“A lot of smart people—including many who have made a career helping the ‘least and the lost’ in our broken world—say the answer to that question is ‘no.’” - Religion Unplugged

“What if our work, in and outside of our job, is what we were made for?” - Breakpoint

“In a statement, Cedarville University President Thomas White identified junior Grace Maxwell as one of the victims of the tragedy near Reagan National Airport” - CPost

“Do I think of myself as a leader before I seriously think about my sinfulness? …Do I so see myself in charge that I consider too little the truth that the church belongs to Christ?…Am I living for my recognition or Jesus’ recognition?” - Chuck Lawless

“You listen far more than say anything… Being present is the key ministry gift we give to those we minister.” - The Baptist Paper

The more I moved into sober life—the more that became a fact rather than anything to think about—the more I found myself questioning the alcohol-based structure of Western society. - Persuasion

“Parents, our kids may not be physical captives in Babylon, but they are captives to whatever is captivating them. And that presents a serious challenge for discipleship.” - Baptist Press

“I find something distorted and distorting in how seemingly all our public conversations concern authority in its worst and most illegitimate expressions.” - The Dispatch

This article argues that the Roman Catholic Church (“Rome”) is wrong about the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. In fact, she is so incorrect that her teaching on this matter is grave error that distorts the gospel.

By “Christ’s atonement,” we mean the action by which Christ’s vicarious death reconciles us to God and restores fellowship with him. The dispute here is about the sufficiency of this atonement. Did Christ atone for the consequences of all our sins? Is his atonement permanent or conditional?

“If affirmed, the school would be the nation’s first faith-based charter—a sea change in education law, expanding the boundaries of government aid to faith-based schools.” - The Conversation

“We understand that life is more than work. We devote periods of time to recreation, sleep, play, and other activities not directly part of our principal employment or labor. However, the element of our lives that is taken up by work is so encompassing and time-consuming that we tend to understand our personal identity in the light of our work.” - Ligonier

“…we are now seeing the emergence of what might be called “right exvangelicalism.” If left exvangelicals sought to keep Jesus but dispense with the church, right exvangelicals are following a similar trajectory, but from the other side of the political spectrum.” - Mere Orthodoxy

“The amulet shows that Christianity had spread further north into Germania more quickly than we previously realized. We know there was a robust presence of Christianity north of the Alps in places like Lyons, Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), where Irenaeus ministered as a priest from AD 161–80.” - TGC

I read a lot of books. I sometimes review some of them at this blog. Some of the best books I read don’t get a review, either because I meander my way through them, or because I just don’t feel like reviewing a book at that particular time. Owing to the fact that I had my own book to get to the press I did not read as much as I usually do.

Many of the books I read I have disagreements with. Some of them are quite large disagreements—say, in eschatology or soteriology—but I firmly believe one should not read books by guys you agree with all the time. You grow more when you “joust” with alternative positions, and a good writer will always improve you, the reader.

Here then are a list of books I was helped by this year.

“We have people sitting in the pews … women have had abortions. But it’s not something I’m going to tell anyone unless I trust them deeply….. I really am not going to share with my pastor, because I’m afraid what he’s going to think about me.” - Seminary Viewpoints

“While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to helping people face a problem with pornography, there does seem to be a consensus on what people perceive to be the most effective solutions.” - Barna

Kevin DeYoung on his upcoming book Daily Doctrine

Mark Ward discusses English “false friends” (old words that seem clear to us today but meant something different at the time) in a trio of Reformation confessions. - Ward on Words

In Romans 11:13, the Apostle Paul inserts a short but pointed phrase which has the power both to convict and to inspire. He wrote simply: “I magnify my ministry.”

It seems that such a personal and dynamic statement may be better understood when it is exemplified than when it is exposited. But it has captured my imagination, and I thought that I would share a few thoughts on the subject—for my own sake, as well as those who read them.

“This is not morbid; it is just facing head-on what Scripture says….You are not going to live a moment shorter because you pause to think about death. You are not going to live a moment longer if you refuse to stop and think about death.” - Randy Alcorn

“God doesn’t change in response to what he sees…. Yet creation and people bring real delight to God. God delights in the good, the true, and the beautiful.” - TGC

“The factor perceived as least important is being a member of the historically predominant religion, according to Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 36 countries in 2023 and 2024.” - Pew Research

“Young Christian men need strong role models. They should turn Tate off.” - Breakpoint

By Anthony Wood

When I was a boy, a visiting pastor taught us about humility He opened his Bible and began, “Any preacher not wise enough to tremble when asked to preach on humility should not be preaching at all.” The congregation chuckled.

The pastor’s preaching then echoed through the church, enveloping the congregation in a sense of reverence and awe. The hush that followed was broken only by the soft rustle of pages turning as those gathered opened their Bibles to the passage about Christ’s humility.

Paul records the humiliation of Christ as:

“Quebec’s National Assembly passed Bill 21 in 2019, which requires various public officials in authority — such as police officers or teachers — to refrain from wearing religious symbols while performing their duties.” - CPost

In Romans 2:14-15, Paul speaks of law written on hearts:

14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them …

In 2 Corinthians 3:2-3, Paul uses this term to refer to believers, seemingly referring to the work of the Spirit in regeneration:

“Gavin Ortlund and Joe Schmid discuss the ontological argument. Originally hosted at Unbelievable.” -YouTube

“In his article, ‘Who’s Afraid of AI?,’ Erik Hanson helpfully reminds us to deal biblically with our fears and think objectively and soberly about this technology. We also must be alert to the way technology affects the way we minister.” - P&D

“projects now take less time and often transcend geographical barriers, connecting people from opposite corners of the globe…. volunteers—whether full-time or with just a few hours to spare—can contribute meaningfully to this mission.” - C.Leaders

“The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act (S.204) was filed Jan. 23 and is sponsored by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)…. The legislation seeks ‘to protect the right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children as a fundamental right.’” - Baptist Press