May the Lord be with you and bless you on this fine day. And please know how grateful I am that you would choose to read this. I hope you’ll find something in today’s collection of links that blesses or challenges you.
Today’s Kindle deals are scheduled to include several interesting titles.
The Masculinity Pyramid
Seth Troutt addresses masculinity in an interesting way. “We are in a masculinity crisis; young men often feel as though they must choose between the way of Andrew Tate and the way of self-hating androgyny. In developing a response to the crisis, many begin with disciplines of sociology or biology, hoping to find a masculine or feminine vision in either history or zoology.”
How Paragraphs Can Save Your Theology
“John Mark Comer, a former pastor and current bestselling Christian author, published a book a few years ago that has sold roughly a bajillion copies titled The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. It’s a thoughtful, often helpful read on the emotional and spiritual pitfalls of hurry (Comer’s book is where I discovered the Jung quote above). Yet, one danger of hurry that Comer doesn’t address much in the book is the intellectual danger of hurry. And that might be because Comer himself seems to have fallen prey to it.”
A Conference for Pastoral Couples
Hosted by Focus on the Family, the Focused Pastor Couples Conference is a space created just for pastors and their spouses—a place to step away from the demands of ministry and be reminded that you’re not alone. This 3-day event is all about rest, encouragement, and equipping couples to serve together with joy and unity. (Sponsored)
How Can I Correct Others Gently?
John Piper offers wise counsel on correcting others with gentleness (or with firmness as the situation requires). “How do we correct with gentleness without compromising truth? What does that look like in situations where someone is being openly hostile or spreading false teaching? Is there ever a time when strong, sharp words are appropriate, or should we always aim for a soft approach?”
The Growing (and Widening) Enthusiasm For Euthanasia
Stephen McAlpine writes about the growing and widening enthusiasm for euthanasia in the West (and especially in Canada). I keep saying it: euthanasia is now an intuitive choice for so many aging Westerners that it is inevitably going to continue to increase in the years to come.
The Least Attended Church Gathering
You can probably guess what is the least attended church gathering. Nick offers his suggestions on why so few people prioritize a church’s prayer meeting. “There is much more that could be said about this subject, but I would simply raise an appeal to those who read this: Don’t neglect the prayer meeting. Make it a point to recognize that we have the enormous privilege and responsibility of coming together as the people of God to call on the God of all grace for the power we lack to participate with Him in seeing His Kingdom advance through the ministry of the word, prayer and worship.”
Witness When the Vibe Shifts
We keep hearing about the possibility of a cultural vibe shift. If that’s the case, how should it affect our witness? Pat O’Keeffe offers suggestions here. “Whether you call it a quiet revival, the surprising rebirth in belief in God, or something more modest, it appears there is a new sense of openness towards Christianity. Christians may have felt increasingly sidelined in the recent past, but now, at least in some circles, we are being given a hearing where we weren’t before.”
Flashback: What Can a Heart Do?
…we need to monitor all of our words and actions, knowing they are the overflow of the heart and that they expose the state of the heart.
Until God is your chief concern — until sinning against him is what makes your heart break — you will never turn the corner.
—Heath Lambert
