The Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has a deal on the excellent ESV Expository Commentary series—a series that will help with everything from personal devotions to sermon preparation.
7 Reasons Why the Gospel of John is So Special
Michael Kruger asks “what exactly makes John so different? Given that John loves the number seven—as one example among many, his gospel is structured around seven ‘signs’—let me offer seven things that makes John so special.”
The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Being “Political”
Kevin DeYoung continues an interesting series on faith and politics (especially as it pertains to pastors). “If a pastor is better known for his views on COVID-19 or for his analysis of the latest shooting than he is for his views on the Trinity, the person of Christ, and the gospel, then something is wrong.”
Donall and Conall and Dawkins 2 (Video)
It has been a while since we’ve heard from Donall and Conall (via LutheranSatire) but they are back and having another conversation with Richard Dawkins.
Nine Important Facts about Muhammad
Ayman Ibrahim covers 9 important facts about Muhammad. “As more Muslims come to this country, I believe American Christians need to know more of what Muslims understand about their prophet. Here are nine things you should know about Muhammad.”
Three Different Ways to Dismiss Divine Commands
“In the nearly two decades I’ve been speaking in different churches of different denominations, in different states, in different countries, and in different cultures, I’ve noticed that people (believers and non-believers alike) have a propensity to skirt the Bible’s precepts. They usually do it in one of three ways.”
Making Time to Read the Bible
Many people do not read the Bible simply because they do not make time to read the Bible. Barbara has some suggestions on how to make it a priority.
Flashback: It’s Only Money
Our convictions about money will influence some of the expenses we choose to take on, but it won’t make our bills go away and won’t do much to mitigate the fact that life is just plain costly.

The cross is the essence of Christianity. It is the apex of God’s glory, the zenith of His revelation, the centrepiece of His plan for the universe. —Will Dobbie

February is typically a solid month for book releases, and this February was no exception. As the month drew to its close, I sorted through the many (many!) books that came my way this month and arrived at this list of new and notables. In each case, I’ve provided the editorial description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there’s something here that’s of interest to you!

Delighting in the Old Testament: Through Christ and for Christ by Jason S. Derouchie. “The Old Testament makes up the majority of the Christian Bible, yet incorrect teaching of its texts abounds in the church. Without effectively studying these stories, covenants, and kingdoms within their close, continuing, and complete biblical contexts, believers miss the beauty of the Old Testament, including how it points to Jesus, and why it still matters today. Jason DeRouchie helps Christians delight in the books of the Old Testament and read them the way God intended–as relevant parts of Christian Scripture. This accessible guide stresses the need to keep Christ at the center and to account for the progress of salvation history when applying the Old Testament today. It helps Christians interpret the Old Testament, see how it testifies to Jesus, believe that Jesus secured every divine promise, and understand how Jesus makes Moses’s law still matter. By more strongly comprehending Old Testament teachings and how they relate to the New, Christians will better enjoy the Old Testament itself and increasingly understand all that Jesus came to fulfill.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Are We Living in the Last Days?: Four Views of the Hope We Share about Revelation and Christ’s Return by Bryan Chapell. “Will Jesus’s return be preceded by a single world government? Will every person have a government-issued ID or mark? Does Christ return once or twice? Will believers go through a Great Tribulation? Will there be a literal battle of Armageddon? Does it even matter what we believe about future events? Biblical prophecies about the end times have confused, confounded, and even divided God’s people for centuries. But the reason Scripture gives us hints about the future is to provide the encouragement we need to endure the present, confident that God keeps his promises. In this balanced look at four major views of the end times, bestselling author Bryan Chapell explains the primary ways Christians have interpreted biblical prophecy about the last days, not so that we might pick a hill to die on but so that we can cling to what unites us in Christ. No matter what end times view we find most compelling, in God’s plans we can find strength for today and hope for tomorrow.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Empowered Witness: Politics, Culture, and the Spiritual Mission of the Church by Alan D. Strange. “The goal of the church should be simple–share the gospel to the ends of the earth. But in our highly politicized age, Christians can tend to place earthly political and social agendas over God’s spiritual mission of the church. In Empowered Witness, author Alan D. Strange examines the doctrine of the spirituality of the church, making a clear distinction between the functions of the church and other institutions. Strange argues that if the church continues to push political agendas, no institution will be focused solely on the Great Commission and the gospel will be lost entirely. This book calls readers to become aware of the church’s power and limits and shed light on moral issues in a way that doesn’t alter the deeply spiritual and gospel-centered mission of the church.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity by Carl Trueman. “Historic statements of faith–such as the Heidelberg Catechism, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Westminster Confession of Faith–have helped the Christian church articulate and adhere to God’s truth for centuries. However, many modern evangelicals reject these historic documents and the practices of catechesis, proclaiming their commitment to “no creed but the Bible.” And yet, in today’s rapidly changing culture, ancient liturgical tradition is not only biblical–it’s essential. In Crisis of Confidence, Carl Trueman analyzes how creeds and confessions can help the Christian church navigate modern concerns, particularly around the fraught issue of identity. He contends that statements of faith promote humility, moral structure, and a godly view of personhood, helping believers maintain a strong foundation amid a culture in crisis. This is a revised edition of Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative, now with a new section on the rise of expressive individualism.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Pastoral Perseverance: Helping Pastors Stay, Endure, and Thrive by Brian Croft & James Carroll. “The call to ministry is a call to lay down your life for others. It seems we have reached an unprecedented time of burnout and depression among pastors. These men often dedicate their lives to shepherding congregations without anyone who will care for them. Pastoral Perseverance could not have come at a more crucial time. Seasoned pastors and authors, Brian Croft and James Carroll, strengthen pastors by pointing them to God’s word for help in facing the unique challenges of pastoral ministry in the modern day so that they will not merely survive, but stay, endure, and even thrive.” (Buy it at Amazon)

The Warrior Savior: A Theology of the Work of Christ by Owen Strachan. “In this stirring systematic theology of atonement, Owen Strachan turns our gaze to the biblical Jesus—the greater David, a mighty king who comes in the power of God to save sinners and destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The true Jesus is the most fascinating subject in all history: he is Lamb and Lion, gentle and ferocious, divine yet a humble servant. All these graces bear down on one moment in time: the cross. The Warrior Savior brings together strands of doctrine that are too often separated, notably penal substitutionary atonement and Christus Victor. Instead of arguing for an unweighted blend of “models” or “theories” of the cross, Strachan argues that the cross accomplishes a propitiatory atonement, which in turn secures the defeat of the dread foe of God’s people, Satan. Throughout the book, he weaves in rich devotional and spiritual commentary, focusing on the love of God as the chief message of the cross of Christ. The result is a vivid, dramatic, and inspiring study of the most important salvific event ever to occur.” (Buy it at Amazon)

We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us by Whitney K. Pipkin. “When Whitney K. Pipkin’s mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wasn’t ready. How could she be? She searched for resources that could help her walk through this heavy yet sacred time in her life. But she struggled to find the guidance she longed for in a season of anticipatory grief. We Shall All Be Changed is a companion for those experiencing the lonely season of suffering and death. In this book, Whitney reaches across the pages to hold the hand of the caregiver. Walking through death with a loved one can be incredibly isolating and unsettling. This book reminds us that we can experience God’s very presence in life’s dark and deep valleys. As Whitney draws from her own experience, she sheds light and hope. She shows that we are not alone. And she reveals the mysterious way that God ministers to and transforms us through death and suffering. Beautifully honest and theologically rich, Whitney invites us to consider death so that we might understand life and how to live it.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall & Mary Davis. “Nearly all of us are discouraged when it comes to evangelism. We love the Lord, and we want others to become Christians, but we are afraid and have many reasons and excuses for why we don’t or can’t share the gospel. After being diagnosed with incurable cancer in 2013, until his death in 2023, Jeremy told countless people the gospel. Scattering Seeds of Hope explains the method Jeremy found so effective: simply sharing Bible stories, being a good friend and asking questions. There are no long gospel outline to learn, no special techniques to rehearse and absolutely no guilt trips. What if the secret to effective evangelism is to simply scatter seed abundantly and indiscriminately and watch while God does the rest?” (Buy it at Amazon)

Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden by Marvin Olasky. “What makes a leader truly great? Is it simply a matter of management style and personality? Or is it character that matters most? Moral Visions takes an insightful look into America’s leaders of the past to answer these questions and demonstrates that values and moral convictions are critical to the strength of a nation. Supposedly, we learn about the candidates for the highest office through a series of tests called “debates,” which are instead an exchange of soundbites. We can’t know whether an aspirant to the presidency has the ability to ask good questions or only a suave or belligerent ability to answer them. Moral Vision is a human-interest introduction to American history through studies of nineteen leaders: presidents, almost presidents, a tycoon, a crusading journalist, and even a leading 19th century abortionist. Its lessons can help voters sort through the candidates in 2024 and beyond by measuring them against previous leaders—none of whom was faultless. It shows how the deepest views often grow out of religious belief and influence political goals, racial prejudices, sexual activities, uses of power, and senses of service.” (Buy it at Amazon)

The Kindness of God: Beholding His Goodness in a Cruel World by Nate Pickowicz. “Kindness has fallen on hard times. Almost daily, we witness or experience cynicism, impatience, or incivility. And it begins to wear on a soul. Overall, we’re not doing well. We need hope. We need truth. We need God. In The Kindness of God, pastor and teacher Nate Pickowicz shows how our lives must be understood and lived in light of God’s kindness. Pickowicz brings the reader along a joy-filled journey of discovering God’s lifegiving lovingkindness and compassion. This book is for Christians overwhelmed with their life circumstances. It’s for anyone who is feeling disappointment or hurt from a fractured relationship. It’s for all those who are discouraged by caustic political discourse. And it’s for those who are saddened or frustrated, desiring more from life . . . more from God. This book offers biblical salve to spiritual wounds and answers how God’s own character remains intact even when wounds are inflicted by others. You will come away from this book, marveling and thanking God for His immeasurable kindness. And you will come to reflect His kindness more deeply in your own life toward others. In a world that can feel dark and cold, this resource is a light of God’s kindness!” (Buy it at Amazon)

Defeating Evil: How God Glorifies Himself in a Dark World by Scott Christensen. “Revised, adapted, and condensed for a broader audience, this companion edition to Scott Christensen’s lauded What about Evil? shows how sin, evil, corruption, and death fit into redemptive history. Exploring the storyline of Scripture and addressing practical concerns, Christensen shows that God’s ultimate end in creation is to maximize his glory before his image-bearers by defeating evil through Christ’s atoning work.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Many years ago, Aileen and I made the decision to enroll our children in the local public school. This was a decision we made as carefully and thoughtfully as we knew how to at the time (which was way back in the early 2000s). We decided we would take the approach of “a child at a time, a year at a time, a school at a time.” But even as we kept options open, we never felt the need to change course. Neither did our kids. A lot of time has gone by and two of our children have graduated those public schools while the third has completed as far as tenth grade.

After Nick wrapped up his high school education, I did a little interview with him. I wanted to hear about this experience, whether he felt public schooling had been good or bad, wise or foolish, and what he intended to do if the Lord granted him children. You can read that here. I recently asked Abby the same questions because I wanted to her take on it as well. In both cases I really encouraged them to be as honest as possible without any fear of offending their parents. Here are Abby’s unedited answers.
What do you think were the benefits of being in public school?
I think that one of the main benefits to public schooling is that I learned very early in my life about the brokenness of the world and about the people who are living apart from the Lord. I was still young enough that I saw what was going on around me and I could return home and talk to my parents and older brother about it who would explain the brokenness to me and point me back to Christ. As I explain a bit later on, seeing this brokenness is a large part of my testimony. 
Another benefit is that I learned how to be friends with non-believers very early on in my life. I started public school in junior kindergarten and continued all the way until I graduated high school. I was around unbelievers constantly, and most of my friends were not Christians. While this also proved to be a challenge, it allowed me to learn how to be a loving friend to them, and also provided me opportunities to share my beliefs (looking back I wish I had taken more of these opportunities). Now that I have graduated high school and moved out of the area, I still have some of those friendships and can still minister to my unbelieving friends as we continue to get older. 
Are there ways in which you think public school may have harmed you or otherwise been a negative force or influence?
I don’t think public school harmed me. However, I do think there were negatives to my experience. The negative influence of public school came more from the people I was around than public schooling itself. I knew what I believed and by God’s grace I was not swayed. However, being in the world and being around so many people who were living unrepentantly in sin weighed heavily on my heart. By the time I graduated highschool I was ready to be in a Christian environment, surrounded by believers. However, through this I learned how to pray for, serve and love those unbelievers in my life. 
Did you find it hard to be a Christian in public school?
Yes and no. For the most part I did not find it terribly difficult, especially when I was younger. Most of my peers did not care about my religion. I grew up in a very multicultural area so a lot of people identified themselves with one religion or another and I was just another one of the religious kids. However, I think it was more difficult as I got older. There was the pressure to be and live like everyone else. Being around unbelievers constantly and hearing about their sin weighed heavily on my heart. It was also hard when I was expected to complete assignments or read material that I did not agree with. I found that most of the difficulty came from teachers and the pressure to agree with what they were teaching even when I knew I did not. 
Did you feel pressure to conform to a non-Christian standard?
Yes. I think that the pressure I felt came the most often from the teachers I had throughout the years and less from my peers (although I did experience this as well). When I was younger (young elementary school age) this pressure was less intense. The older I got the more of this pressure I felt. Multiple times there were assignments I was expected to complete, books I was supposed to read or movies I was told to watch that were thoroughly against what I believed. Specifically in classes like Canadian Law and English class. I was expected to debate or write papers defending subjects that I disagreed with. I was expected to agree. This is where I found the most pressure to conform to a non-Christian standard. Not agreeing could have serious consequences and I felt the pressure to conform heavily. 
In terms of my peers, I found that they for the most part, did not care much about what I believed. I did have to choose my friends carefully however, and I lost a lot of them as we continued to get older and found we had less and less in common. While they did not understand, they did not pressure me to do things that went against what I believed. However, as I started to get older and my opinions and beliefs on major issues (abortion and discussions of sexuality) differed so fundamentally from many of my friends, these pressured increased. I found myself avoiding the subjects more often than not. Avoiding subjects like this is where I think I found myself succumbing to pressure the most amongst my peers. 
Do you feel like your faith would be stronger if you had been homeschooled or Christian schooled?
No. I think that the Lord used public schooling and the experiences I had during my time there to show me the brokenness of the world. A large part of my testimony includes seeing the way that the Christians in my life were living their lives dependent on the Lord, and in contrast, watching the non-Christians that I had grown up with fall deeper and deeper into sin while at the same time becoming more and more miserable. I think that seeing this contrast first hand every day strengthened my faith, and it made me realize that I wanted no part of the world that my friends were living in. I also had to learn how to trust the Lord with my friends. 
Are there ways in which you think homeschooling or Christian schooling would have been a more positive experience for you?
I do not feel like public schooling was an overall negative experience for me. However, had I been homeschooled or Christian schooled it could have potentially saved me from being influenced by some friends who I should not have been influenced by. It could have also allowed me to avoid some of the heaviness on my heart from being around and hearing about unrepentant sin so constantly. I do not think that the negatives I experienced in the public school system outweighed the positives I walked away with. 
As much as you can put yourself in our shoes, would you have made the same decision?
I think that I would have made the same decision as you. I do not feel as though public school was an overall negative experience for me. The world has changed since I first started my education. Through public school, I learned a lot and it is a huge part of my testimony. In his kindness the Lord used it to show me my own sinfulness and His grace. He also used it to show me the sinfulness of the world. As I said earlier I think the positives I walked away with far outweigh the negatives I experienced and I’m glad I went through the public school system. 
As much as you can project into an uncertain future, how do you think you’re likely to educate your own children? 
I think that in answering this question it is important to know just how much the world has changed since I started my public school education. Schools have become much more liberal and much less tolerant than they were when I was in them. If I could have my children repeat the experience I had in public school I believe I would send them into the public school system. However, with the way the world seems to be moving and what I know of that’s being taught in schools now, I would be more hesitant to send my children, especially little ones into them as I believe they would have a much different experience than my own. I think I would be more comfortable sending my older kids into public schools however. I believe I would lean more toward a Christian school education where I could be more confident in the teaching they were receiving and the peers they would have.
OK, back to Tim so I can wrap up as I did last time. I guess the big question at the end is this: If Aileen and I had to begin again, would we choose the public schools or would we instead go with one of the alternatives? To be honest, we just don’t know and we can’t put ourselves back in that situation. But we agree with what Abby said at the end—some key cultural factors have changed between then and now. Regardless, we gratefully acknowledge God’s hand of blessing on the decision we did make while also acknowledging that same hand of blessing would have been upon us whichever path we chose. We’re so deeply grateful to Him.