Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we've seen this past week that have been helpful. Our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. Each Thursday of every week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (6.27.13)

The Gospel Coalition asked three moms of school-age children to share their families' perspectives on education. Jen Wilkin, Jenni Hamm, and Amanda Allen are three friends who attend the same church and raise families in the same geographic area. All three share mutual respect for each other as parents trying to raise children with intentionality, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. In this series, you will see their perspectives on how and why they chose to educate their children through public school, private school, or homeschooling.

• Going Public
• Homeward Bound
• A Private Enterprise

When Sin Is Grievous and Grace is Stunning - Tim Keller writes, "If we are going to grow in grace, we must stay aware of being both sinners and also loved children in Christ. We need a high and due sense of our sin before God and a deep and profound sense of our union with and acceptance in Christ. In the end, it's the joy and wonder of the gospel that will change you permanently."

The Most Compelling Reason to Read Your Bible - Often when we're asked about why we should read the Bible, we appeal to personal fulfillment, the exciting stories, the grand drama of redemption within its pages... Certainly all this is good and right and true. But there's a better reason, a more compelling reason for the Christian to read the Bible than any other.

6 Lessons from Everyday Discipleship - "Here are six lessons I’m learning as I lead my family to live in community with other people while making disciples of believers and unbelievers in the every day of life." - Josh McPherson

The Beauty of Church Membership - "Once each quarter I teach a new members class for people interested in joining our church. It's become one of my favorite responsibilities as a pastor. I'm a believer in church membership, no question. But I'll be honest: every time I teach the class I cringe a bit along with my audience at some of the things we discuss." - Matt McCullough

photo credit: Jon Winters via photopin cc

Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we've seen this past week that have been helpful. Our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. Each Thursday of every week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (6.20.13)

 A Prayer for the Mom Who's Worn- Christina Fox writes a great blog post about motherhood. She writes, "Motherhood is both the best job and the also hardest job I've ever had. It has brought me great joy and revealed to me a level of love I hadn't known before. It has also stretched me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I've lived on less sleep than should be humanly possible. I've even learned more than I care to about bugs, science, and how machines work (two boys will that do that to you). While the physical stretch marks may fade, the ones on my heart are there to stay..."

Perspectives on Our Children's Education: Going Public - The Gospel Coalition asked three moms of school-age children to share their families' perspectives on education. Jen Wilkin, Jenni Hamm, and Amanda Allen are three friends who attend the same church and raise families in the same geographic area. All three share mutual respect for each other as parents trying to raise children with intentionality, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. In this series, you will see their perspectives on how and why they chose to educate their children through public school, private school, or homeschooling. The series begins today with Jen Wilkin on  why she sends her children to public school.

How to Read a Book - Reading a book seems like a pretty straightforward task, doesn’t it? And in some cases, it is. If you’re reading purely for entertainment or leisure, it certainly can be that easy. There’s another kind of reading, though, in which we at least attempt to glean something of value from the book in our hands (whether in paper or tablet form). In that instance, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not as simple as opening the book and reading the words.

How to Ask for Forgiveness - Making this a habitual practice would make our marriages, families, and churches the most beautiful places on earth. I would probably say that nothing has changed the tone of my marriage in the last 5 to 7 years as much as having the phrase, "I'm sorry.  Will you forgive me?" come out of our mouths.

Praying With Children - Tim Challies has a great post on his blog called Praying with Children. He says, "One of the great privileges of being a pastor is always having a good reason to speak to the children of the church. I love getting down to their level (i.e. sitting on the floor), talking to them, and hearing about their lives. A question I love to ask them is this: How can I pray for you? We ask this same question on Wednesday evenings when our church gathers for our mid-week service. The children go off to classes to learn about Jesus while adults go and spend an hour in prayer. But before we dismiss the kids we ask them the question: How can we pray for you tonight"

Funny: If I saw this sort of drummer at our church play drums like this, I would probably laugh...A lot!

Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we've seen this past week that have been helpful. Our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. Each Thursday of every week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (6.13.13)

The Puritans on Putting Sin to Death - Mortification of sin was what Paul was talking about when he said to the Colossians, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you" (Col.3:5). Here are six practical ways the puritans suggest how to put sin to death.

4 Questions to Check Your Church Culture - There's only so much you can learn about a church from their website...Culture is the heart of your church, the atmosphere your church creates...Unfortunately, the culture of a church doesn't always match the confession. Here is a few questions you can ask to know what your church culture is like.

Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole - With his new book that just came out, Eric Mason does an interview with Desiring God and talks through his book and the purpose, vision and desire for the book. Every guy needs to read this book.

I Am Not In Any Respect My Own - Sam Storms brings to light what Jonathan Edwards recorded for us in his personal Diary, when he talks about renewal of his baptismal covenant. Would that we all might recommit ourselves to the Lord in this way.

photo credit: [ changó ] via photopin cc

Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we've seen this past week that have been helpful. Our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. Each Thursday of every week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (6.6.13)

Why Church Membership is so Important - David Platt and Mark Dever discuss the importance of church membership and why it is so important in the Christian life.

When Sports Fail Us - Parents: When your children face adversity in sports - and they will! - Here are four lessons from a Christian athlete and trainer to guide you.

Basic Training for Missional Communities (Gospel Communities) - Todd Engstrom of Austin Stone Church in Texas has a great post on basic training for MC (Gospel Communities).

Real Purity - From the Gospel Coalition Blog Hafeez Baoku writes about the joy of seeking purity. He says, "Only by God's grace can imperfect people, who fall short on a daily basis, stand forever pure before a holy and perfect God. And only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can we proactively fight sin and overcome struggles."

photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we have seen this past week that have been helpful and our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. So every Thursday of each week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (5.30.13)

How Dark Days Taught a Daddy to Pray - This post is worth the time to read.

Doubt Your Doubts - "My generation talks a lot about doubt. It seems hip and cool to be indifferent to everything and everyone. We shrug off people and plans as quickly as we shove off old technology or dated politics. We're a generation of Thomases, doubting at every turn..."

4 Ways the Gospel Heals the Sting of Rejection - This blog posts title is self explanatory.

 Two Ways to Identify Leaders - "In this series of posts, I am going to unpack the strategy and structure of leadership development we have implemented at The Austin Stone for missional communities..." (Gospel Community Leader Helps)

photo credit: Denis Collette...!!! via photopin cc

Goal for Weekly Once-Over Weekly Once-Over is our weekly recap of some great blog posts that we have seen this past week that have been helpful and our hope is that they would benefit you in someway. So every Thursday of each week you will see a post that has links to different blog posts. Enjoy!

Weekly Once-Over (5.22.13)

Jacob Chen - An Adoption Story: Drawing on Gospel parallels and the extent of God's pursuit, this film follows one couple as they meet their newly adopted son for the first time.

Christian Adoption: Disavowals and Affirmations: "Here is my effort to express the kind of commitments that would, I think, guard us from the kinds of abuses that have marred this otherwise beautiful movement of compassion and conviction in our day. I believe that the vast majority of Christian adoption advocates would agree with these disavowals and affirmations. These should be understood within the biblical and theological framework for adoption I have developed elsewhere on this site."

The Litmus Test of Genuine Christianity: "In our pluralistic culture, churches have become so varied that they spread confusion about what it really means to be a follower of Christ. When it comes to hot-button issues like gun rights, abortion, and homosexuality, professing Christians line up on opposite ends. Can Christianity legitimately be so divided? Or, to put it another way, can anyone discern the "real deal"? Is it possible to know what functional, practical Christianity truly looks like?"

Free E-Book Alert: Ligonier Ministries has announced that R.C. Sproul’s Crucial Questions series will now be free for Kindle and other e-readers. So have at it! Can I Be Sure I'm Saved?; Can I Have Joy in My Life?; Can I Know God's Will?; Can I Trust the Bible?; Does God Control Everything?; Does Prayer Change Things?; How Should I Live in this World?; What Can I Do with My Guilt?; What Does It Mean to be Born Again?; What Is Baptism?; What Is Faith?; What Is the Trinity?; Who Is Jesus?; Who Is the Holy Spirit?

By Christ's purchasing redemption, two things are intended: his satisfaction and his merit; the one pays our debt, and so satisfies; the other procures our title, and so merits. The satisfaction of Christ is to free us from misery; the merit of Christ is to purchase happiness for us. - Jonathan Edwards