Skip to content ↓

Weekend A La Carte (August 2)

A La Carte Collection cover image

My gratitude goes to Banner of Truth for sponsoring the blog this week. Banner publishes many wonderful books from the present day and days past, including The Works of John Owen and the slightly modernized adaptation, Gospel Life.

Today’s Kindle deals include excellent choices by Sproul, Tozer, Elliot, and more.

(Yesterday on the blog: 10 New and Notable Christian Books for July 2025)

Why I Don’t Like the Term “Homeschool”

“I think the debate within Christian circles of public vs. private vs. homeschool is tired and often unhelpful. If we recognized that parents are, after the Holy Spirit, their children’s primary educators, and then recognize that a full human life is nurtured within the home and family and then expands to neighborhood, church, village, and beyond, then, perhaps, our discussions would be on firmer footing. How ought a human person be formed for a flourishing life?”

The Remarkably Successful 7-Point Plan From 40 Years Ago to Normalize Homosexuality

Justin Taylor explains the 7-point plan from 40 years ago that very successfully normalized homosexuality. “God’s truth does not change, but culture does. Here was their plan, which has worked for a long time now, though it will ultimately not prevail as a rejection of God’s good and gracious design.”

Three Dodges That Can Derail Any Discussion

Greg Koukl explains three common dodges that can derail any discussion.

6 Seasoned Pastors on Best Practices for Men’s Ministry

“Over the past year, those who track religious statistics have been surprised by a trend so rare it hasn’t been recorded before: Gen-Z is the first generation in American history whose men are more likely to go to church than women are.” Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra investigates what six seasoned pastors are doing in their men’s ministries.

Work Hard, Be Humble

Paul Tripp: “Children of God should strive to accomplish great things in the name of the Lord. We should be visionaries and entrepreneurs. We should make radical plans and build bigger, better, more beautiful things. We’ve been placed by the Creator of heaven and earth to be the resident managers of his planet. We’re meant to steward the creation, enhance its beauty, protect it from the danger of wickedness, and in all of this, bring glory to the name of the Lord.”

Finding Hope Amid Severe Illness

“Through the trials of cancer and survivorship, I needed a hope that could withstand the roller coaster of my health struggles. Because of God’s mercy and grace, we have a better hope to which we can cling: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Flashback: What Grows in the Local Church

What grows in an aquarium? Plants and weeds, because the conditions that foster one fosters the other. What grows in the local church? Virtues and vices, because much of the context that fosters one can as easily foster the opposite. 

When God intends to do a great work He stirs up His people to pray for the thing He intends to do.

—Michael Haykin

  • Amplify Not a Fool by Responding to His Folly 

    Amplify Not a Fool by Responding to His Folly 

    Where you think your wisdom may make the fool better, it’s more likely that his folly will make you worse. You are more likely to stoop to his level than he is to rise to yours. Ironically, fools can be clever at times and wise men naive, for the fool has an intuitive understanding of…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 28)

    A La Carte: Reaching lost young men / The painful parts of prayer / The fall of our enemies / Doom-scrolling Mozart / A great small group leader / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 27)

    A La Carte: Praying with faith / Can unbelievers perform good deeds? / Sabbath rest / Is sex dangerous? / Clear teaching and preaching / The manosphere / Kindle deals / and more.

  • No Cotton Candy Fairy Tale

    If you’ve read or listened to the news lately, you’ve probably heard much about the persecution of Christians across the world. Dozens and hundreds and thousands suffer and sacrifice for the sake of their faith every day. But a fair number of these sufferers weren’t born into Bible-believing households and families. What are their stories?…

  • Uncle Nick

    That’s Your Uncle Nick

    We call them “grief moments” or “grief days,” and it is still surprising how quickly and unexpectedly they can come upon us. Those who have experienced a deep loss will know that, even while you do eventually get on with your life, you never get over your grief. It is ever-present in the background, usually…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 26)

    A La Carte: Carney’s Davos sermon / The lure of Rome / The weight of story / Learn from Gen-Z / When life goes wrong / Robert Wolgemuth / Kindle deals / and more.