Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Video of the Week
The History of Saint Patrick, Jeremiah Warren. A day late, perhaps, but none the worse for all that. If you were wondering yesterday who St. Patrick actually was, this little video will help you out. For example, Patrick wasn’t his original name! Would “St. Maewyn’s Day” have caught on, I wonder? Also, don’t miss this slightly less historical (but amusing) account of Patrick’s theology.
Articles of the Week
Should Conservative Evangelicals Consider a Third-Party Candidate? Bruce Ashford. If you’re weary of politics, we understand. But this is actually a breath of fresh air in the midst of what has become an increasingly spiteful and childish public discourse on politics. You may disagree with Ashford (one of our Summit elders) and his conclusions, but he makes some solid points about the way that Christians should challenge the current political climate. You can probably expect a lot more of this question in the weeks and months to come, too. (And be sure to check out our recent panel on how our faith informs politics: Gospel and Politics.)
7 Lies You’ve Been Telling Yourself About Church, Kristen Wetherell. Channeling author Josh Moody (and his book How Church Can Change Your Life), Wetherell goes after some of the most common ways that we dismiss the local gathering of believers. She might step on your toes with a few of these, but that’s a good thing. Learn these lies, and look for them in your own heart.
10 Marks of an Immature Believer, Mike Leake. Channeling his inner Jeff Foxworthy (and summarizing Christopher Love’s Grace: The Truth, Growth, and Different Degrees), Leake gives us a, “You Might Be an Immature Believer…” top ten. Try to read this list without being defensive. And if the arrows hit home, Leake has some encouragement for you, too.
7 Things to Do After You Look at Pornography, Paul Maxwell. Most of us are aware that the act of looking at pornography is sinful. But the battle against sin continues well after the lustful looks. In fact, the immediate moments after indulging in sexual sin might be the most important of all. They can be an opportunity for the Enemy to sure up his victory, or an opportunity to let grace begin to heal you. These are 7 tangible ways to choose grace.
On The Lighter Side
11 Christian Book Covers You Can’t Unsee, Relevant. It’s rather sad that some of these books are out of print. Certainly you would know someone who could benefit from A Potato Who Wasn’t A Christian, or at least, Does God Ever Speak Through Cats? The cat one is actually available on Kindle, and has 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Though the winner has to be, Anybody Can Be Cool…But Awesome Takes Practice. (As a freebie for you, give a quick read through the Amazon reviews for Anybody Can Be Cool. Parody at its finest.)
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.”
