Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (5/9)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Her Primary Ministry – I’ve been enjoying Gloria Furman’s series on the pastor’s wife. Looking to the New Testament she asks, “But where is the list of qualifications to be an elder’s wife? Scripture-based ecclesiology offers no explicit job description for the office of pastor’s wife, because there is no such office.” Her answer is very helpful.

The Quotable Elizabeth – While we’re on that topic, I really enjoyed this interview with Elizabeth Bass, a pastor’s wife. In this interview, and in part one, she is refreshingly honest about what she does, what she doesn’t do, where she is prone to sin, and so on.

The North Carolina Vote – Ryan T. Anderson writes about the way the vote in North Carolina is being framed. “How we talk about an issue affects how we think about it… . Today’s vote in North Carolina is not about banning anything. Nothing will be made illegal as a result.” (HT)

A Disturbing Trend in Publishing – This is, indeed, a disturbing trend. Unfortunately I’m not sure that it’s likely to end with anything less than the disappearance of the hardcover book.

What Sermon Prep Looks Like – I can identify with some of this, though I typically work extra hard to make sure that my sermon’s done by Friday afternoon. I guess that doesn’t keep me from tinkering with it on Saturday night and Sunday morning…

Heavenly Mindedness – Randy Alcorn writes about the value of being heavenly minded. “If you lack a passion for heaven, I can almost guarantee it’s because you have a deficient and distorted theology of heaven (or you’re making choices that conflict with heaven’s agenda). An accurate and biblically energized view of heaven will bring a new spiritual passion to your life.”

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl – N.D. Wilson’s DVD Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl, which makes rather a good graduation gift, has seen a price drop at Amazon. It’s worth checking out.

You can have a head full of Scripture and a heart full of sin.

—Vance Havner

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (December 16)

    A La Carte: The Scopes trial at 100 / How do we measure maturity? / A pogrom on Bondi Beach / Are Evangelicals obsessed with sex? / Do the next thing / Book sales / and more.

  • Service

    You Are in the Circumstances in Which You Can Best Serve

    There are times when we all find ourselves lamenting our circumstances. These may be times in which we grieve life’s losses or suffer life’s indignities, or these may be times in which we grapple with the frustrations that come with life in this world—when our skills are underutilized, or our contributions are underappreciated.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (December 15)

    A La Carte: Blood soaks into the sand of Bondi Beach / This year’s biggest religious trend / The best Christian music of 2025 / The challenges this Christmas / Micromanaging your habits / Notable Kindle deals / and more.

  • A Moving Picture of the Gospel

    A Moving Picture of the Gospel

    As we gather on Sundays, we preach the Bible, read the Bible, pray the Bible, and sing the Bible. But that is not all, for we also “see” the Bible. Here’s how Mark Dever expresses it: “The ordinances are the dramatic presentations of the gospel. They are the moving pictures that represent the spiritual realities…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (December 13)

    A La Carte: No one drifts into godlIness / Your subscriptions are holding you captive / Fighting sexual temptation / An orderly case for raising hands in worship / Kirk Cameron and remodeling hell / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Harvest House Publishers)

    This week, the blog and this giveaway are sponsored by Harvest House Publishers. Meet 52 Unsung Heroes Throughout history, the stories of brave Black believers and their remarkable contributions to the Christian faith and our nation have too often gone overlooked. Passionate writer and educator Jasmine L. Holmes brings 52 notable Black Christians’ stories to life…