Blogs

The Sweetness of a Man’s Friend | Allan Murray, Right With God
“Friends have become a very important part of modern life: but not in the way that previous generations had friends.”

Should Kids be Allowed in a Major League Clubhouse? | DanNaulty.com
My friend Dan Naulty writes about Adam LaRoche’s testimony to Christian fathers.”

A Gentle Political Recalibration for Christians | Erik Raymond, TGC
Eric wants us all the Trumpers and Cruzers to calm down a bit:

You might think my expectations are too low. Perhaps they are. But perhaps your expectations are too high and your foundation a bit more American than biblical. It is easy to get stirred up from the news stations but it is hard to pray and be content in God. Faithfully pray for your leaders, pursue peace, advance the gospel, and rejoice in God’s kindness to you–even through unbelieving men and women.

Three Resources Leaders Must Steward Wisely | Eric Geiger
“Leaders have time, energy, and money at their disposal, but they only have a finite amount of each. Therefore, leaders must steward these three resources wisely.”

Season 7, Episode 6: Achieve More By Sleeping More [Podcast] | Michael Hyatt
In this episode, Michael Hyatt and Michele Cushatt discuss eight tips for reclaiming the rest that we so desperately need. You can read a transcript here.

The Call of God | Barry York, Gentle Reformation
Several young men have approached me as of late who are wrestling with the call of God on their lives regarding ministry…As I interacted with them personally about these questions and others, memories were stirred of my own struggles many years ago with this same matter.

New Book

Preaching with Spiritual Power: Calvin’s Understanding of Word and Spirit in Preaching by Ralph Cunnington

Kindle Deals

The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms by Gordon Wenham ($4.99)

Going Beyond the Five Points: Pursuing a More Comprehensive Reformation edited by Rob Ventura ($2.99)

Jesus the Son of God: A Christological Title Often Overlooked, Sometimes Misunderstood, and Currently Disputed by D. A. Carson ($2.99)

Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney ($4.99)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer ($1.99). A New York Times bestseller.

Video

8-year-old ballerina doesn’t let prosthetic leg hold her back
I’m not posting this for the dancing but for the insightful comments about identity which backs up what I wrote yesterday in This is how I see myself. If you’re being tempted to let your trials and troubles define you, remember these challenging words from Alissa Sizemore:

My family encouraged me to be myself, and that I was still me, with or without my leg.

This has changed my life, but it hasn’t changed me.

Today (March 21) is World Down Syndrome Day. The video below, #HowDoYouSeeMe, has been released to increase awareness of Down Syndrome and to challenge the way we view those with Down syndrome.

The video focuses on AnnaRose, “a nineteen year old from NJ. She’s a full time college student who works part-time at a physical therapy center and enjoys basketball and swimming through the Special Olympics NJ. AnnaRose, as many people with Down syndrome, only wants to realize her potential and live a meaningful, beautiful life.”

Watch it right to the end to feel the full force of the sucker punch.

What struck me on a second viewing (and you really have to watch it twice) was a repeating sentence: ”This is how I see myself.” It gets to the core question of identity, how AnnaRose defines herself, how she answers that second most important and influential question in the world, “Who am I?” (#1 being, “Who is God?”).

The more people I counsel, the more and more I see that wrong answers to this question of personal identity are at the root of most people’s problems. This video illustrates how AnnaRose’s answer to that question, “Who am I?” impacts every part of her life in a positive way. In doing so, it challenges us to change the way we view people with Down syndrome and the way we view ourselves.

How are you answering that question “Who am I?” and how is it influencing your life? For good or bad?

Blogs

Freedom from the Performance Treadmill | Counseling One Another
Ever felt like this?

“I had been finding myself constantly frustrated and, at times, depressed. I thought of myself only as a constant failure who could never measure up to my perfectionist expectations and, therefore, did not feel fully accepted by God.”

Find out which book set Paul free.

The Gospel in a Handshake | Gentle Reformation
This is a phenomenal story about the Nazi’s who were converted to Christ while on death row through the ministry of a Christian chaplain.

“Here is the wonder of Christ’s work on the cross. You can’t be too bad for forgiveness. There is grace for the worst of sinners. The damnation Sauckel, Frick, Ribbentrop, Keitel and I deserved was taken by God the Son.” 

8 Points from the American College of Pediatricians on Gender Identity in Children | TGC
Here’s an important statement which should help you navigate this treacherous issue:

“Conditioning children into believing a lifetime of chemical a nd surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse.”

17 Things You Should NEVER Say to Employees | Selma Wilson
I’d shorten this list a bit but agree with most of it:

“Your position puts you in a place to encourage, build up, develop, challenge, coach, train, and teach. It also puts you in a place that can cause others to lose heart, lose hope, give up, and to even be deeply hurt with scars that last for years or a lifetime. Be aware of the weight of your words on people.”

21 Things All Great Leaders Do | Carey Nieuwhof
Not all applicable to pastoral ministry, perhaps, but challenging nonetheless:

“Just because you have the instincts for leadership doesn’t make you a great leader. Great leadership is also about cultivating the right habits and disciplines.”

One Hundred Times as Much | Gentle Reformation
A great Helen Roseveare story to illustrate Mark 10:23-31 about leaving lands, etc., for Christ’s sake and receiving back a hundred times more.

30 Thoughts on Our 50 Days Overseas | Kevin DeYoung
Funny and perceptive commentary from Kevin DeYoung on his seven-week family trip to the UK.

New Book

A Clearing of the Mists: In Pursuit of Wisdom upon the Scottish Hills by Martin Haworth.

The mountains of Scotland have long drawn people to their rugged peaks and rolling tops. Drawn by the physical quest, the desire for solitude or for many, the deeper search for purpose and meaning in their life experience. Martin C. Haworth was drawn to wild places, searching for that connection with something pure and great. In that search, he has known the spiritual glimpses that God communicates to us through the awe-inspiring grandeur of wild places. Join him in this devotional journey through the Scottish hills.

Kindle Books

NKJV Study Bible, eBook: Full-Color Edition $2.99. Especially good on a Tablet.

Why We Pray by William Philip $4.99.

The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived by Justin Taylor and Andreas Kostenberger $3.99.

Confessions of a Depressed Christian: How a Pastor Survived Depression & How You Can Too by Jason McNaughten $0.99.

Videos

What Christians Just Don’t Get About LGBT Folk | Rosaria Butterfield
Where would so many of us be on this issue without Rosaria’s insight and counsel?

Blogs

In Praise of Administration | Jared Olivetti, Gentle Reformation
“…good structure and organization is a way to help each church member feel loved and valued. ”

4 Reasons It’s Easier Than Ever to Be an Author | Michael Hyatt
“As an aspiring author, you no longer have to wait on someone else to pick you. ( Reread that sentence again. Let it settle into your heart.)”

Openness Unhindered | Blair Smith, Reformation21
A detailed review of Rosaria Butterfield’s new book, Openness Unhindered.

A Marathon Mentality for Ministry | Nick Batzig, The Christward Collective
“Many years ago, a friend and mentor, told me, ‘Ministry is not a sprint; it’s a marathon.’ How right he was! I’ve now been in ministry for almost a decade and have seen many walk off the track after sprinting for a while.”

20 Leadership Tips in Tweet Length | Ron Edmondson
“A friend emailed me and asked for my “top 20 leadership tips”. They were doing a presentation on leadership and were asked to share 20 aspects of great leadership. The added catch – they wanted something short they could expand upon, so they suggested I share them in ‘Twitter length.’”

A Theology of Creation in 12 Points | D. A. Carson, Desiring God
“Today when Christians talk about the doctrine of creation, a lot of the discussion immediately turns to when creation took place, how it relates to claims of evolutionists, old earth, young earth, and things of that order. And certainly such questions are important, but it is not the place where the Bible itself lays the primary emphasis. Let me explain what I mean by that.”

7 Questions to Ask Before You Argue. | Scribblepreach.com
Good food for thought in a contentious political season.

What Is A Biblical Response To Stress? | Elizabeth Moyer, Institute for Faith, Work and Economics
“Apparently, I’m not alone. According to these statistics, over 70 percent of Americans regularly experience physical or psychological symptoms caused by stress. Forty-eight percent say stress negatively affects their professional and personal lives. The top physical symptom reported was fatigue, and the top psychological symptom was irritability or anger. The number one cause of stress in the US? Work. So, the vast majority of us are stressed out, tired, irritable, and overworked.”

New Book

Counseling One Another by Paul Tautges

Kindle Deals

Mormonism 101: Examining the Religion of the Latter-day Saints by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson ($2.99)

World Religions and Cults: Counterfeits of Christianity ($2.99) by Bodie Hodge and Roger Patterson

The Nuremberg Trial by Ann Tusa and John Tusa ($1.99)

Devil at My Heels: Autobiography of Louis Zamperini by Louis Zamperini with David Rensin ($1.99)

Video

Dr. Russell Moore at RTS: “Pro-Life Ministry in the Local Church” and “Adoption Ministry in the Local Church”

If you check out the KidsBibleReading.com blog you’ll find resources to help you raise your children for the Lord. Heres a sample of the latest links.

Blogs

Why I Want More Than Happiness For My Kids
Some challenging questions from Christina Fox:

The question we have to ask ourselves is, What is our ultimate goal for our children and what are we doing on a daily basis to pursue that goal? And second to that is, What are we teaching our children about pursuing that goal? They say that what you spend your time and money on reveals what is most important to you. Based on how we spend our time and money, are we teaching our children that the pursuit of happiness is their ultimate goal in life?

How Not To Teach Your Kids the Bible
John Wells gives us four things to avoid and five things to embrace when teaching our children Bible stories. Then he closes with five practical tips.

Who Says You Can’t Memorize?! Fun Ways to Learn Bible Verses
This is the only Bible memory book written for kids. Easy instructions and delightful illustrations make each technique a snap to learn. Are you a kid at heart? You will love this book too.

Reading as Parenting
Rebecca argues that “reading to our children is a fundamental aspect of parenting little people, though we rarely talk about it in the context of raising children.”

Books

Who Says You Can’t Memorize?! Fun Ways to Learn Bible Verses $11.95. You won’t agree with everything in this book but you’ll pick up many helpful tips for helping your kids to memorize.

Tiny Bear’s Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones $13.09 (Kindle $1.99). By the author of The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

How Can I Help? God’s Calling For Kids $10.99.
Gene Veith is well known for his excellent book on Christian vocation, God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. Now his daughter has taken the ideas of that book and put them into a form that children can understand. Yes, this is a book on callings for children!

Bible Explorer: God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation by Carine Mackenzie $14.99.

Over the past couple of days I’ve been privileged to be teaching a group of Reformed Baptist pastors about giving help and hope to the depressed. I was greatly encouraged by their compassion and balance as we explored the causes and cures of depression. I believe the church in general is coming much closer to the mind of Christ in ministering to depressed Christians, due to a growing understanding of the complexity of depression and the need to adopt a holistic approach to recovery.

One of the questions that arose in discussion was “What are the most common causes of depression in our own day?” From my experience of counseling in this area over many years, I’d say the three most common causes are the following.

Burnout

Many people, including many conscientious Christians, are pushing themselves beyond safe limits in the pace of their lives, the hours they work, and the responsibilities they take on. When that is combined with a neglect of sleep, exercise, good food, friendship, and a weekly sabbath, it’s no surprise that the body and mind eventually say “Enough!” The exhausted and depleted body and brain drag down thoughts,  emotions, and spirituality.

Abuse

A significant proportion of people with depression have suffered serious sexual abuse in childhood or, even more commonly, excessive discipline from an authoritarian and hyper-critical parent. Although decades may have passed, the false guilt, the self-loathing, the shame, the people-pleasing, and the sense of worthlessness can re-surface and pull people into a deep pit of depression and anxiety. This is not inevitable, of course; victims who refuse to allow their abuse to dominate their thinking or define their identity usually escape this vortex.

An Unforgiving Spirit

Although every sin depresses the spirit to some degree or another, an unforgiving spirit is by far the most damaging sin. Christians may have been forgiven by God for massive offenses; yet they can sometimes find it extremely difficult to forgive others lesser offenses. One pastor told me that he had held on to a bitter unforgiving spirit for forty years, hardening his heart and harming his relationship with his wife and congregation, though they were completely innocent parties. Only when a counselor confronted him and led him to forgive someone in his distant past, did his heart soften, his darkness lift, and his relationships improve.

There are of course other common causes of depression – the next on my list would be bereavement, post-partum stage, chronic ill-health, materialism, pornography – but burnout, abuse, and an unforgiving spirit are the top three by far.