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Weekend A La Carte (January 13)

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My gratitude goes to TMAI for sponsoring the blog this week. They are inviting you to attend their annual symposium where you’ll hear from Paul Washer and Steve Lawson. “What exactly is needed for effective missions work? Which components are necessary? Where are the best books, best programs, or best examples for missions?” This is what they will consider.

Today’s Kindle deals include some newer books and some older ones.

(Yesterday on the blog: Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy)

The Dress

Kristin writes movingly of her daughter and her upcoming wedding. She celebrates her daughter and also offers her some wise counsel.

In Praise of Prudence: What the Cardinal Virtues Can Teach Us About the Splintering of Evangelicalism

Kevin DeYoung has written a long-awaited followup to his article from a few years ago in which he argued “that many of the old networks and alliances had fallen apart and that four new ‘teams’ had emerged.” He offers a lot to think about!

Will Following My Heart Set Me Free?

Caz Dodds considers and counters “a story that our culture loves to tell: that success in the world means presenting your truest self, pushing off what society tells you to be, to be you. It’s almost like that’s the meaning of life. You are free to be yourself.”

Sustained in the Fire

“I’m thankful God that has sustained me, but sometimes I don’t want to just be sustained, I want to be delivered,’ I confessed to my husband. It’s difficult to admit such thoughts because as a Christian, I know that God is working in my trials and I do believe he has a purpose. But there are days when I struggle to see beyond the pain and, in my humanity, my present feelings cloud my eternal perspective. Some days – I want to be rescued, rather than sustained. I want relief now.”

Why We Need the Bad News of Israelite History

Gary Edward Schnittjer explains why the Bible doesn’t skip from creation and fall directly to Calvary. In other words, he explains why we need to know all that bad news about Israelite history.

Book Allowance

I think this article would benefit from less “should”—a word of moral right and wrong. That aside, I do think there is wisdom in ensuring that pastors have easy access to the resources they need to really thrive in their preaching ministry.

Flashback: I Still Do: A Marriage Course for the Middle Years

It has been my observation that churches tend to invest a fair bit of effort in preparing couples to begin a healthy marriage, but perhaps a little less in helping couples sustain a healthy marriage.

The gospel is as free as the air you breathe.

—C.H. Spurgeon

  • How to Evangelize and Disciple in a “Live Your Truth” World

    Our culture lacks any coherent, unifying worldview. We’ve moved on from post-truth postmodernism to “Live your truth” metamodernism, where good vibes matter more than consistent ideas. In this world, few see the conflict between “trans-affirming” and “pro-woman.” And the same person using mushrooms to aid spiritual “connection” tells us to “trust the science” about human…

  • AI

    A Simple Way To Ensure You Use AI Well (And Not Poorly) 

    Every new technology introduces both benefits and drawbacks to its users and to the wider culture. The world being what it is, there are always plusses and minuses, so that even as a new tech gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. We are quickly learning that Artificial Intelligence is no exception…

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    A La Carte (February 16)

    A La Carte: God is glad to forgive you / Gen Z needs this doctrine / The draw of Eastern Orthodoxy / Rest for the restless / Finding love after loss / Kindle and book deals / and more.

  • Duty

    For Our Good, Not For Our Bondage

    Matthew Henry once said that when we are out of the way of duty, we are in the way of temptation. Yet Jerry Bridges warns that the spiritual disciplines are privileges to be used, not duties to be performed. So are they duties or are they not?

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    Weekend A La Carte (February 14)

    A La Carte: Satan wants you alone this Sunday / The discipline of unlearning / Asking a pastor to step down / Holy humor / Intentional thankfulness / and more.