Kindle deals for Christian readers
Lots of new deals today, including the following from New Growth Press:
- On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church by Deepak Reju—$4.99
- Show Them Jesus: Teaching the Gospel to Kids—by Jack Klumpenhower—$1.99
- Mindscape: What to Think About Instead of Worrying by Timothy Z. Witmer—99¢
- Picture Perfect: When Life Doesn’t Line Up by Amy Baker—99¢
And David C. Cook has put a pile of books by Warren Wiersbe on sale:
- The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: 1 Corinthians—Free (ends today)
- Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures—99¢
- The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: Exodus—99¢
- The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: Galatians—99¢
- The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: 1 & 2 Thessalonians—99¢
- Be Ready (1 & 2 Thessalonians): Living in Light of Christ’s Return—$1.99
- Be Free (Galatians): Exchange Legalism for True Spirituality—$1.99
- Be Delivered (Exodus): Finding Freedom by Following God—$1.99
Hope for the Unhappily Single
Marshall Segal:
Maybe it is an increasing consumerism in dating and marriage, where people are pickier because there are more choices (especially through new media, like online dating). Maybe it is the lengthening of adolescence, in which twenty-somethings less and less feel the need to grow up and take on responsibilities of starting a family, owning a home, and more. Maybe it’s the success of women in the workplace, creating more vocational opportunities for females that could delay the pursuit of a partner and family. Whatever the roots, it’s a reality. If you have single people in your church, you very likely have unhappily single people in your church — and that crowd is not getting any smaller.
The scary question for some in the waiting is, “Will I be single forever?” Would God really withhold the good gifts of love and marriage and intimacy, and children, from me?
3 Reflections on Cultivating Theological Poise
Gavin Ortlund:
If we see doctrinal fidelity as the goal of our ministries, rather than an essential and noble means for the larger goal of the knowledge and kingdom of Christ, we are probably insufficiently sensitive to the dangers of under-contextualization. We are not well poised.
Political Correctness and Plain Rudeness
David Murray:
But there’s a difference between fighting for free speech and using filthy speech. There’s a difference between telling the truth and simply insulting opponents. There’s a difference between ridiculing policies and ridiculing people. There’s a difference between breaking liberal control of politics and losing all self-control in the process. There’s a difference between highlighting bias and resenting any challenge to explain ourselves. There’s a difference between bravery and bluster. There’s a difference between being fearless and being foolish.
Why would any Christian support Donald Trump?
Trevin Wax asks a good question:
How is it possible for salt-of-the-earth, family-loving conservative Christians to be taken with a serial adulterer who won’t take back misogynistic comments and who publicly trumpets the fact that he doesn’t make mistakes that require God’s forgiveness?
Self-Care and Self-Denial
Amie Patrick:
The topic of self-care, particularly as it relates to physical and emotional health, has long confused and challenged me as a Christian. While I’ve deeply resonated with much of the common sense in the philosophy of self-care, other aspects have troubled me and seem completely incompatible with Christianity. I couldn’t agree with Scripture and at the same time agree with arguments encouraging me to pursue a self-focused, indulgent, comfort-based lifestyle. On the other hand, I heartily agreed in principle with discussions of self-care as stewardship. Still, I usually came away with more of a sense of heavy obligation than of freedom and gratitude. I often saw God as an auto mechanic pacing around, irritated and inconvenienced by my failure to get my car in for regular maintenance.
