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A La Carte (April 23)

thursday

Today’s Kindle deals include a collection of 9 books by Wiersbe that, as a bundle, are selling for just a few dollars.

Westminster Books has a special on a book that deals with how to pray during a global crisis. As for my fellow Canadians, remember that Reformed Book Services has 20% off on all their stock.

(Yesterday on the blog: It’s Not Often in Life You Get a Do-Over (So Take the Do-Over!))

The Reason Zoom Calls Drain Your Energy

I’m glad I’m not the only one who finds Zoom calls especially draining. This could be a reason why: “When you’re on a video conference, you know everybody’s looking at you; you are on stage, so there comes the social pressure and feeling like you need to perform. Being performative is nerve-wracking and more stressful.”

Are We Living In Reality?

“In all these shifting emotions, we need to constantly pray that God would graciously pull us up from the muck of our own perceived reality and into the beauty of the actual reality that we live in. My perceived reality says I am stuck at home. My actual reality says I have been given more time to engage with the people in my life that I have been called to love the most: my family (Titus 2:4)…” (See also: The Extraordinary New Ordinary and A Plea To Parents And Coaches: Slow Down.)

10 Ministry Idols Being Exposed by COVID-19

“The pandemic is forcing churches to do ministry differently and find new ways to reach people. But it’s also teaching us about ourselves and exposing weaknesses in our ministries. We asked several church leaders, ‘What are some ministry idols you see being exposed by COVID-19?’ Here’s what they said…” (See also: Did Some of Us Miss the Sign? and Free Resource for COVID-19 Pastoral Calls.)

The Right Way to Play Monopoly (Video)

I quite enjoyed this video on the right way to play Monopoly. (Note: one bad word.)

An Open Letter to Those Who Divide over Doctrine

“No matter how serious your differences may be with a brother or sister in Christ, if Jesus has set his love on them, we cannot emotionally stiff-arm them. This does not mean we should ignore our disagreements, and in some circumstances there is appropriate space for accountability and confrontation. But even our disagreements and confrontations must be handled with love.”

An Ordinary Sunday?

Christ the King Lutheran Church in Newtown, CT continues to meet on Sundays and is carefully abiding by the state’s guidelines. Pastor Rob Morris describes what Sunday looks like.

Why We Don’t Evangelize

Pastor Chopo Mwanza offers some thoughts on why we often fail to evangelize.

Flashback: The Next Frontier in Pornography

Today, most people associate VR with gaming, but that is likely to change in the near future. Those who are working on the next generation of VR have far greater ambitions than providing mere entertainment.

The Lord is our portion, and this is incomparably more than if we had heaven and earth.

—David Clarkson

  • 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.