Good morning from beautiful Sydney, Australia where I’m beginning to film another episode of Worship Round the World.

Mind Your Platform
“I fear that we may have begun adopting these tools with little scrutiny. We marvel at the fact that things ‘can be done’ and skip over the question of ‘should they be done?’ How are we to think about our relationship to the platforms available to us? While our engagement with social media and platforms will vary greatly depending on our calling and our context, there are a few patterns I’ve noticed that I think we should be wary of.”
Actively waiting for Jesus
“The Bible describes the Christian life as waiting for Jesus to come back…” But this isn’t a sitting-around kind of waiting.
The Illusion of Anonymity 
While social media has many benefits, it has often served as a breeding ground for divisiveness and hostility. Hidden behind our screens, we are often tempted to type things we would never say aloud. In Taming the Fingers, Jeff Johnson encourages us to use our social media Coram Deo— before the face of God. (Sponsored Link)
Is the History of the Bible Important?
“Unlike any other of the religions of the world, Christianity is uniquely and entirely dependent upon the historical veracity of its holy book, the Bible. … Sadly, secular critics have realized this fact more readily and more eagerly than many Christians, which has encouraged them for hundreds of years to seek ways to weaken the entirety of the Christian religion by casting doubt on the validity of its historical claims.”
How Many Israelites Exited Egypt?
Philip Ryken: “The Bible describes the exodus in careful detail. Nevertheless, it has often been challenged on historical grounds. One standard objection concerning information given in Exodus 12 is the size of the exodus. It deserves a response.”
The Roots of Legalism
Stephen Nichols writes about the roots of legalism. “One of Martin Luther’s many contributions concerns the Latin word incurvitas. This sounds like something a dentist might say to you as he pokes and prods in the molars. But it’s not.”
8 Reasons We Should Evangelize
Perhaps you could use a little refresher on why we should evangelize the lost.
Flashback: Have You Tasted Heaven?
I have seen the most hardened of men become the most gentle, the most cruel of women become kind, the most wayward of children follow their Father. This all has the savor of a place that must be entirely unlike this one.

Whether our lot seems humble or exalted, let us work with all our heart, for the Lord knows and rewards all faithful labor. —Daniel Doriani

This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Baker Books . They are giving away five copies of Dr. Jeff Myers’ new book, Truth Changes Everything.

Most Americans now believe that Truth is up to the individual, rather than something we can objectively know. People talk about “speaking my truth” rather than “seeking the Truth.” Faced with unprecedented levels of social conflict, purposelessness, and hopelessness, we desperately need to know whether Truth exists and how we can find it.
In this inspiring book, Dr. Jeff Myers tells the fascinating stories of Jesus followers who lived for Truth and transformed their world in times of crisis. These determined and often quirky figures led the way in human dignity, science, art, medicine, education, politics, justice, and even the idea of meaningful work.
If you sense that we live in hopeless days, it’s time to discover how Truth changes everything, everywhere, all the time.
Here’s what early readers had to say:
“Pilate’s piercing question to Jesus, ‘What is truth?’ resonates perhaps even more today than the day he asked it. In Truth Changes Everything, Dr. Jeff Myers answers that question. What’s more, he tells us why what we believe about truth matters so very much. Readers will be challenged, encouraged, and strengthened by his life-changing message.” –Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby
“Dr. Jeff Myers has a unique gift for communicating the universal, unchanging Truth of the gospel. This insightful book shows the importance of biblical Truth, traces many under-appreciated ways in which Christians throughout history have impacted the world by living out that Truth, and gives practical advice for influencing our neighbors with the Truth that sets us free.” –Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family
“This book is perfectly titled because truth does change everything. It changes whether we live in hope, love, and faith or fear and despair. Dr. Myers lays out what is at stake in the battle for Truth and offers a road map for how Truth can be known and experienced. This is a timely, insightful, and story-filled book.” –Sean McDowell, Ph.D, author of Chasing Love and A Rebel’s Manifesto
“Dr. Jeff Myers skillfully demonstrates how Christians’ manifestation of God’s surpassing goodness in all facets of life and civilization provides powerful evidence for the Truth of Christianity and the Bible, on which our faith is based. This Truth, indeed, changes everything, and in the best way imaginable.” –Hugh Ross, astrophysicist; founder and president of Reasons to Believe
Truth Changes Everything officially releases October 18, 2022, wherever books are sold. Learn more and download a free chapter at TruthChangeseverything.org.
Enter Here
There are five copies to win. All you need to do to enter the draw is to enter your name and email address in the form below, which will add you to the Baker Publishing mailing list.
Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time. The giveaway will be open until October 17th, 2022 at 9 am ET.

I have finally launched a long-awaited and much-overdue refresh to the design of this site and the accompanying newsletter. The update includes the look of the site but also goes much deeper into its design and architecture. It’s easily the most significant update in the past 20 years and firms up the site’s foundation as I look ahead to the 20 years to come.
Much of the power of the new site is behind the scenes where it’s making my life easier, delivering faster results, doing a better job of interacting with search engines, and so on. But there are a few more obvious features that may interest you:

The Best Commentaries section has been completely updated with the latest and greatest commentaries. You can now find up-to-date expert recommendations for commentaries on every book of the Bible.
The Book Recommendations section has been updated and several new categories have been added. If you are looking for a book on a particular subject, it’s the place to go.
Those who subscribe to the daily email newsletter will receive it earlier in the day—on time for breakfast if you live in North America and on time for lunch if you live in Europe. They will also observe that its design is much more tightly tied to the site.
The new Explore item on the main menu should provide a much superior search function for those attempting to find archived content.
Articles are now tagged according to Scripture reference.
The audio player function should work better for those who have visual disabilities or those who simply prefer to listen to articles. (Note: This function is fairly pricey, so I will test it for some time and gauge how much it is used before deciding whether or not to keep it permanently.)
The site has both light and dark designs that will vary according to the time of day. You are also free to set your preference with the switch at the top of the screen.
The Kindle Deals page has been revamped to present the books in a better and more informative format.

All that and more! If you happen to spot any bugs or find some part of the new site that you just can’t stand, please let me know through the little “Feedback” form that should appear at the bottom of each page.
I’m especially grateful to Chad Helmer for deploying his considerable skill in designing the site, coding it to the highest of standards, and carefully fixing the thousands of issues that came with importing two decades of old data. I’m also thankful to all of those whose support made possible a project of this magnitude.