Aaron Armstrong

bloggingtheologically.com

work

Links I like (4/17)

by

Links I like (2018 edition)

Podcast: On the latest episode of The Hero of the Story, Andy McLean steps in to discuss the need for gospel purity in student ministry. This was a fun (and challenging) conversation), so I hope you’ll check it out.

Seven Marks of a Workaholic

David Murray:

Workaholism is probably the most respectable sin in the Christian community, and maybe especially among pastors. In this Harvard Business Review podcast (and transcript) Nancy Rothbard, a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, “draws a distinction between workaholism and working long hours. She explains the health consequences of being addicted to your work. She also gives practical advice for managing work addiction, whether it’s you who’s suffering, your direct report, boss, peer, or partner.”

Ask Ligonier with Sinclair Ferguson: Live at 7pm ET

This will be interesting.

What Seminary Didn’t Teach Ray Ortlund

The Humble Leader

Eric Geiger:

So how can leaders recognize our drift from humility to pride?

Look for entitlement. Entitlement always rises as pride rises. It is impossible to be filled with humility and a sense of entitlement at the same time. Whenever we feel we are owed something, it is because we have forgotten that God is the One who gives all good things.

Give Us Two Years, and We’ll Change the World

JD Greear:

This month we are commissioning the 1,000th Summit Church member to go out with one of our church planting teams, many of those having been compelled by our two-year challenge. Dream about this: What would it look like if every Southern Baptist college student accepted this challenge and pursued the first two years of his or her career in conjunction with a Southern Baptist church plant? Can you imagine the catalyst this would provide for church planting? NAMB and IMB have identified cities and regions ready to host these students, retirees, and others ready to transplant their lives for the sake of gospel mobilization.

On Meetings that Should be Emails: How to Handle Time-Wasters

Joel Rainey:

ou simply cannot allow your time—possibly the most precious commodity you have to give—to be stolen by people and events that will keep you from doing what you know God has called you to do. It may seem cold, but the fact is that the world is full of time-wasters—people who will suck the life out of you, and the effectiveness out of your ministry. When you allow that to happen, everyone you serve suffers for it. Conversely, when you refuse to give in, it may seem at first like the time-waster is suffering. But in reality, maybe he or she will learn as lesson as well.

Are we both “old” and “new” at the same time?

A favorite from the archives:

It’s one of the perennial problems of the Christian life: I’m supposed to be a new person, but I don’t really feel like it. My struggles are still there. I keep sinning even when I don’t want to—am I doing something wrong?

This is a problem I’ve dealt with for pretty much my entire life as a Christian, and I don’t expect to stop having days when I go to bed thinking, “man, I really blew it today…” (Not that I want to do this, mind you; I just expect it.)

Links I like (3/06)

by

Links I like (2018 edition)

Podcast: How do we keep our focus on the gospel when reading and studying the New Testament? Brian and I discuss on the latest episode of The Hero of the Story.

3 Christian Perspectives on Time

Michael Kelley:

But for Christians, doing this means having a unique perspective on time, one informed by God’s Word. The Christian should, then, view time through the lens of Scripture and have that perspective shaped by a few key truths:

We Don’t Need To Go Back To The Early Church

Jeff Medders:

People often over-celebrate the early church in a veiled attack on the present church. “The church today is lame, too organized, not free-wheeling enough.” They look back on the early church and crave those early days. But Solomon tells us not to do such a thing. “Don’t say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).

So, you who want to go back to the early church, let me ask you a question…

Why Christian Theology Needs (Former) Atheists

John Woodbridge:

My personal “surprise” in reading the book was caused by the discovery that Lewis’s account contained experiences with which I could loosely identify. The simple reason—one for which I am not proud—is that as a young person I, too, had rejected the Christian faith. It was reassuring to learn that Lewis had experienced an unconventional journey of faith similar to the one I had experienced. Not everyone becomes a Christian by going forward at an evangelistic altar call in a church or camp. God sometimes chases people down in very surprising ways.

Academic Work as Spiritual Discipline

Russell Meek:

I’ve always loved studying; my first foray into biblical studies came when my mom bought me an introduction to the Old Testament when I was thirteen. I devoured the book and started reading any commentary I could get my hands on. At the same time, I’ve often struggled with having a consistent “quiet time.” Sometimes I’m no good at praying; sometimes I’m no good at picking up the Bible and reading through it. I’m largely distrustful of “devotional” books. Something about the genre just tends to irritate me, and I realize the fault is most likely with me. Like one of my professors once told me, “If a lot of other people find something helpful or interesting, and you don’t, the problem is probably not with all the other people.”

What Your Kids Need from You

JD Greear:

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. (Ps. 127:1–5a)

This psalm reveals our desperation in parenting, our goal in parenting, our resources in parenting, and our hope in parenting.

7 Ways to Work Hard at Rest

Gavin Ortlund:

It can be difficult to wrench yourself away from the computer when you still feel like working. But it’s healthy to have defined limits determined by objective plans more than by moment-by-moments feelings. If I go home at 5 p.m. even when I feel like I could keep working, for instance, I almost inevitably have more energy the next day. Taking Sabbath rest well requires discipline and intentionality. Again, paradoxically, rest is hard work.

Guru Jesus can’t help me

A favorite from the archives:

Last week, I was listening to a few messages by a guy who leads a great big church. Nice guy—very warm and friendly in his style. One of the things I could tell about him right away was he really cared about his hearers living better lives. By that, I don’t mean rolling into church in a shinier car and makin’ it rain when it’s time to pass the plate, but to live wisely and responsibly.

He had myths to expose, principles to explain, actions to take. He even peppered in a reference to a Bible story or two and brought things around to a verse at the end. He offered lots of good advice—sound advice that if you were to follow, really would help you live a better life, and maybe be a better person.

And rarely have I been more heartbroken than when listening to his talks.

Links I like (2/01)

by

Links I like (2018 edition)

The Proper Use and Abuse of Hypocrisy-Checking

Derek Rishmawy:

Everybody’s an inconsistent hypocrite. At least, that’s the lesson the internet is teaching us in 2018. (In case we hadn’t learned it from Scripture already.) I’m referring, of course, to the ever-present (and much commented-on) practice of hypocrisy-juking and various forms of whataboutism.

I was struck by it once again yesterday, when a number of conservative friends began to (correctly) point out the relative silence of progressive Evangelical bloggers and commentators on the failure of Congress to pass the ban on elective abortions at 20-weeks, when the child in question can obviously feel pain.

Called to the cubicle

Dan Darling:

These are questions that rattled around in my teenage brain. Fortunately, I later acquired a more robust theology of faith and work and came not only to appreciate so-called “laymen” like my father, but also to see all work, not just church work, as Christian service. But I suspect most believers, who labor every day in secular factories and offices, soldier on with a theologically deficient view of their calling. Mondays continue to be the most difficult day of the week for many because they can’t see God at work in their work.

12 Strong, ‘Toxic Masculinity,’ and click-bait triggering

Marty Duren:

Per the book’s author, the movie’s climactic scene of bravery and fierceness in the face of withering fire was fiction. Not only was it fiction, it was cobbled-together from the actions of Aghan soldiers fighting the Taliban, not American ones. Maass calls it “cinematic stolen valor.”

If that is not Hollywood perpetuating a “model of masculinity” for ticket sales, what is it?

What Expository Preaching Is Not

HB Charles:

Here are fifteen myths about expository preaching that should be exposed to help the preacher rightly understand and faithfully practice expository preaching.Expository preaching is not whatever someone calls expository preaching. There is a growing interest in expository preaching these days. This is an encouraging fact; inasmuch as biblical preaching is the first step to true revival. Many preachers claim to be expositors now, wanting to be a part of the trend. Beware, much preaching that is called expository preaching simply is not.

How to Be a Safe Space for the Same-Sex Attracted

Rachel Gilson:

Lily was crushed. She’d told just a member of her church her secret, and the member warned her that if anyone else found out, she would probably lose her position teaching the youth. What was this secret so deadly that she would be warned to hide it?

Lily is same-sex attracted.

Neither the struggle nor the terror is uncommon. How, then, do we create an environment in our churches, small groups, and families where we can even have this conversation, where Lily can share her struggle without fear?

Here are three places to start.

When Someone You Admire Does Something Disgusting

Russell Moore:

Almost every sector of culture is hit right now with revelations about long-admired people revealed to have secret, disgusting lives. Almost every one of you will face just such a revelation about someone you have admired, maybe even someone you thought was a godly Christian. By this, I do not mean seeing an admired Christian fall into sin (every Christian does). I mean the public unveiling that what you knew about the very basic character of this person was false: that he or she is a predator or a fraud. If that happens, how should you react?

A short reading list for every prospective minister

A favorite from the archives:

Yesterday I asked the folks on Twitter and Facebook to recommend two books every prospective minister should read. Obviously, the Bible should always be primary, but we would do ourselves a profound disservice to neglect the thoughtful writings of others. Two books are never going to be enough to capture everything a pastor needs to know, and so I’ve compiled the six most frequent answers into the following short reading list for every prospective minister.

%d bloggers like this: