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A La Carte (August 21)

wednesday

At Westminster Books you’ll find a great sale on lots of hand-picked Zondervan resources. It includes a number of my books if you’ve been waiting for a sale!

It was a joy to meet so many of you at Sing! 2019 and to hear such kind encouragement. I am heading home this morning, but leave blessed and encouraged. (Special thanks to the Averys.) If you’d like to watch the final morning of the conference, you can catch it on livestream.

Ten Principles for Personal Productivity

John Piper shares a set of principles related to personal productivity.

To Lobola or Not to Lobola

I never reading of how different cultures grapple with different applications of the same biblical truths. “The practice of lobola is deeply rooted in African culture. When done properly, it has many benefits, and in no way goes against the biblical emphasis of love within marriage (Genesis 2:24). It is not the culture or practise that is inherently wrong, but the people who are involved in it. To restore lobola to its primary purpose requires an understanding that God is above all cultures.”

Saying Goodbye to the Pastorate

Kimberly Wagner: “This strange season, that began more than two years ago now, has moved beyond calling it a ‘season.’ It is more like a new life. Normally when I think of ‘new life’ it is something exciting, filled with hope and promise—but this ‘new life’ is very hard.”

Study: Babylon Bee’s Satire Gets Shared by People Who Think It’s Real

CT has an interesting one: “Our team of communication researchers has spent years studying misinformation, satire, and social media. Over the last several months, we’ve surveyed Americans’ beliefs about dozens of high-profile political issues. We identified news stories—both true and false—that were being shared widely on social media. We discovered that many of the false stories weren’t the kind that were trying to intentionally deceive their readers; they actually came from satirical sites, and many people seemed to believe them.”

Social Media is Brain Poison

The title of this one may slightly overstate the case, but it does make some very valid points. “Social media is a new tool, and we must be aware of how it is changing us. Christians especially. Changes brought on by new tools which are positive or neutral are fine, but if you see changes taking place that move you away from what Christ has called you to be, it is time to either change the way you are using the tool, or abandon it altogether.”

The Relentless Pursuit of a Good Name

“In ancient times, your name carried tremendous meaning. It was, essentially, the sum and substance of who you were. It represented the entirety of your character. So, what is our name synonymous with? What is the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they hear our name? What is identified with our name at work, at church, or at home?”

9Marks Journal

There’s a new episode of the 9Marks Journal available, and it’s all about penal substitutionary atonement. There’s tons of great stuff to read!

Fifty years ago, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones came to Westminster Theological Seminary and delivered addresses on Preaching and Preachers that mobilized and molded a whole generation of pastors to preach the Word. This year Westminster’s conference on preaching and preachers is honored to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of those addresses by dedicating our conference on preaching to celebrating the legacy of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. We invite you to join us on Westminster’s campus from Oct. 22-23, 2019, for an event that will refresh and re-equip you in the priority, practice, and power of preaching. Speakers include Kevin DeYoung, Stafford Carson, Jason Meyer, and Harry Reeder.

Flashback: 10 Common but Illegitimate Reasons to Divorce

Many people—even Christians—offer reasons to divorce that are not sanctioned by God…Here are 10 common but illegitimate reasons to divorce.

If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.

—William Law

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (August 29)

    A La Carte: How to identify a false teacher / The rise of cultural Christianity / 19 Christian Para Athletes / Turn off social media until the election / Examining our assumptions about disability / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Church Livestream

    Is It Time To Stop Streaming Your Service?

    It always surprises me how quickly an idea can go from introduction to expectation, from mere inquiry to accepted standard. And once an idea has become mainstream in that way, it is difficult to revisit and evaluate it.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (August 28)

    A La Carte: What canoeing can teach us about marriage / What are spiritual gifts and how do I discover mine? / How a troll becomes a troll / The biggest Evangelical divide / When Bible reading doesn’t produce a neat and tidy takeaway / and more.

  • New and Notable

    New and Notable Christian Books for August 2024

    We live at a great time to be readers! Christian publishers labor diligently to provide us with good books on every conceivable topic. Once a month I like to sort through all the new releases and put together a list of some of the new and notables. Here are my picks for August, 2024.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (August 27)

    A La Carte: Keith Green, Bill Hybels, steeples, and bells / Did negligence kill my baby? / Rethinking nostalgic postpartum advice / Yes, all things / We can’t be friends / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Nothing Can Separate Us from God

    This week the blog is sponsored by Zondervan Reflective. This excerpt from The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition explains the original meaning of Paul’s words in Romans 8:31-39 and shows how his message can apply to our lives today. We begin with words from the Apostle Paul: 31 What, then, shall we…