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…
Does Your Church Truly Care for True Widows?
“Why would the church need to care for widows? In short, because God cares about widows. Widows were an especially vulnerable group, who often had no means of support and no one to protect them or advocate for them. They were alone, often reduced to poverty, and were easily taken advantage of.”
My Life as a Christian Under a Communist Regime
“Here in China we long for rich theological resources, seminaries, solid teachers and pastors, and healthy churches, which religious liberty could make possible. However, what we have now is not a curse, but God’s blessing. He knows best.”
Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care
“Our spiritual, physical, relational, locational, personal safety matters. Following spiritual abuse, we need rest and healing and safety. Following physical trauma, our bodies and minds need time and safe physical spaces where we know we will not be harmed. If we have experienced control, domination, cancel culture or gaslighting by individuals or committees it can be traumatic.”
Discover the Union Series
“This series of books has found a way to present the deep truths of the gospel in an accessible way. I’ve always got a pile of them in my office, ready to give out.”
PRAY WHENEVER AND WHEREVER BUT ALSO ON YOUR KNEES
“There is nothing inherently magical in hitting my knees. But the posture is powerful in helping me pray. Choosing to kneel for these times of prayer is a felt reminder of the need for discipline. It nudges me to remember the uneasiness of the exercise of prayer. It is not only a chance to pray about my weakness but also a chance to feel it.”
The Turning Tide of Intellectual Atheism
“Viewing Western civilisation with its Christian soul cut out, many are now willing to say: “We need Christ.” What they are unable, thus far, to say, is: “I need Christ.” But the political must become personal. Peterson appears to understand that—and is awestruck by the reality of it.”
Helping the Traumatized
“We see trauma stewardship modeled by Christ, who neither blocked out human trauma nor became absorbed by it.”
Dear Pastor, Theologian & Author, simple is generally better!
“So often I hear pastors, theologians and authors use language that no other human being would ever dream of using in real life. Why do I think that this is a problem? Here are a few reasons…”
Hard to Offend, Easy to Please
“In an age that beckons us to inhale cynicism and exhale contempt, we have a prime opportunity within our churches to show a more excellent way. Our secret is not chipperness or naivete. It is sober-minded, truth-informed hope.”
EMBRACING THE QUIET LIFE
“While we like to dim the sanctuary lights during service and quiet the band while we sing “Be still and know that I am God,” the experience of being still and knowing God often remains a foreign concept to us.”
We’re Unhappy, and We Know Why
“We need to stop hiding behind artificial “personality types,” telling ourselves our lonely nights of drinking are necessary introversion time. Forming and filling are not Enneagram numbers. They’re written deep in the recesses of our frustrated souls.”
Chalmers' Blog 