Good morning! My gratitude goes to the D3 Youth Conference for sponsoring the blog this week. D3 believes in challenging students with the truth of the Bible, encouraging them to ask questions, and equipping them with resources and community to live out those truths. Be sure to consider their upcoming conference and camps!
There are lots of new Kindle deals today since it’s the beginning of a new month.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Futility of Motherhood)
The Rise of the Right-Wing Exvangelical
Jake Meador offers some thoughts on the new rise of the right-wing exvangelical. “If left exvangelicals sought to keep Jesus but dispense with the church, right exvangelicals are following a similar trajectory, but from the other side of the political spectrum. This causes the right exvangelical to end up mirroring the left exvangelical, as it were: Start with right-wing politics circa 2025 and then come to Christianity after you’ve already committed to the political vision of the American right.”
A Tested Faith Will Stand
“Although we often like to equate God’s goodness with protection from storms coming into our lives, God shows us that his goodness is actually the provision to strengthen and grow us up in him to withstand the storms of life and make us into God-glorifying oaks of righteousness.”
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Katie Hulse: “Such a vast amount of coincidences required to permit life exceeds the bounds of credibility. Instead, it speaks of design. The evidence we have suggests that advanced physical life doesn’t exist elsewhere in the universe—unless, of course, it’s the result of purposeful design.”
No One’s Born to Preach: The Myth and Truth of Pulpit ‘Gifting’
This article from David Mathis is for young men who aspire to preach but doubt their own abilities. It should offer a challenge and some confidence.
Associate Pastor, It’s Good to Be Second
I’m glad to see this celebration of the associate pastor. “Those of us who serve as associate pastors occupy a unique and strategically vital position in church leadership—one that requires strength and humility, wisdom and submission. The art of being ‘second’ isn’t merely about accepting a subordinate role; it’s about embracing a divine calling that, when executed well, multiplies the effectiveness of our churches’ leadership teams.”
Why Do Christians Care So Much About Submission to Authority?
Yes, Christians do care a lot about submission to authority, don’t they? Jonathan Leeman explains why this is such an important issue.
Flashback: The Deconstruction of Christianity
In their research, they listened to countless stories of deconstruction, read the books and Twitter threads, watched a host of TikTok videos, and even met with some of its foremost proponents. They made certain that they understood the issue before they addressed it.
Men’s ideas of the wrath to come may be judged of by the earnestness with which they exhort others to fly from it.
—J.C. Ryle
