Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (November 24)

friday

Today’s Kindle deals include quite a list for Black Friday. (See also this list of general market deals.)

Don’t miss my annual Black Friday 2017 Deals for Christians roundup. It’s being updated all day.

Complicating Manhood and Womanhood

This is an important and challenging one. “Christian men are routinely warned of the danger of finding their identity in their careers, and are exhorted to treat their other callings in life (such as their role as husbands, fathers, and church members) as worthy of their attention. However, the overemphasis of the familial responsibilities for women has given the impression that women are defined primarily based on what on what they do. In other words, Christian men are admonished not to be workaholics in their careers (outside the home), but Christian women are generally encouraged to devote their energy and talents solely in the home. This raises some honest questions: Are women useful outside the home? Are women useful after the season of childrearing is over? Are women actually needed in the functioning and edification of the church (beyond nursery and potluck meals)?”

Disagreeing with George Muller Is Not a Sin

Josh Buice says it: That though George Muller is worth of our honor, perhaps he isn’t always worthy of imitation.

How the Kindle was Designed

“The Kindle has become one of the most ubiquitous pieces of specialty electronics in the world since it launched 10 years ago today, but the device has changed so much since its debut that one can hardly believe the oldest and newest models are meant to do the same thing.”

Give a Tabletalk Gift Subscription

Every morning, thousands of Christians from around the world read Tabletalk magazine. This holiday season, give a Tabletalk gift subscription and we’ll also send them a gift edition of John Calvin’s A Little Book on the Christian Life. Take care of your entire list today. (Sponsored link)

Contagion

Thabiti Anyabwile has a good one today: “Emotion may be the most contagious ‘substance’ in creation. We pass it along with as little as a look. Touch may spread it even faster. Words evoke multiple emotions all at once. Feelings may lie dormant for long periods only to emerge at unexpected and inconvenient times. Attempts to stop the contagion sometimes aggravate the pandemic all the more.”

People Are Going to Hell. Do I Really Need Seminary Training?

“If the world is lost and going to hell, why spend precious years in seminary getting theological education?” It’s a valid question and one may have asked.

Artificial ‘Intelligence’ Turning Brains to Mush on YouTube

“Stories about the horrors of YouTube’s algorithm-generated childrens videos are beginning to make the rounds, and they’re just as frightening as everyone contends.” Or just as weird, anyway.

The Visual Cliff

I appreciate Darryl’s application here. “It began with a simple question: are babies born with depth perception? To test this, scientists placed a baby on one end of a plexiglass surface. On the other side, they placed a toy and the child’s mother. Halfway across, the baby encountered what looked like a sudden drop. What would the baby do?”

Flashback: When Was the Last Time You Just Enjoyed Your Money?

I want to ask you the question: When was the last time you just enjoyed your money? It’s okay, you know. You are allowed to enjoy your money. Let’s think it through.

A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.

—John Calvin

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Matthias Media)

    This week the blog and the giveaway have been sponsored by Matthias Media. Matthias Media is hosting Evangelize 2024 in Denver, Colorado on October 7-9, 2024. We have partnered with 10ofThose, Calvary Family of Churches and Vinegrowers to help you raise the evangelistic temperature at your church. We want to motivate and equip people to…

  • When Christians Disagree

    When Christians Disagree

    Wouldn’t it be nice if Christians only ever got along? Wouldn’t it be grand if all the discord we see in the world around us was completely foreign to the church? Wouldn’t it be heavenly if believers ever only experienced peace? I suppose it would be heavenly and, therefore, more than we can realistically hope…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (July 26)

    A La Carte: Therapy and bug men / How to have joy in hard times / Can a single pastor date in his church? / Life from barren ground / Shulamith Firestone was a prophet / Different ways of reading people we disagree with / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (July 25)

    A La Carte: What does it mean to die with dignity? / Did Paul endorse slavery? / Forgiveness in marriage / 5 ways to pursue contentment / The immense value of encouragement / and more.

  • Maybe We Make Meditation Too Difficult

    Maybe We Make Meditation Too Difficult

    Of all the Christian disciplines, it is my guess that meditation may be the least practiced—though I suppose fasting might have something to say about that. Most people diligently make time to read the Bible and pray. And yet, while most people have good intentions when it comes to meditation, it so often seems to…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 24)

    A La Carte: A mother to me, too / Never look your age? / Nine reminders for the struggle with body image / A ruler who trusts in Yahweh / No, I will not stop calling the church a family / Criminalizing sexual ethics / Bible journal sale / Kindle deals / and more.