A La Carte (October 7)

Sales & Deals

You’ll find a substantial list of Kindle deals today, headlined by Kevin Burrell’s excellent Considering Sparrows, which is on sale for the first time. If you didn’t check in yesterday, scroll down since there was a massive list then.

Remember that I’ve collected Prime Big Deal Days for Christians and am updating it as new deals appear. It includes books (both print and Kindle), Bibles, commentaries, board games, and more. Today is the final day of the sale.

Recommended Reading

Is Jesus the Social Justice Champion of Progressives? Alan Shlemon questions whether Jesus is who progressives make him out to be. “Progressive Christians often present a truncated portrait of Jesus, highlighting the parts of his ministry that fit their emphasis on social reform. In their view, Jesus was a social justice warrior who stood in solidarity with the poor and marginalized, challenged unjust systems and structures of power, and called his followers to pursue love, inclusion, and liberation.”

Get a Grip: “Claude” Isn’t a Person. Wesley J. Smith scoffs at the idea, apparently suggested by Anthropic (makers of Claude), that any AI can claim personhood. “Anthropic is anthropomorphizing its AI program known as ‘Claude’ with the apparent intention of convincing us that powerful computer programs are — or can become — conscious ‘persons’ with ‘feelings.’ And, they think, Claude should one day be treated as such, to the point that they have held meetings with religious leaders to discuss the moral concepts that might apply.”

Why Christians Should Not Buy Into AI Catastrophism. Also on the subject of AI, here’s why Christians should not buy into some of the AI catastrophism that has become popular over the past few weeks. “Predictions of catastrophe not only tickle the human propensity for drama, but they flourish within a worldview in which human existence is believed to be an accident. In a godless, naturalistic way of seeing life and the world, it should never have evolved the way it did. We barely survived, as evolutionary biologist Stephen J. Gould famously put it, ‘by hook and by crook.’”

Some Marriage Advice: Just Shut Up. Blunt but true: sometimes the best thing you can do for your marriage is just keep your mouth shut. “Have you ever seen that Bob Newhart skit where he plays a therapist? A woman comes into his office with a problem, and he gives two words of advice: ‘Stop it!’ It’s obviously played for laughs, but sometimes this is how the best advice is. Short, sweet, and to the point. And I’m not planning to play therapist with this blog, but I’ve found some really great marriage advice that I want to share with you. This advice is what I’ll call evergreen advice: It’s good year round and works in almost every scenario. Alright. Here it is: Just shut up!”

How to Be Happy at Work. Dan Doriani: “A few years ago, I co-led the pastoral search for a thriving, midsize church in a small city. In time, we identified an ideal candidate. Approaching age 40, he had the right skills and experience and recently felt a holy discontent with his limited role in a massive church. It looked like a perfect fit for both parties, but the man declined. The reason? His family was settled in a nice city, near family, and with access to natural beauty. On hearing the news, my co-leader asked, ‘Whatever happened to the concept of a call from God?’ It’s an important question, but it’s not the way many Americans, including believers, approach a decision like this.”

Don’t Suppress Young Men. Clint Humfrey writes about an important skill for a pastor. “I’ve seen it many times. The young guy is zealous. He absorbs theology like a sponge. He reads. He writes. He reflects. He engages. He’s what every church wants right? But for many zealous young men, the pastor is constantly wet-blanket-ing them.”

Extra

Every now and again I like to introduce you to one of my books. Today that’s Seasons of Sorrow, which, as it happens, is cheaper today than it’s ever been at Amazon, though only for the rest of the day.

Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God was written in the aftermath of the sudden and unexpected death of my son, Nick. It is written out of a place of great love and great grief, and reflects the journey of a parent through the first year following a deep loss. While it is plain in describing grief, it also describes the hope God offers and the comfort he provides to those who suffer through difficult circumstances. This book, more than any other I’ve written, comes from my heart!

Flashback

We All Want More of God. Acknowledge that your sense of longing is part of God’s will for you right now and that it cannot be resolved in this world. And embrace this reality: that you can only be spiritually content when you admit, identify, and accept your spiritual discontentment.