There was a day when one of my fashion accessories talked back. It told me to take a hike. I had said something about it on Facebook or Twitter or snapped a picture of it for Instagram and it was none too pleased. It said it to me nicely enough, but the point was clear:…
The “Sacrament” of Suffering – Thabiti Anyabwile has some good thoughts on suffering. Citizens – The band Citizens is giving away their album (which is really good) via NoiseTrade. What Is a Scheme? – You’ve heard me speak of 20Schemes; this video explains what a scheme is and why they are important. (Interesting: 20Schemes is…
Last weekend I was a guest on Up for Debate on Moody Radio where we discussed whether or not Christian parents should send their children to public schools. I am not opposed to homeschooling or Christian schooling—not even a little bit—but do maintain that public schooling may also be a legitimate option for Christian families,…
God and the Gay Christian – Christopher Yuan on God and the Gay Christian: “Matthew Vines rehashes older gay-friendly arguments for a modern audience. But those arguments still don’t square with Scripture.” Balancing Family and Ministry – Heath Lambert has some good thoughts on balancing family and ministry. While it’s targetted at pastors, it will…
It has nineteen thousand reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of five stars. I try to keep up with what’s new and notable in publishing but even with nineteen thousand reviews I had no intention of reading this novel until both my son and daughter (separately) asked if they could buy it. After all,…
The Drunken Downfall of Evangelical America’s Favorite Painter – This is a very interesting profile of Thomas Kinkade. “Thomas Kinkade’s death shocked his legions of fans—not only had the Painter of Light died at 54, but the cause was alcohol and Valium. How did the Evangelical Darling fall so far?” Iain Murray on T4G –…
I ought to be continuing my series on bestselling Christian books this morning, but found myself taken with this prayer from John Stott. It was apparently a prayer he would use to begin his day, and it’s a sweet one. Good morning heavenly Father,good morning Lord Jesus,good morning Holy Spirit.Heavenly Father, I worship you as…
What If Your Child Is Gay? – Russell Moore: “You will, without a doubt, have someone close to you in your family come out as gay or lesbian, if not already, then sometime in the future. How should a Christian parent or grandparent respond?” A Warning From the Death of Christian Britain – Here is…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Reformation Heritage Books. They’ve got a pretty incredible group of prizes for you this week. There will be 5 prizes this week, and each prize will include 11(!) books. Again, there are 5 prizes to win, so get in on that draw! Enter to Win Again, there…
How Pastors Accidentally Ruin Their Church – “Most pastors really love their church. They understand their calling as under-shepherds tasked with guarding the bride of Christ. Caring for the thing that Jesus died for is a heavy responsibility. Pastors will endure stress and criticism, they will work long hours, and they will sacrifice to protect…
Last night I sat with a group of men from our church and talked about prayer. And, as usually happens, our thoughts turned toward unanswered prayer or prayer that is answered very differently than we had asked or hoped. Why are there times when God seems not to answer? If a good Father would never…
The Pew and the Pulpit – H.B. Charles Jr. has some good thoughts about the pew helping the pulpit. The Gift of Rest – Here’s a sweet short film you’ll want to watch (get some tissues first). Questions to Ask Before Joining a Church – “You move to a new area. You get find your…
It’s a question I receive often: Do you know of any good resources for having The Talk with my kids? I don’t think too many parents look forward to having the birds and the bees talk with their kids, yet it is unavoidable. And what’s more, in a pornified world where the average first exposure…
Prayer Request – Charles Woodrow (whom my church has supported for many years) is doing amazing missions work in Mozambique and he has a very specific and time-sensitive prayer request for all of us. A Mess Worth Making – This is a long and kind of dense article from Kevin DeYoung and Ryan Kelly, but…
Reformed Baptist Seminary is a church-based ministerial academy that provides a full theological curriculum as either a Master or Bachelor of Divinity degree. It also offers a streamlined 32-credit program. Both programs can be completed via online learning as well as through our modular format live classes. We’d like to invite you to join us…
There is something to be said for evangelism strategies and discipleship programs. My guess is that most churches have some way to introduce unbelievers to the Christian faith and to mature those who are new to the faith. I would guess as well that most churches keep an eye on the various new offerings, looking…
No Third Way – I think Al Mohler is exactly right: When it comes to the issue of same-sex relationships, there is no third way. On a similar note, Denny Burk has a resolution on transgender in the SBC. 10 Things You Should Know About Evangelism – Mack Stiles lists them. Listen When You Apologize…
As Christians we have the great privilege of knowing that God speaks to us through his Word, the Bible. There is no other book like it—no other book that rewards us with God’s own words. But to know what God says to us, and how God means for us to live, we need to do…
And while we’re on the subject of books, this month’s free audiobook from ChristianAudio is Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness. Left Behind – That new Left Behind movie is nearly here; they just released a teaser trailer. Commentary Sale – I mentioned this last week but want to do so again: Westminster Books is offering…
A short time ago I launched a new series called “The Bestsellers.” The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association tracks sales of Christian books, and awards the Platinum Book Award for books whose sales exceed one million, and the Diamond Book Award for sales exceeding ten million. In this series I am looking at the history and…