Here is another roundup of 30 Minute Reviews. These are noteworthy books that I did not have time or opportunity to read from beginning to end. Instead, I tried to spend at least 30 minutes with each—enough to get a sense of what the book is all about. Athanasius – Simonetta Carr is building a…
ChristianAudio – ChristianAudio is having their twice-yearly sale where they put pretty much everything on sale at $7.49. You can check my list of Black Friday deals to see which ones will be even cheaper tomorrow. I Think Before I Tweet – This is a phenomenon I’ve noticed as well: Once you begin to tweet,…
I have always loved language, and the English language in particular. In fact, part of the reason I love to read is not to learn new things, but to learn how other people use words. When I read an author like Malcolm Gladwell, a very gifted writer, I learn more about language than about the…
I apologize for the extensive downtime yesterday. It turns out that one user somewhere in the world was working overtime at trying to bring my site down. Eventually the site administrators figured it out and blocked him. It seems now that all is well. Hopefully it will remain that way. Bibles on Sale – Westminster…
I went to bed at 10:05 last night, and wouldn’t you know it, my site went down at 10:10 (or so I learned in the morning). I’ve had to dedicate some time this morning to trying to resurrect it. At this point it seems a little bit stable–stable enough to try to post this. However,…
Parenting and the Image of God – Mark Lauterbach on parenting: “They are image bearers. They are creatures, made by God and for God. They are given glory and honor by God. They have inherent value, of greater worth than animals. How we treat the image of God is how we treat God. The dignity…
In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta published a report saying that they had identified, without probable cause, five cases of a rare strain of pneumonia among men in Los Angeles. By the following July, this disease, now appearing in isolated pockets around the world, was given the name Acquired Immune…
Capitalism’s Spoiled Children – “The Occupy movement does not represent ‘the 99%,’ as its defenders like to claim. They are not a cadre speaking up for the vast proportion of the population against the tyranny or greed of an imagined ‘1%.’ Judging from the speakers I have seen and heard, either on news broadcasts or…
This morning we had Dr. Charles Woodrow preach at Grace Fellowship Church. For over 20 years, Dr. Woodrow has served as a missionary to Mozambique. Our church has been supporting him in this work for the past several years. In his sermon he quoted Jim Elliot–not the Elliot quote we all know (“He is no…
Hipsterification – “On the streets of Franklin and Nashville and almost every town throughout America now, hipsters scuttle by on scooters, zip around in Zipcars or Smart cars, roll by on fixed-gear bikes or walk about in snazzy high-top sneakers and longboard shorts. They snap Instagram photos of each other — in black skinny jeans…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Crossway, a ministry and publisher that is well-known to you, I’m sure. Crossway is offering up a package of some of their new and exciting products. Actually, they are offering up 5 prize packages, each of which will contain the following 3 products: My copy of Lit…
Forgiveness – Russell Moore writes about what forgiveness is and isn’t. “The most difficult math problem in the universe, it turns out, is 70 x 7. Perhaps the hardest thing to do in the Christian life is to forgive someone who has hurt you, often badly. But Jesus says the alternative to forgiving one’s enemies…
Note: This is a sponsored post. Learn about sponsored posts. Next week most people in the USA will celebrate by eating turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and squash, pumpkin pie and cylinders of cranberry goodness. We all have much to be thankful for. Which is why we are announcing a special holiday challenge that will…
Internet Busy-Body – The Resurgence looks at a new kind of busy-body. “Busy-body. That term is power-packed with negative associations. The “town gossip” picture in my head is not the busy-at-home lady, but instead is the woman who knows facts about other’s lives and is stocked with random trivia. Instead of working in her home…
I’ve had it on my heart this week to write about hope and joy. To do that I’ve gone looking for the hope that sustained the Apostle Paul as he endured trial after trial in his ministry. My logic here is simple: If Paul suffered greatly and found joy, those of us who suffer lightly…
7 Misconceptions about Submission – Mary Kassian addresses some of the common misconceptions that arise in the context of submission and biblical womanhood. Cowper’s Letters – “Reading about his descriptions of his depression produced an effect in me which is difficult to describe. I don’t really have a category for what Cowper endured. I found…
Around this time last year I let you know about a new book that provides background and commentary for Handel’s Messiah. And now I want to encourage you to take in a performance of Messiah this Christmas season. And just to get you started, I’ve done some of the work, at least for those of…
Yesterday I mentioned that I had gone looking for the source of the joy that seemed to mark the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Here is a man who suffered greatly in all the years he ministered for the Lord and yet a man who was full of joy, or at least a man who…
iPhone at the Dinner Table – A common problem: “A story ran in the Washington Post about diners dating their iPhone’s. The article explores solo diners who turn digital devices into companions while eating. Several chefs interviewed in the story expressed disdain with the practice, and some, including four-star chef Cathal Armstrong, admitted to indulging…
Paul is not only the greatest theologian of the New Testament, but he is also a man whose life is worthy of emulation. He did not just know theology, but he also practiced it. What amazes me is that though the man endured an amazing amount of abuse and torment, he continued to be full…