A La Carte (January 7)

May the Lord be with you and bless you on this fine day.

Logos users will want to take a look at the New Year’s Sale since it offers some good deals on books by authors like Kevin DeYoung and Tim Keller, along with Bible translations, audio Bibles, and so on. Also, be sure to consider this month’s free and nearly-free books.

Today’s Kindle deals include books about abortion, the gospel, and missions, among other subjects.

An Open Letter to Scott Adams

I really appreciate Bethel McGrew’s open letter to Scott Adams (who, mortally ill, has expressed his intention to convert to Christianity). “When you announced your diagnosis last year, I was sad to hear you were considering the option of ending your own life. I understood why you were considering this, of course. But I very much hoped you could be persuaded out of it, and I’m thankful that you were. I admire the calm collectedness with which you are now facing death. Dying gracefully in public is quite a feat. Hats off.”

Be Careful How You Listen to Sermons

Here’s an article on the spiritual discipline of listening to sermons. “Sunday morning is a pivotal time for the New Testament Christian. God has promised to speak to his people through the preaching of the Word. Because of that, we should listen well.”

Attentive Preaching

Michael Jensen offers a series of short reflections on what preaching is all about. “Above all, preaching is an act of paying deep attention. It begins with a deep attention to the Word of God, above all. It then must be attentive to the intended audience – the congregation, and those not yet in the congregation. This is both a) the pastoral act of sitting with individuals – not just those in crisis, but those who are not; and b) being attentive to the many cultures in which individuals are nested.”

If you’re an old CCM geek like me, you may like to know that Petra has released a new album—their first in 20 years. And you know what? It’s not bad! When CCM has been hit with so many scandals over the years, I find it encouraging to know that at least one band has stayed steady for an incredible 52 years. Even if only for old time’s sake, you can find “Hope” in your favorite music app.

Love the Church You’re In

“Love the church you’re in. You’ll never be part of a problem-free church, but you’re likely in a good one with much to be thankful for. Don’t let the presence of problems blind you to the blessings he’s given you in the imperfect church where God has placed you.”