Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 55
February 15, 2018
What does “diversity” really mean for readers?
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Reading Writers is back with a new episode this week, and new co-host Dave Schroeder hasn’t quit yet (hurray!). Listen in as Dave and Aaron, two guys who love reading and work with words, discuss:
What “diversity” means in reading; Aaron’s first book of theology; How reading helps us to understand other experiences; What was on our reading piles when we recorded this; and Dave considers bringing the umlaut back after we discuss how to pronounce his last name.Subscribe using the following...
Links I like (2/15)
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What If We Took Outrage Porn as Serious as Traditional Pornography?Mike Leake:
I believe this type of pornography is even more insidious than sexual pornography because it’s not quite as obviously wrong. Within the church we’ve been socially trained to feel a massive wave of guilt when viewing online pornography. And rightly so. But I’d argue we’ve actually dulled the conscience’s ability to experience this wave of guilt in matters related to anger. The church has often used anger, wrongly,...
February 14, 2018
Six gospel themes in first half of Genesis
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At the beginning of the year, our church encouraged everyone to be reading the Bible together throughout the entire year. So far, I’ve managed to actually keep up with it (and am now in Deuteronomy). I’ve consistently enjoyed reading the Old Testament, because it is so rich with these threads of the gospel—hints at what God was planning from before the world began. They’re the sort of moments that are easy to overlook, because they’re presented in an understated way; they’re not the main poi...
February 13, 2018
Links I like (2/13)
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David Platt Is Ready to Leave the IMBKate Shellnutt:
How to Teach Boys to Respect WomenWhen David Platt became a teaching pastor at a DC-area megachurch last year, onlookerswondered whether the president of the International Mission Board (IMB) could really do both jobs.
Platt answered them this morning, announcing that he will end his three-and-a-half-year tenure at the IMB to work at McLean Bible Church as soon as the Southern Baptist missions agency can find his replacement.
Russell Mo...
February 12, 2018
Why do we get antsy about the E-Word?
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Our church just started preaching through the book of Ephesians, and it took a whopping two weeks before we hit a hot-button theological topic! That being, of course, election, or God’s gracious purposes, his holy and infinite wisdom and will in saving sinners by faith in Jesus. His heart to redeem sinful people from all walks of life and welcome them into His family (Eph. 1:4-6).
A word with so much good news attached to it—and so much baggage, too. There are many reasons for this, of cours...
February 11, 2018
No one is too far gone to be saved
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There’s this moment on the cross when Jesus is about to die that seems strange to me. It’s one that’s easy to gloss over, or ignore, or even turn into a debate: Jesus’ encounter with the thief on the cross. As he was crucified, two thieves jeered and mocked him. But as the day went on, one turned from being a scoffer to a believer and defender:
But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are punished justly, because we’re g...
February 10, 2018
Weekend reading (2/10)
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The Power of De-conversion StoriesMichael Kruger:
When it comes to reaching the “lost,” one of the most tried-and-true methods is the personal conversion story. Whether done privately or publicly, it’s compelling to hear a person’s testimony about how they came to believe in the truth of the Gospel, the truth of the Bible, and embraced the Christian faith. Such testimonies can personalize and soften the message so it is more easily understood and received.
But when it comes to reaching the...
February 8, 2018
The long-awaited return of Reading Writers!
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A while back, Reading Writers took an unexpected hiatus. This entirely had to do with my work schedule. Simply, I’ve been putting in a lot of hours that have prevented me from getting a new batch of episodes recorded and edited. But now, we’re gearing up with another new batch, featuring my friend and new co-host, Dave Schroeder.
Dave works as VP of Marketing with B&H Publishing, and is a fellow avid reader. As two folks working in the publishing industry in various capacities, we’ve got lot...
Links I like (2/08)
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I Am EeyoreAdam Kareus:
Knowing where to look for joy means that we run to our bibles when we realize we have taken our eyes off of Christ and have started to look for happiness elsewhere. Zephaniah 3:17 is a great one to run to; “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
It is sweet. It reminds us of how God sees us and so we can take heart. If God rejoice...
February 7, 2018
Patterns and patience
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When I get particularly busy, one of the things that can fall to the wayside quickly is consistent Bible reading. And that’s incredibly dangerous for me because I know reading the Bible on a daily basis is good for me. I’ve seen the fruit of that over and again. But it’s an easy habit to get out of.
But what I’ve found keeps me on track most consistently is one thing: prayer.
Actually a rhythm.
Pray, then read. Read, then pray.
That’s it.
It’s not a magic formula, but a basic truth: I try to...
