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Weekend A La Carte (August 15)

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The True Purpose of Microsoft Solitaire, Minesweeper, and FreeCell

This is fascinating if true. “But as fun as these games were, they weren’t actually designed for entertainment. At least not in their Windows incarnations.”

Explosions Shock China’s Tianjin Port

The Big Picture travels to the scene of devastation in China.

On This Day in 1964: Helen Roseveare was taken captive by Congolese rebels. Treated barbarically, she would later say “In my heart was an amazing peace, a realization that I was being highly privileged to be identified with [Christ] in a new way, in the way of Calvary.” I have previously written about this here. *

Should Women Be Police Officers?

Whether or not you quite agree with him, you’ll probably appreciate hearing John Piper’s attempt to sort through what the Bible says on a question like this.

Why Gay Marriage Proponents Can’t Appeal to the Abolitionist Movement

It’s a favored tactic, but it just doesn’t hold. “So, for Vines, the church was basically supportive of slavery throughout history until the 19th century, when ‘experience’ brought about a reinterpretation of Scripture. But is this a fair historical account? Most importantly, does it do justice to the authority of Scripture?”

How Does a Jellyfish Sting?

And just as importantly, what do you do about it?

Your Church Needs a Great Website

Thanks to MereChurch for sponsoring the blog this week.

Brooks

The first step to mercy, is to see our own misery; the first step toward heaven, is to see ourselves near hell.

—Thomas Brooks

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    A La Carte (April 23)

    A La Carte: Climate anxiety paralyzes, gospel hope propels / Living what God has written / How should I engage my rebellious child? / Satan hates your pastor / How to navigate our spiritual highs / The art of extemporaneous preaching / and more.

  • The Path to Contentment

    The Path to Contentment

    I wonder if you have ever considered that the solution to discontentment almost always seems to be more. If I only had more money I would be content. If I only had more followers, more possessions, more beauty, then at last I would consider myself successful. If only my house was bigger, my influence wider,…

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    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Why my shepherd carries a rod / When Mandisa forgave Simon Cowell / An open mind is like an open mouth / Marriage: the half-time report / The church should mind its spiritual business / Kindle deals / and more.

  • It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    Part of the joy of reading biography is having the opportunity to learn about a person who lived before us. An exceptional biography makes us feel as if we have actually come to know its subject, so that we rejoice in that person’s triumphs, grieve over his failures, and weep at his death.

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 20)

    A La Carte: Living counterculturally during election season / Borrowing a death / The many ministries of godly women / When we lose loved ones and have regrets / Ethnicity and race and the colorblindness question / The case for children’s worship services / and more.

  • The Anxious Generation

    The Great Rewiring of Childhood

    I know I’m getting old and all that, and I’m aware this means that I’ll be tempted to look unfavorably at people who are younger than myself. I know I’ll be tempted to consider what people were like when I was young and to stand in judgment of what people are like today. Yet even…