Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (October 31)

thursday

Today’s Kindle deals include just a couple, but among them is The Coddling of the American Mind which, though not a Christian book, has been of great interest to many Christians.

(Yesterday on the blog: What An Expert on Sexual Abuse Says About Sleepovers)

My Love Cannot Save You

I really enjoyed this reflection on motherhood. “He rubbed my arm as I whimpered my way back into the real world, out of the terror of night. Sleep evaded me then and I stared at the ceiling thinking of every mother who cannot find her child. Every mother who has lost a part of her heart and soul. I prayed for mothers who claw at the side of government agents who cannot find their children.”

How to Stop Being So Lazy

“On TV, the lazy man or woman is portrayed as a lovable loaf. Even in their torpor, he or she just cracks a few jokes and that makes it all okay. But is laziness just something to be laughed off with a shrug and a ‘that’s just the way they are,’ or could it be that laziness is a more serious offense?”

Reformation: Can the Roman Catholic Gospel Get You into Heaven?

This one seems appropriate for Reformation Day. “This Reformation season, let’s look objectively at a critical question. Can anyone get to heaven through the Roman Catholic gospel? If so, how? If not, why not?”

Is the God of the Bible a Genocidal Maniac?

I know you don’t believe that, but many do. Michael Kruger says, “I don’t think we need to get God off the hook. I don’t think he wants off the hook. As painful as this issue is, it highlights what we, and our culture, need to hear more than ever: God is holy, people are sinful, the world is broken, and his judgment is just.”

How Transparent Should a Pastor’s Wife Be?

Christel Humfrey is hardly the first pastor’s wife to wonder this. “Some burdens we must bear alone for the sake of the church and yes, we may experience closer scrutiny than the woman sitting next to us in the pew. But even so, God desires for us to have healthy relationships within our church community. And without some level of transparency our relationships will never grow. “

When Your Plan for Killing Sin Isn’t Working

“Burdened brothers and sisters, we can’t sanctify ourselves. Along with the apostle Paul, I gently ask you (and myself): Having begun by the Spirit, do we believe we’re now being perfected by our own strength (Gal. 3:3)? While it is good to pursue holiness, at the end of the day, we must know that it is the Spirit—not our plans, works, obedience, or Bible memorization—who sanctifies us.”

Stop Comparing Yourself to Well-Known Pastors

This is wise. “Preacher, you can preach better than John MacArthur, John Piper, David Platt, and H.B. Charles. I wonder if that surprises you? It should not. You can preach better to your flock than any of those world-renowned expositional preachers.”

Flashback: The Cracks Begin at the Bottom

If disunity begins at the bottom and works its way to the top, so too does unity. A strong foundation stabilizes and supports the entire structure. What are you doing to actively pursue unity within your church?

A content person is able to sit quietly under the reassuring affirmation of God. The Lord is his or her sufficiency.

—Erik Raymond

  • Prayer

    Spread Too Thin

    With so much to do, we can easily begin to wonder whether prayer is an appropriate use of scarce time. Wouldn’t it be better to give my attention to something that would let me cross something off my to-do list?

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (July 12)

    A La Carte: Where art thou Rob Bell? / The case against in vitro fertilization / Praying and weeping for those suffering in Texas / Greet each other with a holy hug / The example of Jimmy Swaggart / and more.

  • Thriving Marriage

    Thriving Marriage

    I have often wondered about the best time to write a book about marriage. When a couple is young, there is so much about marriage they have not yet experienced. They can still impart wisdom and teach lessons, of course, but there is so much of marriage that remains unknown to them. Yet when a…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 11)

    A La Carte: Falling out of repentance / Tattoos as confession / The Epstein List and secret sins / Teaching generosity / Lessons from a former youth pastor / Bedbugs in the bowels of the city.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 10)

    A La Carte: Questions for a maturing marriage / The lesbian seagulls that weren’t / But mommy, why? / A time to be tired / The modern rise of Stoicism / and more.

  • The Stranger

    The Stranger: A Short Film For You

    Based on a true story and inspired by the truth that character comes before competence, “The Stranger” is an honest, light-hearted and meaningful picture of what it means to truly serve others.