Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading around the web.
Video of the Week
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis Doodle. This is one of many video “doodles” dramatizing C.S. Lewis’s work. The artistry is fascinating in its detail and really brings Lewis’s thoughts to life. (Be warned: these are highly addictive—especially for Lewis aficionados.)
Articles of the Week
Five Principles to Help You Pray, Stephen Miller. “I have personally struggled over the years with what to say and how to say it when I pray. I’m in good company. Even the apostles asked Jesus to teach them to pray. And with kind, compassionate patience in his voice, he taught them to pray simply, humbly, confidently, according to God’s word, and for God’s glory. You could sum up Jesus’s teaching into a few guiding principles.”
Why I Wrote, Right Color/Wrong Culture, Bryan Loritts. Pastor J.D. and I recently had the honor of reviewing Loritts’ newest book, a “leadership fable” all about ethnic and cultural diversity. (You can read that review here.) It’s a solid—and, thankfully, enjoyable—read about an absolutely vital topic for today’s church leaders. Here Loritts reflects a bit on the motivation behind the book.
Top Ten Sermon Introduction Mistakes, Eric McKiddie. “Everything in life has an introduction. Buildings have lobbies and homes have foyers. Movies have initial scenes that acquaint us with the characters and plot. Books have forwards, prefaces, and an introductory chapter. Songs have four or eight measures of music before the lyrics kick in. When you propose to your girlfriend, you get down on your knee. Sermons are no different.”
The Epidemic of Male Body Hatred, Paul Maxwell. Body image is a constant point of discussion among women. (And rightly so: we’ve got a lot of work in front of us if we want to value women holistically as people created in God’s image—not physical specimens to critique.) But a huge percentage of men also look at their bodies with disgust, disappointment, and antipathy. Maxwell identifies why we men hate the way we look, and offers a gospel response.
On The Lighter Side
Anatomy of Films, John Atkinson. Finally, a worthy sequel to “anatomy of songs!”
