Tag Archives: relevant magazine

Six-Pack (66)

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Welcome to the latest Six-Pack!

As usual, here are six of the best pieces I’ve recently read, related to ministry or faith or who-knows-what!

If a half-dozen feels daunting, start with the *Picks of the Week*, and move out.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Shocking Stats About Preaching
From ChurchLeaders.com, Here are some numbers on a task that plays into every rhythm of every week for me and many others.

2)  Six Heretics Who Should Be Banned from Evangelicalism (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Tim Challies recently earned himself all sorts of attention for his series on heretics — that is likely worth its own post. Relevant Magazine jumped on board.

3) 
A missionary died years ago believing his efforts in Congo had been fruitless. Surprise!

4)  The Troubling Trends in America’s “Calvinist Revival”
I’m hardly a Calvinist, nor part of their movement. However, many of the authors and online voices I pay attention to are. Here’s why that concerns Jonathan Merritt.

5)  The Shawshank Residuals (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Here is how one of the greatest films ever continues to make money twenty years after its release.

6) There’s No Such Thing as a Culture Turnaround
Ever tried changing an organization’s culture? No small task. From HBR, here is why that is the case, and what you might do about it.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Six-Pack (65)

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Welcome to the Six-Pack, the Victoria Day Long Weekend edition for those of you celebrating in Canada.

As you’ve come to expect, the six links below feature the best online offerings I have recently read, related to ministry or faith, with just enough space left for who-knows-what!

If a half-dozen feels daunting, start with the *Picks of the Week*, and move out.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) In Prison With Ann Voskamp
Richard Beck confesses to getting a new perspective in a Texas prison.

2)  Q&R: A Nasty Piece About You (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Regardless of what you think of Brian McLaren, you’ll be inspired by this response that he gave to one of his critics. Classy and gracious.

3)  Six Unexpected Faith Conversations in Pop Culture
Relevant Magazine has put together this short piece highlighting popular figures who have recently shared thoughts on faith. Hardly profound, but interesting all the same.

4)  How to Stay in One Church for 27 Years
If you’re a pastor seeking advice on longevity, Ronnie Floyd is likely worth listening to.

5)  Toward Recovering Baptism (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I was blessed by some recent visits with my friend Kirk at the Pepperdine Lectures. Here, he recounts some highlights of the week, while musing also about some not-to-be-missed facets of baptism.

6) The Wrong Reasons to Write
Jeff Goins helps those who string words together to break free of poor reasons to keep pressing forward.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Six-Pack (59)

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After being away last weekend, let’s get back to sharing another edition of the aims-to-be weekly Six-Pack.

This week’s collection features the usual mix of ministry, faith, and anything else that piqued interest.

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Is Peace Possible (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
The conflict in the Holy Land has been painted as an unsolvable religious dispute. But is there more to the story? Oh, almost certainly!

2) Unplug SF
If you have an issue with your cell phone — an issue of over-attentiveness — perhaps you should visit San Francisco.

3) Why I Park the Furthest from the Church
This brief post explains how Derwin Gray choose his parking spot each day.

4) Precious Memories (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Why do we love sports? Beyond the action and the athleticism, some theorize it’s actually deeper: More about connection. This ESPN piece on UNC legend Dean Smith and his battle with dementia will stir both sports fans and others.

5) The Right Culture for Community
Most churches emphasize the term “community”, as in the nature of the relationships being built between people. Ed Stetzer has some thoughts on what it takes to build a culture capable of creating and nurturing legitimate community.

6) Supernormal Stimuli
“Is Your Brain Truly Ready for Junk Food, Porn, or the Internet?” That’s the title on this fascinating article, from Gregory Ciotti. While the evolution-based assumptions aren’t mine, there is a lot of sound observation in here about how (and why) people operate within the world of today.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Six-Pack (56)

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Way too long away! I have missed every one of you, AND I’ve missed posting. Time to re-establish order in our post-sickness lives. Cheers to new days and new starts!

So let’s jump in: Here is the first Six-Pack of 2014 — the best pieces that have kicked off my year. As usual, selections are generally centered on faith or ministry, though we leave sufficient license to include who-knows-what as we discover it!

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) My Advice to Married Couples After Divorcing My Wife of 16 Years (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
 Married, single, divorced, engaged, want-to-be-married, couldn’t-care-less — if you know another human being, read this. It might change the way you see or touch those lives.

2) How I Rediscovered Faith
Relevant Magazine‘s latest issue involves Malcolm Gladwell recounting a life-altering trip to Winnipeg as part of the research on his last book.

3) The Absolute Best iPhone Apps for Pastors
I do love being a pastor (most of the time), and I do love having an iPhone (most of the time). This list, from ProPreacher provides an interesting read for any other preacher trying to wield smartphones productively.

4) SATAN: Old Testament Servant Angel or New Testament Cosmic Rebel?
This is a LONG read. But if you’ve ever been interested in the person of Satan as Scripture describes him, this is fascinating stuff that will have you asking new questions and re-reading familiar old passages with fresh eyes.

5) Interview with the Ultimate Warrior (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
This is a fun article, filled with childhood flashbacks for this former WWF fan. The former superstar chats about everything from career challenges to the business side of wrestling to being in a video game still today to slamming Andre the Giant.

6) Why Atheists are Angry at God
Joe Carter, of TGC, observes that some atheists approach non-faith in a strictly logical and rational way. But he notes what he considers to be far more atheists whose stance is emotionally charged. His question: What are they mad about? That might be good to know.

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Six-Pack (51)

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Six-Pack #51 marks the first one published on the new domain! But as always, it remains the (nearly) weekly spot for grabbing a half-dozen of the best “recent reads” I’ve discovered online regarding faith, ministry, or who-knows-what.

If six overwhelms, start with two. The *Picks of the Week* provide an easy starting point.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Malcolm Gladwell on His Return to Faith (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
How can one not enjoy Malcolm Gladwell? He’s original and provocative, strangely curious and curiously strange. And during the writing of his most recent book, he found his heart wandering back toward a faith he thought he’d closed the door on. Surprise!

2) What if Being Content is Ruining Your Life?
Contentment is typically sought after. What about when it begins to hold you back? Allison Vesterfelt wants you to consider.

3) Ten Reasons Church Leaders Should Further their Education
Having been impacted profoundly through my educational experiences, I need no convincing of this point. For those needing more material, Thom Rainer offers these ten reasons as starting points.

4) The Sad Cycle of Evangelical Biblical Scholarship
That title isn’t likely to merit many clicks here, but Peter Enns (a renowned scholar himself) expresses frustration here for Evangelicalism’s struggle to embrace biblical scholarship in its broadest sense. He questions a system that keeps people captive to fear. If you value learning or education or the Bible, this piece will likely intrigue you as it gives you a peek inside the world of those who shape the ideas that fill sermons and published works through our churches and homes.

5) Three Lies Entertainment Tells Us About Sex (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
If your TV is your primary educator about sex, you’ve got a problem, Houston. Truth be told, you’ve got at least three.  Great piece from Relevant Magazine here!

6) 28 Leadership Lessons from Catalyst with Jeff Henderson
Jeff Henderson, of The Rocket Company, recently presented at the Catalyst Conference. Here were some thought-provoking nuggets of how churches work and don’t work well.

May the week ahead be filled with life, as the Father fills you with all you need!

YOUR TURN: Which link above was most worthwhile–why that one? Direct others readers to the best of the bunch. Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]