Susan Lafferty

This Week’s Recommendations

This Week’s Recommendations
  1. Ten Truths About a Liar: Sam Bierig answers some critical questions many have about Satan. He asks, “Is Satan capable of inception? Does he whisper temptations in our ear? Is Satan’s authority, power, and relationship to unbelievers the same or different from Christians? These are all valid and, frankly, somewhat haunting questions.”

  2. Talitha Cumi: Nathan Eshelman reflects on the story of Jesus raising the little girl from the dead and our own deaths. He says, “There will come a time when the graves will opened. And all of you ladies who are in Christ will hear: “Talitha cumi." "Little girl, get up." And all of you men who are resting in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin—you will hear: “Talay Cumi." "Little boy, get up.”

  3. Don’t Go to Egypt: The author writes of a time when God’s people were certain they knew exactly what he wanted them to do. Only, they were wrong. He begins, “Have you ever been so sure of God’s will in your life that you made plans for your next step while you waited for him to give you direction? Have you ever been wrong?”

  4. Unexpected: Susan Lafferty invites us to experience the story of the demoniac. “Pigs rush en masse down the steep bank. To their demise. Leaving one madman behind. Now clothed. Calm. Coherent. And in his right mind.”

  5. Eye of the Tiger on a Front Porch: Walk off the Earth with a fun cover of this classic.

This Week's Recommendations

This Week's Recommendations

1. Help! I Don’t Like the Music at My Church: Matt Merker deals with a struggle of many. He asks, “How do you feel about the music at your church? Are you ever disappointed by it? Why?” I appreciate this piece of advice, “Often we feel distaste at a style of music because we are less familiar with it. Take a music appreciation class. Ask friends for album recommendations. Try to understand why other people enjoy the music your church uses. It may not become your favorite genre, but you might be surprised to find that your tastes are more flexible than you once assumed.”

2. I Just Can’t: Excellent post on when we can’t, but Christ can. Susan Lafferty says, “So, today, when I hear myself saying, ‘I just can’t,’ it’s a signal for me to check. And ask. Am I piling a to-do list on my life without seeking Him first? Am I trying to do this all in my own strength? Am I willing to keep in step with the Spirit, learning from Him?”

3. A Typesetting God: Melissa Edgington with a “it just so happened” story of God’s abundant goodness.

4. When It’s Time to Leave A Church: I wrote a series on this topic a couple of years back that I’m thinking about refreshing because it’s a significant issue right now, in the meanwhile, HB Charles offers solid advice on how and when to leave a church. I appreciated this point, “Consider how your transfer will affect others. Christianity is not about you. It’s about Christ and others. If your heart is right, you will feel the weight of how your potential move will injure or influence others. If you can leave without affecting anyone, you were not a good member.”

5. Transient 3: 6 months of storm chasing in a jaw-dropping 3 minutes.

This Week's Recommendations

This Week's Recommendations

1. One in Three Practicing Christians Has Stopped Participating in Church: A sobering report from Barna.

2. Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2020: I always appreciate these recaps from Christianity Today. Gordon Govier reports, “Turkish archaeologist Celal Şimşek discovered sacred items used in Christian worship while excavating a house in Laodicea. The peristyle house—built around a central garden or courtyard—was located next to a theater and was likely owned by wealthy people. The apostle Paul sent an epistle to the church at Laodicea, which is mentioned in Colossians but appears to have been lost. The church is also mentioned in Revelation…”

3. Don’t Be an Esau: Ray Majoran exhorts us to not sell our birthright for stew. He says, “In 2020, I saw many (professed) Christians giving up their birthright for a bowl of soup.”

4. Wait for it: Susan Lafferty with a delightful reflection on anticipating what we’ve already seen.

5. When God Goes Big and I Go Small: Tim Challies says that our impulse to wriggle out of sweeping biblical commands is dangerous. He says, “The Bible speaks in broad words, in great sweeping statements. There are times to interpret those words and statements, to apply wisdom to them. But first we must deal with them as they are, to allow them to hit with all of their force, all of their impact. Then, and only then, do we ask our “what if” questions.”

This Week's Recommendations

This Week's Recommendations

1. Changing Birthday Plans: Oh my goodness, I love this! I dare you not to smile as you read Andrea Sanborn’s reflection on her son’s birthday.

2. You Are Not That Special: David Mathis on the glory of ordinary Christianity. He says, “we often think we’re special compared to others — because of our qualities. Our gifts. Our achievements. Our abilities. Bells that ring to our own glory.”

3. Sometimes Its Best to Express Your Wisdom in Silence: Tim Challies shares the story of the great painter Apelles and the presumptuous shoemaker. He shares that “We would all do well to remember that true wisdom is not only knowing your subject well, but also knowing the limitations of your knowledge.”

4. Distracted: Susan Lafferty shares about two little-known biblical cares and how easy it is to be distracted by the cares of the world. She concludes, “Can you relate to Demas? Distracted by something the world offers? Where is your treasure today? What about Archippus? Are you distracted from the work you’ve received from the Lord? Do you need to remember His call and refocus where you are?”

5. Fake Kitchen Hacks With Millions of Views: It's not surprising these kinds of fakes are out there, but it certainly elicits an eye roll.

This Week's Recommendations

This Week's Recommendations

1.        Millennials Tried to Kill the Mall, But Gen Z Might Save it: Jordyn Holman with the surprising report that Gen Zers don't just go to the mall more, but they like going to the mall! She says, " Today’s teens interact differently with stores than their older siblings and Gen X parents before them..."

2.       John and Jesus Didn't Think You Could Be a Christian Without the Church: Fleming Rutledge says that, "the overwhelming emphasis in John is not on individuals but on the organic connection that Jesus creates among those who put their trust in him."

3.       Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Abortion and Eugenics: This is a long, but well written article on the history of Margaret Sanger, abortion, eugenics, and racism. And it's by an unusl author: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. 

4.       God's Inner Work: Susan Lafferty with a wonderful reflection on the hidden and beautiful work of God. 

5.       9 Types of Effective Evangelism: Aaron Earls offers 9 ways to reach out that studies prove are effective. One of the nine is inviting a neighbor to a service project: " Half of all unchurched (51%) say they would likely come to a community service project organized by a local Christian church."

6.       Faithful Evangelical Men Are Resisting Porn: Buried in new data about porn usage is this encourage fact: men who attend church regularly are resisting porn at much higher rates than those who don't attend church.