Saturday Snippets (April 24)

As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers…

Pastors and Depression

“We speak endlessly of the need for love in the church. Indeed, without love, the church is a spiritual nonentity (1 Cor. 13:1-3). But do churches give any thought about caring for those who have served them, trying to feed the flock for all those years?”

Words of encouragement

“If the Spirit prompts you to make that phone call, send that text or write that card, then do it. Don’t underestimate the need around you. Words of encouragement also delight the giver. You are in the business of kingdom work.”

How to Avoid Being Satan’s Miserable Comforter

““Though he slay me, I will hope in him,” Job cried out. And then he added, “yet I will argue my ways to his face” (Job 13:15). This is a jaw-dropping faith. We are invited alongside saints like this to be present, to pray, to persist, and to speak transparently and truthfully. In this, our comfort will mirror the Great Comforter and Co-Sufferer, the Spirit and the Son.”

Stats n’ Chats

Blogging for most Christian writers is not about building a platform. It’s about creating a site that point people to Jesus in a helpful and engaging way. Read, engage and encourage. Stats n’ Chats

From Pastor’s Kid to Pastor with Kids

Thoughts from the experience of a pastor’s kid on some of the joys and difficulties of growing up in a ‘ministry home’. From Pastor’s Kid to Pastor with Kids…

Why? God.

A friend of mine had written this spoken word, and my days is it good stuff. It points you to Jesus in the midst of the questions. Really good and really helpful.

What Are the Five Most Important Books Youth Ministers Should Read?

Some helpful stuff here, most of them not specific to youth work, but some good books!

More Application Please

My online friend wrote an article, and another online friend responded. Make sure you check out both Steve’s and Chris’s articles.

When Martyn Lloyd-Jones Confronted a Pastor Who Loved Controversy and Denunciation

Most Christians could learn a thing or two about confrontation here, the necessity for it but also the manner in which it’s best done.

Themelios 46.1

A new edition of a theological journal with some really interesting looking articles.

Writing as Imitation of God

“The essential work of the writer, I think, is to become. It is not to announce or to proclaim or to even convince. It is to settle down in sameness, to put on the flesh of the reader, hear with their ears, see with their eyes, to take on the weights that bear them down, and suffer with them in their sadness and grief. It is incarnate work, putting flesh on syllables and grammar and words with very little meaning on their own.”