Posts Tagged ‘Well Said’

  1. Well Said…

    Posted on March 1st, 2013 by Jonathan Lenning

    1. The Most Offensive Verse in the Bible by Dan Phillips:  When it comes to issues that cause huge uproars from secular society today, believers are frequently placed “on the stand” for questioning. With a heavy heart, and often a heavy sigh, Christians will often begin by defending the reason they hold X belief or plead for the liberty to believe X without being the subject of hatred, revilement, slander, and mockery. But maybe we should think about a different response. Maybe the most offensive thing we believe deserves the most discussion. And maybe, by God’s grace, this will do more good…

    2. In Between by Ray Ortlund:  ”In between the giving and the fulfilling of God’s promises, the waiting can be hard.” How do we endure? In this brief post, Ortlund encourages us with the biblical truth of God’s presence. “There is nothing greater in all this world.”

    3. Not by Might, So It Just Might Work by Kevin DeYoung:  We often struggle to tell people about the good news of Jesus. DeYoung suggests that “one of the main reasons we struggle to tell people about Jesus is that deep down we just don’t think it will ever work.” He goes on to explain that our lack of might is just the reason it does work.

  2. Well Said…

    Posted on February 23rd, 2013 by Cory Varden

    Here’s a delayed recap of some insightful articles from the week past.

    1. Preaching that Cuts to the Heart by Tim Keller: I think it may be possible to say that every sermon should have three aspects or purposes. First, you need to preach the text in its scriptural context; second, you need to preach Christ and the gospel every time; and finally, you need to preach to the heart.

    2. Keep Calm and Carry On by Carl Trueman: The culture is transforming as I write, but not , it seems to me, in ways conducive to religious freedom in general or Christianity in particular.

    3. Do You Still Want to Be Like Mike by Matt Smethurst: It turns out the voracious drive that turned a shy North Carolina youngster into a household name comes with a price tag. And as the flicker of immortality fades, Jordan stares in the mirror, wondering where to turn.

    4. 7 Things Pastors Should Teach Those in the Marketplace by Lukas Naugle: The marketplace, the everyday world of trade and economic activity, is where most people spend the majority of their days. In modern history, the marketplace has played an unparalleled role in shaping our world.

  3. Well Said…

    Posted on February 15th, 2013 by Cory Varden

    Here’s a recap of some articles and posts from this past week that we felt were worth recommending. Enjoy!

    1. Top Ten Reasons our Kids Leave Church: We all know them, the kids who were raised in church. They were stars of the youth group. They maybe even sang in the praise band or led worship. And then… they graduate from High School and they leave church. What happened?

    2. A Christian Guide to Love from Mark Driscoll: There are a few verses in the Bible that both Christians and non-Christians lean on when conversation takes a turn for the religious. “Do not judge” and “love your neighbor” are two of the most popular, but right up near the top is 1 John 4:8: “God is love.”

    3. Four Self-Refuting Statements Heard on College Campuses Across America from Stand to Reason: As I train university aged Christians around the country and listen carefully to their common college experiences, I’ve started to collect some of the more popular self-refuting statements uttered by college professors. Here are the top four:

    4. How Could God Command Genocide in the Old Testament? from Justin Taylor: This is a good, hard question. The way we answer it will both reflect and inform our understanding of justice and mercy.

  4. Well Said…

    Posted on January 11th, 2013 by Cory Varden

    It appears praying is the utmost controversial of issues these days.  Though even the hosts of some of the most secular TV shows around can tell someone, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to you”, it’s still a particularly hot button topic.  Or as we’ve seen recently, the controversy can revolve more around the individual performing the act and what that individual believes, than the actual act in and of itself.  Here are three insightful articles centered on our shifting culturing tide, particularly as it relates to this topic.

    1. Louie Giglio and the New State Church – We don’t have a natural right to pray at anyone’s inauguration. But when one is pressured out from a previous invitation because he is too “toxic” for simply mentioning once something universal in the Christian faith, we ought to see what we’re looking at: a state church…

    2. The Giglio Imbroglio – The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment…

    3. Pastor Disinvited – If you do not affirm homosexuality then you cannot be fair-minded. Affirmation of homosexual behavior is now a litmus test for President Obama and his political party…

  5. Well Said…

    Posted on January 5th, 2013 by Jonathan Lenning

    This month marks the 40-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case in which the decision to have an abortion was deemed a woman’s right.  Here are a few relevant selections that relate to the abortion debate today.

    1. Is The Pro-Life Cause Winning?:  Roe v. Wade dealt a huge blow to the cause of the unborn.  Despite the tremendous victory Roe was for pro-choicers, Time magazine’s cover story claims that “they’ve been losing ever sense.”  Russ Moore points out some critical nuances in the abortion issue today that may make you say with him, “Not so fast.”

    2. Trying Times Ahead For Hobby Lobby:  … and not just for Hobby Lobby.  All companies that do not wish to comply with Obamacare’s abortion mandate will have what’s sure to be a rough road ahead.  Denny Burk also points to this video clip in which the Green family, (owners and executives of Hobby Lobby) explain how their Christian values affect the way they run their business.  ”This is the kind of business that we need more of in this country, not less.”

    3.  “When Do You Believe Life Begins?”:  Back when political campaigns were in full swing, Trevin Wax submitted “10 Questions a Pro-Choice Candidate Is Never Asked by the Media.”  This question was among them.  As we consider the conversation about this issue today, let’s remember that a lot of the public perception regarding abortion has to do with how the questions are framed. Maybe we ought to press the heart of the matter by asking some of these necessary and penetrating questions.

  6. Well Said…

    Posted on December 28th, 2012 by Cory Varden

    This time of year there are several people who graciously put together certain best-of lists that tend to give an insightful look back on the year that is now behind us.  It seems appropriate to highlight some of those lists in this week’s Well Said.  So here’s the Top Ten of 2012 version of Well Said for your reading pleasure…

    1. Collin Hansen’s Top 10 Theology Stories

    2. Tim Challies’ Top 10 Articles

    3. Denny Burk’s Top 10 Media Stories

    4. Trevin Wax’ Top 10 Blog Posts

    5. Kevin Deyoung’s Top 10 Books

    6. TGC’s Top 10 Articles

  7. Well Said…

    Posted on December 21st, 2012 by Cory Varden

    1. Do You Believe in Santa Christ: In Dr. Sinclair Ferguson’s book, In Christ Alone, he shares the sad reality that many Christians have a Christology that is more informed by Santa Claus than Scripture. Here’s an intriguing article from Ligionier unpacking this concept.

    2. Let’s Rethink Our Holly Jolly Christmas Songs: Simeon the prophet never wished anyone a “holly-jolly Christmas” or envisioned anything about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. According to Russ Moore we ought to make sure that what we sing measures up with the “narrative tension” of the Christmas story.

    3. 5 Ways to Play With Your Kids This Christmas: During the holiday season, we’re tempted to spend too much time on our iPhones, on the computer, or watching television. Following our example, our kids isolate themselves too. We’re together physically, but no one is having fun. No wonder by New Year’s everyone is ready to get back into the normal routine.

  8. Well Said…

    Posted on November 16th, 2012 by David Burnette

    1. Piper on Prayer: Does talk of regular, disciplined prayer bring to your mind, well, legalism? If so, pastor John Piper says your thinking about such matters may be immature. No one calls a scuba diver’s oxygen tank prudish.

    2. Women and the Word: There’s a danger for women, or for any specific group of Christians (men, leaders, or those who tend to focus on one particular issue), that they will unintentionally distort the message of Scripture. This distortion can happen when we fail to consider Scripture in light of its own presentation and in the context of the whole counsel of God. A good word from Kathleen Nielson.

    3. Is It “Unspiritual” to Feel Sad a Lot?: Some people are, by nature it seems, more prone to be sad as they reflect on life. Is this a temperament issue? Is it a lack of faith? Biblical counselor David Powlison addresses these and some related issues in this 5-part series. Whether or not you tend to be an Eeyore, this is worth your time.

  9. My Heart is Stone, Melt it With Thy Love

    Posted on November 13th, 2012 by David Burnette

    Gracious God,

    My heart praises thee for the wonder of they love in Jesus;

    He is heaven’s darling, but is for me the incarnate, despised, rejected, crucified sin-bearer;

    In him thy grace has almost out-graced itself,

    In him thy love to rebels has reached its height;

    O to love thee with a love like this!

    My heart is stone, melt it with thy love,

    My heart is locked, let thy love be the master key to open it;

    O Father, I adore thee for thy great love,

    O Jesus, I bless thee for resigning thy life for me,

    O Holy Spirit, I thank thee for revealing to me this mystery.

    — taken from “Love Shed Abroad,” 252,  The Valley of Vision

  10. Well Said…

    Posted on November 9th, 2012 by David Burnette

    1. Not Many Noble: Ever wonder why it seems that so few Christians are “successful” in the world’s eyes? Ray Ortlund points to a brief but helpful quote to answer this question.

    2. An Election Two-fer: How should Christians think about this past election? Both Al Mohler and Denny Burk offer a wise, biblical perspective on the recent re-election of President Barack Obama.