It sure was a joy to worship as a church yesterday, albeit as a much-reduced one for the time being. Masks and distancing and other measures were a small price to pay to join together once again…
Today’s Kindle deals include a great commentary by John Stott as well as a couple of books by Jerry Bridges.
Christian’s Aren’t Allowed To Cancel Anyone
Anne Kennedy: “Christians, in other words, aren’t in the business of cancelling each other. My children keep hearing this word, ‘cancel,’ and I’ve had a hard time explaining it. It’s when you’ve done something wicked, basically, or someone discovered some past indiscretion, or you have said the wrong thing according to the virtues of the moment, and you can’t be forgiven, and on the internet, there is a hue and cry. You are ‘cancelled.’” (See also How Cancel Culture Makes Liars of Us All.)
Websites for Churches. Made By Missionaries.
SolaSites makes beautiful websites for churches, but the company also serves as a platform for missionaries to be on the field in a closed access country. They design sites, write code, and support clients, but they also preach the gospel, train pastors, and strengthen the church in a very needy place. If your church, ministry, or business needs a new website, consider SolaSites. (They’re giving $200 off of the setup fee if you sign up between now and July 15.) (SPONSORED LINK)
J. K. Rowling, Latest Casualty in the War of Transgender Ideology
Here’s one by Carl Trueman on J.K. Rowling. “The storm surrounding J. K. Rowling’s tweets on women and menstruation is as predictable as it is depressing. That her gracious response has, if anything, exacerbated the fury simply underlines the way civil debate is now apparently impossible on matters that are—to put it mildly—highly contestable (and the ability of a man to become a woman, or vice versa, would seem about as contestable as anything). And this breakdown of discussion isn’t on trivial matters but on the most pressing issues of our day—the issues of identity in a world where the old anchors of home, family, community, religion, and nation have either collapsed or been thrown into flux. This is a very serious development. Argument doesn’t count; it’s simply a matter of who shouts loudest.”
The Rise Of TikTok (Video)
This video traces the rise of TikTok, the app du jour for younger folk.
10 Reasons to Come Back to Church after COVID-19
“Many churches are now resuming our meetings, or will soon. But these new services feel strange. Our sensitivities are heightened, our differences are on display, and we have to endure restrictions and protocols that are awkward, inconvenient, and frustrating. Then, no matter how safe we make it, some of our church family still can’t come. With all this in mind, some believers may feel tempted not to come at all. If our restored gatherings are so different and restricted, our online options so available and convenient, and our physical presence a genuine vulnerability, why should we even meet in person?” (See also: Why Return to Church In Person?)
Writing About Charlie Brown Feels Like Writing About Myself
It has been too long since I’ve read any Charlie Brown. “I can’t write objectively about Charlie Brown. It feels like I’m writing about myself. This, I realize, is no accident.”
Absolutely Awn-Some (Video)
“A ripened fruit catapults its seeds to fertile soil. Dead tissue is energized to move dynamically under its own power. A seed sows itself. Witness all this and more in the fascinating life cycle of a plant known as stork’s bill. This unforgettable video is a celebration of the unseen mystery and wonder of life on earth.”
America Doesn’t Know What To Do With Us
Sometimes coming back from the mission field can be as discombobulating as going there in the first place.
Flashback: The Things You Think You Can Handle On Your Own
The things I neglect to pray about are the things I believe I can handle on my own, the things for which I don’t think I need God’s wisdom, perspective, or intervention. I may never say or even think such terrible thoughts, but my lack of prayer proves my independence, my lack of God-dependence.
My friend, resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit at great peril—the peril that your conscience will become seared by your own repeated resistance so that you can no longer feel it being pricked anymore.
—Nancy Guthrie
