In honor of Jerry Bridges’ life and ministry, Cruciform Press is offering Who Am I? —Identity in Christ for a significantly reduced price in all formats. You can also get the Kindle edition for $1.99.

Andy Stanley explains the ‘stinking selfish’ comment

This is a really good interview:

First of all, what were you thinking? Were your words taken out of context?

This is an example of what I meant being overshadowed, undermined, and contradicted by what I actually said. Honestly, hearing what I said within the broader context of my entire message doesn’t help. As much as I wish folks would listen to the entire message, it really doesn’t diminish the absurdity of what I said.

On a related note, you should really read Trevin’s take on this: Small vs. Big Churches: The Family Feud We All Lose

The One Ring and Pornography

Samuel James:

The corrosive effect of porn on the soul is likewise shrouded in that kind of agonizing mystery. As someone who was rescued from severe bondage to porn, I can feel the contrast in my life now versus my life then much more keenly than I can describe it. I feel emotional lightness, I suppose, and I no longer live in that withering dread of exposure that colored every human encounter. But there’s something deeper, something in the inner chambers that seems to be pointed in another direction, almost as if I’d spent my entire life in a basement and have just recently seen through a window.

How I Prepare a Sermon

Joe Thorn:

I’ve been preaching for over 20 years. Over those two decades my approach to preparation and and my preaching has changed, and I continue to work on it. Continued growth is needed in this area since it is such a major part of my calling. But my basic method at this point have been in play for a while now and enough of you have asked me to share how I prepare a sermon. So, here it is.

You can see by the title of this post that this is not the way to prepare a sermon, but a way. It is my method. If you find anything here that is helpful, take it! You can leave the rest.

You Don’t Want To Burn that Bridge…

Mark Altrogge:

Are you merciful? Is that who you are? Of all people on the face of the earth, we who believe in Jesus should be the most merciful. The quickest to forgive. The most forbearing with other’s sins against us. Why? Because we have received such incredible mercy from God ourselves. Each of us has sinned horrifically and repeatedly against the Holy One who will tolerate no sin in his presence. Yet he so loved us he sent his Son to become the lightning rod for the wrath we deserved. To have it strike him instead of us. Jesus got what we deserve and we received what we never deserved – Mercy. If we appreciate the mercy we’ve received, we should be quick to pour it out. And pour it out on those who don’t deserve it.

Courage: The Way Forward for Christians in a Complicated Culture

Aaron Earls:

That the Church will come through victoriously on the other side yet again is not in doubt—not because our strength or accomplishments, but because of Christ’s strength in our weakness and His finished work on our behalf.

The only real question is about you and I. Will we make it through unscathed? Will individual Christians maintain their faithful witness in the midst of trying times? That all depends on how we choose to respond.

2016 Ligonier National Conference

If you weren’t able to attend Ligonier’s national conference a couple weeks back, the audio and video are available to stream free.

‘Downton Abbey’ and the Weight of History

Geoffrey Reiter:

Yet Downton Abbey did not captivate our interest by being monolithically progressivist in its outlook.  Indeed, it was precisely the show’s nuance about historical complexity that has helped it endure.  Of course, we could all watch happily, even smugly, as it condemned the race, class, and gender privileges of the 1910s and ’20s.  We knew that Tom Branson and Lady Sybil belonged with each other, that Lady Edith and Lady Mary could be as competent as any son Lord Grantham might wish for, or that cousin Rose should have every right to be in a relationship with Jack or Atticus regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.  Goodness knows, we can celebrate cars and telephones (and maybe hair dryers?).