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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 Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (December 28)

    A La Carte: The little child who brings a rod / How Christian men act like men / When the growing is slow / Creativity in devotional time with God / What happens when we share the gospel? / and more.

  • The Collected Best Christian Books of 2024

    The Collected Best Christian Books of 2024

    I probably don’t need to tell you how much I love books in general, and Christian books in particular. One of my favorite times to be a reader is in mid-December when people begin to share their picks for the top books of the year. I usually collect a good number of these lists and…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (December 27)

    A La Carte: Bespoke spirituality / Top 10 YouTubes of 2024 / John Piper on using and overusing commentaries / 12 practical ways to evangelize / You’ll never really settle in / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (December 26)

    A La Carte: The thief’s good works / It’s a wonderful strife / The forgotten qualification / How to spend your time during the final days of the year / A new poem / Lessons for church planters/ and more.

  • Merry Christmas

    Merry Christmas, My Friends

    Merry Christmas, my friends. I trust you are enjoying this day, whether with friends or family or in solitude. As for us, we are having a quiet morning with just the three of us. Abby, Nate, and Finn will come by later in the day as will Aileen’s parents so we can celebrate and enjoy…

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    A La Carte (December 24)

    A La Carte: Holiday blues / Biblical justice requires strong rules of evidence / Christmas used to be perfect (then I grew up) / Praise God for boring days / What did Mary know? / In awe of the aged / and more.