A collection of interesting articles from around the web:
1. “Which Joy Rules Your Heart” by Brian Hedges
Over at Desiring God my friend Brian has written a piece reflecting on the Christian Hedonism of the great Puritan John Owen.
2. “Reading Raphael in Hanoi” by Thanh T. Nguyen
Winner of the Atlantic’s annual student Writing Prize, this piece reflects on one students pursuit of free critical inquiry within the confined intellectual context of Vietnam, and how Raphael’s famous fresco, The School of Athens, inspires that pursuit.
3. “The Long Defeat and the Long Loneliness” by Wesley Hill
Nearly everything that Hill writes is gold, and this post from Spiritual Friendship is no different. Here he reflects on the costliness of following Jesus, asserting that God calls us all to give up many “natural” and meaningful desires in order to please Him. A great reflection on celibacy, same-sex attraction, and community.
4. “On David Gushee’s Dishonesty” by Jake Meador
Responding to Gushee’s recent piece of writing for The Religion News Service, Meador calls him out as misrepresenting the nature of the debate between Evangelicals and progressive Christians on Same Sex Marriage. The piece is pretty harsh in tone, but I believe it is spot on in its representation of the issue.
5. “How Churches Change the Equation of Life After Prison” by Morgan Lee
A fascinating look at the role of the church in helping inmates achieve reentry into society, and the desperate need for more churches to actively engage at this level.
6. “7 Ways to Demoralize Your Team” by Art Rainer
Important words for leaders who can either motivate or crush their teams.
7. “Finding Your Wife in the Friendzone” by Adam Marshall
Marshall explodes the “love myth” in this wonderful article at Boundless. He discusses how the popular ideas of “falling in love” are neither realistic nor as romantic as we say. The reality of love is labor, decision, and commitment apart from the butterflies in your stomach. He writes:
With this in mind, I’d like to suggest a different approach to chemistry, one in which we see deep and meaningful romantic attachment as the product, not the catalyst, of a loving relationship.
This is an important reflection and reminder of the truth of love and marriage.
Pastor Dave Online 