Skip to content ↓

Weekend A La Carte (November 19)

My gratitude goes to 316 Publishing for sponsoring the blog this week to tell you about the Legacy Standard Bible as well as Bella Paper calendars and stationery. (Save on any purchase with code CHALLIES.) Sponsors keep the site free to readers like you so I appreciate each and every one.

(Yesterday on the blog: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church)

3 Steps Christian Institutions Take from Orthodoxy to Sexual Immorality

Joe Carter does some interesting analysis here. “It might be presumptuous to imply the path from orthodoxy to heterodoxy is the same for all institutions. Yet there does seem to be a recurring pattern that includes three steps.”

A Spiritual MRI of the Heart

It would take a long time to work all the way through this spiritual MRI, but it is likely to be prove valuable to you.

Christian Maturity and Secular Infancy

“Christianity entails many divine ironies—the dead man lives; the humble woman is exalted; the servant is the King; finding life is losing it; salvation is not by works; the Son of God became man so that men might become sons of God. Another irony less noticed by many Christians is this—increased Christian maturity always brings more child-like dependence.”

What is a benediction? (Video)

Derek Thomas explains the origin and purpose of a benediction at the close of a worship service.

Do Unbelievers Get a Second Chance After Death?

Do unbelievers get a second chance after death? There’s a passage in 1 Peter that could imply this. John Piper tells here why that’s not the best reading.

The Refuge of Repentance

Cindy explains why repentance is a kind of refuge.

Flashback: A Reflection of Christ

In my leadership am I providing an accurate picture of Christ? Or do the ones I lead see an image of Christ that is warped and distorted? Do they see me looking out for their well-being as Christ looked out for the well-being of those he loved? Or do they see selfishness instead?

Daily do we need to pray for afresh realization of the preciousness of the Gospel, a fresh appropriation of its blessed contents; and then there will be a renewing of our joy.

—A.W. Pink

  • Building Churches

    Building Churches Out of Other Churches

    What is your church really made of? Or perhaps better said, who is your church really made of? This is something we all do well to ponder from time to time, for there are good ways and bad ways, better ways and worse ways to fill a church.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (February 19)

    A La Carte: Don’t let your fears hold back your children / Denominations in an age of online over-exposure / Full-circle prayers / Secret things and revealed things / Building habits / John Mark Comer’s view of God / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (February 18)

    A La Carte: Very cool birds / The way to combat anxiety / Do not hinder yourself / The sacred mundane / Thriving in women’s ministry leadership / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (February 17)

    A La Carte: Wisdom for online dating / Anything can be an idol / The great danger / Unconfessed sin / Sins we love to ignore / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Quality Time

    Quality Time

    People of all faiths pray. Some pray to gods, some to ancestors, some to nature, and some to the universe, but all speak out words, all utter desires, all hope to be heard. But Christians pray differently and Christians pray confidently, for we pray to a Father. We alone “have received the Spirit of adoption…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (February 15)

    A La Carte: Resisting temptation / Strange familiarity / The reluctant polemicist / A new Getty hymn / The power of one bitter thought / Better than a holy year / and more.