Curated content for Christians
Devotional Theology I like the sound of this series: “From the fallible, presumptuous words of Jesus Calling to the dangerous practice of contemplative prayer, eager Christian women everywhere are desperately seeking to know God better. However, the one thing we’re lacking is the one thing that’s sitting right under our noses—the Word of God; and…
The Hidden Hours of Ministry I’m looking forward to this series about the hidden hours of ministry. “The hidden hours lay the foundation for what happens publicly. The clamour of pastoral and teaching ministry can make it tempting to hold to public priorities, while neglecting more private responsibilities.” Ben Zobrist Is Reinventing Himself You’ll probably…
Do Biological Facts No Longer Matter? I am always interested in Nancy Pearcey’s take on contemporary issues. “The Darwinian worldview implies that the cosmos is merely a vast amoral machine. It reduces the human body to a lump of matter, a collection of atoms and molecules, not intrinsically different from any other chance configuration of…
It is a long weekend here in Canada as we pause for Victoria Day on Monday. This holiday marks the unofficial start of cottage season for those who have been so blessed. The rest of us just enjoy an extra day off and, hopefully, some time with friends and family. How to Shepherd Every Member…
Don’t Be Embarrassed by Your Ordinary Church By definition most churches are ordinary churches, right? Hong Kong This video of Hong Kong is beautifully done. (Isn’t it sad to see the empty, superstitious worship…) Is Your Pastor Happy To See You? I think you’ll appreciate this one from Jared Wilson. (I feel the need to…
I did not track down any Kindle deals today. However, if you are an Olive Tree user, you may be interested in picking up Visual Theology which they’ve just added to their catalog. Why Believers Must Avoid Immoral Joking I quite agree. “I write these very words because I, too, could easily fall into the…
Arguments For and Against Anxiety Justin Taylor: “An important lesson of the Christian life is that the heart of the battle is a fight not between abstract commands (do this! don’t do that!) but rather arguments. Unbelief does not just offer dictates; it offers reasons why we don’t need to trust the Lord. And to…
Persistent Prayer to a Loving Father “Persistent prayer proves hard for many Christians. We may labor on our knees for years as we pray for our unbelieving child, an empty womb, our spouse to be converted, the friend battling cancer, depression to no longer have a hold, a sin to lose its grip, or the…
Are You a Closet Annihilationist? Denny Burk comments on an article that discusses changing Christian views on hell. The Power of Conformity Rod Dreher shares a letter from one of his readers that explains some of the radical change we see around us (and why it should concern us). The Tender Heart of a Woman…
I am glad to be preparing this A La Carte in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I am here to speak at a conference through the afternoon, then will fly home this evening so I can worship with Grace Fellowship Church tomorrow. It should be a good weekend. As always, your prayers are appreciated. Regulating Screen Time…
The Moral Revolutionaries Present Their Demands Al Mohler says, “The terms of moral surrender have been delivered to us, and they are absolute and unconditional. Just ask Japan and Germany what that means.” The Family Idols There is an important challenge in this article from Nick Batzig. He shows that even something as good as…
Troubleshooting the Celebrity Pastor Problem I appreciate Jared Wilson’s thoughts on the celebrity pastor problem in today’s church. Goose Finds Cop Can this actually be real? “On Monday, Givens was sitting in his patrol car in a parking lot when he was accosted by one very unexpected visitor who seemed dead set on getting his…
Restroom Laws and Jim Crow It’s a big question today: Are restroom laws that respect privacy the equivalent of Jim Crow laws? Planetary Transit NASA got some amazing footage of Mercury making its way between us and the sun, something that happens just 13 times each century. Where’s Your Heart? Randy Alcorn: “Do you wish…
An Open Letter to Someone Having an Affair Brad Hambrick pens a letter to someone having an affair. “An affair is a relationship built on deceit and artificially fueled by the passion-allegiance of a shared secret and not having to bear the weight of day-to-day life. The story line of ‘forbidden love’ evaporates as soon…
I’m Still a Complementarian… And There’s Still That “But” I’m glad to read people’s struggles to better understand, define, and appreciate complementarianism. This kind of discussion should prove fruitful! How We Pray There are lots of points made in this survey on prayer, but perhaps this is the most important: “Reid said the most striking…
Westminster Books sent out a newsletter yesterday featuring Do More Better and offering it at a great price (especially if you buy 5 or more copies). They’ve also got deals on other books about stewarding God’s good gifts. I speak each January at the G3 Conference in Atlanta; next year’s event is moving to a…
I have no Kindle deals to share with you today, but you can always breeze back through the A La Carte archives to find any you missed earlier in the week. I’m sure there will be some good ones next week as well. Crisis in American Democracy Al Mohler says, “When the essential institutions of…
The Rise of the Anti-Culture Carl Trueman: “Let’s face it: We now live in a world where refusing a man the right to expose himself in a woman’s toilet is enough to risk your city losing the right to host a football game. Even to suggest there might be a debate to be had about…
The Black People in the Middle of Nowhere What an interesting little snapshot of history from the National Post. “Established in 1909 at a spot 170 km north of Edmonton, the short history of Amber Valley is that a bunch of American blacks got tired of all the racism and decided to do like Eastern…
Stop Saying “I Feel Like” This is fascinating and well-reasoned: “Here is the paradox: ‘I feel like’ masquerades as a humble conversational offering, an invitation to share your feelings, too — but the phrase is an absolutist trump card. It halts argument in its tracks.” Puritans on the Potomac Timothy George has penned a great…