W4YW: When the Bible Gets Boring, Watching for Burnout, & How to Be a False Teacher

Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.

Video of the Week

Why Abortion Is Unjust Discrimination, Stand to Reason. The dreaded “a-word.” It’s a topic that’s quickly becoming one of the most charged issues in our society…again. In 1973, when Roe v. Wade legalized elective abortion, some might have thought the discussion would be laid to rest. But it’s never been more in the public’s eye than today. This helpful animated video gets at the heart of the pro-choice position, and offers a handy mnemonic (SLED) to remember how we can defend the “small, vulnerable, and defenseless persons who can’t stand up for themselves.”

Articles of the Week

What To Do When Bible Reading Gets Boring, David Murray. The Bible isn’t a boring book. But sooner or later, regardless of your zeal for Scripture, it’s going to feel boring. Fortunately, re-igniting that zeal isn’t terribly complicated. There are a number of ways (Murray gives us 12) to shake off the dust and see the Bible again for what it truly is—the most life-giving book there is.

Four Warning Signs You’re Approaching Burnout, Eric Geiger. Burnout is common in any job, but it plays a special role in ministry. After all, the stakes seem so high, it’s easy to overwork. The end result, however, is a crash-and-burn—not good for you or the people you lead. So be on the alert: catch the signs of burnout before it becomes an emergency.

Four Tips for Becoming a False Teacher, Tim Grant. For some, the task of wrenching the Bible out of context and teaching creative lies comes naturally. But in case you aren’t a natural heretic, Grant offers a tried and true method. Even you can be a false teacher if you follow his advice. (Hint: don’t follow his advice.)

Your Husband’s Infidelity Is Not Your Fault, Julie Roys. This goes in the growing category of, “Shouldn’t need to be said.” However, the language surrounding affairs almost always includes at least one voice hinting—or outright saying—that affairs are the result of one spouse not meeting the sexual needs of the other. And it’s usually the cheated-on wife that gets the rude accusations. Roys gets at the true heart of adultery, in an article that should be required reading for just about everyone.

On The Lighter Side

How All 50 States Got Their Names, Matt Soniak. I’m proud to say that I knew the origin of my home state (Pennsylvania, a.k.a. “William Penn’s Woods”) and my new home state (North Carolina, named for King Charles of England). See how you fare.

Wisdom For Your Weekend is presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from J.D. Greear. This is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”