Weekly Links (6/26/2015)

In a world without God, there are still many questions that need answering: how do we define good and bad; what is the basis for morality; what is the meaning of our lives; how do we deal with suffering, etc? Everyone thinks about these questions at some level. So you don’t have to speak with an atheist for very long to discover that there is a wide range of doctrines and beliefs to which most of them subscribe— even though they may hotly deny it! (David Robertson, Engaging with Atheists: Understanding their world; sharing good news)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! It’s been a busy week, to say the least, so I hope this week’s links will be a means to re-calibrate our commitments to Christ and His church!

  • Jay Adams makes a simple, but overlooked, observation, that the church must fight against error creeping in. Why? Well, it’s a theme that’s present in every New Testament book.
  • When discussing the issue of so-called gay marriage, Christians need to learn to engage the conversation seasoned with salt, but how can we do that? Christopher Yuan, professor at Moody Bible Institute, who knows the struggle of same-sex attraction firsthand, was recently interviewed. He has been a faithful and compassionate evangelical voice on this issue in the past few years, and we would do well to heed his advice.
  • If you have recently seen the new Pixar film Inside Out or plan on watching it, have you considered it an opportunity to discuss the role of emotions with your kids? If you’re not sure where to start, TGC gives some pointers, as does Ken Sande, author of The Peacemaker. Dan DeWitt, however, gets the worldview correct, which isn’t as positive as you may think. If you’re hoping to continue to have conversations with your kids, or would want to bring a Christian perspective to the movies your family, friends, and/or co-workers watch, you’ll want to bookmark this post.
  • When asked if so-called gay marriage hurts anyone, there are at least 15 reasons to consider. Denny Burk, who thinks, as do many, that the Supreme Court will legalize so-called gay marriage, points to a new-ish resource, which has been newly revised by ERLC and ADF, on how churches can protect themselves from lawsuits for their stand on marriage. Are you prepared for what’s to come?
  • Over at Dr. Greg Harris’ blog, a call to remove the battle lines between stay-at-home moms and working moms has been sounded. Will we listen to that call?
  • In honoring the life of Elisabeth Elliot, Ligonier Ministries has now made available her video series, Suffering is Not for Nothing. This looks to be a very valuable resource at the best price available: free!
  • With the upcoming missions trip to the Czech Republic (please remember to pray for the team!), opportunities to speak truth in love to unbelievers and believers will abound. It’s helpful to be reminded of the fact that Scripture gives counsel sufficient for every person in every culture. What a gracious God we serve!
  • In line with the Czech trip, one of the biggest religious groups in the Czech Republic are Catholics. As a resource for the team, as well as those who have regular interaction with Catholics, how do we tell them the Gospel faithfully? Recently, Chris Castaldo was interviewed about his new book on the subject. Don’t miss out on Gregg Allison’s interview, linked in the same post, on an evangelical assessment of Roman Catholic theology.

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the joint Bible study with three out of the four affinity groups tonight, as well as the finishing of VBS, and the Czech sendoff next week! See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria