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A La Carte (May 28)

monday

Today’s Kindle deals include a solid selection of new deals.

(Yesterday on the blog: Letters to the Editor (Christianish Churches, No Hitters, and Cell Phones))

When Preaching Is Big & God Is Small

Dave Harvey “I’ve been a pastor for a long time, which is why it’s so perplexing to me that speaking in front of people still triggers a low-grade fear. It makes no sense. I’m called upon to speak often, so my fear should be long over, but it’s not. Strange fears dance across the stage of my mind. I’m afraid that I won’t meet the goals of my talk. I’m afraid that I’m going to look stupid. And I’m afraid that what I’ll say will be irrelevant. Maybe you can relate. If you can, come on a brief journey with me while I share with you how I’ve come to diagnose this issue in my life.”

The Southern Baptist Convention Today

Tom Ascol tells about some of what’s happening in the SBC today. “Influential voices from both within and without the convention have signaled that the dismissal of Paige Patterson from the Southwestern Seminary presidency is only the first step of many that need to be taken to clean up the SBC. That there is much in the SBC that needs to be changed, is a point beyond dispute to my mind. But the end games for some appear to include everything from the full acceptance of women pastors, partial acceptance of the LBGTQ+ agenda, and reparations by the descendants of slaveholders to the descendants of slaves.”

See How Your Take Home Pay Compares to Workers Around the World

“Tax season has finally come and gone, and by now most Americans have either gotten their refund or established a payment plan for taxes owed to the government. Here’s a nice thought experiment: go back and look at your tax return to figure out how much money the government claims through all forms of taxation. How does your own situation compare to the rest of the world?” It’s quite an interesting infographic.

The Friendship That Battled the Prosperity Gospel to Treat Africa’s HIV Crisis

Allow yourself to read enough of this longform article and I think you’ll get drawn in.

Your Best Years Are Not Behind You

“God needs willing workers, not necessarily young ones.” So no matter your age, don’t allow yourself to think the best years for God are behind you.

The Structure and Theological Message of 1 Corinthians

Andy Naselli has been working on new commentary on 1 Corinthians and has shared an expanded version of his introduction. It’s very interesting reading if you’re into that kind of thing.

Is the Bible Pro-Slavery?

“‘The Bible is pro-slavery.’ This is a common charge these days. It is a part of the New Atheist attack on religion, and it also comes from various progressive circles to defend certain social views (in line with the so-called redemptive-movement hermeneutic).”

Flashback: Do You Fail to Deliberately Remember?

Remember who you are in Christ, remember his promises, and work those promises into your heart until you are satisfied and content with all that God’s providence has given you.

The only way you’re living your best life now is if you’re going to hell.

—John MacArthur

  • Church Livestream

    Is It Time To Stop Streaming Your Service?

    It always surprises me how quickly an idea can go from introduction to expectation, from mere inquiry to accepted standard. And once an idea has become mainstream in that way, it is difficult to revisit and evaluate it.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (August 28)

    A La Carte: What canoeing can teach us about marriage / What are spiritual gifts and how do I discover mine? / How a troll becomes a troll / The biggest Evangelical divide / When Bible reading doesn’t produce a neat and tidy takeaway / and more.

  • New and Notable

    New and Notable Christian Books for August 2024

    We live at a great time to be readers! Christian publishers labor diligently to provide us with good books on every conceivable topic. Once a month I like to sort through all the new releases and put together a list of some of the new and notables. Here are my picks for August, 2024.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (August 27)

    A La Carte: Keith Green, Bill Hybels, steeples, and bells / Did negligence kill my baby? / Rethinking nostalgic postpartum advice / Yes, all things / We can’t be friends / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Nothing Can Separate Us from God

    This week the blog is sponsored by Zondervan Reflective. This excerpt from The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition explains the original meaning of Paul’s words in Romans 8:31-39 and shows how his message can apply to our lives today. We begin with words from the Apostle Paul: 31 What, then, shall we…

  • I Used To Dream Big Dreams

    I Used To Dream Big Dreams

    I used to be a dreamer. I used to lie awake at night thinking of the great man I might be, the great awards I might win, the great deeds I might accomplish for the Lord. I would eventually drift to sleep convinced of my own potential and glimpsing visions of my own grandeur. As…