Old Books & Present Problems
C. S. Lewis once wrote an essay to a very old book wherein he commended the practice of reading old books. He, as a modern writer, did not want people to stop reading modern books but to generously sprinkle their…
Tag Reading
Wisdom and Productivity
Solomon, in wanting his son to pursue and know wisdom, instructs him to “consider the ant” (Proverbs 6:6). The command is to observe and learn the ways of this small but impressive creature. What impressive wisdom does the ant teach…
Resolved to Read the Word
Introduction Reading through the bible seems to be on just about everyone’s list of “to do’s” at the beginning of every year. But that resolution usually ends in failure for most. Some hold on a few months, and some sink…
Martin Luther and Stinkering at Satan
Legend has it that the great Reformer Martin Luther once threw an ink well at the Devil who had been incessantly accusing him.[1] Whether or not this is true, Luther certainly had remarkable fits and fights with the ancient foe…
Prayer Tips: The Word
In First Kings 8 we see King Solomon lead in corporate prayer and what stands out about his prayer is that it is Solomon pleading for what the Lord has already promised. He uses language like “keep for your servant…
My Covid Year Reading: The Last Battle
“In the Last Days of Narnia, far up to the west.” This is how C.S. Lewis begins the end of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle. I reread this book last year, right in the middle of the pandemic…
The One Book: The Pilgrim’s Progress
I was once asked what I considered the best theology text. I took a breath and as I did the person reiterated, “The best.” Their emphasis on the definite article reminded me that they wanted one and only one. It…
Bagain Book Sale
Summer is the perfect time to kick back and enjoy a nice book. Or two. Or twelve. To boost your reading list, the Alliance is pleased to announce their Bagain Book Sale. Products are available while supplies last, so be…
Upon a Fit of Sickness
Before she was twenty, Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) made a long and treacherous voyage to the New World with her husband and family. She would become America’s first published poet; she would also endure a number of physical and spiritual harships. Through it all, her…
Study and Preaching
I am not sure where I first heard this wisdom, but I have heard it several times: a pastor does not need an office, he needs a study. Spot on. The bulk of pastoral work is not management behind a…