Wisdom for Your Weekend is your regular installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from Pastor J.D., 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.”
Articles of the Week
Why We Sing with the Lights On, Ronni Kurtz. Most people haven’t given much thought to the decisions that church leaders make when it comes to the weekend worship music. They may find the music too loud or wish that their church sang more hymns or wonder why the key is always so difficult for them—but they rarely dive into it much further. Kurtz’s volley offers a convictional (and often contrary) voice to this discussion, making the case for a softer, less polished, and more awkward worship experience.
Should Christians Cremate Their Loved Ones? John Piper. Perhaps you’ve never asked yourself the question. Or perhaps you’ve gotten into a conversation about this very issue and been surprised at the level of passion it ignited. The gospel affects everything that we do, including the way that we handle death—at least, it should. As Piper points out, “Fewer people test the practice [of cremation] with biblical criteria, and more people want the cheapest solution.” If you want to know why the Bible discourages cremation (and why it matters), read on.
Texting and Driving Is Not Loving Your Neighbor. It Could Kill Them. Kevin Halloran. At the risk of sounding like the old man I (Chris) desire to be, the texting/driving phenomenon really is staggeringly fatal. Studies have shown that the distraction of using your smartphone while you drive is worse than alcohol use. You are four times more likely to crash if you use your phone while you drive. And, you know, it’s illegal. Here’s the thing: Most of us know all of this, but we do it anyway. Perhaps the way forward is to think less about the statistics and the laws and more about loving our neighbors. (For the best reflections on this trend—from a Christian perspective—chapter 2 of Tony Reinke’s 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You is phenomenal.)
Four Stages of “Evangelical” Affirmation of Gay Marriage, Denny Burk. This seems to rather succinctly summarize the pattern. It’s worth noting that evangelicals may move along this spectrum without guaranteeing they end up at stage 4. But if they are to go from 1 to 4, this is how they do it. Also, it seems likely that Burk’s four stages can apply to any area of orthodoxy that is currently under attack from the broader culture.
Semper Reformanda
In case you weren’t already aware, this year marks the 500th year anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous “95 Theses,” the document that sparked the powder keg of the Reformation. With the Reformation on our minds, we thought it timely to bring you a bevy of resources based on John Bunyan’s classic book, The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is no exaggeration to say that Pilgrim’s Progress has probably been the most influential Christian book ever written in the English language.
- The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Guided Tour, Derek Thomas. This 19-episode Amazon Prime series walks through the major themes of Pilgrim’s Progress and ties them to the themes of the Reformation.
- Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress, Oliver Hunkin. This abridged and illustrated version is a great starting point for families who want to dive into Pilgrim’s Progress. Pastor J.D. has read through it with his kids several times.
- Pilgrim’s Progress, Kingstone Comics. This graphic novel (i.e. comic book) re-telling of Pilgrim’s Progress is aimed at teens. But we won’t tell if you just get it for yourself.
On the Lighter Side
We don’t get out to watch a lot of movies. But this is easily the most impressive intro to a film in years.
