• Teach Your Teen How to Read Their Bible. Jen Wilkin writes “Parents contact me frequently to ask what devotionals or young adult Bible studies I would recommend they do with their teens. As our kids enter the teen years, our responsibility as their parents is to help them develop good habits of interacting with the Bible. Finding an approach that is age-appropriate and manageable is key. My encouragement is to simply read the Bible with your teen in a way that models and trains Bible literacy—no special teen resource required.”
• Get a Basic Overview of the Bible.C. Sproul writes “Once you understand the basic framework, you are much better equipped to read the Bible. Here is a pattern I recommend for people who have never read the Bible.”

PREACHING THE WORD

• Do You Have Any Advice for New Ministers in the Bible Belt Surrounded by Charismatic Influence? How should pastors minister in a context surrounded by charismatic influence? From one of the live “Ask Ligonier” events, Sinclair Ferguson explains how to refocus on Christ and the gospel.
• Kevin DeYoung on Heroes in Pastoral Ministry. Watch this four-minute video in which Kevin DeYoung offers two kinds of ministry heroes. First up is the famous pastor, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose influential preaching shaped generations of pastors. Second, DeYoung points to the faithful elders who serve in his church, giving up-close examples of ministry and pastoral care.
• David Platt Drops 50-Point Sermon From Revelation at CROSS Conference. Jonathan Howe writes “David Platt may be known for his radicalways, but when he stepped to the stage January 5 at the 2019 CROSS conference, no one expected to get a 50-point sermon.”

• Why Should I Become a Formal Church Member? When you commit yourself to Jesus Christ, you also commit yourself to His church. Watch, Sinclair Ferguson explain why church membership is of supreme importance.

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• The 50% Lie. Steven Ingino writes “You’ve heard it repeatedly on radio, podcasts, and TV. You’ve read it in various books and articles. You’ve even heard it in your pastor’s sermon. The problem: it’s a lie. “50% of all marriages end in divorce.”
• Friends Are For the Darkness. Stephen Altrogge writes “If one of your friends is struggling with depression, you want to fix it for them. To take away the sorrow and dispel the clouds of gloom. To take their hand and lead them back into the land of the living. But I can say from experience that things simply don’t work that way. You can’t tell a person to snap out of depression any more than you can tell someone to snap out of a migraine.”
• Obligation, Stewardship and the Poor. Kevin DeYoung writes “As you consider your personal obligation to the poor and your church’s corporate obligation, keep in mind these two principles: proximity and necessity.”
• Tim Keller on Nationalism, Race, and What Jonah Misunderstood About Grace. On this edition of the Gospel Coalition podcast, Maina Mwaura asked Tim Keller why he wrote a book on Jonah and what modern-day attitudes are reflected in the prodigal prophet. Keller points out that Jonah didn’t recognize his own lack of merit before God, which made him reluctant to extend grace to pagan people. “Because he didn’t grasp the gospel of grace in his own life,” Keller says, “he was a terrible missionary.”
• On Hospitality and the Gospel. On this episode of the 9Marks podcast Pastors’ Talk, Jonathan Leeman sat down with Kent and Rosaria Butterfield to talk about the privilege of hospitality, the gospel, Rosaria’s latest book, and Kent’s recent 9Marks article.

• Lauren Daigle, Persecution, and the Church’s Opportunity for Witness. Owen Strachen writes “Whatever platform we carve out in the providence of God is not given us for its own sake. If we are truly a Christian, and we truly have some measure of influence, that influence is not our own. We do not own it. That influence is God’s. That platform is God’s. Those opportunities are bought and paid for by the bloody cross of Christ. That chance to answer a hostile question, a question that could possibly derail all the hard work we’ve put in to have a public voice, is a chance given us by God for the glory of his name.” Here is Mike Leake’s take on the story.

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• Thanking God for His Love. In this short video, Thabiti Anyabwile reflects on a moment when the reality of God’s love in the work of election became evident to him.
• My Soul Is Too Far Gone. Francis Chan writes “No soul is too far gone for God to bring back. No heart is too hard for God to soften. No son or daughter is too lost for God to rescue. Keep praying for God to do what only he can”.
• Convictions and Consequences. Sophia Lee writes “When Isabella Chow, a student senator at the University of California, Berkeley, decided to abstain from a pro-LGBT vote and instead explain her Christian views, she knew she’d have to weather a storm. She just didn’t expect that storm to involve a torrent of F-bombs and demands for her resignation.”
• “Broken”, “Authentic”, “Surrender”: The Problem of Christian Jargon. Dan Doriani, who I enjoyed two classes with at Covenant Seminary, writes “Let us strive to use the right words in the right way, for the sake of Christ and his church. I don’t ask that everyone guard their every word, but I do propose that leaders draw our language—words and meanings—from Scripture as much as possible, seeking to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5)”.
• Your Lord’s Day Might Be Someone Else’s Way of Escape. Rosaria Butterfield writes “Radically ordinary hospitality begins when we remember that God uses us as living epistles—and that the openness or inaccessibility of our homes and hearts stands between life and death, victory and defeat, and grace or shame for most people.”

OUR HEARTS ARE IDOL FACTORIES:

• 20 Signs You’ve Made Politics an Idol. Our friend Kevin Halloran writes “We’ve given politics and government a role they were never meant to play: solver of all our problems, provider of security, happiness, equity, and meaning. In other words, god.”
• Are We Really in Danger of Making an Idol of the Family? Kevin DeYoung writes “The conjugal family—one man and one woman whose covenant union produces offspring—is profoundly good, a necessary and foundational element of God’s creational design. But it is not ultimate.”

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• Apostacy and How It Happens. Sinclair Ferguson writes “Yes, apostasy happens. Sometimes the catalyst is flagrant sin. The pain of conviction and repentance is refused, and the only alternative to it is wholesale rejection of Christ. But sometimes the catalyst is a thorn growing quietly in the heart, an indifference to the way of the Cross, a drifting that is not reversed by the knowledge of biblical warnings”.
• What is Union with Christ? In this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper responds to the question “What does it mean to be united to Christ, and what are a few of the most significant implications of it?”

• Identifying and Forsaking Our Spiritual Mistresses. Scott Sauls writes “Idolatry is the root beneath all sin and beneath every choice we ever make to go our own way instead of following Jesus in faith and obedience. Sin, ultimately, is not a matter of behavior, but a matter of desire. We always obey that which we desire the most.”
• My Girlfriend is Pregnant – Now What? On this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper responds to the question “But I am scared. Assuming this is true, what do we do? How have you counseled couples who are broken and fearful in our situation?”

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• How do I Know that I am Elect? How do I Know my Faith is Genuine? In this video from “Ask Ligonier”, Sinclair Ferguson looks at the doctrine of assurance and what it means to be born again.
• Why Does John Piper Avoid Politics and What’s Trending? In this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper addresses the question “Why do you avoid saying much about current events and politics?”
• What Should Christians Do About Our Differences on Spiritual Gifts? In this episode of Signposts, Russell Moore offers his perspective on spiritual gifts and discuss ways that Christians might think about these issues, especially as they partner together in ministry.
• How Can You Show Radical Hospitality as an Introvert? Rosaria Butterfield states “I think that introverts can be extremely good at managing hospitality because we tend to not just talk to hear the sound of our voice. Those quiet times are fine. They can be reflective times.”
• Is It Really Important That You Emphasize Hell? Watch this short video in which Francis Chan discusses how the reality of hell should impact evangelism in the Christian life.
• Is Tim Keller a Marxist? Carl Trueman, who I enjoyed a wonderful class on B.B. Warfield with at Covenant Seminary a few years back, writes “It is an unwarranted slur on his character, for we all know that cultural Marxism is not intended as a morally neutral term.  And—I almost forgot—it is to break the Ninth Commandment about a Christian brother.  And that’s a sin—not so much a sin against Tim Keller as against the God he serves.”
• How Should Christians Respond to the Imprecatory Psalms? How should Christians respond to psalms that invoke calamity or curses upon one’s enemies? In this brief video clip from the 2016 Ligonier National Conference, Robert Godfrey, Albert Mohler, and William VanDoodewaard consider biblical prayers of judgment.

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• What Tim Keller Wants American Christians to Know About Politics. In this episode of “Quick to Listen” Tim Keller joins associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss how he follows this news, where his political convictions come from, and just how great the stakes are of politics.
• How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don’t. Tim Keller writes “What should the role of Christians in politics be? More people than ever are asking that question. Christians cannot pretend they can transcend politics and simply “preach the Gospel.” Those who avoid all political discussions and engagement are essentially casting a vote for the social status quo.”

• Should I Attend the Wedding of a Couple Already Living Together? On this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper answers the question “Are we inconsistent to not attend a homosexual wedding because we do not affirm their sexual lifestyle, yet be willing to attend a heterosexual wedding of unbelievers whose lifestyle of premarital sex we also cannot affirm?”
• God’s Faithfulness in Andrew Peterson’s Weakness. Watch this short video where Andrew Peterson remembers a time when his family and the hope of redemption carried him through a season of depression.
• Suffering Revealed How Weak I Was. Paul Tripp writes “Suffering is emotionally exhausting and spiritually burdensome; it’s spiritual warfare. Suffering is never just a matter of the body but is always also a matter of the heart.”
• Gay Rights, Hate Speech and Hospitality. Rosaria Butterfield writes “So, Christian, how can you begin to constructively engage with your neighbors?”
• Reasons to Remember your Creator in Middle Age. David Murray writes “How do we respect and remember our Creator in busy, striving, stressed-out middle age?”
• My Social Media Strategy. Ligon Duncan offers these ten wise thoughts about how he approaches social media.
• Keeping Technology in its Proper Place: An Interview with Andy Crouch. Alysee ElHage interviews Andy Crouch about how families can keep the ever-expanding arm of technology from encroaching upon healthy family life.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE:

• The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. John MacArthur and Doug Wilson are among the signers of this new statement on social justice and the Gospel.
• The Injustice of Social Justice. John MacArthur writes “The message of social justice diverts attention from Christ and the cross. It turns our hearts and minds from things above to things on this earth. It obscures the promise of forgiveness for hopeless sinners by telling people they are hapless victims of other people’s misdeeds.”
• The Gospel and Social Justice, Part 1. Russell Moore writes “I have had many people ask me recently about the issue of social justice. As Christians, we are called to live as a gospel people, and in light of recent cultural conversations on this topic some have wondered about the connection between the gospel and justice. In this episode of Signposts, I discuss this issue and consider the Bible’s instruction for Christians seeking to live faithfully in the world and in obedience to the gospel.” Here is Part 2.
• Albert Mohler Answers Questions about Social Justice. Denny Burk writes “Albert Mohler had an open Q&A session with students as Southern Seminary and Boyce College today in which he answered a question about social justice. Later in the day, Dr. Mohler answered more questions along these lines on his podcast “Ask Anything Live.”
• Is Social Justice a Gospel Issue? Kevin DeYoung writes “Is social justice a gospel issue? That depends on what we mean by “social justice” and what we mean by “gospel issue.”

EVANGELISM:

• Core Christianity. Here is the first episode of the “Core Christianity” podcast from Michael Horton. The topic is “How Should I Share My Faith With My Atheist Friends?”
• How to Evangelize Your LGBT Neighbors. Rosaria Butterfield writes “The way to evangelize your LGBT neighbors is the same way the Smiths evangelized me: by reminding them that only the love of Christ is seamless. Not so for our spouses or partners. Only Christ loves us best. He took on all our sin, died in our place bearing God’s wrath, and rose victorious from the dead.”

COURTESY OF WORLD MAGAZINE

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• Wrestling the Giant: Why I Deleted Instagram. Andrew Peterson writes “I deleted Instagram from my phone earlier this summer. A few months before that I did the same with the Facebook app.”
• God Wants You to Be Happy. In this short video, Francis Chan speaks on the necessity of joy in the Christian life.
• Joy Through Sacrifice. “This week at VOUS Church we had the special honor of hearing from the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist, Lecrae. He dove deep into the idea that joy and pain go hand-in-hand by giving a glimpse into his own story of hardship.”  
• I Have Chronic Fatigue – How Do I Not Waste My Life? In this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper responds to the question “How can I be a faithful servant of the Lord on the days when I can do nothing?”
• How Should Christians View Sunday? Sinclair Ferguson writes “Hebrews teaches us that eternal glory is a Sabbath rest. Every day, all day, will be “Father’s Day!” Thus if here and now we learn the pleasures of a God-given weekly rhythm, it will no longer seem strange to us that the eternal glory can be described as a prolonged Sabbath!” Continue reading →

• Should Christian Parents Ever Give Kids a Smartphone? In this discussion, Russell Moore, Scott Sauls and Trevin Wax talk about how they’ve made their own parenting decisions about technology.
• What Do You Feed Your Eyes? Marshall Segal writes “As you walk through the wonderland of God’s creation, watch your eyes carefully. These thrills are whispers of Wonder, mere shadows of Light. They’re meant to make us more in awe of Christ, and to prepare us to spend eternity looking to him.”
• What’s the Point of My Life? In this episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, John Piper addresses the questions “What is the overarching concept for my life, my reason for existence, and relationship with God?” 
• Can Your Soul Really Survive Social Media? Russell Moore writes “I’m not arguing that we all should delete our social media accounts. I am wondering, though, if you should spend some time asking whether your social media account is leading you places you can’t handle. Are you given over more to anger or anxiety or envy or pack thinking? Then maybe it’s time to step back, or even to leave for a while.”

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Courtesy of World Magazine

• How to Conquer Temptation. Watch this three-minute video clip from a message that John Piper recently preached at a men’s conference in London.
• John Piper on Your Greatest Reason Not to Worry. Randy Alcorn writers “In this three-minute video, John Piper talks about why the phrase “Our Father in Heaven” in Scripture contains our greatest reason not to worry”.
• What to Do When Christians Let You Down. Have you ever felt disappointed by someone you look up to in the faith? Whether it’s something as big as a pastor falling into sexual sin or as small as having your feelings hurt by a friend you trust, Christianswill let you down. Jesus knew that kind of disappointment when his disciples failed him in his hour of need. “The story of the gospel is a story of disciples who fail a Savior who never fails,” Nancy Guthrie says. “When someone disappoints you, let it be an invitation to re-examine where your confidence lies.”
• How To Discourage a Grieving Friend.  Vaneetha Rendall Risner writes “From my experience, the most comforting thing we can do in the moment is to sit with them and mainly listen”.
• Discerning Entertainment. Burk Parsons writes “Entertainment isn’t evil in itself, and we can enjoy it as we remember that in whatever we do, our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever as we live coram Deo, before the face of our omniscient and gracious God.”
• How (Not) to Discover Your Spiritual Gifts. Thomas Schreiner writes “If you get involved in the lives of others in your church and love as Jesus commanded, then you will discover your gift.”
• The Loss of Memory Loss. Scotty Smith prays “As someone who found you to be “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,” in a story of dementia and Alzheimer’s, it’s easy to pray for others now in this hard story. Grant spouses and children, family and friends, the strength of your Spirit and courage to love well.”
• Enjoying God Is a Command. Sinclair Ferguson writes “Enjoying God is a command, not an optional extra: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” ( 4:4). But how? We cannot “rejoice to order,” can we?”
• Radically Ordinary Hospitality. In Romans 12:13 Paul instructs Christians to “contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” So, what does it mean to show hospitality, and why is this particular way of both expressing our faith and interacting with our neighbors so overlooked in our day?  On this edition of White Horse Inn Michael Horton talks to Rosaria Butterfield about these issues and more as we engage with her about her book, The Gospel Comes With a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in a Post-Christian World.

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