This Week’s Good Reads

Here’s my collection of interesting articles compiled from around the web. It’s a short list this week, but check it out:

1. “Why women need to be on the church staff” by Denise Hardy

I must have missed this one when it was originally posted, but it’s a great article by my colleague and dear friend Denise Hardy. She points to the real value that women bring to ministry and to church staffs in particular. She writes as a woman who has served on a church staff since 1989, and has a keen insight on this issue.

2. “The Original Meaning of Self-Examination in 1 Corinthians 11” by Glen Clary

This is a good explanation of what I believe self-examination with regard to the Lord’s Supper is speaking to. The issue at hand is the creating of divisions within the church, that’s what Paul speaks to address. I think, however, that Dr. Clary offers too narrow an application of the text for today. I would be inclined to argue that an appropriate application for our congregations is not simply how we partake of the Lord’s Supper, but how we live together. If we are creating divisions in ways apart from our “eating and drinking” at the Lord’s Table then those are still relevant matters to be addressed. In any case, however, this is good exposition.

3. “Have You Made Busyness an Idol” by Rachel Moreland

I am guilty of the “Martha Mindset” this article explains. Not all the time, but more than I should be. I so appreciate this author’s words of encouragement. Keep the big picture and the ultimate goal before you. Let this article be a help to that end.

4. “To Argue or Not to Argue: Conflict Resolution from Safe to Dangerous” by Brad Hambrick

A great summary of how to handle various forms of conflict within marriage. Brad’s scale is exceedingly useful and practical and each category offers real insight on when and how to use a particular approach.