Your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Video of the Week
Thriving Churches in a Hostile Culture, The Gospel Coalition (with Tim Keller, Don Carson, & John Piper). Is it possible for the church to not merely survive, but to thrive in the midst of a hostile culture? This has always been a relevant question in the persecuted world, but more and more American Christians are beginning to ask the question. The conversation here offers an answer that avoids both panicked pessimism and triumphalistic optimism.
Articles of the Week
The Church Is Not a Sanctuary: Reflections on Charleston, Peter Beck. “This week was no different than the Wednesdays before it. Our Charleston church gathered together. We spent 30 minutes in prayer worshiping God and making supplication for those in need. . . . Fifteen miles away, another church gathered for the same purpose. Their meeting, however, didn’t end the same way. After nearly an hour in prayer, shots rang out as a visitor assassinated eight members and the beloved pastor of Emanuel AME Church. They’d gone to church to find peace in a turbulent time and they entered their eternal peace instead.”
Ten Roles Dads Play with Their Kids, Danny Akin. You’ve been put on notice: this Sunday is Father’s Day. So get your snazzy ties, comfy socks, or personalized coffee mugs before it’s too late! And for all the dads out there, listen to what Akin has to say: you can no longer plead ignorance about your role in the life of your children.
Elisabeth Elliot Passes Through Gates of Splendor, Kate Shellnutt. Elisabeth Elliot stands as one of the most influential Christians of the past century, no mean feat considering the trials she had to endure. Her husband Jim was made famous for his martyrdom in Ecuador, but Elisabeth picked up right where he left off, taking the gospel back to the very people who murdered her husband. The church has lost a dear saint.
Stop Using Superlatives So Much Already, Mark Jones. This seems to be a human malady, particularly afflicting 21st century Americans. But Christians are just as susceptible to inflating their language as everyone else. The new book is described as “the definitive work” on marriage, or the “most important book you’ll own outside of the Bible.” Hyperbole has a place, of course, but we could use a dash of temperance, now more than ever (see what I did there?).
On The Lighter Side
A Better Kind of “Selfie Stick.” “Now there’s a way to get the perfect picture without looking like a narcissistic loner. Take pictures confidently and comfortably, knowing that you don’t look like the world’s saddest wizard.” Sounds like a handy new invention. I should get a few of these.
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.”
