Check out

December 5, 2011 David Murray 2 comments

Ministry
How should a pastor spend his Lord’s Day while on vacation
100% agree with Brian Croft on this one, especially #3.

Why we need more “Chaplains” and fewer “Leaders”
Mark Galli distinguishes between five types of pastoral style and calls for more “Chaplain pastors.” I’ll put my Amen to that as well.

Hugh Latimer, Preacher of God’s Word
Here’s Jeremy Walker’s fine address (pdf) on Hugh Latimer. It was delivered at the Evangelical Library in London. You’ll find a good store of other addresses in the Articles and Lectures tab as well.

Education
Why sitting down is killing you [infographic]
Am I glad I’ve started using a stand-up desk. In the next few days I’ll show you how to make one for under $50.

The Future of Learning

Children’s Bible Reading Plan (57)

December 3, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

This week’s morning and evening reading plan in Word and pdf.

This week’s single reading plan for morning or evening in Word and pdf.

The first 12 months of the children’s Morning and Evening Bible reading plan in Word and pdf.

The first 6 months of the Morning or Evening Bible reading plan in pdf.

And here’s an explanation of the plan.

Chris Larson Leadership Lectures

December 2, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

Last Spring, the students and staff at PRTS were hugely blessed by the visit of Ligonier’s Chris Larson who gave three excellent lectures on leadership. Here’s the first, and I’ll post the other two next week.

As many of you will know, Chris was recently appointed President of Ligonier Ministries, giving great joy to Ligonier’s many supporters and students in the confidence that RC Sproul’s wonderful teaching legacy will be maintained and developed in good and godly hands.

Leadership Gleanings, Part 1 from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

Check out (12/2)

December 2, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

Temptation
David Millar relives doping battle
Lots of lessons about temptation in this BBC video about Tour de France cyclist David Millar’s seduction by doping drugs and his battle to recover and rebuild his life.

7 ways the devil tries to destroy a church

Education
Why Google is the most important learning tool ever invented
Probably not great news for lecturers.

How to use Evernote
Michael Hyatt provides links to all his Evernote guides. This is a great software tool for students, teachers, and in fact for anyone who wants to get the paper in their life under control. It’s basically a free filing cabinet that is much more accessible, searchable and usable than any physical filing cabinet. I pay $45 a year for the premium service and consider it money very well-spent.

Counseling
Is gluten making you depressed?
Further evidence of the link between some depressions and diet.

Two examples of heart-searching homework
Probing questions from Paul Tautges on helping people to move from fruit to root.

Technology
Balance your media diet [infographic] Want to know how your nine hours a day in front of a screen is divided up?

Avoid these time-wasting Tweets
Is that an oxymoron?

Diligence + Time = Excellence

December 1, 2011 David Murray 6 comments

I was listening to Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership podcast yesterday, when he said something that struck me as profoundly true:

Diligence is excellence over time.

Or to put it mathematically: Diligence + time = Excellence.

Some might take that as a discouragement. You mean no quick fixes? No shortcuts? No magic formula? No silver bullet?

That’s right.

However, I think it’s actually a huge encouragement and motivation to faithful and consistent daily living in our callings.

And it looks like God wants me to hear that message because today I also came across Seth Godin’s post, Preparing for the breakthrough:

Products and services succeed one person at a time, as the word slowly spreads….Doors open, sure, but not all at once. One at a time.

One at a time is a little anticlimactic and difficult to get in a froth over, but one at a time is how we win and how we lose.

In a world that falsely promises instant results, “one at a time” is such a needed message. Pastors and church planters need to hear it. Parents and teachers need to hear it. Businesses need to hear it.

I need to hear it.

One sermon at a time. One lecture at a time. One blog at a time. One video at a time. One soul at a time.

Diligence. Diligence. Diligence.

And maybe one day…excellence.

Check out (12/1)

December 1, 2011 David Murray 2 comments

Counseling
Meeting with someone who harmed you
Phil Monroe proposes a number of questions to ask before meeting with someone who has harmed us.

Out of the darkness
I often advise people who want to know what depression is like to read Broken Minds. I’m now going to add this gut-wrenching yet heart-warming New York Times article. (HT: Challies)

Cyber Monday all week long
Cyber Monday continues over at Bob Kellemen’s blog where you can get some good deals on his great books.

Education
How to stay focused (without extra caffeine)
With semesters coming to their peak (trough?) Scott Young has some great advice for poor students everywhere.

Preaching
How Decker made me different
Some good tips for preachers in this fascinating insight into Nancy Duarte’s day of public speaking training at Decker. Would you try preaching with post-it notes?

Quote unquote
Adrian Reynolds argues that as a rule pastors should not use quotes in their sermons. Although overstating his case a bit, he makes some good points.

Tearjerker alert
Former Lab Beagles see the sun for the first time
I must confess that I’ve never given this issue much thought, but this is certainly a thought-provoking video. Time reports that it “shows male beagles that were rescued from a lab in Spain seeing sunlight and stepping on grass for the first time.”