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A La Carte (November 11)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Today’s Kindle deals include a couple of excellent books by Derek Cooper that will help you understand other religions (and cults). You’ll find some other good picks as well.

Westminster Books is offering a good discount on Tim Keller’s posthumous book What Is Wrong with the World?.

(Yesterday on the blog: When It Feels Like the Temptation Is Coming From Outside)

A Significant Action for a Ministry to Move From Addition to Multiplication

Here’s a neat little observation about the way the early church went from addition to multiplication.

The Post-Literate Pastor

“Johann Hari recently described his screen-addled godson as ‘whirring at the speed of Snapchat, somewhere where nothing still or serious could reach him.’ If that description starts to characterize the up-and-coming generation of pastors, the future is grim. I want my generation’s pastors to succeed. But I believe that will require them to be better readers and learners. So if you’re a seminary professor or a mentor of aspiring pastors, train them to be rigorous readers and don’t bless their entrance into ministry until they’ve proven an aptitude for reading.”

10 Things to Pray for Children Who Have Walked Away From Jesus

Parents who are laboring in prayer for children who have walked away from Jesus may benefit from considering these 10 different prayer points.

To My Almost-Adult Kids: Don’t Be Afraid of These Three Words

Amy shares a letter she has written to her children in which she gives them three words they should never be afraid to say. “I try not to tell you about all my worries. But one fear that I want you to know about? I worry you will be afraid to say these three words…”

Shame Today Is Worth It

John Piper does a great job explaining these tough words: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

When We’re All Grown Up: The Goal of Our Soul Care

As we care for other people’s souls (and our own), it’s important that we keep in mind the goal of spiritual maturity. “When we are all grown up, we will finally do the right thing without a struggle. That’s because we will want to do what Jesus would–submit unreservedly to the will of our Heavenly Father. Our good works will become perfect works. But, strangely enough, this will include resigning ourselves to suffering.”

Flashback: Doctor Google, Influencer Moms, and the Local Church

We have become so accustomed to Googling everything, relying on the expertise of digital experts, and experiencing community online that we may fail to make use of the resources God has given us and means for us to take advantage of.

Money can be an expression of love but never a substitute for love.

—John MacArthur

  • Thoughts

    Can Satan Put Thoughts Into Our Minds?

    Each of us is familiar with the experience of being tempted to sin. Sometimes these temptations arise from outside of us and sometimes they arise from within. Each of our three sworn enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil—has the ability to tempt us to do what God forbids or fail to do what God…

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    A La Carte (December 3)

    A La Carte: Christ or Christian culture? / How to see your own blind spots / Kevin DeYoung’s questions for Christian Nationalists / Beware of desensitization / I want to be the princess / and more.

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    A La Carte (December 2)

    A La Carte: Lab rats for gender drug tests / How your church can serve the poor / Cross-cultural ministry / Cross-cultural marriage / The gift of nothing to do / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Self Loathing

    Don’t Think Lower Thoughts of Yourself than God Does

    I can be prone to self-loathing. Sometimes this takes the form of thinking about things I’ve done or recounting words I’ve said and detesting myself for them. Sometimes it takes the form of thinking about who I am and hating who God has made me to be, or thinking about the way God has gifted…

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    A La Carte (December 1)

    A La Carte: Should I stay or go? / Dust / Worshiping God at the ends of the earth / Why many reject penal substitutionary atonement / We have not arrived yet / Every human an image bearer / and more.

  • Sing

    Singing Is Not Filler Time

    While it may be rare to find a church that dedicates a substantial portion of the service to prayers and Scripture reading, it would be rare to find a church that fails to dedicate a substantial portion of the service to singing. Christians love to sing, and we have always regarded it as an essential…