A La Carte (August 19)
Good morning. Grace and peace to you.
Today’s Kindle deals include some excellent choices by Crossway that will help you get caught up in your doctrine. Also recommended is Michael Witmer’s Urban Legends of the Old Testament.
It would be difficult to over-express the importance of this principle. “Pastor, whatever you are, your church will eventually become. If you are a loudmouth boaster, your church will gradually become known for loudmouth boasting. If you are a graceless idiot, your church will gradually become known for graceless idiocy. The leadership will set the tone of the community’s discipleship culture, setting the example of the church body’s ‘personality.’ So whatever you want to see, that is what you must be.”
As this writer makes clear, dealing with demonic forces is not to be done as you see in the movies (or in various other Christian traditions).
“‘I have one regret of how I parented,’ my friend told me. I leaned forward. My friend is a godly man married to a godly wife. He’s kind and gentle and wise. As an educator, he’s witnessed a lot of parenting, good and bad, in his day. His adult children have had their struggles but are good people. I would ask him for parenting advice in a second. What was his greatest regret?”
Sadly, it is true that gossip often seems to thrive within the local church (or the wider church, for that).
We all have these moments from time-to-time, don’t we—times when we are pretty sure we could do things better than God. “It’s easy to start second-guessing God and the way he has ordained things in this world. We see injustice, we see pain, we see tragedy, and we think: ‘If I were God, I don’t think I’d have planned it this way.’”
“Any love that leads a husband to disobey God, abdicate his responsibility, choose her over Christ in the moment of decision or the drift of a lifetime — such is not love from above. This age catechizes with romance novels and Romcoms, commends a carnal love, a love that pinches its incense before Aphrodite and Eros. As with Romeo and Juliet, it is a godless, idolatrous infatuation, a romantic suicide.”
God is good. Though I have had some moments of self-pity, I don’t think I’ve had as much as one moment of doubting God’s goodness or kindness or noble plan.
Jesus is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God – He was lionhearted and lamblike, strong and meek, tough and tender, aggressive and responsive, bold and brokenhearted.
—John Piper
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A La Carte (February 16)
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you on this fine day.
Westminster Books has discounted a new title that has gotten some especially noteworthy endorsements. There are also quite a number of titles on the church nicely discounted.
Kindle deal collectors have a few to look at today.This issue is so important. “As society is presently ripped apart with divisions on every issue, the church is likewise bombarded with divisive people who are using the current cultural divide to mimic the culture and tear apart the body of Christ. Christians have to be acutely aware that Satan uses cultural moments like this in the church to separate the body of Christ. I can’t think of a more appropriate caution at the moment than to call Christians to awareness regarding both to whom they listen and how they handle themselves before those who seek the ruin of the church.”
Brett McCracken looks at a study that concludes we are witnessing a widening gender divide in which women are heading one way politically while men are heading another. He suggests that the church can be a force to bridge this divide.
This is good advice: never preach to one person. “I would be in the throes of my weekly sermon preparation and as my message would develop, I would begin to think, ‘Oh! This is a perfect message for so-and-so—they’ve been struggling with this particular problem, and this is precisely what he needs to hear.’ Without fail, if such a thought crossed my mind it seemed to be an inviolable rule of the universe that the person would not be in church on Sunday.”
A few days ago I shared an article by Samuel James in which he stated that Christians are not ready for the prospect of “adult AI.” In this helpful interaction, Phil Cotnoir challenges some of James’ conclusions.
Esther shares a handful of encouraging poems that nicely complement one another. Kudos for writing a poem whose effectiveness depends on rhyming with spacious nine times over!
The New Testament is full of metaphors used to describe the church. T. M. Suffield covers some of them here and reminds us that we benefit from considering each of them (rather than focusing all our attention on a favorite).
If it’s your conviction that observing these days is consistent with the Bible, then by all means do so. If it’s your conviction that observing them is inconsistent with the Bible, then by all means refrain. And as you celebrate or refrain, be careful not to judge or condemn those who choose the opposite.
We should strive to make church a place where being anonymous or nominal is difficult to pull off.
—Jeremy Pierre & Deepak Reju -
Free Small Group Video Studies from Open the Bible
This week the blog is sponsored by Open the Bible. If you’re looking for small group video resources that are Bible-centered, accessible, and applicable, look no further!
Led by Pastor Colin Smith and select teachers, Open the Bible Courses provide small groups the perfect resource to equip the hearts and minds of growing believers.
Courses include:Watch Your Life with Pastor Colin Smith – Our lives can adorn the doctrine of the gospel or take away from it. For our lives to reflect God’s character and will for us, we must watch our lives closely (1 Timothy 4:16). Geared for leaders but accessible for every believer, Watch Your Life will equip you to grow in godliness, cultivate your walk with Christ, and battle key challenges that confront us.
For our lives to reflect God’s character and will for us, we must watch our lives closely (1 Timothy 4:16)Colin SmithShare
Watch Your Doctrine with Pastor Colin Smith – The aim of Watch Your Doctrine is to give you a good grasp of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. You will see what we believe about God, what we believe about ourselves, and what we believe about the salvation God has accomplished in Jesus Christ. Understanding these truths is vital for every believer and leader alike.
Sustaining a Lifetime of Ministry with Pastor Colin Smith – If Jesus offered to tell you “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” for your ministry, would you listen? In this module, Pastor Colin Smith draws from Jesus’ Kingdom Parables in Matthew 13 to share foundational truths about what ministry in Christ’s kingdom is like. This is essential teaching for any gospel worker who wants to persevere in ministry over the long haul.
A Flight Through the Bible Story with Pastor Colin Smith – This 3-session journey through the Bible that will introduce you to 5 people from the Old Testament, 5 events from the life of Jesus, and 5 gifts God gives to every Christian. It doesn’t matter how much or how little you know about the Bible, “The Flight” is a great place to begin.
Pray the Bible with Author Kevin Halloran – We all face obstacles in prayer. Some are theological; we forget why prayer matters or don’t feel heard by God. Other obstacles are practical; we don’t know what to say or we simply can’t focus for prayer. Kevin Halloran believes that if we pray the Bible, we can bypass many of our struggles and go straight to fruitful prayer and deeper communion with God. The course Pray the Bible will introduce you to the benefits of praying the Bible as well as tools for doing so.Why consider using an Open the Bible Course in your small group?
Courses are free. Group members don’t need to spend money on books or curriculum. Everything you need is online at no cost with no login required.
Courses are video-based. Your people will love our engaging videos and teaching approach.
Courses are designed for discussion. There’s no need for a lot of prep work when our discussion questions will help cultivate fruitful conversations.
You can go deeper with extra resources. Each session has a downloadable transcript, optional reading, and assignments. You could even turn these courses into a full-fledged lay leader training course at your church.
The content is transferable. The practical teaching and application make this a great resource to pass on to others.What people are saying:
I have enjoyed what otherwise would have been a very difficult theological study. I would say, “THEOLOGY MADE SIMPLE.” Thank you very much for taking me to another level in my spiritual growth. —Isaac J. On Watch Your Doctrine
I gained SO MUCH WISDOM in Watch Your Life. I will certainly be using the wisdom and notes to help equip others. Every church leader should take these courses! —Alma E.
Preview a session of Watch Your Life titled “Discerning God’s Will.” Download a transcript or discussion questions.
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Visit OpentheBible.org/courses today to get started. -
A La Carte (October 20)
May the Lord bless and keep you today.
Yup, there are some Kindle deals today.
A Key Sign You are Maturing as a Preacher
“Over the years, I have learned to ask students a key question that can reveal a lot about how they are developing as a preacher. ‘What did you leave out?’” This is a great question for young preachers (and, also, for older preachers).
If Decisions Never Go Against You, Is Your Eldership Truly Plural?
It’s a valid question…
The Communication Between Preacher and Congregant
“Both the speaker and listener are communicating. In one-on-one conversations, we readily admit that communication is a two-way thing, but totally ignore this fact in Christian preaching.” David Qaoud explains.
A Leaf Surrendered
“The leaves arrest us with wonder; and then they fade and tremble, uncertain, before letting go of what once was, to accept what will be. The letting go is its own beauty as they lay themselves down to shelter and sustain the seeds not yet reaching for the light.” Andrea Sanborn draws a lesson from the leaves.
7 Traits of False Teachers
“There is no such thing as a pure church this side of heaven. You will never find it. The wheat and the tares grow together.” That being the case, we always need to be on guard against false teachers.
How Satan Undoes a Mom
“We Christians are still at war. Our wartime has gone on for thousands of years and will last until Christ comes to end it. The difference is that in this war — the spiritual war — the home is located in the heat of the battle, and we mothers are in combat roles.”
The Haunting Effects of Sin
We all learn this truth eventually. “Sin has a way of robbing us of peace and joy. It can weaken, embarrass, and grieve us years after the indiscretion. As the enemies of God hear about it, they begin to rejoice, mocking the God we love because of what we have done. If you are toying with sin or considering spurning God’s loving standards to feed your flesh, you might want to think twice because what you do could linger for years to come.”
Flashback: Gospel Weariness
Gospel weariness…is a weariness that rests on the promises of the gospel, that finds its hope in the God of the gospel. It does not wallow in despair but gazes with confidence to the future.Ordinarily, when God puts it into our hearts to desire to do good to someone, we are the messengers he would send with the blessing. —J.R. Miller
