Weekly Wrap (04/08)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Would we have been friends with C.S. Lewis? John Piper and Tim Keller discuss and reflect on the life, beliefs and generosity of C.S. Lewis.

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Simon Prevette - "You aren’t incredibly gifted? Well, welcome to the club of the “average.” Most of us dwell there. As an encouragement, let me introduce you to Simon Prevette. He is a man you have never heard of, but he is a man you should know." A great article written by Jason Helopoulos, guest blogger on Kevin DeYoung's blog.

Teaching Children The Bible - "These children think they have to keep the rules or God won’t love them. They think if they mess up God will stop loving them. These children are in Sunday schools. They know all their Bible stories. And they have missed what the Bible is all about. They are children like I once was." A thought-provoking article from Sally Lloyd-Jones of the Resurgence challenging teachers to consider how they read and teach the Bible to children.

How Much Time Do Pastors Spend Preparing A Sermon? - Thom Rainer writes another great article sharing many pastor's perspectives, on the amount of time that is required to write the weekly sermon.

Ordinary Christians And A Great Commission - I love Tim Challies writing. Tim writes a great post encouraging all of us to continue faithfully as we go about the day to day, being ordinary Christians participating in a Great Commission.

The Boldness of Knowing Jesus - "The people of Jesus should know Jesus. That is the inescapable impression we get from reading the Book of Acts. We see it in the church’s boldness — that is, the church’s outspoken clarity about the identity and significance of Jesus." Jonathan Parnell provides some interesting insights into how we as Christians can lead life with boldness.
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Thought for the day...

"Don't dilute God in order to make him more marketable."
— Dan DeWitt

Weekly Wrap (16/06)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Jon Acuff speaks from personal experience on the value of integrating social media into your organization's communication strategy in this video.

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Stop Paying People To Do Ministry - "As they grow, many churches eagerly anticipate the moment when they're finally big enough that they can afford to hire more staff and offer more ministry options for people... Paying people to “do” ministry instead of “lead” ministry is an expensive mistake that many churches fall into." A very interesting article by Paul Alexander urging the church to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry.

Three Things Churches Love That Kill Outreach - Seriously, you've got to love the stuff that Ed Stetzer brings to the table. Another great article from the man right here.

We Are Far Too Easily Pleased - "It’s a beautiful thing when a single sentence reorients a soul for good. When one proposition proves potent enough to be life-changing for the better. Especially when it’s a short one." David Mathis provides a wonderful article here that is well worth a read.

Four Lies About Introverts - "I'm an introvert. Most people who don't know me well wouldn't guess this about me, but it's true. On a practical level, being an introvert means I'm generally more energized by time alone than by time with people, and I have a preference for a less externally stimulating environment. I feel very alive in a quiet, empty room. On the introversion/extroversion spectrum I fall closer to the middle, but still lean decidedly toward the introverted side." Amen sister! A great article that clearly debunks myths about those of us who are introverts.

New eBook: Piper Celebrates The Influence of C.S. Lewis - Another free eBook from Desiring God. What could be better that John Piper reflecting on the teachings of C.S. Lewis?
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Thought for the day...

"If you read history... Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next."
— C.S. Lewis

Weekly Wrap (07/04)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

I came across this video recently on Churchleaders.com - This is a great video which explains what the Church is - or should be - all about and what it should be doing. Check it out!

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10 Surprising Reasons Our Kids Leave Church - "We all know them, the kids who were raised in church. They were stars of the youth group. They maybe even sang in the praise band or led worship. And then … they graduate from high school and they leave church. What happened?" Marc Solas writes a wonderful post on why the church in general, are losing the next generation. This is well worth a read.

Honouring Christ Online: An Interview With Tim Challies - There are not many Christian bloggers as influential and well respected as Tim Challies. Ligonier Ministries provides this great interview with Tim Challies.

The New Televangelist - Chris Nye writes a thoughtful post about the new form of Televangelists - "role models under shining lights." A great article!

Eight Diagnostic Questions For A Church's Health - Chuck Lawless writes a great post on Thom Rainer's website, exploring the signs that people in church leadership should look for when considering the health of their church.Well worth checking out.

4 Things to Remember During Unwelcome Work - "I never wanted to work at Cracker Barrel... But none of that mattered when the most pressing question was, How will you provide for your wife and son this week? Like many before and after me, I did whatever was necessary." Trevin Wax provides some encouragement for those of us currently serving God in what he terms "unwelcome work."
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Thought for the day...

"If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire. If you want joy, peace, eternal life, you must get close to what has them."

— C.S. Lewis

Weekly Wrap (20/01)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

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Steve Shalke Drops The Bomb in Support of Committed, Faithful, Same-sex Relationships - Tony Campolo reports on his close friend's decision to come out in support of marriage for committed, faithful, same-sex relationships.

The Essentials: Salvation - It's no secret that I appreciate Tim Challies insights. This is his twentieth instalment in his essentials series on theological terms.

Jesus Sings - He sure does! Tony Reinke from Desiring God highlights this reality of worship from the Son to the Father.

10 Principals of Church planting and expanding - Hillsong's Senior Pastor Brian Houston offers some valuable insights into the areas of church growth and church planting.

30 Things You Might Not Know About C.S. Lewis - Yearn For God provides some interesting little known facts about the great man.
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Thought for the day...

"There are two ways of spreading light. You can be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."
— Edith Wharton