Criticism: It’s So Much Easier To Criticize! by Stephen Altrogge
* “… if our relationships are lacking encouragement, it doesn’t matter how much we speak the truth, it won’t be received.”
Depression: Treating Depression With Psychiatry and Faith
“… many people think depression is nothing more than an intense episode of ‘the blues.’ Why are they wrong?”
Facebook & privacy: Get Total Facebook App Privacy With One Setting
“… what if I told you that changing one simple setting can radically improve your privacy on Facebook? It sounds like a ‘too good to be true’ claim, but it’s true.”
Fear & security: Everyday Idolatry: Security by Jonathan Stormented
“… the real risk of security is that you might be worshipping a god who is no god at all.”
Gossip: Addressing Gossip in the Church by Ron Edmonson [sermon; 27 min. video; essential viewing]
“Have you ever been the spreader of gossip? … Gossip is one those sins that no one admits to.”
Grief: Why You May Never Heal by Caleb Wilde
“The assumption to both Freud and Kubler-Ross’ model is that the end of the grief process (healing, acceptance) is a form of detachment from the deceased. But, I think they’re wrong. … Instead of saying that the end of the grief process is detachment and healing, I think we should say that the healthy end of the grief process is adjustment. It’s adjusting to the fact that your loved one is no longer here to share life experiences with you. It’s adjusting to the loss of the future, but there’s never a detachment from the past.”
Heaven: Heaven is for Real: A Book Review by Wayne Stiles [required reading]
“If this book’s story is real, Jesus needs to get His stories straight.”
Hope: How Hope Can Help You Heal
“Groopman’s research showed that during the course of illness, belief and expectation — two mental states associated with hope — have an impact on the nervous system which, in turn, sets off a chain reaction that makes improvement and recovery more likely.”
Illness & sickness: For a Sick Friend: First, Do No Harm
“Conversing with the ill can be awkward, but keeping a few simple commandments makes a huge difference.”
Jackie Robinson: Jackie Robinson and the Pattern of Jesus by David Mathis
“… if you are against him, you’re against all of us.”
Leadership & ministry: * Ministry Inside.115 by Jim Martin; * Something I’ve Learned as a Senior Leader
* “How do you stay sane when there is so much craziness that surrounds ministry? Good question. Craziness is everywhere.”
* “Not everyone will understand all the decisions a leader makes unless they sat where the leader sits.”
Listening, preaching & teaching: Exegetes at Church by Tim Gombis
“… there’s a world of difference between a critical mind and a critical spirit.”
Parenting: Helping Your Teen Read the Bible by Chad Nall
“Let’s be honest, the Bible isn’t as easy to read as we would like it to be.”
Young adults: The Church and Young Adults by Joshua Graves
“In Robert Wuthnow’s After the Baby Boomers, three critical (in my estimation) observations are offered. … I will summarize Wuthnow’s observations and add additional reflection.”
Participating MoSt Church members are reading through the New Testament this year at the pace of one chapter per day. We call this project The Christ House (TCH) because as we read, we’re paying special attention to everything that is said about Jesus Christ. As we read, we also determine to memorize one verse about the Christ from each book of the New Testament. We call these memory verses “Christ verses.”
