“A local church is a gathering of baptized, born-again Christians who covenant together in love to meet regularly under the authority of the Scriptures and the leadership of the elders to worship God, be a visible image of the gospel, and, ultimately, to give God glory (John 3:1–8; 13:34–35; Acts 2:41; 14:23; Eph. 3:10; Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; Heb. 10:24–25).” (Mack Stiles, Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! For many, Christmas season has led to break, but there is much to still learn and grow in our understanding of our Lord and Savior, even during the holidays. With that said, I hope this week’s links will be of service to you!

• Tim Challies has been working through a series on what he calls the forgotten commandment of honoring your parents. Though he’s a few posts in, he recently wrote an article highlighting two kinds of cultures that seem prevalent not only in our country, but also in our church. This may make you go back and start at the beginning!
• This week is the week of new journal issues! Make sure you check out the fall issue The Masters Seminary Journal on “Christ-Centered Preaching,” 9Marks journal on the state of nations regarding healthy churches, and Credo’s issue on Sola Scriptura.
• How do we deal with bitterness in our hearts? Heath Lambert discusses overcoming bitterness in this week’s Truth in Love podcast. Earlier this week, Lambert spoke with Dr. Stuart Scott on how to deal with sadness during the Christmas season.
• Last week, I mentioned Christian philosophy professor Tim McGrew’s interview on his contribution to the Four Views on Christianity and Philosophy. Now, Dr. Scott Oliphint provides a presuppositional perspective in the following broadcast, noting that Christianity trumps philosophy. As a philosophy major, I actually agree, so make sure you give some time for this interview.
• Parents, how have you instructed your kids in listening to a sermon? If you haven’t, you may find some wisdom in David Prince’s piece on training your kids to listen to sermons well.
• Andy Naselli highlights The Bible Project and their amazing work in summarizing each book of the Bible in a video or two. Click the link to find all videos of each book in one post! This could be a fun series of videos to watch with your roommates, friends, and family.
• The Associates of Biblical Research blog created a fascinating video establishing the truth of Micah’s prophecy concerning Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem with amazing views of the location uncovered by archaeologists. Praise God, for His Word is true.
• Alan Shlemon, of Stand to Reason, answers a question that calls the apostle Paul’s view of sexual ethics outdated. Greg Koukl interviewed Rosaria Butterfield on her conversion to Christ from her life of rebellion against God in her previous life as a lesbian and English professor at a secular university. Very helpful in learning how to be gracious and loving towards those who identify as LBGTQ.
• It’s never tiring to hear testimony of how God brought a sinner to saving faith. This time, listen to Jean as she shares her life story, from abortion to Christ.

That’s all for this week! Please keep the SDSU collegians in prayer as they finish up finals and head home for Christmas break, and represent Christ to their families. Also pray for the youth, as they will be having their Christmas party tonight. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“There is a legitimate sense in which the fear of God involves being afraid of God, being gripped with terror and dread. Though this is not the dominant thought in Scripture, it is there nonetheless. The second aspect of fear, which is peculiar to the true children of God, is the fear of veneration, honor, and awe with which we regard our God. It is a fear that leads us not to run from Him but to draw near to Him through Jesus Christ and gladly submit to Him in faith, love, and obedience.” (Albert N. Martin, The Forgotten Fear: Where Have All the God-Fearers Gone?)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! The Christmas season is now upon us, and we have much to celebrate. I just hope this week’s links will bring you more towards the truth of Christ and His birth. Here are this week’s links.

• Missionary Helen Roseveare went to be with the Lord on Wednesday at the age of 91. Justin Taylor writes a quick summary of her life and experiences on the mission field. She truly should be considered a woman of whom the world was not worthy.
• Michael Kruger continues his series on Christian cliches that should go the way of the do-do, this time on the saying “all sins are equal in God’s sight.” He wrote a follow-up post to give a sampling of how widespread this idea has become.
• Paul Tripp reminds us that Christmas is all about a tree, but not the tree that we decorate. A powerful way to remember what we are truly celebrating.
• Steve Hays compiled a list of articles, books, and other resources mounting a case for the existence of God, along with responses to objections. Earlier, he linked to another set of theistic arguments for God’s existence that includes a good bibliography that will keep you busy for the next year(s). These are the links to bookmark and visit often.
• Christian philosopher Dr. Timothy McGrew was interviewed on the convergence of philosophy and Christianity, among other issues. A number of resources are linked along with the interview, which would be a great introduction to the writings of Dr. McGrew.
• If you haven’t already read about it, the book The Shack is coming out soon as a movie, which means there may be some opportunities to discuss some of the issues that came as a result of the book. Stand to Reason highlights Tim Challies’ reviews of that book, which would be helpful to brush up on what were some of his concerns.
• Pastor Brian Croft recently spoke at a conference called “Every Member Ministry” on the importance of member involvement in a local church. If you’re seeking to understand what your role in the life of the church is, this looks like a good place to start.
• Every Christmas season, there’s some who will find the idea of the virgin birth of Christ as mythical. Many responses have come from these challenges, but the objections continue to be used past their expiration date. As believers, is the virgin birth essential to our faith? Pastor Kevin DeYoung thinks so, as should we.
• The Gospel Coalition came out with their December issue of Themelios, which has a number of great articles, as well as about 50 book reviews, some of which may be very informative, even for Christmas shopping.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for the upcoming Christmas concert that will be taking place tomorrow at church! Hope to see you there! And on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

by Stephen Rodgers

You and Me Forever by Francis & Lisa Chan (free audio book)

“Marriage is great, but it’s not forever. It’s until death do us part. Then come eternal rewards or regrets depending on how we spent our lives. Francis Chan joins together with his wife Lisa to address the question many couples wonder at the altar: “How do I have a healthy marriage?” Setting aside typical topics on marriage, Francis and Lisa dive into Scripture to understand what it means to have a relationship that satisfies the deepest parts of our souls.”

How to Read Proverbs by Tremper Longman III (free Logos resource)

“In How to Read Proverbs Tremper Longman provides a welcome guide to reading and studying, as well as understanding and savoring the Proverbs for all their wisdom. While many proverbs speak to us directly, we can gain much greater insight by studying the book of Proverbs as a whole, understanding its relationship to ancient non-Israelite wisdom, and listening to its conversation with the other great voices of wisdom in Scripture—Job and Ecclesiastes.”

Remembering God (free Tabletalk magazine) 

“The December issue of Tabletalk considers the biblical-theological theme of remembering God. Throughout the Bible, we are told about the dangers of forgetting God and the importance of remembering Him. The greatest threat Israel faced, for example, was often not an external one (such as the lure of Canaan) but an internal one (the people’s forgetful, disobedient, self-indulgent hearts). In times of spiritual decline, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer observed, “Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with the forgetfulness of God.” To counter the decay of forgetfulness, we are called to remember the past, present, and future work of God. This issue will help readers fight unbelief and cultivate faith by exploring what it means to remember God.”

“God is in his Word. He is in it not only when the Bible is read, but also when it is truly preached, or witnessed to, or reflected on in the mind; we meet him in it, and so his Word brings both knowledge and fellowship.” (Broughton Knox, The Everlasting God)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Thanksgiving has come and gone, but giving thanks to God is a daily joy and responsibility! I pray these links will continue to point you to thank God for all He has done. With that said, here are this week’s links!

• Earlier this week was the anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis. If you don’t know much about him, here’s at least nine things you should know. David Mathis at Desiring God writes some reflections on the influence he had on him, which is a good place to get a taste of Lewis’ writing.
• With Thanksgiving Day having come and gone, there’s still some articles worth spending time on. First, Pastor Eric Davis shares memories with his grandfather, including an opportunity to share the gospel with him. Second, Kevin DeYoung gives a short meditation on thankfulness that extends past Thanksgiving.   Third, R.C. Sproul offers a two-part message on Thanksgiving for all to enjoy. Lastly, here is a great article to share with believer and non-believer alike: give thanks!
• Professor and Christian philosopher James Anderson recently gave a talk on how to address the issue of transgender biblically, giving eight theses to build his case. This is definitely worth giving time and attention, for the sake of loving people.
• Pastor and biblical counselor Paul Tautges offers us his notes on how to have a quiet time with God. If you have no idea how to start, or need a refresher, this will point you in the right direction!
• Philosopher and homeschool mom Lydia McGrew writes of some of the current issues taking place within evangelicalism: IVCF vs. SBL, and the recent ETS meeting concerning four resolutions passed last year in response to the Obergefell ruling.
• Justin Taylor seeks to think through the logic of abortion rights, which turns out to be quite informative. Whether pro-life or pro-choice, this will be a great push forward in dialoging with one another. Lives truly are at stake.
• Why do kids who profess to be Christians later abandon the faith? Tim Challies discusses four reasons and possible solutions for parents and youth workers to consider. May we all seek to be faithful to faithfully point the next generation to Christ by teaching and example.
• New Testament professor Thomas Schreiner explains commonly misunderstood phrases in Scripture: faith as a mustard seed, and faith that moves mountains. What do they mean, and can we actually move mountains by our faith? Schreiner is very helpful here in dealing with this.
• How can we encourage one another, in season and out of season? Dane Ortlund provides some much-needed encouragement for us (see what I did there?).

That’s all for this week! Don’t forget that this Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, so make sure you prepare to anticipate our celebration of Christ coming to earth! See you all then!

Soli Deo Gloria

“To be a good leader, you’ve got to know how to follow first. If you want others to submit to your leadership, you’ve got to learn how to submit to the authorities in your life…Biblically great people don’t want to draw attention to themselves, but want to lay down their own lives for other people. You should be willing to serve other people because you should really believe they’re more significant than you.” (Dan Dumas, Live Smart: Preparing for the Future God Wants for You)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! With Thanksgiving a week away, there’s already much to be thankful for, including this week’s links! Here they are!

• The ’10 things you should know’ series continues, this time about physician assisted suicide.
• Tim Challies gives a clear tactic in handling conflicts biblically: asking two specific questions that gets to the heart of forgiveness. For the sake of the unity of the church body, read this!
• TMS Professor Dr. Greg Harris is coming out with a new book, The Bible Expositor’s Handbook sometime next year, but has made available of the first two chapters here. Enjoy!
• ACBC has made available one of their sessions from this year’s annual conference. This one is titled, “The Doctrine of the Church and Biblical Counseling” by Steve Viars. Praise God for His faithfulness to His people in the care of souls!
• Colleen Chao invites us into her life (and Joseph) to see the hand of God in bringing a proud person to compassion. Heath Lambert gives counsel on the Truth in Love podcast on how to break through to the heart of a prideful person.
• Challies mentions and challenges three parenting myths we are all tempted to believe.
• Professor David Murray, with assistance of his students in counseling, has created a counselor’s checklist, based on Paul Tripp’s Love-Know-Speak-Do structure, to gauge how one is doing in providing biblical counsel. I hope this is of help to everyone who offers counsel from the Scriptures.
• What’s at stake in the creation-evolution debate? Center for Science and Culture associate director John West reports on a new study that quantifies the effects of evolutionary ideas on faith and ethics of the general public. There’s some valuable information, so take a look!
• Pastor Jeremy Yong explains why grace seems hard for him as an Asian-American. Very appreciative of his perspective!

That’s all for this week! Please keep the youth and collegians in prayer, as they meet tonight. Hope to see you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“We need revival, a reformation of our hearts and minds. We don’t need more self-help books, we don’t need more welfare programs or feel-good efforts: we need more of Jesus Christ. Our battleground is not marriage, sexuality, sanctity of life, justice, or hunger. Our battleground is the gospel. Jesus is enough.” [Sheldon Nord (foreword) in David Steele, Bold Reformer: Celebrating the Gospel-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther]

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Quite the week, to say the least. Here’s hoping that this week’s links will provide some encouragement to you, wherever you are in your walk with Christ today.

• What do you do when your pastor begins sharing the gospel in his sermon? Do you start packing up? Thinking about what to eat for lunch? Pastor Jordan Standridge calls you, believer, not to shut off your brain when your pastor preaches the gospel. This is probably the best post I’ve read this week.
• Ok, the election has come and gone. Anything worth reading out there? Well, Andy Naselli has a great post-election roundup of articles. Jonathan Leeman reminds us of our responsibility as a church body, Hunter Baker tells us 10 things we should know about the election, Heath Lambert provides timely counsel on how believers on either political side can love one another, and Mark Dever a few years back preached on the relationship between Christians and politics that has been helpful to me personally over the years.
• Nancy Guthrie recently gave a talk at RTS Charlotte on how to struggle with grief, a very needed subject in the Christian community. RTS President Michael Kruger interviews her and her husband David in light of their new book, What Grieving People Wish You Knew about What Really Helps (and What Really Hurts).
• What are some of the fruits of the Reformation? Sinclair Ferguson provides four implications of Martin Luther’s theology, while Joel Beeke provides a picture of Luther’s family as a picture of cultivating Christian discipleship in the family.
• Brad Hambrick discusses the difference between the noun counsel and the verb counseling, and the perceptions people have about both. Trust me, it’s worth the read.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for the youth and collegians, as they meet tonight, as well as our members’ meeting this Sunday night. See you all Sunday morning!

Soli Deo Gloria

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome to the first Friday of the month, where we highlight free resources. The usual caveats apply: being featured is not the same thing as being endorsed, and the blurbs are pulled from the respective sites, not written by me.

America’s Pastor (free Christianaudio audiobook)

During a career spanning sixty years, the Reverend Billy Graham’s resonant voice and chiseled profile entered the living rooms of millions of Americans with a message that called for personal transformation through God’s grace. How did a lanky farm kid from North Carolina become an evangelist hailed by the media as “America’s pastor”? More than a conventional biography, Grant Wacker’s interpretive study deepens our understanding of why Billy Graham has mattered so much to so many.

Philippians: How to Have Joy (free Logos resource)

How do I live the Christian life joyfully regardless of people or circumstances? What is the purpose of suffering and the Christian perspective on death? Do I have “the mind of Christ”? Discover true, deep-down joy in your life that the world cannot take away.

Maturity (free Tabletalk magazine)

The November issue of Tabletalk considers the biblical-theological theme of maturity. Maturity is a combination of wisdom, kindness, and endurance—a “growing up” in love. Compared to our forefathers in the faith, many of us are lacking in maturity. Yet, the progression from spiritual infancy to maturity in Christ is the normal progression of the Christian life, and helping others grow in the “fullness of Christ” is one of the primary goals of the church. The goal of this issue is to counter immaturity in the church by presenting a more compelling account of biblical maturity.

“To move from religion to secularism is not so much a loss of faith as a shift into a new set of beliefs and into a new community of faith, one that draws the lines between orthodoxy and heresy in different places.” (Tim Keller, Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Well, the weekend is here, and there’s a lot to catch up on, so here are this week’s links!

• How thick is your Bible? This is a question Biblical counselor Jim Newheiser asks to those interested in counseling the Scriptures to one another, and gets to the heart of that question in his recent contribution to the Biblical Counseling Coalition blog. As in his teaching, he provides some practical counsel that will be of great help in this endeavor! In case you want to check out his list of 100 go-to Scripture passages on counseling topics, go here.
• Parents, in case you were wondering about the new book The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the a Roots and Shoots of Faith by Champ Thornton, here’s Tim Challies’ review.
• Jack Chick, famously known for his Chick tracts, died this past Sunday. Christianity Today has a brief story of his life. Fred Butler gives a personal take on his tracts.
• Andy Stanley, considered pastor of one of the largest church in America, recently gave a series of messages at his church that sought to draw those who have left the church to come back. Since then, he has received criticism from some influential Christian leaders, most recent of which is John Piper. This one is a definite must-read.
• Ken Sande shares a story, and some biblical principles, of how to show care to those who aren’t sure whether to open themselves up to you or not.
• Jason Engwer has written a nine-part series of posts responding to New Testament scholar Annette Merz’s doubts about the reliability of Jesus’ infancy narratives, claiming Nazareth is more likely his birthplace, not Bethlehem. This is very informative, so I hope you give some time for this series about the birthplace of our Lord.
• Though I have yet to see the whole video, many have anticipated Ray Comfort’s new film, The Atheist Delusion, which is a response to Richard Dawkins’ best-seller, The God Delusion. Jordan Standridge at The Cripplegate gives his reasons to watch the film, providing the video at the bottom of the post.
• With the coming of Reformation Day on the 31st (and that other event people celebrate), John Piper answers a question about why Christians should affirm the Reformation principle of Sola Scriptura, and why Roman Catholicism is in the wrong on this issue. Tim Chester writes 10 things you should know about the Reformation. Gregg Allison and Chris Castaldo were recently interviewed about their new book The Unfinished Reformation: What Unites and Divides Catholics and Protestants After 500 Years.

That’s all for this week! This week is flocks week, so please keep them in prayer as they review this past Sunday’s sermon, and don’t forget to pray for all the ladies who will be attending Table for 6 tomorrow! See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

“The only necessary key to understanding the Bible is to approach it with a humble and contrite heart softened by the Holy Spirit, ready to listen to what God says, and just as ready to obey him.” (David Helm, One-to-One Bible Reading)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! Seems like this week has flown by, but not fast enough to not have links for you all. There is much that is taking place, and I hope this week’s links will bring about thanksgiving and prayer to God.

• Rick Pearcey writes of an actress’ recent comment that abortion is a human right, noting the utter incoherence of that claim.
• To catch you up with all things Planned Parenthood, a total of 15 states have sought to defund the organization in light of the undercover videos put out by the Center for Medical Progress earlier this year.
• The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) recently had their 40th annual conference, approving a new Standards of Conduct that was accepted by 99% of their members. If anyone plans on becoming certified in biblical counseling, or wants to grow in their understanding of how to do biblical counseling, this would be a good place to start.
• Recently, InterVarsity has made a bold move in affirming a biblical view of marriage, asking their employees to do the same. One of the results from this has been the call of the executive director of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) to prevent InterVarsity Press (IVP) from having a booth at SBL’s conference, thereby removing member access to some of their many good books. Michael Kruger, who has published though IVP, reports on the matter.
• Regarding the recent outburst from members of the Society of Christian Philosophers (SCP) towards Christian philosopher Richard Swinburne concerning his remarks about homosexuality, Swinburne posted a statement since the controversy began. Be sure to read the concerns made by the author of the post, Edward Feser, linked at the beginning.
• Do you struggle with anxiety? Biblical counselor Paul Tautges recently preached on remedies for anxiety from Scripture, and posted his notes in three parts. Hopefully, this will be a blessing to you and those around you.
• Many have heard of the importance of Martin Luther and John Calvin with respect to the Protestant Reformation, but not many know about the contributions of Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli biographer William Boekestein was interviewed about this neglected reformer, and I think you will learn a lot about him in this podcast.
• With the recent publication of the special report on sexuality and gender from two professors at the John Hopkins School of Medicine, the Human Rights Campaign, the biggest LGBT organization, has threatened John Hopkins University if they do not publicly renounce the conclusions that this report came to. We will keep an eye out for upcoming developments.

That’s all for this week! Please be in prayer for Lumos and College Life, as they meet tonight. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

by Stephen Rodgers

Type your search in the box below:

After you’ve run a search, you can narrow the results to only the
sites listed in the specific categories above by clicking on the
appropriate search refinement at the top.

If anyone is interested, here is a list of what sites are in what categories:

Apologetics

• http://blog.bibleplaces.com
• http://butthesethingsarewritten.blogspot.com
• http://carm.org
• http://michaeljkruger.com
• http://str.typepad.com
• http://triablogue.blogspot.com
• http://truthbomb.blogspot.com
• http://www.aomin.org
• http://www.apologetics315.com
• http://www.frame-poythress.org
• http://www.iliadforum.com/blog
• http://www.proginosko.com
• http://www.str.org

Biblical Counseling

• http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org
• http://christiancounseling.com/
• http://paultrippministries.blogspot.com
• http://www.ccef.org
• http://www.nanc.org
• http://www.peacemaker.net

Creation & Origins

• http://creation.com
• http://www.answersingenesis.com
• http://www.evolutionnews.org

LBC Beacon

• http://www.lighthousebc.com/beacon

MacArthur & TMS

• http://bibchr.blogspot.com
• http://centuri0n.blogspot.com
• http://hipandthigh.wordpress.com
• https://mikevlach.blogspot.com/
• http://teampyro.blogspot.com
• http://thecripplegate.com
• http://www.gty.org
• http://www.tms.edu

Mohler & SBTS

• http://www.albertmohler.com
• http://www.dennyburk.com
• http://www.russellmoore.com
• http://www.sbts.edu

Other Sites

• http://cbmw.org
• http://kevindeyoung.org
• http://thegospelcoalition.org
• http://www.9marks.org
• http://www.challies.com
• http://www.desiringgod.org
• http://www.gotquestions.org
• http://www.ligonier.org
• http://www.monergism.com
• http://www.theopedia.com