Darryl Dash's Blog, page 55
December 11, 2021
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Podcast: I enjoyed talking to Nathan Oates about his book Stability: How an Ancient Monastic Practice Can Restore Our Relationships, Churches, and Communities on the Gospel for Life podcast.
Best Books of 2021
2021 For the Church Book Awards, plus picks from the TGC Editorial Staff, Trevin Wax, Jared C. Wilson, David Qaoud, and Reagan Rose.
The new December 2021 issue of Themelios has 257 pages of editorials, articles, and boo...
December 7, 2021
Best Books of 2021
I’m continually amazed by the quality of books I get to read.
Books represent somebody’s best thinking, edited by a team of professionals, and packaged and delivered to us. At the cost of a few dollars and a few hours, we get to access the best of someone’s thinking.
Here, in descending order, are the best new books I’ve read that were published this year (with Amazon affiliate links).
1. The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility by Ray Ortlund
Porn is one ...
December 4, 2021
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
The Gospel Coalition 2021 Book Awards
Congratulations to the winners of The Gospel Coalition 2021 Book Awards.
Struggling with Doubt? Here are 5 Important Truths to Remember
How do we handle these doubts when they come? Or, how do we help others who admit they are struggling with what they believe?
Harshness toward lost sheep and gentleness toward predators are equally devastating to the church.
November 30, 2021
“Love the Clay”
Margaret McFarland, professor of child psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and co-founder and director of the Arsenal Family and Children’s Center in Pittsburgh, served as a consultant for the television show Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.
She believed that when a teacher shows enthusiasm for a topic, the student catches that enthusiasm no matter how young or old that student might be. Show them what you love, and they’ll want to get it.
A biography of Fred Rogers recounts the tim...
November 27, 2021
Saturday Links
Podcast: I enjoyed talking to Sam Allberry about his book What God Has to Say About Our Bodies on Gospel for Life podcast.
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Why You Should Join an Imperfect Church
We all need the body of Christ to know what it means to follow Christ.
Helpful Things You Can Say to Grieving Parents
I recently consulted with a few other parents who have experienced the loss of a child and want to offer a few things you can say to grieving parents that may prove...
November 23, 2021
Delightful God
I used to fear that God would send me to Africa.
I knew that I’d signed on unconditionally. God has the right to do whatever he wants with my life. That meant, I understood, that God could send me anywhere he wanted and I had to go.
So when I attended missions conferences, I felt afraid. What if God sent me somewhere where I’d be miserable? What if God overruled the desires of my heart?
Two Sides of DesireI don’t know why I was so afraid. Looking back, it would have been a privi...
November 20, 2021
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Four Lessons for the Church Right Now
As I have observed how my own congregation deals with the current challenges, I have learned some lessons that I think might benefit us all.
Sound Doctrine: The Foundation for Faithful Ministry
The latest 9 Marks Journal. Don’t miss the editorial by Jonathan Leeman.
Think About Such Things: Whatever Is True
Truth is slow work. Truth is hard work. There aren’t shortcuts.
The me...
November 16, 2021
Reasons to Pray for — and Possibly Come to — Toronto
I can think of a few reasons not to move to Toronto to pastor or serve.
It’s expensive. It’s the second most expensive city in Canada. It’s still fairly low on the list compared to other cities, but most people who live here would tell you it’s costly, which makes it hard for churches to find pastors.
It’s secular. Jared Wilson recently tweeted:
One thing I’ve learned in traveling to preach the last 12 years is that every city in America is the least churched, most diverse, fastest...
November 13, 2021
Saturday Links
Podcast: I enjoyed talking to Collin Hansen about his book Rediscover Church on Gospel for Life podcast.
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Give Them God: What the Church Really Has to Offer
Let’s consider three aspects of ministry — preaching, music, and fellowship — and why God must be the centerpiece of all three, and how fake substitutes are inadequate solutions that only shortchange guests and members.
The Joy of Living in a World Gone Wrong
The point of life is not to f...
November 9, 2021
A Diet of Wisdom
I dipped my toe in the cesspool of negativity last week.
I didn’t mean to. I made the mistake of checking social media responses to something I’d written. A little later, I started listening to a podcast about fitness and health. The format of the podcast is to take a popular book and writer and tear them down. The hosts are witty, caustic, and, it turns out, they also have some beefs with Christianity too.
In both cases, I felt something in me come alive. I get the attraction of engag...
