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A La Carte (October 28)

A La Carte Collection cover image

In honor of Reformation Day, Westminster Books is offering a great deal on individual volumes or bigger sets of the excellent Reformation Expository Commentary, which is one of my favorite series. Also in the realm of sales, Amazon has a really good deal on the Biblical Theology Study Bible, which I highly recommend.

Today’s Kindle deals include a book by Daniel Doriani that is pretty close to brand new and well worth a look.

(Yesterday on the blog: Thy Will Be Endured)

A Theology of the Bed

“I wonder if you have ever been asked if you have a proper theology of the bed. I haven’t. I don’t imagine you have either.” You may be surprised how much the Bible has to say about the subject!

When Pleasing Our Kids Becomes Idolatry

“Children are wonderful. I love kids. But children make terrible gods and masters. When children are in charge, they make childish decisions. Most kids would use authority tyrannically. Even the sweetest kids can become a bully if they’re given enough power. It’s rare to find a child who is adept at self-denial and selflessness. Being ‘childish’ is usually associated with the opposite—indulgent and selfish preferences.”

How Joshua Transforms the Way Christians Think About Dating and Marriage

Peter Witkowski: “Most Christians stepping into the dating pool would not look to Joshua for dating or marriage advice. But they should. Moses’ second in command offers Christians a profound and yet often overlooked piece of advice that will save believers from a life time of heartache.”

“You May Kiss the Bride” – Why Preaching Is a Lot Like Taking a Wedding

So I suppose he’s right—that in some ways, preaching is actually like leading a wedding.

Called by Name: Practicing Everyday Hospitality

Here is one very practical (but also very meaningful) way to practice everyday hospitality. “I miss the days when our home was full of people—when hospitality meant a full crockpot and a crowded table. But the Lord has reminded me that hospitality is bigger than a house or a meal.”

Ministry Doesn’t Have to Be a Spectacle

“No one going to seminary admits that they want to be the next big pastor. Perhaps not everyone wants to experience the same kind of platform that many of our preaching heroes stood upon, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that most seminarians (if not all) go into ministry hoping to have some kind of impact. It’s not a bad thing to want. After all, many of us go into ministry because we were positively impacted by the ministry of someone else.”

Flashback: The Practice of Accepting Disappointment

One of the best ways to grow in contentment is to accept the inevitability of discontentment. One of the ways you can be most joyful in life is to be realistic about life, to know that the people in it will so often fail to meet your expectations. 

A generation that lustily sings God’s praises while lustily sleeping around had better expect the blistering judgment of God.

—D.A. Carson

  • weekend 3

    Weekend A La Carte (May 23)

    Work will always matter / The rise of techno-feudalism / The gospel according to Karl Marx / The challenge of Eastern Orthodoxy / My manifesto on AI and religion / Steve McQueen, born again, set free / Cornfield baptism / 5 things most people don’t know about writing books

  • Authority

    How Men Can Use Their Authority Well

    There are few topics that have proven trickier to navigate than the topic of authority. We know we need authority to function as families, churches, and nations, yet there is something deep within our sinful humanity that causes us to rebel against it wherever it exists. We both want it and despise it. 

  • fri 3

    A La Carte (May 22)

    The ancient world had no word for child abuse / What I wish I had learned in theological college / Pray to the Lord of the harvest / What God is healing while not healing my health problems / Are you willing to show up? / Artificial preaching / Sales and deals / and more.

  • thurs 3

    A La Carte (May 21)

    One step becomes a three-day walk / Tolkien, foolishness, and the ordinary means of grace / The staggering beauty and burden of church life / Denominational health / Three truths to combat your news anxiety / Don’t do the Devil’s work for him / and more.

  • The Most Neglected Element of Worship

    The Most Neglected Element of Worship

    There are some elements of public worship that receive a great deal of attention. These elements are taught, practiced, rehearsed, and perfected until they are as good as they can be. In most churches, this includes the music, of course, and often the preaching. Why do these receive so much attention?

  • wed 3

    A La Carte (May 20)

    The pastor who refuses to back down / The missionary with Ebola / Why we don’t trust pastors / Rushing our quiet times / The other side of seminary / The remedy, the problem, and the church / Why we need to interpret the Bible / Kindle deals / and more.