Matthew Henry was born in 1662, the same year that the Act of Uniformity barred his father, Phillip, and 2000 other pastors (including Thomas Brooks) from official ministry in the Church of England. Henry was raised by godly parents in the Puritan way (daily Bible reading, prayer, self-examination, etc.) and always wanted to be a…
Running the Race – Here, from R.C. Sproul Jr., is a parable of infusion and imputation. It begins like this: “Suppose, for the sake of argument, that the God of heaven and earth were a fan of long distance running. Suppose that the only way into His blessed presence, the only way to enjoy those…
I love reading books, but I also love reading reviews of books. Reviews allow me to discover books I haven’t heard of, they teach me to think wisely, they allow me to better prioritize the books I am considering reading, and they sometimes provide a helpful second opinion on books I have already read. For…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Wretched. Wretched is a ministry that features Todd Friel–Todd Friel on radio, television and in various other media. He is occasionally joined by fun people like R.W. Glenn, and rather boring people like myself. Today Wretched is giving away copies of a couple of their Drive By…
12 Myths About Calvinism – Michael Patton debunks twelve myths about Calvinism. 10 Things Christ Promises to Reward – And here are 10 things Christ promises to reward. “The truth is, if you are a Christian, God has already given you the incredible opportunity of knowing the future so that you may be able to…
I am often asked how I organize my books and how I maintain my library. Because I am a book reviewer I receive new books nearly every day and this has forced me to discover a few principles I might otherwise have missed. I have found that the key to organizing and maintaining a library…
From Strangers to Missionaries – You may be interested in reading Tim Brister’s reflections on reaching his neighborhood. The Airline Peanut – “When it comes to serving food on board, airlines can’t seem to win: whatever they serve is criticized for its quality, but if they cut back, they hear about that, too. The life…
I did not set out to be a preacher. Ten years ago I would have laughed out loud if someone had told me that a decade hence I would be a regular in the pulpit. As I’ve slowly acclimated to preaching, I have found myself thinking very differently about sermons. I’ve been listening to sermons…
Who Killed the Music Industry? – We all know the music industry has changed an awful lot in the past few years. This article is long, but very interesting, as it explains what happened and how artists do (or do not) make money. The Death of the Sunday Evening Service – Jesse Johnson suggests reasons…
Pressure can be an amazingly destructive force. When pressure builds up inside the earth’s crust, it can result in a devastating earthquake. But pressure can also be beneficial. We would not have running water with it; neither would be able to enjoy the beauty of diamonds. Pressure, with its possibilities of benefit or destruction, is…
How Is Too Hard – Sometimes I feel like we intrude upon other people’s grief in this online world. Then again, we often share our grief in order to let other people into it. I found this a very moving account of the grief of losing a child; I trust it will better equip me…
I often regret making broad statements, but I think most Christians in North America and the rest of the developed world will probably agree with a statement like this one: There is too much complacency in our lives and in our churches. I recently received a question from a group of pastors who had been…
An Insider’s Perspective On Egypt – Ramez Atallah serves as general director of the Bible Society of Egypt and vice chair of the Lausanne Movement. He gives us an insider’s perspective on some of what is happening in Egypt and how the media may not be portraying it fairly. Surveillance: The Enemy of Innovation –…
Today I continue this new Sunday series entitled “The Puritans.” I have a growing fascination with Puritan writing and decided it might be valuable to introduce you (and me!) to some of the most important Puritan writers. I will focus primarily on men whose works I have read in the past. Because I do not…
Monogamy and Evolution – This article at the New York Times shows how evolution has a very difficult job explaining evolution. Christianity offers a far simpler and more satisfying explanation by declaring we are made in God’s image and that he has given us a conscience. Worst Religion Story of the Year – Joe Carter…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by ChristianAudio. ChristianAudio always gives away a free book every month and this month it is an especially good one: Basic Christianity by John Stott. Today you’ve got an opportunity to win even more good and free books! There will be 5 winners today, and each of the…
Not Trying to Be Famous – Here is a paradox worth considering: be famous for not trying to be famous. “The grosser manifestation of these sins, egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion, are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy … Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as…
August is upon us, and to get the month started right, here are some wallpapers calendars that will dress up your computer, tablet or cell phone. This month’s wallpaper is part of a new partnership with Global Missions Media who will be providing a series of excellent wallpapers over the next few months. Global Missions…
I love to receive challenges and lessons from unexpected places. Lately God has been teaching me so much through the book of Jonah. Yes, Jonah. Jonah is a book that ends in an unorthodox way. Where most books end with a satisfying conclusion, this one ends with a question mark. Where most books end with…
Basic Christianity – This month’s free audiobook from ChristianAudio is a classic: Basic Christianity by John Stott. 3 Distinctive Aspects of Biblical Faith – I remember reading this in an R.C. Sproul book years ago and being helped by it. “I think the whole concept of faith is one of the most misunderstood ideas that…