These are some of the things I have found helpful on the internet recently. I hope you do also. They are not all specifically to do with issues to do with complementarianism.
Review: “When home hurts: A guide for responding wisely to domestic abuse in your church” (Jeremy Pierre and Greg Wilson) by Tim Challies 01/10/2021
Tim Challies says in his review that this is
exactly the book I had hoped it would be when I picked it up. It is a book that will do what it promises—help well-meaning but inadequately-trained Christians to respond well to very difficult situations. It will give them confidence that they can be truly helpful in truly crucial times. I suggest reading it through once outside of a given situation, then keeping it on-hand to serve its purpose at those times when you are called upon to walk alongside a victim.
I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet as it is pre-order, but I have ordered it.
How I came to know Jesus by Lionel Windsor 05/10/2021
My next door neighbour and colleague Lionel Windsor shares how he became a Christian from an atheist background. An older woman—Mrs Round—was key in his conversion. This is a great reminder and encouragement of the often hidden ministries of many, including many older women. Mrs Round taught Scripture at Lionel’s primary and high school, and also ran the lunchtime Christian group in high school. Lionel’s mother, father and his younger sister all ended up becoming Christians. It’s a great story!
The song I sing in the darkness by Tim Challies 13/09/2021
There have been several popular-level books published on lament in the last couple of years. This has been especially helpful, given the number of people who do not think they have ever really received much teaching on lament and struggle to understand what God has to say about it. I have read several of these books in the last year and I have benefitted from them for a range of reasons—including, in the middle of that, my own father dying. He lived a very long life, but Tim Challies’ son Nick did not, dying unexpectedly last year at the age of 20. I found this recent post from Tim on Psalm 23 excellent and moving, and once again, it taught me more on lament.
Who’s the fundamentalist? by Murray Campbell 05/10/2021
Murray Campbell reacts to an article published in the SMH about Dominic Perrottet on the eve of him being elected NSW Premier. The author of the article did not want Perrottet to become Premier given his conservative Roman Catholic beliefs. Campbell questions who truly is the fundamentalist. He also notes the importance of people of all beliefs being able to run for political life. As Campbell says,
There is no religious test for assuming public life Australia, and neither should there be. One of the virtues of a pluralistic and democratic society is that citizens from different backgrounds and holding various beliefs can be nominated for office, and should they be elected, they can stand in Parliament and even lead a Government. It’s called democracy.
The bride of Christ and the hope of the world by Kevin DeYoung 05/10/2021
The local church can seem very ordinary at times, can’t it. Some of us may feel more blasé than ever about church, having experienced so much church online. This article is a helpful reminder and encouragement of how profound and important the local church is.
Photo by Sergiu Vălenaș on Unsplash
