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A La Carte (July 17)

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The ESV Expository Commentary is an excellent reader-friendly series and this week Westminster Books has it heavily discounted as either individual volumes or the entire series.

Today’s Kindle deals include a long list of Christian and general market deals. There are tons of great picks today.

I also noticed that a lot of board games are on sale at Amazon in case that’s of interest.

Every Place Is a Place to Talk About Jehovah

“At the end of the day, every Christian who finds evangelism difficult and challenging asks these questions to themselves – Why don’t I just support the evangelistic efforts of those who are clearly more gifted at reaching out to unbelievers than me? Can I not just live a normal and peaceful Christian life, caring for and fellowshipping with those who are already in my church? Must I evangelize unbelievers around me?”

A Precious Mystery

Reflecting on the death of a church member, Melissa writes, “God’s ways are so mysterious. He gives and He takes away. He brings us joy and grief in the same moment. He teaches us peace and patience during the most harrowing experiences of our lives. He prepares a place for us when we don’t deserve it. He gives us opportunities to give and receive love, to experience true beauty, to find the value in great sorrow. He comforts us. And He teaches us how to love each other well.”

Interpreting the Bible Through the Lens of History

God has revealed Himself as Creator and Redeemer in the historical events of Scripture. Join Todd Chipman for free to study biblical interpretation through the lens of history with For The Church Institute at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College. (Sponsored)

Stop Calling the Church a ‘Family’

That might be slightly overstating the matter, but I think he raises some valid points. “I can find no real Biblical warrant for insisting on the use of the term family at all. If anything, it’s confusing and creates the wrong idea. Can we use it as an analogy? Of course, but we need to break down the natural confusion when we do by our words and our actions.”

How to Care for a Big Church

Pastors and elders will find some helpful ideas here for caring for the members of their churches.

How Marriage Shows the Beauty and Poetry of the Gospel

Darryl Dash: “God created gender. He created man and woman, and he instituted marriage. All of this was a gift meant for his glory and for our joy. But things went horribly wrong in the garden. Yes, they sinned, but part of that sin was the breakdown in how marriage is supposed to function.”

What Should We Learn From the Immensity of the Heavens?

“What other living being has searched the night sky and then pondered his own significance? What other creature has been awed and inspired by the beauty and majesty of the heavens or been curious to explore the far stretches of the universe?” That being the case, what should we learn from the sheer immensity of the heavens?

Flashback: If Satan Took Up Marriage Counseling

If Satan took up marriage counseling, he would want struggles or issues a couple encounters to be left festering and unresolved. “It’s fine and good to let the sun set on your anger.”

A half-truth masquerading as a whole truth becomes a complete untruth.

—J.I. Packer

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    Weekend A La Carte (February 1)

    A La Carte: The rise of the right-wing exvangelical / A tested faith / Are we alone in the universe? / No one’s born to preach / Associate pastor, it’s good to be second / Why Christians care about submission and authority / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Boyce College/D3)

    Pastors and Parents are always on the lookout for good discipleship resources for teens. You just might be the person who wins these items for free through the D3/Boyce College Giveaway.

  • Mothering Against Futility

    The Futility of Motherhood

    Life is made up of so much that gives the appearance of being futile. There are so many tasks and responsibilities that we intellectually know to be important but emotionally feel to be fruitless. And if everyone struggles with this to varying degrees, I have it on good authority that mothers are prone to struggle…

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    A La Carte (January 31)

    A La Carte: Dune and female moral authority / Three lies that separate spouses / Sin makes you stupid / Can a fallen pastor be restored? / Evaluating Trump’s first week of executive actions / A future for the family / Book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • New and Notable Christian Books for January 2025

    As you know, I like to do my best to sort through the new Christian books that are released each month to see what stands out as being not only new, but also particularly notable. I received quite a number of books in January and narrowed the list down to the ones below. I have…

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    A La Carte (January 30)

    A La Carte: Small injustices / Is it necessary to be a church member? / How to make friends at college / My letter about a transgender teacher / Prayerless theologians / Deepening fellowship / Kindle deals / and more.