A La Carte (January 19)
A La Carte: Normalizing LGBTQ pornography / Digital detox and intentional ignorance / Dear ChatGPT users / What is the most important thing taught in the Bible? / The gates of the city / Burial vs cremation / and more.
Explore January 2024
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A La Carte (January 18)
A La Carte: Reflections on the evangelical featuring / Do liturgical calendars help? / The danger of self-soothing through social media / The T.B. Joshua story points to a problem in many more churches / When your mentor goes to heaven / Poetry / and more.
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Discerning in Doctrine But Not Discerning in Character
I believe that discernment matters. I believe that spiritual discernment is a necessary mark of spiritual maturity while a lack of spiritual discernment is a concerning mark of spiritual immaturity. As the book of Hebrews tells us, “solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice…
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A La Carte (January 17)
A La Carte: AI and the forces of darkness / Why do I feel spiritually lifeless? / The irreplaceable encouragement of intergenerational relationships / The servant and the undeserved gift / Hate the sin and love the sinner? / Book and Kindle deals / and more.
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A La Carte (January 16)
A La Carte: John Piper on coffee-sipping in the sanctuary / Aging peacefully / How “evangelical” are Iowa’s evangelicals? / The danger of rejecting a good conscience / Is our view of Satan too small? / Show up for what God has for you / and more.
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Free Small Group Video Studies from Open the Bible
This week the blog is sponsored by Open the Bible. If you’re looking for small group video resources that are Bible-centered, accessible, and applicable, look no further! Led by Pastor Colin Smith and select teachers, Open the Bible Courses provide small groups the perfect resource to equip the hearts and minds of growing believers. Courses…
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Life Without Romans 8:28
I have often heard it said that Romans 8:28 is the wrong verse to bring to the attention of those who are grieving, that while it is true in our especially difficult moments, it does not necessarily become helpful until some time has passed. And while I can only speak for myself, it has been…
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A La Carte (January 15)
A La Carte: We’re all muzzled oxen now / Evangelistic confidence in a cynical age / My wife nags me; what can I do? / You know less than you think / Kindle deals / and more.
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Because We Are Drawn
It is good to contemplate God’s work in our lives—to contemplate the wonderful reality that we are children of God only because God took the initiative and drew us to himself. F.B. Meyer once considered this in light of Hebrews 7:25 which proclaims that Jesus is “able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.” Here is how Meyer rejoiced…
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Weekend A La Carte (January 13)
A La Carte: The dress / In praise of prudence / Will following my heart set me free? / Sustained in the fire / Why we need the bad news of Israelite history / Book allowance / and more.
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Free Stuff Fridays (TMAI)
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). They are giving away ten free tickets to their 2024 international symposium. The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) is a worldwide network of pastoral training centers that equip indigenous church leaders to preach the word and shepherd their people. They have 19 Training…
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Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy
An election year is upon us and with it all the debate, suspicion, and rancor that is sure to accompany the culmination of another four-year cycle. Though the election is still months away, I’m already dreading the inevitable interpersonal struggles that will come with it and even the strains it may bring to the unity…
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A La Carte (January 12)
A La Carte: Gospel hope for America’s largest unreached people group / Where are the peaceable presbyters? / How IVF made its way into evangelical pro-life debates / “Steadfast Love” / Stop looking for friends and start making them / Let us become like little children / and more.
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A La Carte (January 11)
A La Carte: John Piper’s five fears of old age / I changed my mind about social media / How an old man helped save my faith / Foreign territory / How holy are you? / and more.
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I Feel At Home in Your Church
It is one of the realities of the Christian faith that skeptics love to criticize—the reality that there are a host of different denominations and a multitude of different expressions of Christian worship. But while believers have become accustomed to responding to this criticism with a sense of shame, I choose to see it in…
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A La Carte (January 10)
A La Carte: The Bible is too inexhaustibly interesting to be boring / The wedding promises I would have made / Prayer for my heart this election year / Who was the real Muhammad? / Is Sunday still the first day of the week? / Jesus said NOTHING about homosexuality / and more.
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A La Carte (January 9)
A La Carte: Staying sane in an election year / We need leaders calling the church to faithfulness out of love, not resentment disguised as courage / Marriage as a covenant / Looking for God in all the wrong places / and more.
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Your Invite to TMAI’S 2024 International Symposium
This week’s post is sponsored by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI), a global network of pastoral training centers that specialize in expository preaching. They invite you to sign up for their 2024 International Symposium on March 5th in Los Angeles, California. Our world today is obsessed with what is new, clever, and convenient. Headlines, podcasts,…
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The Danger of Being a Sermon Critic
There are few habits that are easier to establish and few habits that are easier to foster than the habit of critiquing the Sunday sermon. There are also few habits that require less skill, that demand less character, and that bring less benefit. But it’s so easy to do, isn’t it? It’s easy to do…
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A La Carte (January 8)
A La Carte: The unmatched impact of being Christians in front of each other / You could be faithful with your frailty / Parents, discipline your little children / The boy at the front desk / discouragement is not always our enemy / The best is still yet to be / and more.