Notable Voices (February 2, 2012)
Courageous DVD debuts at No. 1 -- Albany Herald
After debuting at #1 on its openeing weekend at the box office, Courageous has done it again. This time debuting at #1 on the DVD sales charts last week. Congratulations to Michael Catt, the Kendricks and the whole Sherwood Pictures staff.
10 Ways to Love Your Kids -- Rachel Jankovic
Rachel Jankovic provides a great list for parents that includes not just practical tips but expounds on gospel implications as well. Jankovic does a great job showing that parenting is not just making sure your kids know how to act or keeping them disciplined—it's spiritual guidance and leadership as well.
Six De-churching Trends -- Paul Tautges
It should come as no surprise after I've written numerous books on the local church, church growth, and various ministry models that I love the local church. It's painful for me to hear stories of self-identified Christians falling in and out of church, never making a commitment to a local fellowship of believers. Paul Tautges lists six alarming trends he's seen among de-churched Christians. After all the research I've been a part of about this subject, I think he's spot on.
Preaching Jesus in the Old Testament, a Case Study -- Jeff Louie
When preaching from the Old Testament, pastors sometimes fall into the trap of preaching a morality-based sermon rather than a Christo-centric sermon. The Bible is God's story of redemption for mankind. Jesus is at the center of that story. So when preaching an Old Testament passage it is important to show its place in the grand narrative of Scripture and how the passage points to Christ. Jeff Louie does a great job at showing how the Old Testament book of Jonah points to the coming Messiah in the New Testament.
The Great Healer? -- Barnabas Piper
This short essay from Barnabas Piper reveals the fallacy of the maxim "Time Heals All Wounds." Barnabas does a great job to boil it down to what really heals all wounds:
Time doesn't heal all wounds. Time doesn't have any power. Time is just the space during which God can use the actions of people to heal wounds from the outside while he works from the inside.
