A La Carte (August 4)

Here’s a single sentence from Paul Martin’s pastoral prayer that I think is worth pondering. Praying specifically for our Premier (think Governor if you’re American) he prayed, “Help us to pray for him more than we complain about him.” Ouch! Methinks many of us have some repenting and praying to do…

Today’s Kindle deals include some rare and interesting picks.

(Yesterday on the blog: Why I Need To Spend a Month in Quarantine)

You Keep Using That Word

Keith Mathison picks up on a famous line from The Princess Bride to ask Christians to be careful with the words and terms we use. Like this: “In recent months, for example, I’ve seen a number of Christians argue that someone is an advocate of ‘critical theory.’ While this may very well be true, sometimes I can’t help but wonder if the word means that they think it means.”

Brokenhearted Boldness

John Piper is concerned by some of what he sees online and lauds brokenhearted boldness. “It’s our being drawn into the callout culture, the outrage culture, the cancel culture, the coddled culture. However you name it, it is very angry. And behind the relative safety of social media, it is very bold.”

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A Bible for the Gas Canister Man

I enjoyed this anecdote…

COVID: A Blessing in Disguise for the American Church

It is inevitable that in some ways the pandemic will prove a blessing (in disguise) for the church. Here are some of them.

What Does “World” Mean in John 3:16?

Here’s a good answer to a common question. “We might be tempted to think that there is much about the world for God to love. After all, what’s not to admire about cityscapes and farmlands, fine cuisine and backyard barbecues, classical symphonies and folk ballads, Renaissance paintings and kindergarten squiggles? The world we know is filled with texture, intrigue, opportunity, and cheer. The problem is that for all that is good and interesting and beautiful about the world, it is overrun with sinners.”

Are We Held Accountable for the Sins of Our Forefathers?

Here’s another question that has been asked a lot, especially lately. Looking to biblical example, Kyle Dillon says “we can say that individual judgment and generational judgment are fully compatible with each other when understood in their proper context.”

Are You Exploiting Your Church?

This is a heavy comparison—comparing certain pastors to strip mines! “Strip mining is a controversial practice that literally removes mountains so natural resources can be exploited. Strip miners only care about what they can take from the earth, not how they can help it grow and flourish. There’s a real temptation for pastors to treat their churches the way a strip miner treats mountains.”

Flashback: The Lingering Stench of Sin

The problem with sin is that it is too dreadful, too ugly, too pernicious to allow solutions that are perfectly clean and neat. Instead, a stink lingers in the aftermath of any great sin.