Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (March 27)

friday

One of the most jarring parts of this odd new world is going for a walk—something I do once or twice a day—and constantly weaving as everyone makes sure we’re all staying six feet apart. I’m not used to it yet, and don’t know that I ever will be. It cuts hard against my Canadian friendliness!

Feel free to browse today’s Kindle deals to see if anything catches your eye.

I updated my list of All the Free and Discounted Stuff for these Difficult Times.

Obedience to God and Love of Neighbor in the Face of a Coronavirus: A Christian’s Mandate

Dr. Mohler: “The only ground for disobedience to that authority is when the governing authorities demand an obedience that contradicts the Christian’s singular devotion to God. Most laws, however, never conflict with our worship of God. We are not in danger of bending our knees to Baal or Nebuchadnezzar when we obey the speed limit laws or pay our taxes. That same principle applies to the policies our government has initiated in response to this global pandemic.”

What South Korean Christians Want You to Know About Coronavirus

“Though South Korea hasn’t required a lockdown, most churches voluntarily had closed their doors by March 1. That decision was emotional, since South Korean churches managed to keep services going even during the Korean War, said Steve Chang, a pastor in Seoul. TGC asked if he has any advice for American churches. Here’s what he said.”

Three Crosses

Why were there three crosses instead of just one?

Ferdi

Read about Ferdi and about one way that all these online services have been an unexpected blessing.

Encouragement from Church History for the Chronically Ill

Church history has a lot to say about a lot of matters, including being chronically ill.

With Touch Now Toxic, How Do You Navigate the Consumer World?

“Before touch became toxic, it was how we navigated the consumer world. Touch was how you chose things, from swiping right on a Tinder date and scrolling through Netflix shows to ordering McDonald’s on the public touch screen with extra touching for extra pickles, or simply checking out of the grocery store with a card. This behaviour is likely to be majorly disrupted in whatever world comes next.”

Christians in Isolation: A Word on Temptation

Writing for TGC Africa, Wilko Olles has a word on the kinds of temptation Christians may face in this time of isolation.

Flashback: Get to Know Yourself

We think too much of ourselves, and think of ourselves too much. We overrate our importance and underestimate our depravity. Ultimately, we elevate ourselves to the place reserved for God.

Now is not the time for us to try to cohere the Christian message to a shared sensibility, to make the church fit into the surrounding cultural mold. We should keep Christianity weird. And in so doing, we just might reach our neighbors.

—Elliot Clark

  • The Phrase that Altered My Thinking Forever

    This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing and is written by Ralph Cunnington. Years ago, I stumbled repeatedly on an ancient phrase that altered my thinking forever.  Distinct yet inseparable. The first time I encountered this phrase was while studying the Council of Chalcedon’s description of the two natures of Christ. Soon after,…

  • Always Look for the Light

    Always Look for the Light

    For many years there was a little potted plant on our kitchen window sill, though I’ve long since forgotten the variety. Year after year that plant would put out a shoot and from the shoot would emerge a single flower. And I observed that no matter how I turned the pot, the flower would respond.…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 18)

    A La Carte: God is good and does good—even in our pain / Dear bride and groom / Sin won’t comfort you / Worthy of the gospel / From self-sufficiency to trusting God’s people / The gods fight for our devotion / and more.

  • Confidence

    God Takes Us Into His Confidence

    Here is another Sunday devotional—a brief thought to orient your heart toward the Lord. God takes the initiative in establishing relationship by reaching out to helpless humanity. He reveals himself to the creatures he has made. But what does it mean for him to provide such revelation of himself? John Calvin began his Institutes by…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (March 16)

    A La Carte: I believe in the death of Julius Caesar and the resurrection of Jesus Christ / Reasons students and pastors shouldn’t use ChatGPT / A 1.3 gigpixel photo of a supernova / What two raw vegans taught me about sharing Jesus / If we realize we’re undeserving, suddenly the world comes alive /…

  • Ask Pastor John

    Ask Pastor John

    I admit it: I felt a little skeptical about Ask Pastor John. To be fair, I feel skeptical about most books that begin in one medium before making the leap to another. Books based on sermons, for example, can often be pretty disappointing—a powerful sermon at a conference can make a bland chapter in a…