A Few Good Reads

“The Honest Truth about Passive-Aggressiveness“
Stephen Witmer gets to the heart of the problem with our passive-aggressive attitudes and speech. “For those of us who enjoy feeling smugly righteous, but avoid conflict at all costs, this way of speaking is quite appealing and natural. It provides an escape hatch from arguments. If Emma calls me out for accusing her of not doing her job, I can simply say: “I was just asking a question. I wasn’t accusing you of anything!” I have plausible deniability. I can launch my critique, then retreat while covering my tracks.”

“The Golden Rule of Theological Polemics”
For the last month a debate about the Trinity has been raging in some corners of the internet. In particular some brothers have accused others of talking about the Trinity in a way that denies essential truths about it. In doing so they have accused brothers of holding positions they don’t actually hold. Denny Burk offers great advice for proceeding in these discussions. “For example, I might believe that Arminianism entails open theism. Ethically, I am free to make the case that Arminianism entails open theism. But I am not free to accuse Arminians of being open theists–especially when my Arminian friends disavow open theism. I might argue that they are inconsistent, but I cannot rightfully charge them with open theism. If I did, I would be bearing false witness.”

“Grieving Racial Injustice as Citizens of the Kingdom of God“
Last week was heartbreaking. Many people lost their lives in senseless violence and by the end of the week the bloodshed was too much to bear. Unfortunately many Christians have bought the idea that you can either grieve men who die at the hands of police or grieve police who die at the hands of criminals. Jarvis Williams shows us how we can grieve both. “Christians, during these troubling times of racial division in this country, reject the rhetoric, methods, and agendas of the present evil age. Resist the lusts of the flesh, but walk in the Spirit as you grieve the current state of our country (Gal. 5:16-21), or else you will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21). Embrace Jesus’ teaching about the already-not-yet kingdom (Matthew 5-7). And joyfully live in that tension with your brothers and sisters in Christ as citizens of the kingdom of God regardless of their ethnic, racial, social, and economic postures.”

“4 Rules for Internet Survival“
Ricky Alcantar wrote about Donald Trump a few months ago and experienced a lot of blowback. Here he shares four lessons he learned along the way about how we interact in the digital age. “There’s a Proverb that we must cling to here: “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17 ESV). Too often I’ve already made up my mind before I hear the evidence. I’ve been convinced before the trial has begun. I am a firmly formed opinion in search of facts.”

“21 Thoughts on Preaching“
Growing in the discipline of preaching God’s word has consumed the entirety of my adult life, so I’m always glad to hear what other brothers have learned along the way. “I don’t think short messages are usually very good, but there’s nothing worse than a sermon that is too long. Don’t try to say everything. Do the text justice, proclaim the gospel, and don’t feel the need to turn your weekly sermon into a conference talk. For most preachers, I suspect 30-40 minutes is probably the best range, but, again, a bad sermon can’t be too short.”