Friday Links Roundup: Snow, Buzz and Corinthians Edition January 29, 2010

I’m typing the links roundup from home this week. As I look out my window, a little snow has started to fall, but we are expecting quite a bit more later in the day. That’s not the reason I’m at home, though. Leah has an appointment this morning, so I’m watching the kids. While I’m excited about it, there could be some interesting challenges.

You see, we are also going to record iPreach this morning. Along with guests Billy Smith, Marlin Connelly, and Clarence DeLoach, Dale and I will be previewing the Freed-Hardeman University Bible lectures. So, while we discuss the lectures and their theme books of First and Second Corinthians, the kids will be watching a movie (most likely, “Toy Story”). Yes, we might have a Buzz Lightyear in 1 Corinthians mention.

We are expecting between 3 and 8 inches of snow (quite a range!), and I say, “Yippie!” I love snow, and I’m glad we are looking to get a pretty  nice snow.

On to the links for this week:

1. Though we have different careers, Justin Burleson and I live about 3 miles apart. He writes beautifully about the stress we feel in this world, but how we can still have peace with God. Enjoy his first post in the roundup here.

2. After our list on Wednesday (check it out here) about families, I just had to link to this great article by Chris Gallagher. Enjoy “How to Have Dinner with Your Family.”

3. Tim Tebow (Amber, you can skip this one since you “can’t stand him!”) is taking an amazing amount of negative criticism over his decision to “star” in an anti-abortion TV ad during the Super Bowl. Neal Pollard gives a great reaction to the criticism in his article “Tebow’s Finest Accomplishment.”

4. Trey Morgan gives a good illustration and a wonderful challenge in his article “Jesus Flavored or 100% Jesus?”

5. Can a person, or even a congregation, fall away? Wayne Jackson gives a great article on the subject of “Apostasy: A Clear and Ever Present Danger.” This would make a great sermon outline (so, folks from Lebanon Road might hear this one in the future!).

6. Heather Fortenberry writes a brief, but deeply powerful article about what it really means to be a Christian. Enjoy “Leveling Out.”

We hope you have a wonderful weekend. If you get some snow, let it remind you that God can make your sins as white as snow!

Whatever you have planned for the weekend, make sure worshiping God on His day is your top priority.

A Blog Update and Some Quick Reviews January 25, 2010

If you read our blog regularly, you know that we have a bit of a “set” schedule currently that works for us. Today marks a “part-time” addition to that schedule. If you don’t check in regularly, here is what we are currently doing each day, including the update:

Monday: Book Reviews. We used to put these on Wednesdays, but I am going to start reviewing books each  Monday, when I have completed a book or multiple books in the previous week.

Tuesday: Article. These are often about family or faith, but these are just brief and, hopefully, encouraging articles.

Wednesday: Lists. From 5 to 30, we’ve listed all sorts of things. These lists are about all sorts of topics.

Thursday: Hymn Reflections. Each Thursday (for about 30 more weeks), we look at a hymn requested by our readers and “reflect” on that song.

Friday: Links Roundup. The oldest series on our blog, we link to around five good posts or sites each Friday.

We hope you enjoy the blog, and that you keep coming back as we post. We also hope you tell others about our blog, so they can enjoy it and learn from it, too.

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I have finished five books since our last book reviews. One was the English Standard Version of the Bible. Here are the other four reviews.

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Marriage is for Those Who Love God–and One Another

Thomas B. Warren

Sain Publications, 1962 (144 pages)

This book contains a series of transcripts of sermons presented by brother Warren in Texas for a series of Gospel Meetings on the family.While the words were recorded 50 years ago, they are still relevant and needed. As I have presented our current series on the home at Lebanon Road, I have often used thoughts from this book.

The best part of this brief volume is brother Warren’s attention to those who are preparing for marriage. He is very serious and straightforward as he reminds his listeners (and the reader) of the extreme care that must be behind preparation for marriage.

The book is an easy read and will encourage you. While it might be dated a bit, preachers can find a wealth of help in preparing sermons. This might also be a good book for a teenage or college class to use as a basis for a “mini-series” on preparation for marriage. The difficulty is finding this book. Here is Amazon’s page for it, if you are interested.

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What Matters Now

edited by Seth Godin

Self-published e-book (82 pages)

What a refreshing read! What Matters Now is pure Godin. Each page is a very brief note from a noted person on his/her area of expertise, from money to leadership to attitude. While I certainly did not agree with each writer (and I didn’t appreciate those who chose to use curse words), the book is a quick and helpful read.

Authors include Dave Ramsey, Michael Hyatt, Ariana Huffington, and about 50 others. Each was asked to write in his/her own style, so the book is very much a compilation. If you like leadership materials, this is for you.

The best part is, this was a project that was to draw attention to a worthy charity through ads that are found about every 15 pages. Translation? the book is FREE! You can read it (in pdf format) here. I printed it out and took it with me on a holiday vacation, reading it when I had a chance.

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Parenting: from Surviving to Thriving

Charles Swindoll

Word Publishing, 2006 (272 pages)

If you read my blog often, you know I like Swindoll’s work…usually. Of all the books I’ve ever read by him, though, this was my least favorite. Of course, being a believer in Calvinism, the concept of original sin runs throughout the book. That “helped” my dislike quite a bit.

There are many principles in this book, especially the first half of it, that are helpful. I was able to gain a better understanding of some of the Bible’s texts about parenting due to the first 100 pages or so.

What caused me to not like this book as much, though, was that, in most of the second half, Swindoll seems to step away from his usual style. Instead of walking briefly through a text and then making good, solid applications, he seems to spend about 80% (or more) of some of the chapters on the text, only throwing a couple of quick applications for life at the end, almost as an afterthought. The textual work is good, but it’s almost as if the book changed focus part of the way through.

That being said, one of the highlights of this book is the 11th chapter (out of 12). Swindoll devotes a brief chapter to those parents who have to deal with special-needs children, a subject not discussed often in books with this focus. While brief, the reader will find that chapter to be helpful.

The paperback version of the book can be found on Amazon.com for $6.00 here.

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Saturday Shrines

The Sporting News, 2005 (223 pages)

If you like the tradition behind college football, this is an interesting read. The book gives quick stories and facts about some of the more well-known stadiums used for college football. While it mentions many stadiums, the best part of the book is the first half, where more space is devoted to the forty “best,” according to The Sporting News. This is a fun little book with lots of great photography.

You can find copies with several universities on the cover. Mine has the Nebraska Cornhuskers (of course). The Amazon.com page is here.

Friday Links Roundup: Tell Someone Edition January 22, 2010

Yep, it’s time for a shameless plug of our blog. The number of “hits” we get each day are far better than they were a year ago, but, over the last couple of months, they have stagnated. We aren’t about just getting numbers on the blog, but it is encouraging to see more folks coming and seeing what’s here.

That’s where you come in. Would you please pass along a favorite post (or just our blog address) to 5 people? If each person who regularly comes would just tell 5 people, we could easily raise our numbers. If that person would like to be on our email list, just send me an email (adfaughn AT gmail DOT com) and I’ll be glad to add him or her.

Shameless? Nah….never!

On to the links for this week:

1. Today is the annual March for Life, as we mark another horrible anniversary of Roe v. Wade. However, this year, there is a special twist to the March for Life for those who cannot physically attend. You can join the virtual March for Life (as I did). As of this writing, over 65,000 are in the virtual march, placing their names alongside those who are actually in Washington. If you’d like to know more, or join the virtual march, here is the website.

2. I love technology, but I am amazed at how much teens and tweens are “plugged in” to every type of media imaginable. Is it too much? Albert Mohler explores in his article, “Like the Air They Breathe.” Parents, preachers and elders need to read and file this one.

3. Joey Sparks obviously feels guilty about pulling for Alabama in the BCS Championship Game and is trying to make up for it by writing about Colt McCoy’s post-game interview. Just kidding. Joey puts some great thoughts to Colt’s words in “Give God the Glory.”

4. I hate failing. I hate working on something only to have it “shot down” or fall flat. Those experiences, though, can motivate us to greater things. Seth Godin shows us that in the life of a famous Hollywood producer in his post “Unrealized Projects.”

We hope you have a great weekend. We are looking forward to a weekend as a family before our schedule really starts to pick up for a while.

No matter what you are doing, don’t forget to worship the Lord on His day.

Friday Links Roundup: Clear the Red Tape Edition January 15, 2010

No, this is not a rant about our government or any political party. This “edition” is designed to spark some conversation that could help a lot of people.

In the aftermath of the horrible tragedy in Haiti, I was told that it was already being reported that one of the great needs from that country are parents to adopt Haitian children whose parents died (or will die) in these events. Being the daddy of an adopted daughter, that pulled at the strings of my heart.

However, after doing some research, I found that the usual cost of adoption from Haiti is between $15,000 and $18,000, plus travel. You may have that kind of money, but far too many (and many who desire to be parents) simply can’t write a series of checks for that much, no matter how much they’d like to.

So, here is my plea, and I hope this post echoes up to some high ranking officials. If there is ever a time to cut some red tape and/or to subsidize adoptions, it is now! These children need not only parents, they need stability amid a terrible tragedy. While the same is true of children from all over the world (that’s a true rant!), there should be a special clause for situations like this one. Let’s not just send money and supplies to Haiti. Let’s change the lives (and, possibly, eternities) of numerous children by making this call affordable.

Now that that has been said, it’s time for the links this week.

1. I love posts that take the “backward” look at something. Perry Noble writes a great list entitled, “How to Make Sure Your Church is Boring.” Read this with the right heart, and you will be challenged.

2. In light of the poverty about which we have been reminded in Haiti, this post may seem a bit untimely, but the principles are very good. Christian Personal Finance writes “A Lesson from the Recession: Getting Back to the Basics.”

3. We like success, but sometimes being successful can harm us in the long run. Jon Bloom at Desiring God’s blog writes a thought-provoking piece, “Success can be Perilous.”

4. Stan Mitchell at Forthright Magazine shares an interesting and brief look at what are commonly called “The Seven Deadly Sins.” Read his article “Torn Apart.”

5. Since we are having a series on the family at Lebanon Road, I’m continually looking for good material. Zen Family Habits (thanks, Leah, for sharing this site!) has an humerous article with great application for couples. Enjoy “The Toddler Laws Influence on Marriage.”

We hope you have a wonderful weekend, and we hope that the recent tragedy in Haiti helps you keep your perspective. It’s sad that it often takes such an event to wake us up a bit.

No matter what you do this weekend, make sure you remember the Lord in worship on His Day.

Friday Links Roundup: Merry Christmas! Edition January 1, 2010

I know, it’s January 1, and I’m supposed to be wishing everyone a Happy New Year. However, my family is coming this evening to get together and we are exchanging Christmas gifts, so we’re still in Noel mood. The tree is still up, and Rudolph is still on the front porch.

Anyway, we really do hope you have a wonderful 2010. I have 10 resolutions for this year that cover several areas of life. I hope you have several, and I hope you didn’t forget to include God in your plans! There’s nothing wrong with some spiritual goals for your life, too. Remember, “let us lay aside every weight” wasn’t speaking of shedding pounds!

On to the links for this week:

1. Wednesday, we posted a list of tips for congregational goals (scroll down if you haven’t read it). Michael Hyatt adds something to one of those tips by reminding us to evaluate. Enjoy “Seven Questions to Ask About Last Year.”

2. The Bible clearly teaches that we need to respect and even love ourselves, not because of what we have done, but because God values us. Joe Palmer gives some great thoughts along these lines in “What are You Worth?”

3. In a great post, Jeff Jenkins mentions Johnny Unitas, Steve Farrar, and the Apostle Paul. Curious? Enjoy “Everyone’s a Role Model.”

4. Since this is the time for resolutions, I have seen many posts about goals and resolutions. Paula Harrington shares some great thoughts in “Predictions for 2010.”

5. One thing needed to carry out those resolutions is determination. Neal Pollard shares some good thoughts about that in “How Determined are You?”

We hope your 2010 gets off to a wonderful start. Make this a year for teaching, encouraging, and maturing in the faith.

A great place to start is by worshipping the Lord on His day. We hope to see you then!

Friday Links Roundup: Automated Christmas Edition December 25, 2009

Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not typing this on Christmas. I typed this Wednesday and set it to publish today.

We hope you are having a wonderful Christmas, and we hope you are able to spend quality time with family and friends.

On to the links for this week:

1. On Wednesday nights, I am teaching the Gospel according to John. The “I Am” statements of Jesus found in that book are some of my favorite passages. Justin Guin shares some thoughts on one of them in “Knowing Our Savior: I Am the Bread of Life.” 

2. For some reason, many do not trust God. Tim Pyles shares some very important words in “You Have My Word” about God’s faithfulness.

3. Shame is a topic we don’t like to talk about, but one that is seriously missing from our society. Albert Mohler responds to a column in The Boston Globe in his post “Whatever Happened to Shame?”

4. We love debt free stories. But what about when a business becomes debt free? What about when a business you’ve heard of is debt free? Now that’s quite a story! Read about Zig Ziglar’s business becoming debt free on his son Tom’s blog.

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas. We also hope you will make sure you worship the Lord on His day.

Friday Links Roundup: Christmas Zzzz Edition December 18, 2009

I say it all the time: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I like Christmas, but it’s only the 18th, and I’m already tired. I’m tired from shopping and standing in line. I’ve already heard “Feliz Navidad” twice (which is twice too often for this horrible tune). The “Christmas season” just lasts too long. When I’m President, we’ll cut it down to two weeks….tops!

Now, that whole line about a “long winter’s nap?” Where is that in all this? It sure sounds tempting!

On to the links for this week:

1. Many wonder if Christians should celebrate Christmas in any form or fashion. Cindy Colley does a good job answering that question in “Do You Hang Up Your Stockings?” Make sure you read this one all the way through.

2. Earlier this week, I wrote about the view of some who only come to worship on Christmas and Easter. Joe Palmer takes the same two holidays in a different way in “It’s Christmas, but Easter is Coming.” (Lebanon Road folks, this is somewhat like my Sunday morning sermon, but it was written before I saw this post!!!)

3. Justin Gerhardt takes three amazing (and I mean, amazing) photos and makes a great spiritual application in his post “I Can Tell If You’ve Been With Jesus.”

4. Obviously, since I have a blog, a Twitter feed (@faughn4) and a Facebook profile, I love using my computer for lots of stuff. Michael Hite at MinistryTech writes about the same subject in a good post: “Computers are More Than Just Electric Typewriters.”

5. With Christmas just around the corner, that also means that New Year’s Day is coming quickly. Individuals and congregations will be setting goals (hopefully, you already have!) for the new year. To help you, read “Ready for a Great New Year? Try SMART Resolutions” from Management Craft.

We hope you have a great weekend. Our blog is set to, possibly, have the most hits in one week ever, and we sincerely thank you for coming each time. Please take a moment and pass along our blog to someone else. Maybe they can get some encouragement and information, too.

Make sure you take a moment to encourage someone this weekend, and, more than that, make sure you don’t forget the Lord on His Day.

Friday Links Roundup: We Don’t Quite Get the Concept Edition December 11, 2009

Last night, we went Christmas shopping and out to eat (with cash, of course!). Part of the fun was that we took the kids to see Santa. It was the second time this year they sat on Santa’s lap, and both gave the same list (thankfully!).

Turner, however, is having a problem. He loves seeing Santa and sitting on his lap. He loves telling the jolly one that he wants a “hericopter” (helicopter). However, when he gets down from Santa’s lap, he expects the toy to appear right then. We haven’t quite got the “you have to wait until Christmas day” concept yet.

Here’s to not sitting on Santa’s lap again this year, so we don’t have to explain this again!

On to the links for this week:

1. Two posts this week on parenting that are great. The first is from Dale Sadler and deals with spanking. Though growing increasingly unpopular (and illegal), it is still a Biblical concept. Read “We Spank because We Love.”

2. The other parenting post comes from Pete Wilson. He reacted (well) to a recent Time magazine article. Get his perspective on “Is It Possible to Overparent?“

3. Many surveys show that Americans are not as “pro-choice” as the media would like us to believe. A recent New York magazine article talked about this, and Albert Mohler shares his reaction in “An Amazing Article.”

4. Okay, so there is another post dealing with parenting. David Brumley shares a sad but all-too-common story that happened in his family and then shares some wonderful thoughts in “The Writing on the Wall.”

5. Sunday, our Financial Peace University class will have its final session. One of the things we have discussed many times is the high cost of eating out. Debt Free Adventure shares a great comparison in their post “Dining Out vs. Groceries Analyzed.” Pretty eye-opening stuff!

6. Finally, Matt Dabbs has updated the top church of Christ blogs, and we made the list again! We appreciate Matt for taking the time to put this list together periodically. Our blog is #25 on the list, which is up from the last time. We’re linking to it because you might find some other blogs you enjoy. Here’s the list.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend. We are looking forward to our annual Holiday Banquet at Lebanon Road tonight. The fellowship hall is decorated and looks amazing!

Even more than that, we are looking forward to worshiping God on Sunday. We hope you’ll join us at 9AM for worship if you are nearby. If not, make sure you remember the Lord on His day.

Friday Links Roundup: The REAL Game on Saturday December 4, 2009

Did you know there are football games tomorrow? I know, with the lack of media coverage, it would be easy to miss that Florida and Alabama play tomorrow. I hope that wasn’t a shock to you.

However, we know that one of those teams will play for the BCS national championship. So, why watch? There’s no drama there.

The REAL game is between Texas and Nebraska! If the Cornhuskers pull a major upset, they will earn a BCS bid and quite possibly open the door for TCU to play for a national title. Now THAT’S worth watching!!!

On to the links for this week:

1. I often speak about the way the modern media treats parents. Stan Mitchell picks up on that theme in a great way in “What Do We Communicate?”

2. God doesn’t ask us to be mindless robots. He commands us to be thinking people. Jeremiah Tatum reminds us of the importance of using our minds in “Thinking Caps.”

3. I love the Bible School program, and anything practical to help that program work well is welcome. Matt Dabbs published a great reminder called “The Benefits of Taking a Break from Bible School Teaching.” If you have any “say” in a Bible school program, please read this one!

4. Justin Gerhardt posted a powerful video this week. It is about 5 minutes in length, but it is well worth your time. Trust me, this one will make you think a lot. Enjoy “A Letter from Future You.”

5. With gift-buying being a priority this time of year, I love articles like this one. Christian Personal Finance posted “5 Ways to Show Love to Your Kids Without Spending a Dollar.” (I did one of these last night with the kids, and it was awesome!)

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you take time to serve God in some way this weekend. Make sure you don’t forget Him on His day!

Friday Links Roundup: espn360 Edition November 20, 2009

We don’t have TV anymore, but I am still getting to see a little bit of basketball. We love espn360.com.  Okay, I love espn360.com, and Leah admits that she’s glad I’m getting to see some college basketball, as well. In fact, on most days, there are more choices on there than on TV. I’ve already seen at least a few minutes of over 20 teams play and with the Thanksgiving week tournaments coming, I’m looking forward to seeing more. (Here’s hoping for a classic soon between Duke and UConn in their preseason tournament!)

On to the links for this week:

1. Cindy Colley (welcome to the blog reader) writes a powerful piece on the effect of the media on our attitude toward sin. You’ll want to read and reread “Moral Anesthetics.”

2. We are in the process of appointing additional deacons at Lebanon Road, so any study of deacons means a lot to us right now. Matthew Morine writes a beautiful post called “Deacons that See the the Mission.”

3. Scott McCown gives a personal thought that would make a great sermon. Study and reflect for yourself on “Jesus Wants to Change…“.

4. Two posts this week that are wonderful reminders about the Bible. The first is brief, but one of the best I’ve read in some time. A college student who blogs at justBECCAuse (guess what her first name is?) writes about her time with God’s Word here.

5. Also, Jeff Jenkins shares a similar story about a young man who loves God’s Word. Enjoy “I Like to Read My Bible.”

We hope you like the Friday Links Roundup each week. We are grateful for all the amazing posts we read each day. I subscribe to over 100 feeds, so narrowing it down to around 5 posts each week is hard work. Please continue to use this medium for God’s work!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you worship God on His Day.