Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

Lots of Good Things to Read Today

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Let’s talk about work and leadership for a minute….

Leadership Philosophies ~ What should be your approach to work? Read John Piper’s Lord-Focused Living at Work

Trust worksWant to build trust in your relationships?  Read the Book Review in the Leadership Library of Trust Works! Four Keys to Building Lasting Relationships by Ken Blanchard, Cynthia Olmstead and Martha Lawrence.

Leadership Book Club
WEEK FOUR
As we continue working through John Maxwell’s classic book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, this week we’ll look at the following two laws:
• The Law of Priorities
• The Law of Sacrifice

OK, enough of the work stuff, let’s talk books, movies, music, etc.!

Still Foolin Em'Book Reviews ~ If you need a good laugh, listen to Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Billy Crystal, who also reads the audiobook. Just so you know, Billy likes to use some ‘blue’ language.

Jack RyanMovie Review ~ Go see Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, rated PG-13, for some fun action-adventure.

This and That
• Respected evangelist/theologian Ravi Zacharias spoke to 3,500 at the Latter Day Saints Tabernacle in Salt Lake City on January 18. He was accompanied by music artist Fernando Ortega. Read this article to hear what he spoke about: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/57411867-80/zacharias-tabernacle-believe-god.html.csp

• The Passion 2014 Atlanta Conference was held in Atlanta January 17-18, with over 20,000 university students attending the two-day event from around the world. Students from over 1,200 universities and 33 countries attended this year’s Passion conference in Atlanta. Joining Passion founders Louie and Shelley Giglio in Atlanta was John Piper, Christine Caine, and Francis Chan. Grammy award winning artists and worship leaders Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman, led worship, along with David Crowder, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels and Hillsong United. The live album should be released in early March. Read more here: http://www.christianpost.com/news/over-20000-students-attend-passion-2014-conference-in-atlanta-112930/

• John Piper recently spoke for the eighteenth time at the Passion conference. Desiring God has collected four of Piper’s pivotal messages from the Passion conferences, including “Boasting Only in the Cross” and three others — into a new free ebook. Read about how to download at An All-Consuming Passion for Jesus: Appeals to the Rising Generation.

• I enjoyed this article titled “100,000 Hours: Eight Aims for Your Work by Marshall Segall posted on the Desiring God site. Read it here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/100-000-hours-eight-aims-for-your-career

• The eChristian.com Store recently announced that it was closing. Read more here: http://echristian.com/store-closing?utm_source=HomePage&utm_medium=InternalBanner&utm_content=&utm_campaign=StoreClosing

• My favorite blogger is Tim Challies. He also posts interesting articles and the best Kindle deals of the day. Sign up for his blog at www.challies.com.

• Dr. Steven Lawson, a Ligonier Teaching Fellow, was recently interviewed and asked to give an impromptu gospel presentation. Check it out here: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/steven-lawson-impromptu-gospel-presentation/

• The latest addition to WORLD News Group’s Saturday lineup is Listening In, an exciting new radio program hosted by Warren Cole Smith and featuring newsmakers and thought leaders. “It is unlike anything on Christian radio,” Smith said. “It’s more like NPR’s Fresh Air or public television’s Charlie Rose, but without those programs’ liberal bias.” Warren’s first guest is Molly Worthen, author of Apostles of Reason, a history of American evangelicalism just published by Oxford University Press. Listen to streaming audio of the debut airing of Listening In.

• Eric Metaxas recently announced that the video of his interview of Malcolm Gladwell at Socrates in the City is now up for viewing. Check it out here: http://vimeo.com/83371650

• The ESV bible (some of us would call it the Extra Special Version); recently sold its one millionth copy. Read the article here: http://www.crossway.org/press-room/2014/01/one-million-copies-of-the-esv-study-bible/?utm_source=ESV+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d3a4927ea8-

• Dan Brown’s Inferno was the top selling book of 2013. Check out more at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/01/15/usa-today-best-selling-books-of-2013/4451561/

• The Academy Awards nominations were announced on January 16. Read the article below to see who was nominated and who was snubbed: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/01/16/oscar-nominations-2014/4505577/

• As awards season continues, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards presentation was held on January 18. Read about the winners here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/01/18/sag-awards-2014-the-winners/4638499/

• Actor Kirk Cameron recently announced his new movie, Mercy Rule. It’s his first non-documentary movie since 2008’s Fireproof and will also star comedian Tim Hawkins. The film is about family, faith and baseball. Sounds like a winner to me. Read more here: http://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/kirk-camerons-secret-movie.html?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Movieguide%C2%AE%20Newsletter&utm_content

Lemonade• Longtime favorite, the very talented Charlie Peacock, recently released a piano improvisations album, Lemonade. It debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz chart. Congratulations Charlie!

• Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will be among the performers at the Grammy Awards on January 26. Read more here: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/paul-mccartney-ringo-starr-perform-grammy-awards-article-1.1579220

• The Eagles re-opened the renovated “Fabulous Forum” in Los Angeles January 15. Wish you were there? http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5876510/the-eagles-reopen-the-forum-in-la-with-a-nostalgic-night-of-hits?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=daily_digest&utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest

• Some U2 news to report:
• There’s been some buzz about a new song called ‘Invisible’, a track the band will be releasing as part of an initiative with RED, to support the fight against AIDS. The band has been shooting the video for the song in L.A.
• At the 71st Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, the band took home the award for ‘Best Original Song’ for ‘Ordinary Love’. All four band members accepted the award, for the song they wrote for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
• Speaking of “Ordinary Love”, the band recently released a new video for the song. You can view it here: http://www.u2.com/news/title/ordinary-love-new-video

• Here’s a lighthearted look at some popular Bible translations compliments of http://adam4d.com/translations/
2014-01-10-translations1

Author: Bill Pence

I’m Bill Pence – married to my best friend Tammy, a graduate of Covenant Seminary, St. Louis Cardinals fan, formerly a manager at a Fortune 50 organization, and in leadership at my local church. I am a life-long learner and have a passion to help people develop, and to use their strengths to their fullest potential. I am an INTJ on Myers-Briggs, 3 on the Enneagram, my top five Strengthsfinder themes are: Belief, Responsibility, Learner, Harmony, and Achiever, and my two StandOut strength roles are Creator and Equalizer. My favorite book is the Bible, with Romans my favorite book of the Bible, and Colossians 3:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 being my favorite verses. Some of my other favorite books are The Holiness of God and Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul, and Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. I enjoy music in a variety of genres, including modern hymns, Christian hip-hop and classic rock. My book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace and Tammy’s book Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold are available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon. amazon.com/author/billpence amazon.com/author/tammypence

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