This Week’s Good Reads

I found these articles from around the web interesting, you might find some interesting too. Check them out:

1. “Modern Hymn Writers Aim to Take Back Sunday” by Blake Farmer

NPR did a piece on Keith and Kristyn Getty and what I call the neo-hymnody movement. While I tend to like more of the Hillsong style worship music these days, the Getty’s do good work and promote strong theology through their music. This is worth checking out, friends.

2. “Today Jonathan Edwards Preached His Most Famous Sermon” by Fred Sanders

July 8th was the anniversary for Edwards’s preaching of the famous “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. Here, Sanders explores the sermon, America’s relationship with it, and some of the misconceptions of it in more modern history.

3. “On the Passing of Rick Wilson”

I just learned that a dear, sweet, and godly pastor from the Dayton, OH area died of a heart attack yesterday. He was 52 and a faithful shepherd at Grace Covenant Church in Beavercreek. He was a friend and mentor to my mentors. Your prayers are appreciated for his family and his fellowship this week.

4. “It Just Feels Wrong: How Videogames’ Lack of Logic Bleeds into the Real World” by Aaron Thiessen

An interesting look at ludonarrative dissonance and the ways in which it may actually mimic our own experience with evil in light of the cosmic narrative of God’s plan.

5. “Mentoring, Church, & Missional Discipleship” by Jonathan Dodson

Jonathan Dodson responds to a review of his book Fight Clubs by the guy sat 9 Marks. The response is not only insightful as it relates to Dodson’s book, but actually offers some insight in regards to discipleship methodologies as well.

6. “Should We Expect Politicians to Act Like Christians?” by Russell D. Moore

Dr. Moore asks a good question about how Christians should relate to politicians and seeks to introduce us to a frame for how we should view public morality and public accountability.

7. “How Strong Is the Female Sex-Drive After All?” by Emily Esfahni Smith

The Atlantic explores this question by looking to some more modern research. The answer is not all that surprising, though they claim it does turn cultural stereotypes upside down. The reality is that the female sex-drive is just as fallen as is man’s!