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Weekend A La Carte (May 1)

May God bless and keep you as you worship him and serve him this weekend.

Today’s Kindle deals include one of my favorite Kevin DeYoung books, along with the usual batch of Saturday classics.

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for April 2021)

Keeping the Faith

Christian Smith spent two decades studying the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents and emerging adults, then turned to religious parenting. He provides a few interesting observations in this article. “So, what can committed, religious parents do to increase their chances of raising children who, as young adults, believe and practice some version of their religion? The first answer is simply to be themselves: believe and practice their own religion genuinely and faithfully.”

10 Facts from New Pew Data on Social Media Usage

Chris Martin looks at some of the data from the new Pew report on social media usage.

The Sheikh’s Spells

“You know,” I said to my friend, “someday one of us believers might need to challenge The Sheikh, and tell him that his most powerful spells can’t affect a faithful believer who’s got the Holy Spirit living inside of them. Now that would be an interesting contest. And when his curse failed, then I bet the whole city would know about it.”

John Stott Would Want Us to Stop, Study, and Struggle

I love reading about John Stott who seems to have been such an interesting individual. “During my years as his study assistant, I completed research for several books; ran errands; and served as bodyguard, driver, and traveling companion, in addition to cooking, cleaning, and waiting on tables. Working hand in hand with Frances Whitehead, his incomparable secretary, John referred to us as ‘the happy triumvirate.’”

Robert Jermain Thomas – First Protestant Martyr in Korea

Simonetta Carr has written a good little introduction to the first Protestant martyr in Korea. “Today, when Christians from Korea travel to Great Britain, they often make a point of visiting Hanover, south Wales, where Robert Jermain Thomas spent his childhood. Some even venture out to the small town of Rhayader, where he was born in 1839. That’s because Thomas is still remembered in Korea as the man who died in order to introduce Bibles into the country.”

Health, Happiness and Security

Paul Levy: “Last week I was driving and heard an advert for Life Insurance. It was so good I stopped the car and wrote it down. ‘What do you want for your children?’ Health, Happiness and Security.’ Middle aged parents all over the country can relate to it and buy into it.”

An Open Letter to the Christian Frontline Medical Worker

If you’re a frontline medical worker, I think you’ll be encouraged by Kathryn Butler’s open letter that’s meant for you.

Flashback: Are You Addicted To Your Phone? (Take a Quiz to Find Out)

A little bit of self-analysis shows that the way I use my smartphone borders on compulsion and may, in fact, fully qualify. And from what I’ve observed, I suspect you may receive the same diagnosis.

…there was never any other way to escape death than for men to flee to Christ.

—John Calvin

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    A La Carte (July 14)

    A La Carte: Distorted doctrine destroys lives / Making sense of bad things / Be the Jonathan / A bridegroom of blood / Administrative sludge / Musical elements / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Prayer

    Spread Too Thin

    With so much to do, we can easily begin to wonder whether prayer is an appropriate use of scarce time. Wouldn’t it be better to give my attention to something that would let me cross something off my to-do list?

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    Weekend A La Carte (July 12)

    A La Carte: Where art thou Rob Bell? / The case against in vitro fertilization / Praying and weeping for those suffering in Texas / Greet each other with a holy hug / The example of Jimmy Swaggart / and more.

  • Thriving Marriage

    Thriving Marriage

    I have often wondered about the best time to write a book about marriage. When a couple is young, there is so much about marriage they have not yet experienced. They can still impart wisdom and teach lessons, of course, but there is so much of marriage that remains unknown to them. Yet when a…

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    A La Carte (July 11)

    A La Carte: Falling out of repentance / Tattoos as confession / The Epstein List and secret sins / Teaching generosity / Lessons from a former youth pastor / Bedbugs in the bowels of the city.

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    A La Carte (July 10)

    A La Carte: Questions for a maturing marriage / The lesbian seagulls that weren’t / But mommy, why? / A time to be tired / The modern rise of Stoicism / and more.