This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing.

You may have a burden for the lost and a desire to learn to defend your faith but can’t see yourself becoming a philosopher or scientist to do so. I have good news. You don’t have to!

Being a good evangelist or apologist does not require you to obtain an academic degree or read obscure texts. Jesus never commanded his disciples to go to Athens to learn at the feet of philosophers in order to reach the world. While knowing a little about philosophy, science, and other fields of study may help, extensive knowledge in these areas is not necessary. Ordinary Christians can become skilled and effective evangelists. 

Whatever your background, you can learn to defend the faith, share the gospel, shake the unbelief of non-Christians, present the Christian worldview, and lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

“Marvelously clear, practical, and emboldening. Excellent guidance for anyone who seeks to be more faithful and effective in gospel advance.” —Fred G. Zaspel

Being a good evangelist or apologist does not require you to obtain an academic degree or read obscure texts.Share

That is what this book is all about: equipping you with the confidence and skills you need to fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19–20), give an answer to those who question you (1 Peter 3:15–16), and declare the mystery of Christ (Col. 4:3–4). If you simply want to reach your unbelieving neighbors, friends, coworkers, family members, and classmates, this book is for you!

Use coupon code EBC25 at checkout.

Buy Every Believer Confident (50% OFF) from P&R. 

A journey into the Rocky Mountains of Western Canada brought me to Vermilion Pass, a single point that divides two national parks and two provinces. It also divides two watersheds, for it stands upon the continental divide. To one side of this spot all waters flow west and eventually find their way to the vast Pacific; to the other side, all waters flow east and eventually empty into the cold Atlantic. To both sides are countless springs, countless snowmelts, countless glaciers, each one the headwaters of a creek, stream, or river that eventually joins with others and makes its way steadily toward one of these two great oceans.

In the decades that I’ve been a Christian, I’ve been told of many doctrines, many convictions, and many movements that represent the theological equivalent of a continental divide. Flowing to the one side of this issue are the faithful and to the other side the unfaithful. To the one side is the standing church and to the other side the falling church. To the one side is the godly remnant holding firm and to the other the great host of compromisers who are crumbling away. The implication is that if we don’t get a certain issue exactly right, we have set ourselves on the side of evil and will eventually be swept into the ocean of iniquity. Not only that, but we need to quickly separate ourselves from those who are moving in the opposite direction.

I face such divides with an increasing sense of skepticism. Though many claim that this issue or that issue is so important that it must be the basis of division, that it marks the point of disfellowship, I have my doubts. That’s not to say that nothing is true and nothing is false. It’s not to say that we ought to live in a kind of theological relativism or be content with a mushy middle. But it is to say that many people have a vested interest in making such claims. It is the claimants as much as the claims that warrant skepticism.

Bullies abound. Hyperbole sells. Exaggeration earns attention. Alarmism is a well-proven tactic. While nobody is interested in buying a book or attending a conference that deals with the third-most-pressing issue of our times, many will invest time and money in one that deals with the issue that will define the era. No conference Q&A has ever asked about issues that are perfectly settled and agreed on by all Christians, but many focus on issues that mark disagreement and division. A discernment blog is likely to rise through the ranks much faster than an encouragement blog. Many a podcaster or YouTuber has forged a career by claiming this issue, then that one, then the other, is the one that must divide the few from the many, the true from the false. Though some of them may be right some of the time, most of them are wrong most of the time.

Bullies abound. Hyperbole sells. Exaggeration earns attention. Alarmism is a well-proven tactic.Share

Every now and again a new issue does arise that demands careful examination and deep thought. Some issues are so pressing that it is right for Christians to gather to discuss them and come to an agreement on what is true and what is false. But most of the true “continental divide” issues have long since been settled. Thus we do well to ground ourselves in the long history of the Christian church and her creeds and confessions. Most of what needs to divide us has already been determined long ago and agreed upon by centuries of believers. Most of the rest demands patience, time, and persuasion more than haste, censure, and separation.

Meanwhile, the great issue of this day and every day is whether God’s people will be holy and united, whether we will speak true with love and love according to truth. It is whether we will be led by the Spirit working through the Word or whether we will be led by people of poor character working through new media. There are many people who will create new divisions or widen existing divisions in the name of Christ but for the good of themselves, the enriching of their pockets, or the widening of their influence. Too many of the church’s agendas are set by people who are following the devil’s agenda—his agenda of chaos, division, and separation.

Satan’s great genius has always been to place his agents within the church. While we keep a wary eye on the world and the culture, they are often ravaging the believers behind our backs. Paul’s warning to the Ephesians elders should sober us all and amplify our vigilance: “From among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). I plead with you for the sake of your spiritual well-being, for the sake of the unity of Christ’s church, and for the sake of giving the best of our attention to the Commission Christ has given us, to expect that the worst of our enemies will come from within. It’s very possible they will be wearing the guise of angels of light … or the guise of experts on discernment (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Logos users, be sure to look at this month’s free book (a free commentary, actually). There are some other good deals to be had as well. You also have access to a coupon code (SAVEMORE) that will get you escalating discounts based on how much you spend.

Today’s Kindle deals include several excellent books written specifically for women and a whole lot else. If you didn’t check in over the weekend, it would be worth scrolling down to February 1 to see all the deals from Saturday.

What are some of the subtle strategies Satan might use against churches today? “Today, a journey into our imaginations. Let’s apply some of the devil’s strategies to today’s leaders. Your aim as a faithful demon? To destroy the spiritual health of a local church. How would you go about this?”

Christian parents will find help here. “We want our kids to thrive and flourish. Of course, God’s revealed will need to measure this, not us or the surrounding culture. Ultimately our desire is for our kids to love God with all they are—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and love others as they love themselves.”

This article about sports betting is written primarily for overseas workers, but it may prove useful to everyone else as well.

Leonardo De Chirico writes about the movie Conclave which I expect you’ve heard of by now.

I really enjoyed this look at nine things we wouldn’t know without Colossians 4.

“Why should we concern ourselves with global missions when there is so much pressing ministry to do at home? This question, recently thrust into the public eye, has drawn both criticism and praise. But it is not a new question.”

However you go about it, learn to communicate, to speak candidly, honestly, and lovingly, about the intimacy you share.

Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.
—Francis Schaeffer

It is no great feat to convince another person of a lie. Because other people cannot see our inner selves, they are easily deceived. But as we pray to God, we pray to one who knows our innermost thoughts, our innermost desires, our innermost longings. We pray to one who knows us far better than we know ourselves.

God weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2), he knows the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), he searches the heart Jeremiah 17:10), he observes the secrets of the heart (Psalm 44:21), and he even discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Nothing is hidden from his sight. Rather, “all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” Hebrews 4:13).

That being the case, we ought to pray with honesty. We ought to put aside any thoughts of deceiving God or being less than honest with God. There is no benefit to mouthing words that do not reflect our hearts. But there is great benefit in honestly telling God our every struggle, our every temptation, our every desire, and asking him to extend to us his grace and his mercy.

So when you pray, pray with honesty. God knows it all anyway!

Good morning! My gratitude goes to the D3 Youth Conference for sponsoring the blog this week. D3 believes in challenging students with the truth of the Bible, encouraging them to ask questions, and equipping them with resources and community to live out those truths. Be sure to consider their upcoming conference and camps!

There are lots of new Kindle deals today since it’s the beginning of a new month.

(Yesterday on the blog: The Futility of Motherhood)

Jake Meador offers some thoughts on the new rise of the right-wing exvangelical. “If left exvangelicals sought to keep Jesus but dispense with the church, right exvangelicals are following a similar trajectory, but from the other side of the political spectrum. This causes the right exvangelical to end up mirroring the left exvangelical, as it were: Start with right-wing politics circa 2025 and then come to Christianity after you’ve already committed to the political vision of the American right.”

“Although we often like to equate God’s goodness with protection from storms coming into our lives, God shows us that his goodness is actually the provision to strengthen and grow us up in him to withstand the storms of life and make us into God-glorifying oaks of righteousness.”

Katie Hulse: “Such a vast amount of coincidences required to permit life exceeds the bounds of credibility. Instead, it speaks of design. The evidence we have suggests that advanced physical life doesn’t exist elsewhere in the universe—unless, of course, it’s the result of purposeful design.”

This article from David Mathis is for young men who aspire to preach but doubt their own abilities. It should offer a challenge and some confidence.

I’m glad to see this celebration of the associate pastor. “Those of us who serve as associate pastors occupy a unique and strategically vital position in church leadership—one that requires strength and humility, wisdom and submission. The art of being ‘second’ isn’t merely about accepting a subordinate role; it’s about embracing a divine calling that, when executed well, multiplies the effectiveness of our churches’ leadership teams.”

Yes, Christians do care a lot about submission to authority, don’t they? Jonathan Leeman explains why this is such an important issue.

In their research, they listened to countless stories of deconstruction, read the books and Twitter threads, watched a host of TikTok videos, and even met with some of its foremost proponents. They made certain that they understood the issue before they addressed it.

Men’s ideas of the wrath to come may be judged of by the earnestness with which they exhort others to fly from it.
—J.C. Ryle

This week’s free stuff comes from the March 27–28 D3 Conference. These giveaway items–like the conference–are designed to lead high school students to grow their faith in Christ and strengthen their confidence in the truthfulness of scripture. 

Parents and leaders of teens are always on the lookout for discipleship material. Today, you are invited to enter the Boyce College/D3 Giveaway to win those resources for free! 

Whether you are a youth pastor, student leader, or the parent of teens, Boyce College and the D3 Youth Conference are giving away resources to help you.

Here are a few of the items someone will win by entering the D3 Youth Conference Promotion:

Student Discipleship Bundle

The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent

Track: A Student’s Guide to Social Media by Jason Thacker

The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung

Everyday Gospel by Paul David Tripp

Boyce Sweatshirt

Parent/Leader Bundle

What Do I Say When…? by Walker & Walker

Following Jesus in a Digital Age by Jason Thacker

Reading the Psalms as Scripture by Hamilton & Damico

Pastor Well by Hershael York

Pilgrim Prayers by Tim Challies

Boyce Quarter Zip 

Click the link below to enter the Boyce College/D3 Youth Promotion

*Winners will be drawn randomly and notified via email mid-February

d3youth.com/challies-giveaway

Life is made up of so much that gives the appearance of being futile. There are so many tasks and responsibilities that we intellectually know to be important but emotionally feel to be fruitless. And if everyone struggles with this to varying degrees, I have it on good authority that mothers are prone to struggle with it to a greater degree than most.

Mothering Against Futility

Simona Gorton is familiar with the challenges of motherhood and the struggle to find significance in it. This is the subject of her book Mothering Against Futility: Balancing Meaning and Mundanity in the Fear of the Lord. As she cared for her family and grappled with the mundane nature of so many of her tasks, she began to dig into the book of Ecclesiastes. She found that it spoke to so many of her challenges as a mother.

How could the multitude of inconsequential dishes and diapers and dinners that crowded my days feel so trivial but also hold so much real meaning as the building blocks of a life to which God had called me? How could my days as a mother, made up of “nothings” like going to the library and wiping small popsicle faces be the instruments of God’s eternal plan through generations? Ecclesiastes had an answer to this tension, and I started to meditate on the truths of this book as they applied to the days and to-do lists I was learning to submit to the Lord.

Her book is not a commentary on Ecclesiastes but rather a series of meditations on some of Ecclesiastes’ big themes applied specifically to the calling of a mother. “Ecclesiastes has something to say to us mothers,” she insists.

As we face the “vanity” of menial work every day, we have the privilege of learning to not only see through it to greater realities but to see the tasks themselves as accomplishing something of lasting value in us and in those around us. In the calling of motherhood, God transforms our sight and opens our eyes to the gospel dichotomies of weakness as strength, smallness as glory, inefficiency as faithfulness. Our lives and actions as mothers, surrendered to Him like loaves and fishes, can become stunning showpieces of gospel hope, glimpses of eternal hilarity and joy.

Gorton doesn’t write as someone who has found all the answers and solved every question. Rather, she writes as someone who is learning and growing even as she carries out her responsibilities as a wife and mother. Through ten chapters she reflects on ten different passages from Ecclesiastes and brings their truths to bear very pointedly and specifically on the joys and challenges of motherhood. She writes in the tone of a friend and sister rather than an authority or expert. She offers hope, help, and instruction in those ways mothers tend to struggle the most. She shows that the mundanity of motherhood is exactly where God gives mothers the opportunity to serve others and bring glory to his name.

Her prayer, she says, is that “you, my friend, might glean something of value as you read this little book and become increasingly equipped for the responsibilities of your days and the training of young warriors for the King. May our Jesus ever get all the glory for Himself.” May he, indeed. And may Mothering Against Futility equip many mothers to not just endure the challenges of motherhood, but to enjoy and embrace them as God’s good and perfect will for their lives.