New Desiring God Website

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Many of you would be aware that I admire the ministry of John Piper in many ways. To kick of 2014, Desiring God - the online home of John Piper - have launched a new website. The website could be described as a treasure chest full to overflowing of jewels for the Christian soul - quality sermons, books, blog content, audio podcasts and much more are offered online; many of them available for no cost.

Along with the new website for 2014, Desiring God have also released a short video clip to explain who they are and what they stand for. Take the time to familiarise yourself with Desiring God by viewing the above video.

I encourage you - check out the new Desiring God website and make it a regular place that you visit online - you will be blessed by the relevant and biblical content I'm sure!

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 (07/07)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

I recently came across this video from John Piper discussing the Prosperity Gospel. Somehow I don't think Piper thinks too highly of this kind of theology...

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Consumer Christianity - Marketing or Making Disciples? - "I don’t want to push the analogy too far, but for the sake of illustration, let’s think of the membership model of church as similar to the membership model of the modern health club. One becomes a member of a health club by paying dues (in a church, the monthly or weekly offering). Having paid their dues, the members expect the services of the club to be at their disposal. Exercise equipment, weight room, aerobics classes, an indoor track, swimming pool—all there for them, with a trained staff to see that they benefit by them." Are our churches about meeting people's needs or doing God's work? A challenging article from Dr Gary Thompson.

Why Gay Marriage Is Good (and Bad) For The Church - Trevin Wax writes a great piece challenging the church to hold fast to the exhortation found in Romans 8:28 amidst the apparent storm that is Gay Marriage in America.

How Much of a Pastor's Vacation Time Should He Use? - "You may begin reading this post with the idea that I will suggest how many weeks of vacation you should be given by your church, or how much you should advocate to give your pastor. Instead, I intend to answer this question a bit differently. My concern is not about how much vacation time a pastor is given, but how he uses (or doesn't use) what he is given." A great, thought-provoking article from Practical Shepherding.

Longing For God - A wonderful devotional by Charles Swindoll on Psalm 42:1-2. Well worth a read.

The Mathematics of Grace - "The world runs by ungrace. Everything depends on what I do. I have to make the shot. Jesus calls us to another way, one that depends not on our performance but his own. We do not have to achieve but merely follow. He has already earned for us the costly victory of God’s acceptance." A great article courtesy of the Gospel Coalition.
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Thought for the day...

"The Lord is kind. He is good to all who take refuge under his wings."
— John Piper

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 (02/06)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Rob Bell, Rob Bell... the slippery slope continues... check out this video of Rob Bell and Andrew Wilson discussing the issue of Homosexuality and the Bible. We need to be praying for this man and all the people who follow him... he has made it clear where he stands on his view of scripture.

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Why Every Pastor Should Read About Melissa's Suicide - "Many of us in vocational ministry want to try to fool our churches and the world. We want to act like our home has no problems. We never fight with our spouses. Our children are the embodiment of angelic beings. We are never tempted. We have no sin issues in our lives. And we certainly don’t have family members who are depressed, and perhaps, suicidal." A fantastic article by Thom Rainer - a must read!

Should I Start a Grassroots Movement to Change My Church? - Kevin DeYoung provides 7 keys to consider when you don't agree with where your church is headed.

Legalism or Love? Religious or Radical? - "If you’re struggling with legalism, don’t fight it by quitting your quiet times. That’s the good advice I remember once hearing from a pastor. In other words, there’s a temptation to presumably fight legalism by running away from good things, whether Bible reading or acts of love, because we mistake them to be part of the problem." Another great article from Desiring God.

Quit Calling Your Wife Hot - I completely agree with this article from Barnabas Piper (just not the plate throwing bit!)

We Get The Help, He Gets The Glory - "One of the unique things about God is that he displays his glory by helping rather than demanding help... This changes the way we pray. When we ask him for help, we know that he will give it for his name’s sake, not because we deserve it. His helping us highlights his riches." Yet another fantastic article from John Piper.
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Thought for the day...

"All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and His Son among all the peoples of the earth."
— John Piper

Weekly Wrap (19/05)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

This should make you laugh... stories of Preaching Goofs from members of the Gospel Coalition.

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Is Prayer Necessary? - "You don't need prayer when there's nothing at stake in your walk with Christ." David Platt offers some thoughts in this great video.

John Piper on Regrets & Retirement - A video interview with John Piper discussing his reflections on his long time ministry leading Bethlehem Baptism Church in the USA.

It Happens After Prayer - A great book review by Tim Challies - well worth a read.

Fixed Point - Fixed Point Foundation have recently released a new and improved website with lots of interesting content.

Free Resources for You & Your Church - Life.TV offer some seriously cool graphics and powerpoint slides to use for your church for free. Check them out!
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Thought for the day...

"The best work is done out of rest."

— Louie Giglio

Weekly Wrap (12/05)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Here's a contentious one... Shai Linne a Christian American Rapper slams False Teachers in his song which names many popular Christian leaders in it. What do you think?

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John Piper Praises Rapper of Controversial 'Fal$E Teacher$' Song - Here's what John Piper thinks of Shai Linne's song. An interesting read.

How Dallas Willard Changed American Christianity - "Dallas Willard’s legacy and influence will continue, despite his death. His writings will endure and the many institutions that looked to him for guidance will continue to practice the life of the kingdom in the ways he commended." Matthew Lee Anderson writes a fantastic tribute piece to the much loved and respected Dallas Willard.

Preach Better Sermons 2013 Highlights - "If you missed the free online Preach Better Sermons conference put on by the good people at the Rocket Company, don’t worry. I took a ton of notes. Here are a few of the nuggets I got from each speaker." ProPreacher does indeed share some nuggets from the many well known Christian communicators who participated in the Preach Better Sermons Conference this year.

Suffering Servants - Sarah Pulliam Bailey interviews Joni Eareckson and Ken Tada and discusses in detail their deep struggle to make their marriage work.

Not Only To Profess, But Also To Practice - Trevin Wax shares a short, yet powerful poem by Thomas Becon.
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Thought for the day...

"The first responsibility of leadership is to make time to humbly listen to God. Without that, you're on your own."

— Rick Warren

Weekly Wrap (05/05)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

John Piper and Kevin DeYoung discuss in this video, the process of working hard towards holiness and the effort that is involved in developing a life that reflects Christ.

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4 Reasons Not To Homeschool Your Kids - This is an interesting article that is sure to stir up some conversation amongst many Christians who choose to home school their children. What do you think?

Love Your Neighbour: Even the Muslim Ones - "For many Americans, their knowledge of Muslims is what they see on television news rather than what they know from experience. Yet, forming a view of any group based solely on what one sees on the news is a bad idea.
When the Boston Marathon bombing occurred, many Americans were quick to assume it was the work of Muslim extremists, even before it was confirmed... Yet, far too many take it further, leading me to ask, why do some people assume that all, most, or even many Muslims must be terrorists?" Another brilliant article from Ed Stetzer that is worth reading more than once.

Are you Telling Lies When You Preach? - This is an interesting article by Ryan Hobbs which suggests the need for preachers to check the authenticity of stories that they use as sermon illustrations week to week. An interesting read.

A Father's Love - "When I was 16, my parents kicked me out of the house. They had tried everything. Nothing worked. And it got to the point where my lifestyle had become so disruptive to the rest of the household, that they were left with no choice but to painfully say, “We love you but you can’t continue to live this way and live under our roof." Tullian Tchividjian from the Gospel Coalition shares the story of his own father's love for him in this great post.

Antidote to Poison - "I was haunted by failure to the edge of suicide—and then came life." Ravi Zacharias shares his personal testimony in this blog piece. A very powerful and challenging read!
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Thought for the day...

"The power you need is not found In faith, but in WHOM you place that faith. Tiny faith in a big God gets big results."

— Rick Warren

Weekly Wrap (31/03)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

I came across this video from 2008 of Tim Keller, John Piper & DA Carson talking about what they look for in appointing someone to the position of elder or deacon in their churches. Well worth checking out!

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Why "Insiders Are Killing Your Church" - "Almost everybody who follows Christ, and almost every gathering of those Christ followers constituting a church, says the same thing: "We want to reach the world for Christ." Yet, most don’t." James Emery White writes a great piece on why "long-term insiders" in churches, hamper efforts to truly reach the lost.

Sex in the Sermon - "Over the past few years, my now 12-year-old daughter has been exposed to some rather uncomfortable subjects. Prostitution, homosexuality, whoring, menstrual cycles, bodily emissions, and rape have all been discussed in her presence... We take her to church." Melissa Kruger writes a fantastic article exploring the importance of addressing such issues with children in the safety of the Church environment.

The Revival of a Rebel Jew - Tim Challies invites guest blogger Rick Pearcey to share his incredibly powerful testimony of redemption and coming to faith in Christ. This is a must read.

How Christians Prepare for Suffering - Yet another great article from Jonathan Parnell - content strategist at Desiring God - discussing the issue of suffering. Well worth checking out.

Ten Ways to Know Someone is Leaving Your Church - "Does it bother you when someone leaves your church? The reality is that every church has a “back door.” The key leadership question that must be asked is not, “Are we going to lose people?” The reality is that you are." Brian Dodd - churchleaders.com - provides 10 warning signs for leaders to look out for.
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Thought for the day...

"Christ's resurrection is the breaking in of God's future kingdom on earth. The Risen Christ invites us to live in this coming kingdom now."

— Mike Glenn

Weekly Wrap (17/03)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Francis Chan - a Pastor and well-known Christian Author - talks about the importance of remaining courageous in walking as a Christian in the world today. A great three minute video to check out!

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The Only Foundation For Youth Ministry - "I want students to be won to Jesus, not jokes and games. I must trust in the Spirit, not my amazing programs, to work in my midst." Josh Cousineau writes a great piece for the Gospel Coalition on developing a biblical foundation for Youth Ministry focussed on Jesus.

The Next Bible - "Scripture? There’s an app for that." Joshua Dubois - President Obama's former faith advisor - writes on the increasing market for Bible Applications on technology devices. Well worth a read.

Don't Just Pray - Become a Praying Church - Brady Boyd from Churchleaders.com provides 5 tips to make your church a praying church.

A-La-Carte - Tim Challies always comes up with some great articles from the blogosphere. This one has many interesting articles that are well worth looking at.

Clarifying My Words About Roman Catholic “Heresy” - John Piper's clarification around his assertion that the Catholic Church is promoting heresy through their teaching. It's a good read.
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Thought for the day...

"A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green."

— Francis Bacon

Weekly Wrap (06/01)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

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Santa Claus is Coming to Town... But Can Your Kids Find Jesus? - Yes, it's a little late since it is no longer Christmas time, but this article is a good, thought provoking read courtesy of the Bible Society that is worth checking out.

Jesus or Prosperity? - Bill Muehlenberg writes a fantastic article on the contrast between what some sections of the church preach and what Jesus affirmed, particularly in relation to hardship, deprivation and suffering.

Every Moment in 2013 God Will Be Doing 10,000 Things in Your Life - An encouraging article from John Piper to consider as we begin the new year.

The Top 15 Most-Read CT Articles in 2012 - Pretty self-explanatory and well worth a read.

A New Year's Plea: Plan! - A great article written by John Piper back in 1984 exhorting us to plan, plan, plan towards what we want to achieve in the new year.
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Thought for the day...

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing."
— John Powell

Weekly Wrap (02/12)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

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Let's Get Better at Good News - Eternity Newspaper's John Sandeman interviews Dale Stephenson, pastor of Australia's biggest Baptist Church, Crossway.

Atheism, Evidence, and Pre-Commitments - Bill Muehlenberg provides a fantastic book review of the prominent atheist, Thomas Nagel's new book - Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is  Almost Certainly False.

Replacing Worry with the Right Focus - John MacArthur reminders us that God's Word is clear - we are not to be given over to anxiety.

On Christian Marriage, Submission and Abuse - Amelia Schwarze provides an interesting opinion piece on domestic violence and abuse within Christian marriage.

Chief of Sinners - A poem from John Piper reflecting on 1 Timothy 1:16 and Galatians 1:15.
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Thought for the day...

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.”

— Leo Tolstoy

Weekly Wrap (25/11)

by Joel Hawting | @jhawting

Here is the second Alive in Christ Weekly Wrap. I hope you enjoy reading the articles and engaging with the content below!

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Church of England & Women Bishops - Trevin Wax from the Gospel Coalition shares his thoughts on the recent decision by the Church of England to not ordain Women as Bishops.

The True Story of Thanksgiving - John Piper writes about how Christians should view Thanksgiving in light of the undervalued virtue known as "gratitude."

Selflessness Leads to Spiritual Maturity - Ed Stetzer provides some interesting research about service in the Church.

"We have lost the Gay Marriage Battle" - An interesting article from America discussing - you guessed it - the issue of the Church and Gay Marriage.

Does the Bible Separate Baptism and Salvation? - Josh Stahley from the Gospel Coalition explores what the Bible has to say about Baptism and Salvation.
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Thought for the day...

“Prayers of gratitude remind us of just how much we receive at his hands.”

— Robert Harris