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A La Carte (January 31)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Westminster Books has a couple of specials this week that may be of interest. The first is a new book on apologetics while the second is an edition of the Bible that has been specially formatted to be helpful to dyslexics.

Today’s Kindle deals include Jackie Hill Perry’s Upon Waking (1800 ratings on Amazon with a 4.9-star average!), David Mathis’ Humbled, and quite a few others. It’s a good day to give the list a look!

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books)

How Dune Reflects Our Cultural Divide Over Female Moral Authority

I haven’t seen Dune: Part Two, but was still fascinated by this article. “The character of Chani in Dennis Villenueve’s Dune: Part Two is a perfect example of the modern archetype of women as men’s conscience. But her story also parallels the likely failure of any culture-wide attempt to tame men through women’s moral influence.”

Three Lies That Separate Spouses

Dave Harvey describes three lies that separate spouses. “It happens every day. A husband refuses to forgive his wife, because she just can’t see all the sins he ascribes to her. A wife won’t reconcile with her husband until he fully endorses her view of reality. A marriage teeters on the brink of ruin because one spouse has marked the other’s motives as irredeemable.”

Sin Makes You Stupid

Kevin DeYoung: “Whenever a high-profile case of disqualifying sin comes to light, it is easy to wonder how such a catastrophic fall was even possible. The incredulity is especially pronounced in cases of sexual sin. We think to ourselves, or say to our friends, ‘What was he thinking? How could he have been so foolish? Didn’t he know that he would get caught? Why would you sacrifice so much for so little?’”

Restoring a Fallen Pastor?

I suppose this one flows somewhat naturally from the last. Clint Archer asks “Can a disqualified pastor be restored? Not to channel Bill Clinton, but it depends on what the meaning of ‘restored’ is.”

Evaluating Trump’s First Week of Executive Actions

Whatever else is true of President Trump’s first week in office, he has certainly made his presence known through executive actions. For those who haven’t paid close attention, Joe Carter looks at five positive ones along with a couple that are more concerning.

A Future for the Family: A New Technology Agenda for the Right

“A new era of technological change is upon us. It threatens to supplant the human person and make the family functionally and biologically unnecessary. But this anti-human outcome is not inevitable. Conservatives must welcome dynamic innovation, but they should oppose the deployment of technologies that undermine human goods. We must enact policies that elevate the family to a primary constituency of technological advancement. Our aim should be a newly re-functionalized household for the twenty-first century.”

Flashback: My Favorite Family Memory

Many of my best memories are of events that happened one time or perhaps a few times. But my favorite of all is an event that happened day after day and year after year. 

[Jesus] knew exactly, precisely, completely who you are and gave his life for you. Not the Instagrammable you; the real you.

—Adam Ramsey

  • Sex and Self-Forgetfulness

    Sex, Self-Forgetfulness, and the Joy of Serving Your Spouse

    I often think there is a kind of paradoxical quality to sex within marriage. It’s paradoxical in that few things have greater ability to bring blessing (through its right use) or to bring cursing (through its misuse). Not only that, but few things bring greater joy to a marriage, and also, in so many cases,…

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    A La Carte (March 13)

    What happened to our pastor? / Youth ministry needs seasoned saints / God’s sovereignty when things don’t go as planned / Preach sermons that algorithms don’t reward / A pastor remains in Beirut / and more.

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    A La Carte (March 12)

    The grief ambush / Forgotten, and that’s good / The foibles and fallibility of Christian leaders / Welcome back, church planting / Weakness is not the enemy / Bad reasons to read the Bible / Bible and book sales.

  • Three Marks of a Good Christian Book

    Three Marks of a Good Christian Book

    Not every book marketed as ‘Christian’ is worth your time. Here are three marks—truth, love, and beauty—that can help you discern which Christian books are truly worth reading.

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    A La Carte (March 11)

    The last Reformed blogger / The forgotten spiritual discipline / Hollywood ruined dating for men / Just one childhood / A guide to modern Roman Catholic missions / Not that neighbor / Savings and deals.