    A La Carte: What does it mean to die with dignity? / Did Paul endorse slavery? / Forgiveness in marriage / 5 ways to pursue contentment / The immense value of encouragement / and more.

  • Maybe We Make Meditation Too Difficult

    Maybe We Make Meditation Too Difficult

    Of all the Christian disciplines, it is my guess that meditation may be the least practiced—though I suppose fasting might have something to say about that. Most people diligently make time to read the Bible and pray. And yet, while most people have good intentions when it comes to meditation, it so often seems to…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 24)

    A La Carte: A mother to me, too / Never look your age? / Nine reminders for the struggle with body image / A ruler who trusts in Yahweh / No, I will not stop calling the church a family / Criminalizing sexual ethics / Bible journal sale / Kindle deals / and more.