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A La Carte (May 28)

monday

Today’s Kindle deals include a solid selection of new deals.

(Yesterday on the blog: Letters to the Editor (Christianish Churches, No Hitters, and Cell Phones))

When Preaching Is Big & God Is Small

Dave Harvey “I’ve been a pastor for a long time, which is why it’s so perplexing to me that speaking in front of people still triggers a low-grade fear. It makes no sense. I’m called upon to speak often, so my fear should be long over, but it’s not. Strange fears dance across the stage of my mind. I’m afraid that I won’t meet the goals of my talk. I’m afraid that I’m going to look stupid. And I’m afraid that what I’ll say will be irrelevant. Maybe you can relate. If you can, come on a brief journey with me while I share with you how I’ve come to diagnose this issue in my life.”

The Southern Baptist Convention Today

Tom Ascol tells about some of what’s happening in the SBC today. “Influential voices from both within and without the convention have signaled that the dismissal of Paige Patterson from the Southwestern Seminary presidency is only the first step of many that need to be taken to clean up the SBC. That there is much in the SBC that needs to be changed, is a point beyond dispute to my mind. But the end games for some appear to include everything from the full acceptance of women pastors, partial acceptance of the LBGTQ+ agenda, and reparations by the descendants of slaveholders to the descendants of slaves.”

See How Your Take Home Pay Compares to Workers Around the World

“Tax season has finally come and gone, and by now most Americans have either gotten their refund or established a payment plan for taxes owed to the government. Here’s a nice thought experiment: go back and look at your tax return to figure out how much money the government claims through all forms of taxation. How does your own situation compare to the rest of the world?” It’s quite an interesting infographic.

The Friendship That Battled the Prosperity Gospel to Treat Africa’s HIV Crisis

Allow yourself to read enough of this longform article and I think you’ll get drawn in.

Your Best Years Are Not Behind You

“God needs willing workers, not necessarily young ones.” So no matter your age, don’t allow yourself to think the best years for God are behind you.

The Structure and Theological Message of 1 Corinthians

Andy Naselli has been working on new commentary on 1 Corinthians and has shared an expanded version of his introduction. It’s very interesting reading if you’re into that kind of thing.

Is the Bible Pro-Slavery?

“‘The Bible is pro-slavery.’ This is a common charge these days. It is a part of the New Atheist attack on religion, and it also comes from various progressive circles to defend certain social views (in line with the so-called redemptive-movement hermeneutic).”

Flashback: Do You Fail to Deliberately Remember?

Remember who you are in Christ, remember his promises, and work those promises into your heart until you are satisfied and content with all that God’s providence has given you.

The only way you’re living your best life now is if you’re going to hell.

—John MacArthur

  • Missions on Point

    This week the blog is sponsored by Propempo International which invites you to explore a revolutionary take on missions on today! What would happen if the local church took its rightful role in global missions? Providing a refreshing look on missions, “Missions on Point,” written by experienced church planter and missionary David Meade, proposes this simple…

  • Songs in the Night

    Those Who Sing Songs in the Night

    Imagine that you are sitting in a prison cell. This is not some posh or even stark 21st-century prison cell, but a primitive Roman one. Your back is pressed against cold stones. Your stomach is aching with hunger. Your nose is assaulted by terrible smells. Your heart is filled with despair. You know your death…

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    A La Carte (December 9)

    A La Carte: Tortured, imperfect, and held by Jesus / Let the feminist mock / What is the wrath of God? / As long as there is time / Every believer’s call to meaningful ministry / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A Common Contradiction Between Belief and Practice

    A Common Contradiction Between Belief and Practice

    Many Christians experience a contradiction between what we believe to be true about the Bible and our actual practice of reading the Bible. Often our theology is superior to our habits. We profess that the Bible is infallible, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient, but we then neglect it in our daily lives. We agree with David…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (December 7)

    A La Carte: Hunter Biden and a father’s pardon / How to avoid a midlife crisis / John Piper on creepy, darker media / The Supreme Court and the transgender minors case / and much more.

  • 2024 Mega Projects

    10 Christian Mega-Projects Released In 2024

    Lots of great books and other resources came our way in 2024. Among them were some that were particularly “mega”—that represented an extraordinarily long, big, expansive, or audacious idea, and I wanted to give credit where credit is due. With apologies to any I missed, here is my list of some of the most mega…