Darryl Dash's Blog, page 40
December 13, 2022
Reading the Bible Better
We hear a lot of advice about how to grow spiritually. But what actions will make the biggest difference?
According to one study, reading the Bible is the number one action you can take to grow. “When it comes to reading the Bible, hands down, this is the input goal that has a direct impact on the total score of all the output goals, or discipleship attributes,” writes Daniel Im in his book No Silver Bullets, reflecting on a study by Lifeway Research. Im continues:
The more an individual did the i...
December 11, 2022
Jesus Changes Everything (Philemon)
Big Idea: Our relationship with Jesus changes our relationships with each other.
I’ve got a problem.
I took one of those personality assessments a few years back. It was very helpful. They divided people into four temperament types. One of the divisions was between abstract and concrete communicators.
Abstract communicators primarily talk about the inner world of ideas, beliefs, and ideals.Concrete communicators talk about the external world around them.Everybody does both, but most people will cho...
December 10, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Book Awards and Lists
From For the Church, The Gospel Coalition, Aaron Armstrong, Kevin Halloran, David Kaywood, Russell Moore, and Trevin Wax
Two Quotations on Slow Reading
There is power in reading slowly.
Does Sexual Self-Gratification Glorify God?
The best rubric for Christian ethical decisions about sex isn’t merely “Does the Bible forbid it?” but rather “Does the act fulfill the explicit purposes for which God created sex?”
December 6, 2022
Best Books of 2022
Books help make a good year.
Our problem these days isn’t that we can’t find good books to read. It’s the opposite: it’s almost impossible to keep up. You could read only the best books and still feel like you’re falling behind.
Here, in descending order, are the best new books I’ve read that were published this year (with Amazon affiliate links). At the bottom are some books that, from what I’ve read so far, seem like they belong on a list of best books from 2022, but I haven’t read them yet, as ...
December 4, 2022
We Need People (Colossians 4:7-18)
Big Idea: We need people to encourage us, serve with us, and serve.
I know we’re not even past Christmas yet, but in just 98 days, we’ll be watching the Oscars.
You know the drill. They’ll appoint an emcee or two who will try to entertain us. There will be performances and awards, lots of awards. And the awards will be followed by speeches, most of which will go something like this:
I can’t believe I’ve won. Wow. What an honor to be chosen amongst all the other people who were also nominated.
I wan...
December 3, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
It is not enough simply to accept obscurity, if it happens to be our lot. Rather, there is virtue in positively pursuing obscurity, in seeking anonymity and nonrecognition.
Self-Promotion and the Kingdom of God
The ultimate aim of the universe is not our supremacy but the supremacy of Jesus Christ.
We can learn a lot about the way de-conversions work through stories like Saruman’s.
November 29, 2022
Earth Filled With Heaven
In 2010, I took a three-month sabbatical. We started attending an Anglican Church during my sabbatical, and I discovered how much I treasured liturgy.
Liturgy had always been unfamiliar to me. I heard people criticize it as rote repetition and dead religion. But I had developed a hunger for something more, and I found it in the simple low-Anglican service I attended that summer.
Take the written prayers. I was used to extemporaneous prayer, which, when done well, can be helpful. When I began to ex...
November 27, 2022
Prayer and Evangelism (Colossians 4:2-6)
Big Idea: Speak to God about people, and speak to people about God.
We started a church in Liberty Village over 9 years ago. The reason we started is not just because we wanted another church in town. The reason we started this church is because we needed an outpost of heaven in one of the fastest-growing communities in Toronto.
We’re pretty simple. We want to be a church that’s built around three things:
gospel — what Jesus Christ has done for us in turning sinners into saints, choosing us, adopti...November 26, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
When we read the Old Testament laws, it can seem like women get a raw deal … But, as we take a closer look, we see that God has abundant mercy for women on display—even in these laws.
Can Christians Date Nonbelievers?
Who you marry will likely shape who you become more than any other human relationship.
Missed Your Quiet Time? Do This.
God’s mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22) — they were this morning when we overslept, and th...
November 22, 2022
Don’t Pastor Like Elon Musk
Facebook’s motto for its developers used to be “Move Fast and Break Things.”
Since entering Twitter headquarters on October 26 with a sink, Elon Musk seems to have borrowed from Facebook’s old playbook. He’s laid off half the staff, made Twitter verification a paid service, issued ultimatums, and faced mass resignations. Last week, rumors swirled that Twitter would shut down as early as last Thursday night.
Some think that Musk has miscalculated. Others think that Musk is simply following a playbo...
