Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview


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FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

  • Principles for Leading an Effective Meeting. Dan Doriani writes “To manage meetings well, church leaders must tend to their organizational life together. We must heed some basic principles that can help us make sound decisionswith a good spirit and in a timely
  • Working with Dan Doriani: Tom Gibbs. On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, Dan visits with Tom Gibbs, President of Covenant Theological Seminary.
  • Is Our Ambition Being Used for God? Hugh Whelchel writes “If you are struggling with contentment at work, ask yourself what is motivating you. Are you seeking worldly or godly ends? What are the means you are using to reach those ends?”

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A Leadership Succession Success Story


Maintaining a steady line of leaders is essential to the health of any organization. For example, in the organization I worked for my entire career, we had semiannual talent identification discussions about emerging leaders. Identifying and developing future leaders helped assure that the organization would have leaders ready when older leaders retired or some moved to other organizations.

The same is true for the local church. I’ve previously written about Developing Leaders in the Local Church, when it comes to identifying and developing leaders, primarily elders and deacons. What about leadership succession when it comes to replacing a senior pastor? Continue reading


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The EXILE – Crowder
****

Three years after Milk & Honey, Crowder is back with another excellent album in The EXILE. The album, which features a number of musical styles (rock, country, CCM, worship), was produced by Ben Glover and Jeff Sojka. Themes include exile, salvation, our purpose in life, growth in our Christian life, prayer, and hope. It’s one of my favorite releases of 2024 thus far.
Here’s a few comments about each song:

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  • More of this review and a review of Worthy is the Lamb by Michael W. Smith
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Servants of a Gracious King by Jon Troast

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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

A Field Guide on Gender and Sexuality by Ligonier Ministries. Ligonier Ministries. 120 pages. 2024
****

This new resource from Ligonier Ministries offers biblical answers to questions about gender, sexuality, and identity. Each answer seeks to help Christians stand firm in their convictions, navigate relationships with true compassion, and proclaim the liberating hope of the gospel. If you have been to a Ligonier Ministries conference, the book is set up similar to one of the “Question and Answer” sessions from the conference. I’ve heard some of these questions asked and answered over the past few years.
The field guide is arranged in the four main sections:

  • Being Human
  • Homosexuality and Transgenderism
  • Events and Associations
  • The Gospel and Love

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
I’M CURRENTLY READING…. Continue reading


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A Prayer for an Election Season:  To Be Kind to One Another

Our Father in Heaven,

We thank you that our country has free and safe elections. Although we often take that for granted, we know that this is so different from those who live in Russia, China and other countries around the world.
In 2024, we will again have the opportunity to vote for the candidates who best align with our beliefs and values, which are shaped by your word. The issues of the economy, crime, our southern border, and the lives of the unborn are among those most important to voters. I have friends and family members who believe very differently about these issues than I do. We may also have members of our church that believe differently on these issues than we do. Some find it difficult to maintain friendship or fellowship with those who have different political beliefs than they do. In some cases, families may have been split, friendships ended and fellowship broken.
Father, how are we to navigate these times when so many are divided over the most important issues, and taking an opposing view can lead us to think of those on the “other side” as enemies? Continue reading


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THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

  • Every Child Worships: Preparing Our Kids for Sunday Morning. Paul Tripp writes “Sunday worship makes sense only if you understand that you were made for relationship with God, that by instinct and design you are a worshiper, and that because of sin, your heart will chase after created pleasures that promise life and freedom but fail to satisfy.”

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  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

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FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

  • Moses Had Doubts About his Calling – Do You? (Part 1). Russ Gehrlein shares part one of a two-part article that will explore the long conversation Moses had with Yahweh at the burning bush.
  • Your Job is More Than a Mission Field. Jordan Raynor writes “Using our jobs to make disciples is clearly one of the ways our work matters for eternity. But it’s far from the only way.”
  • Called to Lead. My book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace is available in both a paperback and Kindle edition. Read a free sample (Introduction through Chapter 2).
  • Living Out the Lord’s Prayer at Work. Mike Sharrow writes “What would it mean for followers of Jesus in the marketplace to embrace the invitation of the Lord’s Prayer in business?”
  • Many Jobs, One Calling: Women at Work. Megan Dickerson reviews Called to Cultivate: A Gospel Vision for Women and Work by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
• More links to interesting articles
• The Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
• Faith and Work Book Review ~ Over Coffee with the Mouse: Life and Leadership Wisdom from 32 Years at Disney and Beyond by Mark Rucker
• Quotes from the book Working in the Presence of God: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Work by Denise Daniels and Shannon Vandewarker. Continue reading


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My Review of Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2 – rated PG
***

Inside Out 2 is a delightful family friendly sequel to the popular 2015 animated Pixar film Inside Out. The film was directed by Kelsey Mann and written by Mann, Dave Holstein and Oscar nominee Meg LeFauve (Inside Out).
Riley is now 13 years old, and a good ice hockey player on her middle school team. When their team wins the championship, Roberts, the high school coach invites Riley and her two friends Grace and Bree to a three-day high school hockey camp. A good showing could earn them a spot on the RedHawks high school team.
But, on the morning that she is to leave for the hockey camp, Riley begins feeling the effects of puberty – she smells her body odor, her face is breaking out and she is extremely irritable with her parents.
Riley is in awe of Valentina, the RedHawks star player. As she goes to the camp the puberty emotions – Anxiety, Envy, Ennui (Boredom), and Embarrassment – especially Anxiety, kick in. In fact, Anxiety, takes over the Control Room in Riley’s brain from her other emotions Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust. Over the three days of the camp, Riley and her emotions are torn between befriending and impressing Valentina, and being loyal to her friends.
Throughout the film, her emotions battle for control of Riley’s personality.
The film was very creative and includes positive messages. Unlike much of Disney’s recent releases, the film doesn’t include any woke content.
We would recommend the film for ages 8 and older.
Note from my wife ~ The movie places a huge focus on Riley’s core beliefs. In the context of the film, those core beliefs are about what she thinks of herself, and are not impacted by her parents, church, teachers, etc.  So she has a bunch of memories (good and mostly bad) and forms her own beliefs about herself from these memories.


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Live from Good Friday – Chris Tomlin
*** ½

Just ahead of his eighth annual “Good Friday Nashville” concert at the Bridgestone Arena, Chris Tomlin, a long-time favorite of mine, released Live from Good Friday. The project includes songs from the previous gatherings, along with some new ones. Included are some of his best loved songs such as the medley “Good Good Father/Great Are You Lord”, “How Great Is Our God”, “Our God”, “Is He Worthy”, “At the Cross (Love Ran Red)”, and “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)”, which features vocals from George Mhondera, one of Tomlin’s background singers. Also included are three new songs from his 2023 album Always – “Holy Forever” with co-writers Brian Johnson and Jenn Johnson, “Precious Love” and the title song. The project ends with the 1873 hymn “It is Well”, written by Horatio G. Spafford.
This is a wonderful addition to Tomlin’s catalog. My only complaint would be that the production had the crowd’s singing mixed too high. This is appropriate on some songs such as “Is He Worthy? and the closing “It is Well”, but overall, I would have liked Tomlin’s vocals to be more up front in the mix.

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  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “His Glory and My Good” by CityAlight

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$.99 Kindle SALE ~ Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold

Sit down in your favorite chair, put your feet up and learn How to Study the Bible and trace the one big storyline of the bible from beginning to end.  My wife’s book  is available on Amazon for $.99 in the Kindle version, which includes many links to great websites and resources. It’s on sale from 6 a.m. July 13 to midnight July 19.  Here’s the Amazon description of the book:

Maybe you’ve read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, but the result is something beautiful that you can use, display or give to others for warmth and comfort. Hopefully this book is an accessible resource – somewhere between Sunday school and a seminary level of education. I hope orderly systematic folks as well as free spirits can use this tool since we desire both form and function as well as beauty. Wouldn’t it be great if along our own Emmaus road we said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 Continue reading