I’m the pastor of FBC Jackson in Jackson, Alabama. Each week, I post “Article Roundup: Helpful Reads,” sharing articles that I believe will benefit the saints who make up FBC Jackson and followers of Christ everywhere. Happy reading!

Your Phone Habits Aren’t Just About You by Trevin Wax

I’m so thankful for Christians who take the time to write articles like this. “What seems like an individual choice—taking selfies or curating an image—changes the experience for everyone else. We think our phone habits are personal, but when millions of people prioritize their screens over the world around them, the consequences ripple outward. When you divide your attention between your phone and the real world multiple times a day, you reshape not only your expectations but also the social fabric around you.”

Is Joining a Church as a Member Actually Necessary by Collen Hansen and Jonathon Leeman

In our non-commital age, we need to continue to stress the importance of joining a church as a member. “What exactly is church membership? Church membership is how we formally recognize and commit to one another as believers. It’s the thing we create by affirming one another through the ordinances. To offer a definition, church membership is a church’s affirmation and oversight of a Christian’s profession of faith and discipleship, combined with the Christian’s submission to the church and its oversight.”

Don’t Make Church About You by Erin Wheeler

We live in a self-consumed age, which has inevitably affected us, particularly how we believe a local church should function. “The Bible gives local churches a “vision” for what they should prioritize, particularly in corporate worship. Unfortunately, too many Christians develop their own personal vision statements and then impose them on the local church. We think the church exists to cater to our preferences or to give us a certain “feeling” or “experience” of worship. But corporate worship isn’t meant to cater to our desires. It’s just not about us.”

Gen Z, Fight ‘Brain Rot’ by Reading Books by Luke Simon

Read! Read! Read! Read! This applies to everyone, not just Gen Z. “Gen Z Christians have the chance to reclaim vision. Our generation is hungry for a worldview that can’t fit on a yard sign—one that offers clarity without oversimplifying and compassion without compromise. But pursuing that kind of depth means breaking free from distractions and resisting the pull of instant gratification. Phones may offer slogans that sell, but books give us wisdom that builds.”

U.S. Non-Profit Extracts American Missionaries from Haiti Violence by Christina Grube

It’s important to remember that we have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are serving the Lord Jesus Christ in extremely hostile areas. “The Ennis family faced extreme danger while in Haiti. A local gang had decapitated a man outside the Ennis’ mission days before their rescue, Project DYNAMO wrote in a news release Tuesday.”