Blogs
Delighting in Deacons | William Boekestein, The Christward Collective
“Healthy churches and healthy believers treasure deacons as invaluable servants of God, Christ’s official ministers of mercy. They help exposit the kindness of God, strengthen the communion of the saints, and preserve the fiscal integrity of the church. It is important for us to retain or, if need be, recover a biblical view of the office of deacon.”
Veggie Tales, Moralism, and Modern Preaching | Michael J. Kruger, Canon Fodder
RTS Seminary President Michael Kruger comes to the defense of Veggie Tales.
19 Steps to Finishing Strong | Todd Gaddis, LifeWay Pastors
“After nearly twenty-seven years as a senior pastor, at 58, I’m about to take on what I hope will be my fourth and final church. By the grace of God I’ve made it this far and with His help I plan to finish strong. Based on street smarts, accumulated wisdom, and the Spirit’s guidance, here are nineteen matters I will give special attention to as I head into the home stretch.”
Five Reasons Why Pastors Are Getting Fired Because of Their Social Media Posts | ThomRainer.com
“With greater frequency, more pastors and church staff are losing their jobs because of what they post, particularly on Facebook and Twitter and, to some extent, their blogs…So what are pastors posting on social media that is raising the ire of church members? It typically falls into one or more of these five categories.”
What I’m Learning After Losing My Daughter to Drugs | Jon Cyrus, TGC
“My dark journey began with a phone call. The voice was calm but the words hit like an avalanche, throwing me into a state of shock and despair. My oldest daughter was dead. Her five-year struggle with drug addiction, one that had robbed her of so much, had taken her life. The news took my breath away.”
What Trump Understands About Using Social Media to Drive Attention | Harvard Business Review
Doubt we want to use President Trump as a model for our use of social media but here’s a fascinating article on why he is so effective.
To the Nines! Nine Reflections on Pastoral Ministry | Nathan Eshelman, Gentle Reformation
“In honor of entering my ninth year, allow me to share nine areas of reflection on pastoral ministry that I have meditated upon:”
Visual Theology: The Tabernacle | Tim Challies
“This new Visual Theology print gives a layout of the tabernacle to scale and includes each piece of furniture the Lord had commanded the Israelites to build. Each piece of the tabernacle also includes its respective instructions from Exodus.”
What Is a False Teacher? | Daniel J. Phillips, PJ Media
“The Colossians had a sound beginning, learning the saving good news of Christ from Paul’s associate Epaphras (Col. 1:7). They had made a healthy start (Col. 1:4-6, 8). But now a personable, dynamic individual had come with a strange mix-and-match set of doctrines. Like modern charismatics, he made much of his own experiences (2:18). He posed a real danger to these young believers (2:4, 8).”
Kindle Deals
Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp ($3.99)
Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do by Paul David Tripp ($3.99)
Preaching for God’s Glory by Alistair Begg ($2.99)
The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau ($1.99). This is a great book for young people wanting to start their own businesses.
Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill by Sonia Purnell ($1.99). Almost as fascinating as Winston.
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington ($1.99). You won;t agree with everything in this one, but her chapters on sleep are superb.
Video
Mike Rowe: You’ve got to make work cool again
I wish every Principal and Teacher in the country would embrace this view of work.