This week I counted the number of open tabs in my web browser. It was over 40. Time for a Grab Bag, me thinks.
Many more churches are being proactive in providing biblical counseling for their people and the community (check out the GBCM webpage and the GBC biblical counselor training page as examples). Capitol Hill Baptist Church is another church doing good work in training biblical counselors.- The Biblical Counseling Coalition is a new organization attempting to unite various arms of biblical counseling. This week they began posting to their blog. A resources page will be coming soon.
- Mark Dutton writes about real friends.
- Paul Tripp tells us that “The Ultimate Lens on Life” is…the cross. He’s right.
- When Gene Veith asked, “Where is the Steeple?” it reminded me that the very reason we put the steeple back after having to take it down to re-roof the building was so that we would look more distinctively like a church. We are a church, and we want to look like a church — not a mall.
- A few years ago, Susan Hunt co-authored a book with Ligon Duncan on women’s ministry. Recently she taught a workshop at the Ligonier conference in which she talked about a three-year discipleship program for women in the church. It looks helpful.
- Tim Chester says, “You Can Change” — and outlines 10 questions to ask to determine if you really do want to change.
- A new book by Ken Sande, Resolving Everyday Conflict appears that it will be quite helpful. It’s shorter than his classic Peacemaker, and focused on resolving the kinds of conflicts where most of us live each day.
- What would John Newton say about spiritual depression? Tony Reinke formatted a letter by Newton into an interview format to address that question. “Reading Newton’s Mail” is a weekly series that can be read here.
- Kevin DeYoung: “Are you often aware of your own humility? Then you’re probably not humble.”
- Ed Welch writes about “The Secret to Dealing with Fear and Anxiety:” This is the secret to dealing with fears and anxiety. The words of God, and the comfort of the Spirit, become much more obvious when we are repentant and humble before him. No deals—“if you spare me from this suffering then I will . . .” Just simple trust. We trust him because he is God, not because he is going to immediately remove our anxieties or our fear-provoking situation.
- In a similar spirit as part of my sermon last Sunday, John Piper writes that “It’s Good to Please People; It’s Bad to Please People.”
- John MacArthur has written numerous helpful posts about Rob Bell and hell. Read them over at Grace to You.
- The Say-Hey Kid is 80? Say it ain’t so!
Words of Grace 