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A La Carte (August 16)

monday

Good morning. May grace and peace be with you today and in the week ahead.

I have listed a few new Kindle deals; besides the ones listed, Zondervan’s entire 37-volume Counterpoints series is marked down.

(Yesterday on the blog: A Parent’s Prayer for Obedience)

Of Minds and Machines : Transhumanism and the Christian

Christopher Brown has written an interesting essay on transhumanism. If you don’t know the term, you probably should.

Rejection That Cuts Deep

“I have come to believe that rejection and separation from your child is one of the most painful experiences to carry.” So says Kath Thomas. Many parents would tearfully agree.

5 Questions about Church Membership

Jonathan Leeman: “Let me start here: the local church is the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to my Christian life and yours. Just as Jesus instituted the state, so he instituted the local church. It is an institutional authority because Jesus instituted it with authority.”

Redemptive Regret

Rut Etheridge III: “Maybe you’ve seen a meme that says something like this: ‘Don’t ever regret your past decisions. At one time, they were what you wanted.’ This emboldening counsel is no doubt born of deep pain. It offers emotional and ethical self-defense as we process a personal history of questionable choices. Yet this morality is, in every sense of the phrase, self-righteous. And self-righteousness is never a good means of self-defense.”

Seek Unity, Fear the Lord, and Wash Your Hands

“I’m in no way an expert on the medical aspects of COVID-19. What I do know is our enemy, Satan, loves to take moments of crisis and divide people by steering them toward extremes.” Daniel Seabaugh encourages Christians away from polarizing extremes.

10 Safeguards for Church Nurseries and Children’s Ministry

This is simple, common sense, and crucial stuff.

Why Afghanistan Is Impossible to Conquer (Video)

This video is a couple of weeks old and, hence, already out of date. Still, it helpfully explains why Afghanistan is impossible to conquer.

Flashback: The Power Over Christian Publishing We’ve Given To Amazon

We cannot be shocked when non-Christians are affronted or offended by genuinely Christian ideas. We cannot demand of non-Christians any more than of Christians that they violate conscience to sell materials they consider repugnant.

Do for duty’s sake what you cannot do as a pleasure, and you will find it becomes delightful.

—F.B. Meyer

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Ligonier Ministries)

    It was while the great reformer Martin Luther was studying the book of Romans that he rediscovered the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Today Ligonier Ministries is offering R.C. Sproul’s commentary on Romans as a free ebook for Challies readers. Download your copy to enjoy a verse-by-verse exploration of the rich gospel truths woven…

  • The Benefit of Boring Television

    The Benefit of Boring Television

    Aileen and I like to watch boring shows right before we turn in for the night. An exciting game or an intense movie might get us too engaged and keep us from being able to fall asleep. But a boring show nicely slows the pace and prepares us to rest.

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (October 24)

    A La Carte: Have we ever been woke? / A dangerous new ecumenism / Find a new home / If the Lord permits / Have you counted the cost? / The joys of pastoring / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (October 23)

    A La Carte: Awaken your hunger / Abortion pills and emergency contraception / Cybersecurity for churches / Delighting in God in unfavorable circumstances / Book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • The Power of a Single Snowflake

    The Power of a Single Snowflake

    There are blessings that come with living in a part of the world that sees four distinct seasons. There are trials, too, like when the days are scorching or the nights are bitterly cold. But if I were to leave this part of the world, I know I would miss the seasonality of Southern Ontario…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (October 22)

    A La Carte: AI will tell you to get divorced / Glorifying God with our words / The fork in the road / Children’s ministry / Successful parenting / Giving without worrying / and more.