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.”
Video of the Week
The Important #MeToo Movement and Our Descent into Tribalism, Ben Sasse. On Wednesday evening, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse delivered an 18-minute speech to the Senate. This is the most compassionate, wise, and prophetic perspective on this week’s hearings that we have come across. Senator Sasse shines a light on the horror of sexual assault, scolds his political peers for pouring fuel on the fire of tribalism, and highlights our toxic obsession with the entire circus. Justin Taylor helpfully provides the full transcript of the speech here, and as Taylor points out, every line of this speech is worth noting.
Articles of the Week
How Do Christians Fit into the Two-Party System? They Don’t. Tim Keller. The Christian faith has implications in every sphere of life, including politics. But that doesn’t mean that Christians should fit neatly into the political contours of our present age. In fact, as Keller argues here, true Christianity should bear fruit that makes us politically bizarre. (This promises to be one of those articles to return to again and again and again.)
Is Social Justice a Gospel Issue? Kevin DeYoung. Speaking of social issues, DeYoung weighs in on a discussion that has been dominating certain corners of the Christian internet: Is social justice a gospel issue? The answer largely depends on how you define your terms. You don’t have to agree with all of DeYoung’s definitions to agree with his overall premise: “We must be quicker to define our terms than to define our opponents.” Yes, indeed.
Six Things Your Church May Be Doing Illegally, Aaron Wilson. Too many of us in the ministry world know about these land mines because we’ve stepped on them in the past. (We’re looking at you, #2 and #3.) Smart people learn from their own mistakes; wise people learn from the mistakes of others. Be wise, my friends.
What You Should Know About Women and Pornography, Mikayla Simpson. Pornography is an epidemic among young men in our society, and the effects are both widespread and horrendous. Less is said about pornography use among women. Some may assume that this is because women don’t look at porn. Tragically, that’s not the case. Statistics show dramatic increases in porn use among young women, and unless the church speaks to this issue, countless women will be struggling in isolation.
On the Lighter Side
The Biggest “Baby Shark” Ever, James Corden, Sophie Turner, and Josh Groban. Once in a lifetime, a song comes along that defines a generation. “Baby Shark” is that song.
