It is a great day for Kindle deals, and you’ll find a good list covering quite a number of publishers and topics.
Just a reminder that my site is now available in Spanish. That includes many of the videos. Pass on the news!
The Same-Sex Wedding Cake Case Isn’t about Same-Sex Marriage
“Masterpiece Cakeshop is not about gay marriage. It’s about compelled speech. The Supreme Court settled the marriage issue in its landmark Obergefell decision in 2015. Gay and lesbian couples are free to marry anywhere in the United States, and government at every level now protects their right to do so. But can government require artists, designers, or other creative professionals to celebrate same-sex marriage through their work?”
The Seven Deadly Sins of Guest Services
“The question isn’t if we’re sending a message with our guest services but what message we’re sending. Your guest services write the introduction to the sermon. So what kind of introduction are you giving?” There are some good practical pointers here.
Fill Believers, Not Buildings
Success of churches is often measured with how many people attend that church. “But it’s exactly this view of fruitfulness in ministry that needlessly weighs down and even shipwrecks gifted pastors. Far worse, it leaves churches led by pastors who are like husbands with a roving eye—never satisfied, always looking beyond the bride because she isn’t enough.”
The Great Baby Bust of 2017
Interesting article on declining fertility rates in the U.S. and worldwide. The author draws some interesting conclusions on the reasons behind the decline.
Five Reasons the Homogeneous Church Is Declining and Dying
“When you are in your worship services next Sunday, look at the people around you. Do they all look like you? Do they all come from the same economic backgrounds? Are they are about the same age? If so, you are in a homogeneous church. As the old homogeneous unit principle implied, ‘We attract people who are like us.’ That principle was a point of contention and debate for decades. Is it descriptive (a reality observed), or is it prescriptive (a strategy pursued)?”
Still Learning How to Preach After 50 Years Preaching!
A worthwhile read from Peter Adam, who has spent 50 years preaching.
Sing! Live At The Getty Music Worship Conference
You may enjoy this new album from the Gettys!
The Consumerist Church of Fitness Classes
Take away church and people will continue to form communities of worship. “Gyms provide ritual and community, serving as a sort of religion. They also promote values American culture already worships—capitalism and overwork.”
Flashback: The 5 Gossips You Will Meet
Gossip is a serious problem. It is a problem in the home, in the workplace, in the local church and in broader evangelicalism. Here, drawn from Mitchell’s book, is a gallery of gossips, five different gossiping people you will meet in life.
No verse of Scripture yields its meaning to lazy people.
—A.W. Pink
