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A La Carte (April 8)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

There are some great picks in today’s Kindle deals including Kevin DeYoung’s Do Not Be True to Yourself and Kent Hughes’ Disciplines of a Godly Young Man. Also, today only, Tom Schreiner’s excellent book on spiritual gifts is on sale.

(Yesterday on the blog: Enough to Get Rebellious People Into Trouble)

6 Months Later, Israeli Pastor Says, ‘I’m Commanded to Love My Enemies’

I recently spent a delightful evening with David Zadok, a pastor in Israel, and was glad to read this profile of him at TGC.

7 Tips for Reading the Book of Revelation

Here are 7 useful tips about reading Revelation. “The temptation is to write off the book as impossible to understand and thus keep it closed. But doing so comes with significant loss. We understand why as we read the extraordinary promise in the book’s third verse…”

The Missionary Conference with Piper, Ferguson, and Lawson

Come and see how the Lord is building His Church around the world. Join John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Conrad Mbewe, Kevin DeYoung, Steven Lawson, and many others October 16-18 in Jacksonville, FL. Early bird pricing ends April 19. (Sponsored)

Fear and the Myth of “Safety”

“A few months ago, I read a blog in which some missionaries were talking about a difficult event that occurred with their children. In the comments on that post, a woman wrote something to the effect of: ‘If you have young children, it is clear: God has not called you to missions.’ I was not really surprised. People have asked us questions about our children throughout the years that belied the same assumption: missionaries are unable to keep their children safe on the mission field.”

Leadership In Your Home and Beyond

“I fear that our cultural understanding of leadership is going further astray from true leadership. We Americans seem to have a bizarre attraction to two types of leaders: celebrities and powerful communicators with bold, brash opinions. We judge leaders by the size of their platform.” True, though it’s not just Americans.

What Doesn’t Kill You Will Try Again

“I’ve heard it said, ‘What doesn’t kill you will probably try again tomorrow.’ That’s just life in a fallen world. The devil prowls around like a roaring Lion seeking those to devour, but GOD! God is stronger than the what ifs of tomorrow where the enemy tries to belittle you and turn you away from the Lover of your soul. God is the One who chases after you all the more. Will suffering try to over take us? Yes.”

Elders & Training

This article tells how elders within the local church ought to receive ongoing training—even if they aren’t on staff.

Flashback: What Kind of Men Does the Church Need?

Masculinity has become complicated…The culture has plenty to say about masculinity that is toxic, but far less to say about masculinity that is good and honoring. 

If you have suffered deeply, you are onto something that most people aren’t. You know that this life is flawed. Strangely, that is a good thing! Now allow that to move you toward God, to renew your faith in him and your need of him.

—Tim Lane

  • Science and God

    Do You Have to Choose Between Science and God?

    Whatever else young people know today, they know that science and God are opposed to one another. At least, they think they know this, because it has been taught to them in a hundred formal and informal settings, from the classroom to the television. They have been taught that they must choose between science and…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (February 13)

    A La Carte: You don’t have a LGBTQ neighbor / Satan doesn’t use rubber bullets / John Piper on criticizing God / Tales that celebrate traditional families / The little things matter / and more.

  • 12 General Market Books I Have Enjoyed Recently

    While I am committed to reading and reviewing Christian books, I also enjoy reading a steady diet of books published for the general market. I suppose my interests lean toward history, but I do read other books as well. Here are a few of the titles I’ve enjoyed over the past couple of months.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (February 12)

    A La Carte: When a crack becomes a chasm / That viral AI article / Artificial theologians / Christian witness in a divided world / Well our feeble frame he knows / Book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • Performative Grief

    Performative Grief

    We all know what it is to perform grief—to ensure that others are aware of our sadness by forcing them to see our sorrow. We may do this to gain their attention or compel their sympathy. We may do this because we make grief an idol and are only validated when others feel sorry for…