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A La Carte (June 11)

friday

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.

Just a reminder that over at my site SquareQuotes you can find a huge collection of the quote graphics I share every day.

Today’s Kindle deals include just a couple of titles.

What the Plummeting Fertility Rate Means for Churches

The current trajectories when it comes to fertility rates will inevitably bring some large changes to churches in the future. Philip Jenkins explains. “That change has epochal implications for all the world faiths, and especially for Christianity. The change foreshadows a precipitous decline in organized and institutional religion of all kinds, since fertility rates correlate so closely with religious practice and affiliation. It also decides where the largest Christian populations will be found in future decades (mainly in high-fertility, high-faith Africa).”

Platforms, Polemics, and Pastoral Ministry

Nick Batzig: “When ministers of the gospel concern themselves more with platforming agendas than pastoring the local congregation, things begin to go off-kilter. When ministers spend inordinate amounts of time placarding their opinions on podcasts, social media, and others platforms, they get drawn away from the flock and enamored with controversy.”

Savor Each Sunday Service

Yes, do savor each Sunday service, knowing that each one is unique. “Every time your local Church gathers, it is an unrepeatable, unique day God sovereignly ordained for the praise of His glory and for your good.”

The Lord of the Rings Expert Answers More Tolkien Questions From Twitter (Video)

I really enjoyed this video (as I did the original).

What’s New about the New Commandment?

What was new about the new commandment that Jesus gave to his disciples? “Why did he call it a new commandment? As Jews they were familiar with the command recorded in Leviticus 19:18 – ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.’ So what was new about Jesus’ commandment?”

Do Not Delay

This is a reminder that delayed obedience is actually disobedience.

One of the Earliest (and Clearest) Summaries of Early Christian Beliefs

It is both neat and encouraging to see how the earliest Christians shared the beliefs of we who came much later.

Flashback: When My Fashion Accessory Told Me To Take a Hike

Some of these photos weren’t for you or for them—they were for me. My kids were accessories to me, a way of making me look good in your eyes or making me feel good about myself.

There is no work which God has made—the sun, moon, stars and all the world—in which so much of the glory of God appears as in a man who lives quietly in the midst of adversity.

—Jeremiah Burroughs

  • What God Forbids You To Judge

    What God Forbids You To Judge

    I am a judgmental person. I’m often amazed and dismayed by how quickly I leap to judgment, often without facts, without knowledge, without sympathy. Of course there are times when judgment is right and good…

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    A La Carte (May 28)

    A La Carte: When your spouse doesn’t believe / Cherish Christ / The defensive pastor / The church calendar / Outlaw pornography now / AI and pastoral education / Book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (May 27)

    A La Carte: How to do controversy well / Restoring repentant adulterers / Nothing is “just” anything / Was Mary born without sin? / The hill I’m dying on / AI and work predictions / and more.

  • Four Good Questions To Ask Your Tech

    Four Good Questions To Ask Your Tech

    Have you ever considered how much time we spend talking to our tech? How many times a day do we command Alexa, ask Siri, or give an order to ChatGPT? We are in constant communication with our devices and through our devices. And since we are already in the habit of asking them our deep…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (May 26)

    A La Carte: Empty of all but memories / When you don’t feel like going to church / How to be human / Not every sermon is a challenge / The sorrow of saying goodbye / Kindle deals / and more.