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A La Carte (6/20)

A La Carte Collection cover image

The Evolution of the Swimsuit – This is a very interesting video that traces the history of women’s swimsuits and advocates something better than today’s bikinis. (There is nothing in the video that is alluring or inappropriate.)

Who Am I? – “We live in an era where personal identity is of great importance to us. Perhaps we simply don’t know who we are. We are like victims of amnesia who are lost and always searching for our ‘true’ identity–or perhaps we are looking for an upgrade. We seek meaningful self-definition in our jobs, our relationships, our hobbies, and (sometimes) in Jesus. Whatever the reason, we listen when someone speaks about identity.”

Return of the Cicadas – This short documentary may be a wee bit melodramatic, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.

The Gospel According to the Old Testament – P&R’s excellent “Gospel According to the Old Testament” series is on sale at Westminster Books. I have found several of the volumes very helpful in study and sermon preparation. There’s also a free download of “Is Jesus in the Old Testament?” by Iain Duguid if you’d like to grab it.

Personal Fulfillment Driving Ministry – Ray Ortlund recently said, “I am not impressed by young pastors who seem too eager to publish books and speak at big events and get noticed.” This blogger tees off of that and offers some valuable reflections.

A Gospel-Centered Concern – I think this concern with the gospel-centered movement is well worth considering. “Before expressing any concern I want to be clear: I am very encouraged by the recovery of the center, the gospel, among many, particularly younger evangelicals. This is essential for us at this hour. At the same time I have a cause for concern…”

An idle life and a holy heart is a contradiction.

—Thomas Brooks

  • Weekend A La Carte (June 13)

    Egg freezing is a booming business / Talk to the A.I. me / Is aging becoming optional? / Feminism and the Fall / The lie of living your truth / Moving on from the Christian Nationalism moment / and more.

  • An Ideal Resource For Your Family Devotions

    An Ideal Resource For Your Family Devotions

    There is a lot I miss from the days when our children were young. High on the list is family devotions. Nick once described our family as having a “Spartan-like commitment” to them, though I remember as much failure as success and as many misses as hits. Still, there’s no doubt that over the 26…

  • A La Carte (June 12)

    The curious case of extra resurrections / Are kids too expensive? / Why hot takes are the enemy of conviction / Piper on preaching outrage / A daily rhythm of prayer / Forgetting and pursuing / A La Quiz / The funnies / and more.

  • A La Carte (June 11)

    We lost the baby / The Bible is cessationist (and wondrous!) / Thinking about Eastern Orthodoxy: a primer for evangelicals / Virtue signalling in the church / What is God’s providence? / Restlessness / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Conform

    You Can Conform to Christ Even if You Don’t Conform to Me

    One of the aspects of the Christian faith that I find particularly perplexing is the freedom God gives his people to obey him in different or even opposite ways, so that one person’s obedience is another person’s disobedience. Even as two people take the same action, one might be obeying him and the other disobeying…

  • A La Carte (June 10)

    Does prayer make a difference? / Portrait of an abortionist / Pushing back against the black tax / Bring your whole self to work / Blessed are the weak / When service isn’t a transaction / A pastoral analogy / Bill C-9 will soon be law in Canada / and more.