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A La Carte (July 12)

A La Carte Collection cover image

If you’re interested in some new books, Westminster Books has an interesting new resource by Nancy Guthrie that is up to 50% off. Remember also that Mark Vroegop’s excellent new book is on sale as well.

On the Kindle front, you may want to look at the book on prayer or, perhaps if you’re sharing the gospel with Roman Catholics, the book on Mary. (This morning I also added Mike Wittmer’s excellent Urban Legends of Theology.)

On Repetitive Worship Songs

It is easy to pick on worship songs that have repetitive words, but I appreciate the distinctions John Piper makes in this Ask Pastor John. “The issue’s not repetition per se but whether there is enough substance, enough rich content of truth about God woven into the repetitions to justify them, to warrant them. That’s the issue. There’s a difference between repetitions that are called forth by the repeated crescendo of new, glorious truth, and repetitions that serve as a kind of mantra without sufficient truth that is simply used to sustain or intensify a mood.”

Don’t Fear the Marks in Revelation

Jen Wilkin explains why you don’t need to live in fear of the marks in Revelation. “Because I was too afraid to read Revelation, it was years before I learned it holds multiple scenes in which people receive marks, and not all of them are terrifying. Some are extremely reassuring.”

Hope Beyond Politics in Europe

Carl Trueman, having just returned from a long speaking trip through Europe, explains why he’s hopeful and encouraged, despite the political situation in many European nations. “Radical politics, left and right, is too often dehumanizing. It reduces its opponents to a set of beliefs and in so doing dehumanizes its adherents too, leading them to despise those also made in the image of God. Christianity, by way of contrast, offers a cause worth living—and dying—for that places a true humanity at its core, a humanity in communion with God through the work of Jesus Christ.”

Do Angels Have Free Will? (Video)

Bruce Ware’s answer goes far beyond angels and helps explain what the Bible teaches about free will.

John Rodgers Davies: A “Wond’rous Miniature of Man”

Log College Press shares a really interesting (and tragic) look at the children of Samuel Davies, “the great Presbyterian ‘Apostle of Virginia’ and President of the College of New Jersey (Princeton).”

How Teens Can Contribute Right Away

It is wonderful when teens come to Christ and become eager to serve within the church. Yet for obvious reasons, not every ministry is immediately available to them. This article suggests several meaningful ways that teens can serve right away.

Flashback: Are You in the Dangerous Time In Between?

It’s so often the ones who seemed to be at their greatest moment of success who were on the precipice of destruction. Like blind men about to blunder off a cliff, they were oblivious to their impending doom. 

If we would learn to serve as Christ did—it would make us think of others around us, not as those from whom we may get some gain, exact some attention or promotion—but as those to whom we may impart some good, render some service.

—J.R. Miller

  • Free Stuff Fridays (TGBC)

    This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by The Good Book Company. They are giving away a bundle of books for ministry leaders. The Bundle Includes…. Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time. When you enter, you permit The Good Book Company to send you marketing emails which you may unsubscribe from at any time.…

  • The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever

    The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever

    It does me good to pause from time to time to read an account of a person coming to faith. It never ceases to fascinate me how many different paths we take to that one door and it never ceases to encourage me to read about another person’s experience of coming to the end of…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (September 6)

    A La Carte: Let the cursor blink / 4 issues your children are facing that you never had to / We need good Protestant ethicists / The astounding family that awaits us / The desert song / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (September 5)

    A La Carte: Religious movies are sweeping Hollywood / Why didn’t God clearly explain every issue? / Now serving deconstruction / The blessing of godly grandparents / Suffering is … a gift? / Kindle and Bible study deals / and more.

  • The Dutiful Introvert

    The Dutiful Introvert

    I am aware that the categories of introvert and extrovert are not described or even hinted at within the pages of the Bible. My understanding is that the terms arose from the mind of Carl Jung and were popularized through his teachings—teachings that oppose Scripture in a host of ways.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (September 4)

    A La Carte: Bill Gates, Spurgeon, Muslims, and Bible memory / When borders change, stay settled / Be still and know / Suicide—when hope runs out / What’s wrong with a “rule of life?” / An upside down guide to high school / and more.