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A La Carte (July 26)

thursday

For some reason, Kindle deals have been reduced to little more than a trickle. I sure hope they pick up again! I did find a few, at least…

(Yesterday on the blog: How an Emerging Church Pastor Inadvertently Changed My Life)

Old, Resting, Reformed

This one is worth reading even if just for the quotes. It turns out that cage-stage Calvinism and the need to go deep into Reformed theology is not a new phenomenon.

A Brief (But Global) History of Ketchup

“Canada recently slapped a tariff on U.S. exports of ketchup, and the EU plans to do the same. But is the condiment all that American?” Here’s a surprisingly interesting history of ketchup.

When Re-Conversion Is Easier Than Repentance

“Re-conversion offers many evangelicals the emotional catharsis of acknowledging sin without the social shaming or awkwardness that comes when people who claim to be Christians acknowledge sin. If you weren’t really a Christian but you are now, wonderful! Enter into our joy. But if you actually are a Christian and you have to talk about sin that you’re not entirely sure how to address, well, how close should we stand next to you? How contagious is it?”

Why American Elites Support Same-Sex Marriage

This is an insightful review of a new work. “Marriages between two persons of the same sex represent the dislodging of the gendered hierarchy in marriages between men and women. Same-sex marriages are less a shared commitment to the demands of a natural institution ordered toward the bearing and raising of children, than they are a potent symbol of individual autonomy, self-realization, and expression. When marriage isn’t a male-and-female reality, gender stereotypes associated with parenting and labor can be undermined. Indeed, for these and other reasons, in many quarters elite opinion swiftly moved to present same-sex marriages as the ideal, not just an exception to be tolerated.”

The $20 Billion Question for Guyana

When an impoverished nation looks ready to gain great wealth, there are serious challenges on the horizon. “Can oil wealth help Guyana overcome its history, or will the windfall that will flood government coffers merely turn the page to a new tragic chapter?”

The Morning Before a Sexual Fall

“Two voices vie for your sexual purity. If you think the battle is just about images and videos, you won’t be ready to fight. This is a war of words. According to Proverbs 2, whom we listen to — each morning, throughout the day, late at night — will determine whether we give in to temptation or resist with the strength of God.”

Parking Has Eaten American Cities

Traveling through Europe you soon realize how much more space America dedicates to parking. “A new study documents the huge amount of space taken up by parking, and the astronomical costs it represents, in five U.S. cities. Parking eats up an incredible amount of space and costs America’s cities an extraordinary amount of money. That’s the main takeaway of a new study that looks in detail at parking in five U.S. cities: New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Des Moines, and Jackson, Wyoming.”

Flashback: Four Sources of Discord in Your Church

In Paul’s letter to Titus he offers four sources of discord and warns us to avoid them…Here, for your consideration, are four sources of disunity that may just exist in your church.

God cannot at times hear the prayer of your lips because the desires of your heart after the world cry out to Him much more strongly and loudly.

—Andrew Murray

  • Children Theology

    How To Teach Kids Theology

    Churches have few responsibilities more urgent and few honors more profound than teaching and training children. Every week these little ones show up with their parents and every week there are opportunities to reach them with truths that will change their hearts and transform their lives. It is little wonder, then, that there are multitudes…

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    A La Carte (January 24)

    A La Carte: Love your (actual) neighbor / Whiteness: an African translation / How Jesus helps my unbelief / Could you be a global nomad for the gospel? / God doesn’t work for me / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Books for Parents

    Books about the Challenges of Parenting in a Modern World

    Every generation of parents faces challenges as they raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. While some challenges are the same from age to age, others are unique to a particular time and context. Perhaps the greatest challenge of our day relates to new notions of gender, sexuality, and identity. Today’s…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 23)

    A La Carte: Pro-life challenges in the new administration / The ministry of small things / 10 things to think about / Pastoral burnout / Make yourself at home at almost any church / and more.

  • Beauty

    The Greatest Beauty I’ve Ever Seen

    One of the great privileges of my life has been the opportunity to travel far and wide. While most of my travel has been related to either speaking at conferences or filming documentaries, my hosts have often invited me to deviate from the straightest course to explore and take in the area’s natural beauty. It’s…