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 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.” While we do not always agree with everything these authors post, we share these resources because we find them challenging and enriching. As we often say around the Summit, when it comes to reading, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.”
Church Resource of the Week
How Can I Find a Good Counselor Where I Live? Brad Hambrick. “I often get asked the question, ‘Do you know a good counselor in [name of city]?’ This post summarizes the guidance I give when the answer to their question is, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know someone I can personally recommend there.’”
Articles of the Week
Five Things Christians Should Do After the Election, Joe Carter. Some of these are pretty cut and dry (See item #1, which jumps at us right out of the Bible). Others are wise applications in light of our contentious political environment (See item #2 … and follow it, too). Others still are pragmatic reminders that political engagement involves more than voting (See item #4). But my favorite pieces of advice are items #3 and #5, which are as refreshing as they are surprising.
How to Run a Good Meeting—And Why It Matters More Than You Think, Michael Kruger. I’ve probably led 1,000 meetings in my life. (Maybe it’s closer to 200. But then again, maybe it’s closer to 3,000. Numbers are hard.) But no one has ever taught me how to run a meeting. My bet is you haven’t, either. Neither have your supervisors. So let’s remedy this, shall we?
Four Reasons Every Pastor (and Person, Really) Needs Silence, Brian Croft. For nearly all of us, it takes no discipline at all to seek out distraction and noise. Silence, on the other hand, takes intentionality. But most of us would rather avoid it. Why is that, exactly? And what might we be missing?
In Praise of Forbearance, Marilyn McEntyre. It’s time to dust off a virtue we’ve forgotten, because we need it more than ever. But forbearance—that strange blend of humility, patience, and hope—is not truly possible absent the gospel. Apart from Christ, we can only bear with one another for so long. (“How many times, Lord? Seven times?”) But in the church, we have a unity that runs deeper than affinity. We are united as recipients of grace, and so we live ready to extend grace, too.
On the Lighter Side
What Would Happen If Every Human Suddenly Disappeared? Dan Kwartler. As you might imagine, not good things. But do you know what not bad things would happen first? Feel free to nerd out on this one. Bonus points if you can weave this into your next conversation.
