Category: PASSION Collections

Ministry Moments

On By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Last week I mentioned that Friday posts would focus on church and ministry.  Today begins the first of a new monthly feature called Ministry Moments.  Essentially, these are recommended readings from around the web on the topic of ministry.  While, the focus is primarily on full-time ministry, I suspect many of the posts could be read profitably by anyone serving in the local church.

Worship
10 Questions To Ask of Sunday Worship – Trevin Wax

Prayer
An Impulse You Should Never Ignore – Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Preaching
A Preacher’s Decalogue – Sinclair Ferguson
Killing Moralism – Joe Thorn

Personal Shepherding
How Do You Care For A 90 Year Old Man About To Become A Widower – Brian Croft
What Lessons Have I Learned From Shepherding a 106 Year Old Widow In My Church – Brian Croft

Pastor’s Life
Pastoral Ministry Is War – Paul Tripp
Ministry: Whose Kingdom – Paul Tripp
The Problem of Shifting Treasure – Paul Tripp
We’re Pastors and We’re Anxious – Paul Tripp
Give Thanks For Your Church – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Depression and the Ministry: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five – Gospel Coalition

Passion Points

On By BrianIn Idolatry, PASSION Points

Here are some good reads for your weekend:

Gospel

Mark Altrogge ponders the suffering of our Savior.  Meanwhile, here is another post refuting the idea that we are worth dying for.  (See my post from earlier this week here.)

Idolatry

Here is a helpful interaction with Johan Herman Bavinck’s thoughts on three common idols – money, honor, and pleasure.

Family

Matthew Barrett gives us an interesting look at Martin Luther’s marriage to Katherine Von Bora as he brings out the idea that marriage is a context for growth in character.

Church

Finally, R.W. Glenn shares nine things you should pray for your pastor.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshipping the Lord with your church family!

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts to ponder this weekend:

Sin

Justin Taylor gives us a helpful look at sin according to I John.  Meanwhile, at Desiring God you can consider Sinclair Ferguson’s four steps to kill sin. 

Love

Justin Taylor considers the relationship between love and commandments according to John.

Feelings

Brian Borgman talks about the importance of feelings in the Christian life.  And Erik Kowalker share two related quotes from J. C. Ryle on possessings feelings toward Christ and the secret of a happy Christian.

Church

Jon Nielson shares a helpful post on three reasons youth stay in church after they graduate.  This is important reading for both pastors and parents.  And then as you prepare to gather with your local church tomorrow, ponder Justin Taylor’s warning that it only takes one generation for a church to die.  May we be careful to guard and pray against that happening in our churches.

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

There are a lot of good posts out there this week, but let me just share four of them – all related to thinking:

First, Stephen Nichols gives us some helpful questions to ask as we read the Bible to help us think about the passage.  I love the focus on God evident in the questions.

Second, Nichols shares suggestions for those who need to start reading (and thinking) their way through the Bible.

Third, Tim Challies reminds us of the importance of clearly and biblically thinking through the creation/evolution question.  I think I will need to look into the book he discusses.

Finally, Randy Alcorn asks whether the word “evangelical” means anything anymore.  Going beyond mere labels, he calls us to think about the clear teachings of Scripture that many who call themselves evangelical are dismissing.

I hope you enjoy thinking through the posts above.  Even more, I hope you have a great Lord’s Day thinking about the words you sing and the preached Word you hear.

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Growing…

Some good quotes from Jerry Bridges on sanctification (via Ed Stetzer).

John Newton writes about how we grow in grace (via Justin Taylor).

Compassion for People

Paul Tripp talks about how sin dehumanizes people (via Justin Taylor).

Ray Ortlund considers seven ways we can guard and restore relationships.

Church

And as you prepare to gather with God’s people tomorrow in your local church, consider how churches die from The Gospel-Driven Church.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshipping our great God.

The Reality of Failure

On By BrianIn Family Collection

The following is an excellent post from Collin Hansen addressing the reality of failure and its necessary applications in parenting and discipleship.  If you are a parent, you need to read this.  If you are a teen/young adult, you should read this.  Okay, you should just read and ponder this post no matter who you are:

Your kids will fail. This is both inevitable and also necessary. Apparently not many parents today want to hear this uncomfortable fact. And they certainly don’t want to implement it in how they discipline their children. Writing the cover story for The Atlantic’s July/August issue, therapist Lori Gottlieb alerts us that the cult of self-esteem is ruining our kids. Convinced they are the center of the universe and capable of anything, our children have become insufferable narcissists. Then, when these kids grow up and fail, as they must, they head for the nearest therapist, worried their lives have gone horribly wrong. Gottlieb writes:

[R]ates of anxiety and depression have also risen in tandem with self-esteem. Why is this? “Narcissists are happy when they’re younger, because they’re the center of the universe,” [psychology professor Jean] Twenge explains. “Their parents act like their servants, shuttling them to any activity they choose and catering to their every desire. Parents are constantly telling their children how special and talented they are. This gives them an inflated view of their specialness compared to other human beings. Instead of feeling good about themselves, they feel better than everyone else.”

As you might expect, this attitude wreaks havoc in the real world of adulthood. Try giving one of these college students a B, let alone a C. You better be prepared for a visit from the student and maybe even a phone call from a parent. Or try telling young adults in their first job that their work doesn’t cut it. You just might be looking for a new employee when the offended party looks for a workplace where his creativity and brilliance will be “appreciated.”

Continue reading…

Passion Points – Forgiveness

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are three good posts on forgiveness for your weekend reading: 

Paul Tripp talks about the “benefits” of unforgiveness before reminding us of a better way. 

Chris Brauns gives important counsel on how to stop thinking about past wounds. 

And then Brauns discusses the issue of forgiveness as it relates to the Casey Anthony case.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with your local church celebrating our great God!

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Wow, there are a lot of good posts from around the web for your weekend reading.

First, let’s consider the important matter of salvation.  How do you know you are saved?  At issue here is the danger that many people have a false assurance of salvation.  To help us think through this and examine ourselves, Mike McKinley suggests five things that all Christians have.  He also addresses the important issues of perseverance and preservation.  And then Tim Challies suggests three statements on assurance, and reminds us of where our assurance lies.

Second, Kevin DeYoung addresses our tendency to get excited about minor issue instead of focusing on the core doctrines.

Third, Mark Altrogge reminds us that faith is like a power cord that plugs into God’s power as we pray.  Faith in itself has no power (despite the many songs proclaiming all that faith can do).  The power is found in the object of our faith.  So the strength of our faith is not so much the issue as the strength of the one we place our faith in.  God can use our flimsy faith.

Fourth, here are a couple of good ideas for evangelism.  Tim Chester suggests using meals for evangelism, while Brian Croft suggests asking people about the sermon they heard on Sunday as a way for evangelism. (Don’t knock it until you read the post!)

Fifth, Stephen Altrogge helps us cut the nerve of complaining.

Finally, Kevin DeYoung suggests 10 principles for church singing – Part One and Part Two – that you might consider before going to worship on Sunday.  It will help you think about what you are going to do even if you don’t agree with every point (and I will have to at least disagree with his preference for organs!).

Have a great Lord’s Day worshipping with your church family!

Passion Points – Prayer

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

As we are nearing the end of our focus on prayer, here are some good posts on prayer for your weekend reading:

First, John Piper suggests several things that are happening when we pray.

Second, Mark Altrogge reminds us that God is both rich and generous – so just ask!

Third, James Grier reminds us (via Chris Brauns) that knowing God as OUR Father implies that we will pray together.

Fourth, sometimes we can learn a lot from other people’s prayers.  So here is a good hymn/prayer by John Newton via Desiring God.  And then another good prayer by Mike at Hunger and Thirst.

Finally, some thoughts to ponder on teaching our children to pray – Part One and Part Two by Burk Parsons.  And a prayer for children by Amy Carmichael via Trevin Wax.

May God help us continue to grow in prayer. 

Have a great Lord’s Day with your local church!

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good reads for the weekend:

The Gospel

Christianity must go beyond morality – George Whitefield (via Trevin Wax)

Virtues

The Real Basis for Hope – Mark Altrogge

Family/Single Life

Five reasons to use God’s Word in your parenting – Thabiti Anyabwile

How to turn your child away from church…and Christ – C. John Miller (via Chris Brauns)

Questions to ponder before dating – Mark Driscoll (via Crossway)

16 Christian Dating Principles – Part One, Part Two – Mark Driscol (via Crossway)

Church Life

Finally, as you prepare to meet with God’s people: do you consider them the excellent ones in whom is all your delight or the annoying ones in whom is all your irritation? – Mark Altrogge

Have a great Lord’s Day!