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A La Carte (9/27)

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18 People in My Truck – I love reading dispatches from the mission front.

Losing Is Good For You – “As children return to school this fall and sign up for a new year’s worth of extracurricular activities, parents should keep one question in mind. Whether your kid loves Little League or gymnastics, ask the program organizers this: ‘Which kids get awards?’ If the answer is, ‘Everybody gets a trophy,’ find another program.”

The Danger of Forgiving Yourself – “One of the more interesting teachings which has crept into the Christian world view is the idea of self-forgiveness. ‘You just need to forgive yourself’ is one of the standard ways this secular doctrine is put forth. I’m not exactly sure how it became such a supported teaching in the mainstream Christian consciousness, though I do have a pretty good idea of some of its secular counterparts.”

Oprah and Bell – “Eckhart Tolle. Rhonda Byrne. Elizabeth Gilbert. …Rob Bell? Yes, the moment has arrived. … Oprah has added Rob Bell to her list of must-read spiritual gurus.”

Behind the Blog – I enjoyed doing a brief interview with John. You can read it here, if you’re interested.

Christians and Social Media – Here are fifteen questions to ask about your use of social media.

We rob the gospel of its power if we leave out its threatenings of punishment.

—C.H. Spurgeon

  • 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.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 23)

    A La Carte: Connection and commitment / When your mind gets stuck / Prayer postures in the Bible / Fading with age / Does God care about how I work? / 7 essential things to know about God’s holiness / and more.