The Lord be with you and bless you today. There are a couple of new Kindle deals for you today. How to Think about God Promoting His Own Glory Amy Hall: “Many people misinterpret God’s character when looking at his demands and actions in history because they imagine what they would think of a fallen…
This week’s deal from Westminster Books is on a book I’d urge all Baptists (and maybe even non-Baptists) to read. (Yesterday on the blog: What I Want From A Church) When I Die Young (Or Old) Vanessa Le considers dying young…or old. Members who build the body “Healthy local churches make a powerful and attractive…
The culture around us may not have much knowledge of the Bible, but everyone still seems to know and freely quote these words: “Judge not.” People may not know much, but they do know that the Bible strictly warns against standing in judgment against anyone else. Christians expend no little effort in explaining how “judge…
Whatever else we learn about church life, we learn quickly that it will at times come with conflict. We are, after all, sinful people attempting to share community with other sinners. It’s inevitable that problems will arise, inevitable that there will be angry words, unfortunate misunderstandings, unintentional insults. While there will be many great blessings…
Today’s Kindle deals include some classics that are worth looking at. (Yesterday on the blog: My Favorite “Minor” Museums) The Industrial Revolution of Shame Wow. “We are undergoing an industrial revolution in shame. New technologies have radically expanded our ability to make and distribute a product. The product is our judgment of one another. As…
It’s the age of the expert, the age of the specialist. And sure enough, there’s a growing theme in the Christian world that experience is a necessary prerequisite to authority. If you want to know about parenting, you need to talk to a parent. If you want to know about marriage, you need to talk…
In the Bible we see both grumbing and lamenting. It seems that one is permitted by God and one is not. So what is the difference? Transcript Today I want to take on a question I got from somebody who’s watched some of these videos. Sent through a question I thought was quite interesting. It…
Today’s Kindle deals include a few titles you’ll definitely want to take a peek at. (Yesterday on the blog: Sex on the Silver Screen: A Scenario to Consider) Shouldn’t We Share Our Concerns About a Book Directly with the Author Instead of in the Public Forum? Randy Alcorn is about the kindest person you’ll meet,…
To the modern ear, the notion of church membership can sound odd, intimidating, or even abusive. Should we care about church membership and, if so, why? Transcript Why do I need to be a member of a church? Can’t I just attend and be involved? There’s a couple of great benefits to church membership. The…
It’s a rare week now when we do not learn of some new charge against a pastor. The world has gotten smaller than ever and information moves at a greater pace than at any other point in history. In such a world, news travels fast and furious. Especially bad news. And we do love our…
Today’s Kindle deals include an interesting little mix of books. Another Actress Accuses Kirk Cameron Of Treating Her With Respect I don’t often link to the satire site The Babylon Bee, but this one is worth reading in the light of all the recent scandal in Hollywood. Pastoring a Rural Church Isn’t a “Lesser” Ministry…
I continue to receive lots of Letters to the Editor, hence I continue to attempt to answer lots of Letters to the Editor. Here’s a new batch that include answers to questions on family devotions, whether church is for believers or unbelievers, Christian comedy, if and how women can serve in the church, and so…
Every Christian is a minister. According to the book of Romans, every Christian is called upon by God to minister the Word of God to other believers (see Romans 15:14 and the words “able to instruct one another”). But what does that actually look like? How can normal people like you and me fulfill this…
Today I am kicking off a new “mailbag” feature. A year ago I introduced Letters to the Editor, a means for readers of this site to provide input and feedback. Now I am adding a complementary feature, an opportunity for me to answer questions you have asked. Today’s questions concern Sarah Young and her books,…
I once had an unexpected, startling confrontation with another Christian. I was a speaker at a conference and walking from one event to another when an individual came charging up to me. He got right up in my face, like a batter arguing strikes with an umpire, and began to tell how I had offended…
One matter of continual concern to me is interpersonal conflict within the church. It’s not the existence or even the quantity of conflict, but the inability or unwillingness to deal with it when it arises, and this despite the Bible’s clear teaching that Christians are to resolve conflict and how Christians are to resolve conflict.…
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…
Christians have had their share of social media successes in over the past few years, many of them related to identifying theological error and defending theological truth. This work has been carried on through blogs, of course, but also through Facebook and YouTube and other forms of digital communication. But for all of the success,…
Greatness awaits. Two men don their armor and swing their weapons, a giant battle axe against two short swords. The axe falls and the battle is over. Two men race their sports cars through the countryside, mountains rising up on both sides as they jockey for position. One car aggressively bumps the other so it…
The blogosphere in general and the Christian blogosphere in particular has had its share of successes, but also its share of failures. Many of its most egregious and public failures have been in the realm of polemics—discussing or debating controversial topics. Many bloggers have mastered all the practical rules of blogging, the short paragraphs, the…