It’s September at last! Or is it September already? It kind of feels like both to me. Either way, what a joy to know that God’s grace will be as present this month as it was in the last.
Sales & Deals
Today’s Kindle deals include a couple of top-tier commentaries, a book about prayer, and a book about not inadvertently harming those we try to help.
Recommended Reading
Plagiarism and the Preacher. There has been a lot of talk online about preachers and plagiarism. I think Kevin Schaal’s article deals with the subject in a healthy way. “It’s daunting to think that members of the congregation can be using tools on their phones to evaluate the words of the preacher as he speaks. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a misunderstanding of the nature of preaching versus the published word or academic paper. So, a few words are in order now, and a fuller development of the subject should follow later. Please read or listen to the end before you criticize.”
How to Help Your Children Build Relationships With Christian Mentors. This is some wise counsel for parents: Help your children build relationships with Christian mentors. “Studies show that one of the most significant factors in a young person walking with the Lord is a quality relationship with a parent or mentor. How can we encourage these relationships in the church?”
Meditate on the Theology of Our Hymns. One hymn. One meditation. Every day. “Rediscover the beauty, depth, and devotional power of the church’s great hymns.” —Douglas Sean O’Donnell (Sponsored)
A Crack in Big Tech’s Armor. Brad Littlejohn celebrates the recent Meta settlement and considers what’s next. “For nearly two decades now, Meta and its rivals haven’t given their restless young users a rest, bombarding them with ads and notifications night and day. Neither should we give them a rest now. It’s time for parents, advocates, and lawmakers to demand a lasting transformation of the digital economy that gives our children space to be children again.”
Should I Homeschool My Kids? I enjoy it when mature Christians honestly assess their decisions in life, which is what Tessa Lind does here after many years of homeschooling. “I never thought I’d be a homeschool mom. It was never on my radar. People who homeschooled were, well, in my opinion, weird. That was a quarter century ago. Opinions change.”
Five Ways God’s People Minister God’s Grace to Each Other. The premise of this article is simple enough: that Christians can, should, and must minister God’s grace to each other. It lays out five ways we can do that.
Melissa’s Advice for a Young Bride. Melissa Edgington offers and explains a word of counsel for young brides. “If I could give advice to a young bride today, after three decades of experimentally learning how to live a life that’s hopelessly and gloriously intertwined with a man’s, I would urge her to embrace her dependence on her husband. I would tell her not to just embrace it, but to revel in it, enjoy it, and celebrate it as one of the great joys of married life.”
Recommended Podcasts
I don’t listen to many podcasts, but my friend Paul does, so from time to time I ask him to share some recommendations. Here are his recent picks.
Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt interview Noelle Mering about her new book, No Contact. Paul says, “This short discussion was very useful in identifying some of the causes behind adult children cutting off all contact with their parents. It also provides some helpful strategies on how to navigate the situation if you are the parent. Mering is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and I am looking forward to reading her book after this podcast.”
Sean DeMars interviews Denny Burk about his new book, Mere Complementarianism, in this long-form discussion. “This is a particularly useful look at the history of modern complementarianism if you are in a church or denomination that is getting wobbly on the issue. Plus, Denny is just an interesting guy!”
Paul really enjoyed this interview by Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever with John Piper to reflect on his book, The Pleasures of God. “I think I have heard Mark say before that he thinks this is Piper’s most important book and that seems to come out in the interview. There is a lot here to enjoy and to use for your own delight in our gracious Maker.”
Flashback
The Mysterious Power of Male Sexuality. A wise man is aware of the power of his sexuality and never grows apathetic in his knowledge that it can so easily be used for harm.
The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we can become.
—Phil Jenkins
