Saturday Six-Pack (22)

Last week’s “Saturday Six-Pack” arrived on Tuesday.  This week’s: On Monday.  Does less failure count as success?

One way or the other, here are the latest half-dozen links to feed and fuel you.

As usual, these articles are mostly faith-focused or ministry-geared, with a bit of disorderly-pile-of-who-knows-what tossed in!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

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

Today’s edition:

1) Women Bishops: It’s About the Bible, Not Fake Ideas of Progress
While my fellowship doesn’t have bishops, we do have women.  We also have the Bible, and possibly some fake ideas about progress.  This short piece by NT Wright hits hard on Scripture’s non-negotiable authority in the discussions of women in leadership.  And some will surprised where he goes from there.

2) 20 Top Leadership Tips… In Tweet Length
Prompted for some of the best insights he’s picked up on leadership, Ron Edmondson offers this list… in ready-form to flood your Twitter queue.

3) Does Sliding into Cohabitation Lock You In? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
There is a common line of reasoning that sees living together as a prudent, even helpful, test-drive ahead of marriage. “Surely this ups the odds of marital success,” is the thought. Yet the research, both religious or secular in nature, consistently argues otherwise. How can something so logical be so incorrect?  For Psychology Today, here is Dr. J.R. Bruns‘ take on what is at work under this surface.

4) On the Other Side of Suffering
Philip Yancey has long been a blessing to my life. This short piece, highlighting a lesson he learned from a WWII chaplain, may be just the word of encouragement you need this morning to press on, despite a lack of the clarity or motivation you desire.

5) Why Should We Care About Advent? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
The Advent season is underway again. In case, you haven’t yet figured out why that should matter to you, Rob Bell has a few thoughts to share, in this piece, originally posted in 2010 for Relevant magazine.

6) Six Ways to Find Time for Your Creative Work
To any whose list includes tasks that require free-flowing creative juices, The Time Management Ninja offers these six tips.

May your week be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

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Saturday Six-Pack (5)

Welcome to the weekend, and thanks for spending some time “Wandering & Wondering”.

This week’s “Saturday Six-Pack” shares a smattering of the best things I’ve recently read online.  Typically, these articles are be faith-focused or ministry-geared, but I reserve the right to live up to the “disorderly pile of who-knows-what” tagline at the top of this page!

Today’s line-up:

1) Why the Church is Losing a Generation and What We Can Do About It
Jonathan Pearson is noticing a disturbing trend, and he isn’t the only one.  Why are so many young adults turning away from “church as they know it”?  Here are a few theories, along with an invitation into this important conversation.

2) To Get Ahead, Do 21 Things that Others Don’t
This very practical, potentially inspiring, list comes from the Time Management Ninja.  If you’re looking for ways to “get ahead” in whatever way you define that, this short read will be worth your while.

3) An Interview with a Pearl
Great dialog here between blogger Jamal Jivanjee and a woman he identifies as Kat.  Some great insights here from the layers of one life into the layers of your own, as you strive to courageously follow Jesus.

4) Ambidextrous Ministry
However you serve, wherever you lead, you likely have a dominant hand.  Eric Geiger suggests that the next step forward might demand some skills from the other side.  A brief read, this one will likely get you considering at least a few possibilities within your church or life.  Dare to dream… and go left!

5) Want a Better Life?  Read a Book.
Pscyhology Today offers this piece.  The title seems obvious to any word-lover, but you may be challenged here on how you could maximize the impact of the words you choose to consume.

6) How Introverts and Extroverts Can Benefit From One Another
Michael Hyatt asks, “Do introverts or extroverts make the best leaders?”  Along that line, here are a few things worth considering.

Have a great weekend, friends–renew yourself and reverence God.