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Weekend A La Carte (July 29)

My thanks goes to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for sponsoring the blog this week. They invite you to join Matthew Barrett for free to study the foundational elements of Christian Theology through For The Church Institute at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College.

Today’s Kindle deals include a good little selection of titles.

(Yesterday on the blog: The Gender Revolution)

The House of Mourning Is Good for the Soul

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can this possibly be the case?

Why My LDS Friend Isn’t Trying to Convert Me to Mormonism

“I was shocked. It was the second time my Latter-day Saint friend told me he wasn’t interested in converting me.” Why wouldn’t Mormons be interested in converting Christians? This article explains.

Our Microwave Culture

“In a culture where you can have a baked potato in eight minutes, a 15-minute potato feels like an eternity. And once we’ve grown accustomed to eight minute expectations, our tolerance for things that take longer lengths of time is diminished. And boy does it show.”

In Our Chaotic Age, Some Atheists Are Rethinking Secularism

Carl Trueman: “What is emerging among some erstwhile left-wing intellectuals today is the realization that atheism, while an interesting theoretical position, offers nothing to address the deeper questions of life.”

Encouragement for Suffering Saints

“Throughout the Bible and church history, we see that God uses suffering to prepare and equip His servants for usefulness in ministry. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 is the norm, not the exception, for those who would serve the Suffering Servant. Suffering is never a pointless evil, but a necessary tool the Lord uses to refine, mature, and prepare us for fruitful service in His kingdom.”

The Good Pastor: A Man Who Changed My Life

You’ll enjoy this biographical article by Ajith Fernando.

Flashback: How God Speaks To Us Today

God can speak and has spoken however he wishes. But today the one way he absolutely promises you can always hear his voice is in his Word.

I remind myself and my church that a message of grace may attract people, but a culture of grace will keep them.

—Jared C. Wilson

  • Quiet Time

    The Quiet Time Kickstart

    We are all people of habits. To some degree, we are always battling to establish good habits while battling to supplant bad ones. This is true of us in many different areas of life and most certainly true in our spiritual lives. In fact, some have argued that when we describe the way we relate…

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (January 16)

    A La Carte: Why don’t we read the Bible more? / Did David rape Bathsheba? / To (almost) die is gain / Learn to pray the Bible / When you’re close to burnout / Called to freedom / and more.

  • How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    I think we can sometimes fool ourselves into believing that the Reformation caused the Roman Catholic Church to abandon some, most, or all of the doctrine that was so concerning to the Reformers. We can sometimes believe that the Catholicism of today is materially different from that of the 16th century or that it has…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 15)

    A La Carte: iPhones, idolatry, and evil spirits / At my mother’s deathbed / Nothing to do but pray / Bible study tips for beginners / Jesus did condemn homosexuality / Please don’t sing “Imagine” at funerals / Kindle and book deals.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 14)

    A La Carte: Narcissus in public / A famous poet, KFC, and peace with my past / Does empowerment come from boudoir photoshoots? / Surrendering them to God / Sermon prep / Your plans for this year / and more.

  • 10 Reasons to Teach the Bible’s Big Truths to Children

    📖 Why teach children the big truths of the Bible? Moses commanded Israel to gather everyone—men, women, and little ones—to hear God’s law. Why? So they could “hear and learn to fear the Lord.” (Deut. 31:12-13) Children need the deep, rich truths of Scripture to know God, embrace the Gospel, and build a faith that…