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A La Carte (September 25)

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May the Lord be with you and bless you on this fine day.

Today’s Kindle deals include a book on parenting, a helpful study through James, a reader-friendly introduction to biblical theology, and a devotional by Sinclair Ferguson. (Note: there was a huge and unexpected one-day sale today on tons of books; be sure to check in.)

(Yesterday on the blog: A Huge Batch of New Books for Children and Teens)

Day Shall Come Again

Amy Mantravadi looks to a favorite Tolkien motif to remind us that, no matter how dark it may seem, day shall come again. “Darkness is always present in the world—a dominating aspect of human existence on earth. Here I refer not merely to the absence of physical light, but the presence of evil. This darkness never truly disappears. It may wax and wane at times, but it is usually our perception that changes. Sometimes we pay more attention to the goodness in our world, and sometimes the evil smacks us in the face so we cannot avoid it. The sun may seem to shine on one person just as darkness engulfs another.”

Ordinary Sundays Have Dangerous Potential

It’s good to be reminded that the most ordinary of Sundays is still full of potential.

2026 Missionary National Conference: The Lord Who Sends

From October 14–16, 2026, Missionary will host its National Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Together we will search the Scriptures and see how God’s Word shapes our local churches for the glorious and sacrificial work of sending missionaries to reach the remaining unreached languages. Speakers include John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, Mark Dever, Michael Reeves, Brooks Buser, Ian Hamilton, Chad Vegas, Aubrey Sequeira, Jonathan Master, and Paul Schlehlein. Save $150 when you register today. (Sponsored)

How Fast Should a Preacher Preach Words if a Preacher Could Preach Words?

I appreciate Benjamin sharing an awkward bit of his preaching ministry to open up a discussion about the pace of preaching. “I wonder how much better I would be as a preacher—how much better any preacher would be—if loving feedback from friends in the pews met humility and teachability from preachers in the pulpit. I’d like to spend the rest of my ministry finding out.”

Why Young Men Are Coming Back to Church

It sure seems like young men are coming to church (or coming back to church) in greater numbers than we have come to expect. This article suggests why that may be the case. Essentially, “Young men became poor. And now ours is the kingdom of heaven. Allow me to explain.”

Why Does Jesus Call the Canaanite Woman a Dog? (Video)

Dr. Daniel Stevens explains why Jesus appears to call a Canaanite woman a dog.

To Speak or Not to Speak: Thoughts on Making Public Comment

Everyone who has a public voice (or a social media account) has to wrestle with this at one time or another–when do I speak up and when do I remain silent?

Flashback: When You Long to Know the “Why” Behind Your Sorrow

Times of suffering are a tragic reality on this side of heaven. And as you endure them, I plead with you not to cheapen your tragedies by being too quick to assume you know God’s purposes in them. Rather, entrust them to the One who has proven worthy of your trust, your confidence, and your deepest devotion.

God does not bless what his word forbids.

—Matthew Rueger

  • Pleasure Obligation

    A Pleasure More Than An Obligation

    Christians are often portrayed as downcast and dour, as people who are trapped in a system of beliefs that robs them of joy and life. And with a bit of honest self-examination, we can probably think of times when we have fit the cliché.

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    Weekend A La Carte (March 14)

    A La Carte: The West’s strange genius / Healing the way women hurt each other / AI skeptics / The world after reading / What about the children? / What caregivers should know about dementia / and much more.

  • Sex and Self-Forgetfulness

    Sex, Self-Forgetfulness, and the Joy of Serving Your Spouse

    I often think there is a kind of paradoxical quality to sex within marriage. It’s paradoxical in that few things have greater ability to bring blessing (through its right use) or to bring cursing (through its misuse). Not only that, but few things bring greater joy to a marriage, and also, in so many cases,…

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    A La Carte (March 13)

    What happened to our pastor? / Youth ministry needs seasoned saints / God’s sovereignty when things don’t go as planned / Preach sermons that algorithms don’t reward / A pastor remains in Beirut / and more.

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    A La Carte (March 12)

    The grief ambush / Forgotten, and that’s good / The foibles and fallibility of Christian leaders / Welcome back, church planting / Weakness is not the enemy / Bad reasons to read the Bible / Bible and book sales.