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Weekend A La Carte (July 29)

My thanks goes to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for sponsoring the blog this week. They invite you to join Matthew Barrett for free to study the foundational elements of Christian Theology through For The Church Institute at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College.

Today’s Kindle deals include a good little selection of titles.

(Yesterday on the blog: The Gender Revolution)

The House of Mourning Is Good for the Soul

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can this possibly be the case?

Why My LDS Friend Isn’t Trying to Convert Me to Mormonism

“I was shocked. It was the second time my Latter-day Saint friend told me he wasn’t interested in converting me.” Why wouldn’t Mormons be interested in converting Christians? This article explains.

Our Microwave Culture

“In a culture where you can have a baked potato in eight minutes, a 15-minute potato feels like an eternity. And once we’ve grown accustomed to eight minute expectations, our tolerance for things that take longer lengths of time is diminished. And boy does it show.”

In Our Chaotic Age, Some Atheists Are Rethinking Secularism

Carl Trueman: “What is emerging among some erstwhile left-wing intellectuals today is the realization that atheism, while an interesting theoretical position, offers nothing to address the deeper questions of life.”

Encouragement for Suffering Saints

“Throughout the Bible and church history, we see that God uses suffering to prepare and equip His servants for usefulness in ministry. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 is the norm, not the exception, for those who would serve the Suffering Servant. Suffering is never a pointless evil, but a necessary tool the Lord uses to refine, mature, and prepare us for fruitful service in His kingdom.”

The Good Pastor: A Man Who Changed My Life

You’ll enjoy this biographical article by Ajith Fernando.

Flashback: How God Speaks To Us Today

God can speak and has spoken however he wishes. But today the one way he absolutely promises you can always hear his voice is in his Word.

I remind myself and my church that a message of grace may attract people, but a culture of grace will keep them.

—Jared C. Wilson

  • Preaching

    What a Miracle!

    Over the course of our Christian lives, we hear hundreds or even thousands of sermons. Perhaps through the sheer repetition, we are prone to forget what makes preaching so special, so unique. At the heart of preaching is the wonder…

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    Weekend A La Carte (November 1)

    A La Carte: Wellness cannot save you / “The Mercy of God” / Young men and sports gambling / Following through on the Reformation / The decline of reading and the rise of reels / Helping kids process social media violence / and more.

  • Helping Your Kids

    Helping Your Kids Know God’s Good Design

    Despite the temptation to think otherwise, I am certain there has never been a time or a context in which it has been easy to raise children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Rather, every set of parents of every era and place has had to face challenges.

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    A La Carte (October 31)

    A La Carte: God’s witness in true myths / Kevin DeYoung and the search for chivalry / While you sleep, Jesus prays for you / John Piper on spiritual assurance / Speaking to children about abortion / and more.

  • New-and-Notable

    New and Notable Christian Books for October 2025

    As October draws to its close, I wanted to ensure you know about at least some of the most notable books it brought our way. For each, I’ve provided the publisher’s description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there is something here that’s of interest to you!