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A La Carte (8/13)

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Gospel or Spirit? – Good thoughts here from Trevin: “Evangelicals love to speak in theological shorthand. We employ phrases and terms that become popular, become a badge of identification, and over time get emptied of their meaning.”

Taking the Text Seriously – I enjoyed this one. “Expository preaching is a new buzzword. Everyone is doing it. But not really. They used to sing, ‘Everybody talking about heaven ain’t going.’ New verse: ‘Everybody talking about expository preaching ain’t doing it.’ That’s fine. Really. It is. If your preaching is not expository, that’s okay. But it is not okay to be unbiblical.”

The Debate – “One of the main rhetorical strategies of gay marriage supporters has been to frame the issue as the next phase in the struggle for civil rights in America. As a consequence, they brand traditional marriage supporters as ‘bigots’ who support ‘discrimination’ equivalent to that of Jim Crow. For the most part, that rhetorical strategy seems to be working. This means that if you are a Christian who believes the Bible, there are many who simply believe you to be a morally retrograde bigot.”

Lessons from an Olympic Hero – John Percival proposes ten lessons we ought to learn from Eric Liddell.

Complicated Isn’t Compromised – “The world isn’t a black and white place. Despite our two party political system and fundamentalist church roots, life doesn’t offer the luxury of a mere two perspectives on every issue – right and wrong, good and bad, up and down, yes and no, now or never. There are a multitude of options throughout life – both, neither, maybe, all of the above, later. The world is complicated, and people who tell you otherwise likely see themselves as wiser than the rest but are more likely blinder.”

Is there nothing to sing about today? Then borrow a song from tomorrow; sing of what is yet to be. Is this world dreary? Then think of the next.

—C.H. Spurgeon

  • Intact

    Intact and Unmoved

    Corrie ten Boom knew what it was to suffer deprivation, to have to do without so many of life’s luxuries and even its necessities. Arrested and sent to a concentration camp for her role in sheltering Jews from the Nazis, she spent almost a year in confinement and suffered the loss of her father and…

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    Weekend A La Carte (November 9)

    A La Carte: Waiting on God / Approach, My Soul / Chronic illness / A comforting verse for not so great preachers / Love the church like Jesus / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (P&R Publishing)

    This week the blog and giveaway have been sponsored by P&R Publishing. Calvin, Spurgeon, and Luther appear alongside Wordsworth, Twain, and Emerson in a vibrant celebration of God’s creation. Ryken joins great works of poetry, hymnody, prose, and art with accessible literary analysis. “John Calvin referred to nature as the theater of God’s glory. Dr.…

  • Prepare for Christmas

    Now’s the Time to Prepare to Prepare for Christmas

    It’s probably a bit too early to begin preparing for Christmas. But it’s not too early to begin preparing to prepare for Christmas. For example, if you want to use a guide or devotional in the lead-up to December 25, this is the time to start looking into your options and buying the one you…

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    A La Carte (November 8)

    A La Carte: Guard kids’ eyes and hearts online / The game is up for the mainstream media / The church’s unsung hero / Dear New York Times / Bear one another’s burdens / Kindle deals / and more.

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    A La Carte (November 7)

    A La Carte: Where abortion policies stand now / Misconceptions about sports betting / You shall surely die / Does evolution care about you? / Ministering to orphans in Africa / Book and Kindle deals / and more.