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A La Carte (November 25)

wednesday

Westminster Books has put together a Christmas Gift Guide that may help guide your shopping.

Today’s Kindle deals include some good picks from Crossway and a volume in the excellent God’s Word for You series.

Critical Race Theory, Part 1

If you’ve wondered about John Piper’s perspective on Critical Race Theory, you can find out in these special episodes of Ask Pastor John.

Always Two There Are

“A couple of posts ago, I talked about whether church should be thought of more as a family (or community) or as a society (or enterprise). I ended up arguing that both were important, and needed to be held together. And this got me thinking. Have you ever pondered just how many different aspects of Christian teaching are exactly like this—consisting of two truths that need to be held together at the same time?”

Church Comorbidities

“Comorbidities. Preexisting conditions. These words rank up there with unprecedented in a competition for word of year in 2020. Prior to March of 2020, few of us ever used the word unprecedented, we didn’t speak of preexisting conditions, and we may not have even knew what a comorbidity was.” Here’s how comorbidities may apply to the church…

The Maddening Paradox of Leadership

Dan Doriani reflects on leadership today. “Pastor feel more emotional pressure, toil longer, and seem to accomplish less than ever before. In this setting it is tempting for pastors to believe they have a uniquely difficult calling. In fact, leadership is always difficult, always paradoxical, for pastors, politicians, business folk, and more.”

Why I Write: Thoughts on Joy and Obedience

I can identify with this. “Our motivations often have more layers than we realize. But if we set aside the sinful, self-serving motives lurking around the edges of a Christian’s heart, I’d say one of my primary motivations for writing is joy. I really do enjoy tinkering with words that point people to God. I’ve heard a famous Christian author say that for him, writing is like eating ice cream, not a ‘have to’ but a ‘get to.’ I feel the same, although it wasn’t always this way.”

6 Ways Confessions of Faith Promote Church Health

This article lists some of the ways that confessions can foster church health.

Robert Rundle, the First Protestant Missionary in the Canadian Prairies

A couple of days ago I picked up a little book about Robert Rundle, the first and perhaps most prominent Protestant missionary to the Canadian prairies. At the very same time Clint Humfrey provided this helpful little biographical summary of the man and his ministry.

Flashback: 4 Common Critics and Constructive Ways to Respond to Them

In his book The Heart of the Preacher, Rick Reed lists four common critics and offers appropriate and constructive ways to respond to each of them.

Our loving Lord is not just present, but nearer than the thought can imagine – so near that a whisper can reach Him.

—Amy Carmichael

  • Raising Children Who Love the Church

    Raising Children Who Love the Church

    Here are some practical principles I observed or solicited when raising our children—children who gladly attend and prioritize the local church, not out of obligation, but out of conviction.

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    A La Carte (April 13)

    Translations, not paraphrases / Parenting on the precipice / Eunuchs and transgenderism / Keeping kids off AI and social media / The discipline of staying in bed / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Works & Wonders

    Works & Wonders (April 12)

    In my weekly Works & Wonders article, I combine a brief devotional with other interesting and uplifting bits and pieces I gleaned throughout the week. These can be stories, poems, songs, articles, quotes, and just about anything else I found especially enjoyable in the week. I hope you enjoy this week’s collection!

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 11)

    Vice, virtue, and platforms / Natural family planning / 6 days or billions of years? / Sorry kid, drones are for war now / The week of Trueman / and more.

  • Winters Cold and Heavens Joy

    Winter’s Cold and Heaven’s Joy

    Some Christians seem to bloom like early spring flowers—holding joyful, steadfast faith even in the coldest trials and foreshadowing the endless summer to come.