While there are many places you can go today to find deals on electronics and other big-ticket items, I like to provide a place for Christian retailers to make their deals known to Christians who are trying to kick-start their Christmas shopping (or to just buy great resources at significant discounts). I will update this list regularly throughout the weekend, so you may want to return to a few times. Be sure to check back on Monday for Cyber Monday deals.

Amazon
There is, of course, a massive sale at Amazon that spans pretty well every category. I was hoping for some significant Kindle deals; while there are quite a number of general market deals, there are not a lot of Christian books discounted today.
Westminster Books
Westminster Books is offering up to 83% off some books and a free ESV Scripture Journal with any purchase. You’ll find the Preaching the Word Commentary NT set at 60% off, the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible at 58% off, Ligonier’s A Field Guide to False Teaching half off, etc.
10ofThose
10ofThose is offering up to 77% discounts on a curated list of titles which encompasses resources on the Christian life, illustrated children’s books, Bible studies, devotionals, and more. My newest book, Knowing and Enjoying God, is 60% off. Anyone who spends over $50 will also receive a pair of ESV Scripture Journals (James and Hebrews) for free.
Answers in Genesis
Answers in Genesis has everything discounted by 25% with coupon code BFR21. Select items are up to 80% off. They also have certain other items you can add to your cart and receive for free with any qualifying order.
Banner of Truth
Banner of Truth has quite a number of deals on their always-excellent books and sets. See also their Christmas sale.
Christian Book Distributors
Christian Book Distributors has tons of stuff on sale today—books, Bibles, study Bibles, and so on. The ESV Study Bible is 64% off in hardcover or leather; the ESV Reader’s Bible in softcover is all of $5.49; Dane Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly is half off; the single-volume of edition of C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy is all the way down to $7.99; etc.
Christian Focus
Christian Focus has quite a number of items discounted in that 40% range.
Compass Classroom
Compass Classroom has their material (video-based curriculum) discounted by up to 50%.
Crossway+
Crossway+ members can get 40% off the amazing Heirloom ESV Bibles.
Getty Music
Getty Music is offering 20% off all physical goods and 40% off all downloadable goods.
Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries is having a special $5 Friday with a lot of great products set at $5 (and many others heavily discounted).
Logos
Logos is offering lots of good deals, including significant discounts on commentaries, collections, and other resources. The Focus on the Bible commentary series is 70% off; the NIGTC is 58% off; Boice’s commentaries are up to 73% off. Additionally, they are offering 15% off Logos 6 Legacy Libraries (or 25% off if you own Logos 9).
Media Gratiae
Media Gratiae has deals on some of their videos: Puritan, The Church, Behold Your God, and so on.
Missional Wear
Missional Wear has select products at up to 50% off, plus all items marked as in-stock and shipping now at 15% off using code CHALLIES15. That includes Shirt Deals, Stocking Stuffers, Drinkware, etc.
New Growth Press
New Growth Press has select titles at 40% off with coupon code BLACK40. They include titles by Ed Welch, Marty Machowski, and others.
Reformation Heritage Books
Reformation Heritage Books has a pretty good-sized collection of books discounted by 50% or even more. A number of them are commentaries or other reference works.

There are different ways to distinguish a church from a cult. Churches hold to a broad consensus of orthodox beliefs while cults invariably elevate a small number of uniquely unorthodox beliefs. Churches tend to foster a context in which leaders are accountable to their congregations while cults tend to foster a context in which leaders demand mindless obedience. Churches expect loyalty to the word of God while cults expect loyalty to the words of a charismatic leader. And then there is this: Churches tend to reflect unity amid diversity while cults tend to display unity premised upon uniformity.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to transform those who believe it to such a degree that communities structured around it are markedly different from those that are not. When the gospel is honored and valued, it fosters love and unity among people who would otherwise be cold and distant. And in that way gospel communities should reflect a kind of gospel diversity—a community in which a diverse group of people honor, enjoy, and serve one another.
As we look around a church we ought to see people with a wide range of differences experiencing the deepest kind of unity—different races and ethnicities, different ages and socioeconomics, different convictions on politics, different convictions on education, different convictions on vaccinations, and so on. The gospel that was sufficient to bind Jew to Gentile and Gentile to Jew is sufficient to bind any two—or any two hundred—Christians together. The gospel that fostered unity between vegetarians and meat-eaters is plenty strong enough to foster unity between maskers and non-maskers.
Yet a little honest self-examination will probably reveal that we all have a cultist lurking within ourselves. We may pay lip service to diversity, but when it comes down to it we find that our natural instinct is toward uniformity—a uniformity to our own emphases, our own convictions, our own preferences.
We acknowledge that Christians have freedom to disagree when it comes to the ways we educate our children, yet find we look with a disparaging eye at those who have strong convictions that are the exact opposite of our own. We say that we want our church to reflect the ethnic diversity of the surrounding community, but then find that the traditions and ideals of another culture grate against our own. We distinguish between essential and non-essential beliefs—we may even say something like “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”—yet still find ourselves thinking how much better this church would be if we did not have to love people who believed this or acted like that. Like the strong toward the weak in Romans 14, we can despise people who live by different convictions, and like the weak toward the strong, we can so easily pass judgment on them.
The inner cultist tries to convince us that life would be better, relationships would be easier, the church would be safer, if only everyone was the same—the same as me. Yet such a community would display little of the gospel because it would require little divine grace. It takes no divine power to foster community amid uniformity. But it takes great divine power to bind together those who are in so many ways so very different—those who continue to live by conscience, who continue to value their culture, who continue to hold to their convictions.
So when you look out at your church and see a person whose convictions are opposite yours on a key issue, be grateful that you are part of the same church. When you see a person who places great value on what is so uninspiring to you and places little value on what is so close to your heart, be thankful that God has bound you together. When you look out and see diversity, don’t let your heart long for uniformity. For that would be a longing to be part of a cult rather than a church.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Crossway has a new list of Kindle deals for you.
(Yesterday on the blog: Looking Back on a Finished Lifework)
More than Music: How the Congregation Plays a Part in Every Element of Worship
The point of this one is really important: The congregation has a role in every element of the Sunday morning gatherings (not just the singing).
Why Christianity is Both Less and More Narrow Than you Think
“I had an atheist friend ask me how I could live with the narrow claims of Christianity. ‘How do you feel about being so narrow minded?’ he asked me. I was a bit amused by the irony of his question.”
Our Unlikely Allies
“If you want to turn the world’s wisdom on its head completely, this is it—” that we boast in our weaknesses.
Split or Stay? Encouragement for Anglican Pastors
John Yates: “A few days ago, church leaders representing the majority of Anglicans worldwide broke communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Church of England’s recent decision to bless same-sex unions. This situation has put many of my English friends in a difficult position. Many others are or have been in similar circumstances—whether Methodist or Presbyterian or other affiliations.”
Weep with Those Who Weep
Kevin Carson: “One of the benefits of being in the family of God relates to the fact that God both told us to weep with those who weep, but also, in the love of Jesus Christ and as part of His family, we naturally desire to weep with those who weep.”
His Grace is Sufficient!
“Have you ever felt distressed so grievously that you thought your heart would burst? Did you feel like the pain you were experiencing was uncontrollable, and there seemed to be no boundary to the heartache you were suffering?” I think we all have at one time or another.
Flashback: Cheer Up, Men and Women of Unappreciated Services
Many people feel unappreciated or underappreciated at times. Many feel as if they serve more than they are served, give more than they are given. And often that is exactly the case.

Though my natural instinct is to wish for a life free from pain, trouble, and adversity, I am learning to welcome anything that makes me conscious of my need for Him. —Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth