Tag Christian

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

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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!

2 Things That Matter More Than Your Preferred Style at Church by Erin Wheeler

Are you looking for a church? Out of all the churches around you, which one should you join? In this article, Erin Wheeler outlines two main priorities to consider when deciding which church you should join. “I spoke to some friends who recently moved, and they were struggling to find a new church home. Nothing they had visited fit their style, but they didn’t want to be “picky.” What advice should I give to that friend? How should they go about choosing a church family where they can worship the Lord with his people in spirit and truth even when things aren’t according to their style? The encouragement I had for them is the same I would have for anyone. Prioritize two main things in your decision-making process. Choose a church that is centered on the word and driven by love.”

Five Questions to Access Your Social Media Use by Andrew Noble

It’s always good to examine ourselves, especially regarding our use of social media. Thankfully, Andrew Noble provides us with five questions that will help us assess our social media usage. “Should Christians spend more or less time on the social internet? It depends. It depends on how you answer these questions.”

Jesus Did Condemn Homosexuality by Alan Schlemon

The Bible is clear on the topic of homosexuality. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to read articles that continue to address this hot-button issue! “You’ve heard it said, ‘Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.’ But I tell you, he did. In fact, Jesus condemned it more than once. He also castigated people who gave approval to homosexuality. To be clear, even if Jesus said nothing about homosexuality, it wouldn’t affect Christian sexual ethics. Homosexual sex would still be prohibited because Scripture teaches in both Old and New Testaments that such behavior is sin (Lev. 18:22, 20:13, Rom. 1:26–27, 1 Cor. 6:9, 1 Tim. 1:10, etc.).”

What God Meant is What God Means by Jacob Crouch

This is really important. “When reading God’s word, the question, ‘What does this mean?’ is a really good question. But I think that there is an even better, more fundamental, question to ask when reading the Bible. In order to understand what God’s word means, we first need to ask, ‘What is it that God’s word meant?’”

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

philipmcduffie Leave a comment

I’m the pastor of First Baptist Church Jackon in Jackson, Alabama. Once a week, I share a post titled “Article Roundup: Helpful Reads,” where I compile articles that I believe are beneficial for the saints who make up FBC Jackson. I am confident that these articles can also be helpful for followers of Christ around the world. Happy reading!

Are You Your Spouse’s Biggest Cheerleader? By Bob Lepine

This article challenged me. I want to be more careful with my words and strategically use them to edify and build up my wife. Maybe this article will challenge you, too. “Your marriage should be like the “Home on the Range,” “where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.” The best marriages are filled with grace that pours forth in enthusiastic encouragement for one another. That’s something worth cheering about.”

How Healthy is Your Soul? By Scott Hubbard

In this article, Scott Hubbard asks six questions that will help you diagnose your spiritual health. I should note that this article will probe the innermost parts of your soul. “The devil uses many weapons in his assault against our soul, but one of the most overlooked is simply time. We are changeable creatures in a long war, called to “resist the devil” not for a day or a week or a year but a life (James 4:7). And spiritual health yesterday does not guarantee spiritual health today. So, at the end of a new year, on the edge of another, let’s stop to take some spiritual vitals. How healthy is your soul?”

6 Ways to Find (and Protect) the Time You Need to Read Books By Tony Reinke

This isn’t a new article, but it is so beneficial that I wanted to share it again. If you want to do a better job of carving out time to read books in 2025, this is the article you need to read. “You don’t need to be a professional book reviewer to read a lot of books. And you don’t need to be brilliant either. But you do need to be purposeful and consistent. And if you can discipline yourself, you will find the time you need to read.”

Battered by Moses? Why We Still Need to Preach the Law By Jared Kenndy

I just started teaching through the Ten Commandments on Sunday evenings at FBC Jackson. This article covers some of the points I mentioned to our church family in my introduction to the Ten Commandments. “God’s law is a word of grace. But it’s a demanding word that graciously shows us that when we pursue life and salvation apart from Christ, we’ll always fail. It’s the gracious word that always batters the old sinful man and leaves him dead. And after it kills, the law is the gracious word that drives us away from ourselves to the perfect One in whom we’re given resurrection life.”

Biblical Optimism for the New Year By Randy Alcorn

A pessemistic Christian is an enigma. Christians ought to be the most optimistic and hopeful people on the planet. Our future is bright, indescribably and gloriously bright! “What we need is a perspective on our coming year that’s hopeful, yet grounded in eternal certainties. No Christian should be a pessimist. We should be realists—focused on the actuality that we serve a sovereign and gracious God. Because of the reality of Christ’s atoning sacrifice and His promises, biblical realism is, ultimately, optimism.”

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

philipmcduffie Leave a comment

I am the pastor of First Baptist Church Jackon in Jackson, Alabama. Once a week, I share a post titled “Article Roundup: Helpful Reads,” where I compile articles that I believe are beneficial for the saints who make up FBC Jackson. I am confident that these articles can also be helpful for followers of Christ around the world. Happy reading!

Hospitality: The Forgotten Qualification by Matt Foreman

During my short time as the senior pastor of FBC Jackson, I have emphasized the importance of hospitality to our two associate pastors. I will leave it to Matt Foreman to explain why hospitality is so important in the life of an elder/overseer/pastor. “The responsibilities of elders are not just about information-transfer. They are about discipleship of life. The “doctrine that accords with godliness” (Tit. 1:1; 1 Tim. 6:3) is more than taught; it must be caught. And therefore, elders must share their lives with their people. They are to invite people to observe their homes, their marriages, their parenting, their practical godliness.”

How (Not) to Use AI: Three Principles by Jonathan M. Threlfall

In this article, Jonathan M. Threlfall helps pastors consider appropriate ways to use artificial intelligence. It is refreshing to see pastors striving to cultivate a healthy Christian ethic regarding the use of artificial intelligence. (Though this is written by a pastor for pastors, it is applicable to all Christians.) “Artificial intelligence, like Babel’s bricks and mortar, can be used either to build a tower in defiance of God—to our own confusion, or to build a temple to worship God—to our delight and his glory.”

Retired from New Year’s Resolutions by Jana Carlson

In this article, Jana Carlson explains why she stopped making New Year’s resolutions. Most people, especially busy moms, can benefit from this short read. “So, after many years of meticulously setting specific goals and planning exactly how I’d accomplish them, I retired from New Year’s resolutions. Now, instead of focusing on goals and long-term plans, I focus on purpose. God created me for a purpose. He created all of us for a purpose—ultimately, that we would know him, love him, and glorify him. And I can pursue that purpose no matter what happens in my life.”

Honor Your (Elderly) Parents: How Adult Children ‘Make Some Return’ by Kathleen Nielson

This is a really good article. “We grown humans tend to forget that we were once babies, naked and often dirty, needy and inconvenient. Why would we forgo making some return to those whose lives were often turned upside down as they cared for us? And why would we neglect the lessons to be learned about the care of our heavenly Father, whose own Son emptied himself and came down for the sake of us sinful children?”

10 Ways to Fracture Your Church by Conrad Mbewe

Sadly, the local church is like dry kindling waiting to ignite. That said, articles like this are always helpful! “Yet, you only have to be a Christian for a short time before you realize that churches suffer from disunity and splits after seasons of peace as surely as valleys follow rolling hills. Often, you can see the downward spiral coming from a distance. In this article, I point out ten ways in which you can fracture the church to which you belong. Most of these ways can be caused by anyone. The last few are normally caused by church leaders. If any of these describe your actions or your attitude, may God give you grace to amend your ways for the sake of Christ who desires his people to be truly united.”

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

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Is Living Together Before Marriage Really a Sin? by Daniel Darling

The short answer is yes. But, for a detailed biblical explanation that includes practical reasons for not living together, read this article by Daniel Darling. “Our bodies aren’t autonomous. We belong to our Creator. We’re not our own. What’s more, we’re indwelled by God’s Spirit as his temple (1 Cor. 6:15–20). So sexual activity outside marriage is a serious sin against God. It’s not unforgivable. It’s not beyond God’s redeeming and restoring grace. But what we do with our bodies matters to God, and if we’re committed to following Jesus, we’ll be committed to following his plan for our lives, including sex.”

Have You Lost the Ability to Think Deeply? by Lydia Kinne

I don’t want to fall prey to brain rot! That said, this article motivated me to delete some social media apps, pick up a book, and start reading. “We may have gradually and unintentionally adopted our culture’s entertainment habits, but we can purposefully create our own culture of discipline and deep thinking. Proverbs 1:5 implores us, ‘Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.’ Our society desperately needs more people who can think wisely, discern clearly, and guide the next generation in God’s truth. It sounds like a big task, but it can start with something as small as turning off the TV and picking up a good book.”

What “Christmas Spirit” Should Actually Mean by J.I. Packer

The great doctrine of the Incarnation of the Son of God encourages Christians to live humble lives marked by sacrificial service. “The Christmas spirit does not shine out in the Christian snob. For the Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor—spending and being spent—to enrich their fellow men, giving time, trouble, care, and concern, to do good to others—and not just their own friends—in whatever way there seems need. There are not as many who show this spirit as there should be.”

Take Heed Lest You Fall into an Affair by Alan Nobile

Unfortunately, due to our sinful nature, Alan Noble’s warning is necessary. That said, you should read and take heed! “In the past few years we’ve seen it happen to pastors and theologians and apologists and lay Christians who otherwise appear to live righteous, holy lives and who preach the gospel faithfully. It can happen to you and it can happen to me. So what are we to do?”

The Darkness Does Not Win by Kevin DeYoung

Be encouraged! The darkness DID NOT and WILL NOT overcome the light. “That baby was really born, to a real virgin, just as the prophets foretold. He lived. He died. He rose from the dead on the third day. He is coming again. We know that the darkness will not be victorious over the world, because it was not victorious over the One through whom the world was made. If God can summon light into existence when there was only darkness, surely he can send his light into the world with assurance of complete success, no matter how impossible the odds. For this is the miracle and the wonder of Christmas: The Light of the world was born in the darkness of night, as the Word of God lay in the manger unable to speak a syllable.”

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

philipmcduffie Leave a comment

I am the pastor of First Baptist Church Jackon in Jackson, Alabama. Once a week, I share a post titled “Article Roundup: Helpful Reads,” where I compile articles that I believe are beneficial for the saints who make up FBC Jackson. I am confident that these articles can also be helpful for followers of Christ around the world. Happy reading!

How Do I Raise Grateful Kids? By Sam Crabtree

My wife and I have been contemplating the question: “How can we raise grateful kids?” Sam Crabtree offered helpful insights in his article. “So if our kids are born thankless, how can we raise kids to recognize with heartfelt gratitude that they are served by an endless conveyor belt of divinely supplied benefits including life, breath, and everything? How can we help them see that God is working all things together for the good of those who love him? How can we help them see that he is good all the time and that our pleasure in him is enlarged and deepened and gladdened when we consciously thank him? How can we raise grateful kids?”

How to Read and Remember by Jonathan Threlfall

Do you read often? Are you frustrated by how much you forget? Do you want to read and retain information? Jonathan Threlfall can help you with this. “Someone recently asked me how to stay focused and retain what they read. It’s an important question, especially for anyone devoted to a life of profitable reading and learning. Here’s some advice on how to read to comprehend and retain. I’ve broken down the suggestions into three categories: What to do (1) before, (2) during, and (3) after you read.”

Satan’s “Pastor’s Heart” by Rob Golding

What does it mean for a pastor to have a pastor’s heart? Many people interpret this as a pastor being lenient towards sin. However, according to Rob Golding, this perspective originates from Satan rather than the Holy Spirit. I believe he’s correct! “If the common conception of a pastor’s heart is one in which sin is never condemned in order that the pastor can lead with love and emphasize forgiveness, would this not play into the devil’s hand?”

Serious Ministry by David de Bruyn

Many churches are doctrinally indifferent and ecclesiologically ignorant. This causes significant harm to their members. We need more churches engaged in serious ministry! “The church that is flippant regarding discipleship keeps its programs going, while never really examining, or re-examining the material taught. It does not train or supervise its teachers. It does not keep track of the attendance of members, nor of their involvement in ministry. It does not try to make sure every member has been taught by another believer, or in a small group. For that matter, it has an extremely porous membership process and is rather casual about distinguishing members from adherents.”

The Church-Centered Life by Lydia Schaible

Healthy local churches consist of healthy church members. Healthy church members are those who strive to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by centering their lives around the church. “Neglecting church life leads to deterioration in other areas of life. We may think forsaking church gatherings for family gatherings will bless our family, that moving far from church for our career is worth the cost, that Sunday school is more expendable than an extra hour of sleep, or that fewer church relationships and commitments will reduce our stress. But the inverse is true.”

Article Roundup: Helpful Reads

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James Isn’t as Strange as You Think by Brandon Crowe

Do you need help understanding the New Testament letter of James? Brandon Crowe will help you by using Scripture to interpret Scripture—an essential practice in understanding the Word of God. “Don’t stop with these four faces. Look for others as you read through James. See if you can detect how it echoes other Scriptures, and don’t forget to use your Bible’s cross-references. These can point you to a whole host of recognizable faces. James was intimately familiar with Scripture, and the more familiar we are, the better we’ll understand James.”

Why We Gather by Jeremy Howard

Although this is a very short read, I found it incredibly helpful. In an age that often devalues the corporate gathering of God’s people, Jeremy Howard shows the importance of why we gather. “The body of Christ has been designed to live and move. Each member is placed into the body by the Father’s choice (1 Corinthians 1:30), through the Son’s blood (Romans 5:9), with the Spirit’s equipping (1 Corinthians 12:11). The intention of our triune God is for us to participate in the fellowship, showing each other and the world that we belong to Him (John 13:34, cf. 1 John 2:19).”

No Good Deed You’ve Done Will Remain Hidden by Trevin Wax

For Christians, our good works are not filthy rags—despite what many Christians mistakenly claim! Instead, as the Spirit empowers us, we can truly carry out good works. And as we walk in these good works, our gracious Lord takes notice. “But there’s a flip side to this lack of awareness of how deep our sins go. Sometimes, the believers most likely to harp on how sinful we are miss the other side of sanctification, an element of the good news that’s every bit as powerful and life-changing. It’s this: You don’t realize the pervasiveness of Christ’s holiness in you. A Christian living by the Spirit does far more good than he or she even realizes.”

Dear Pastor, Keep This In Mind When There Is “Too Much To Do” by D.A. Carson

D.A. Carson provides eight pieces of advice for living prudent lives when there is simply “too much to do.” Although aimed at pastors, I believe these suggestions apply to all Christians.

Is Christmas a Pagan Tradition by Kevin DeYoung

Some argue that Christmas has pagan origins, but Kevin DeYoung provides compelling reasons to reject this notion. “While we can’t know for certain that this is where December 25 came from—and we certainly can’t be dogmatic about the historicity of the date—there is much better ancient evidence to suggest that our date for Christmas is tied to Christ’s death and conception than that it is tied to the pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus.”

Refraining Wisdom

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“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, 

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”

Proverbs 10:19

If you are anything like me, and I am confident that I am not the exception here, then you love to hear yourself talk. According to the Bible though, this is not a good thing. Lately, this particular sin pattern of mine has been at the forefront of my thinking—it has caused me to examine myself. And I figured one of the best ways to examine myself was to ponder and meditate on Proverbs 10:19. In this blog, I’ll just mention a few of my thoughts on this popular but poorly applied, at least in my case, verse.

The Untamed Tongue

It should not surprise us, biblically or experientially, that our hearts are evil (Gen. 6:5). And when we consider that our words flow from our evil and wicked hearts (Matt. 12:34), “we cannot conceive of words, much less a multitude of words, without sin.”[1] It is as though our tongue is a “restless evil, full of deadly poison” (Jas. 3:8). Sure, the tongue is a small member of our body, but it is a small member that has catastrophic affects—much like a small spark that causes a devastating wildfire (Jas. 3:5). Even though the tongue is a slender portion of flesh, it contains a whole world of iniquity[2], defiles and stains the whole body, sets our lives on fire, and is fueled by the very flames of hell (Jas. 3:6). 

Therefore, proverbial wisdom concludes that the increase of words inevitably leads to the increase of transgressions. In other words, the more we talk the more we sin! And I am sure that by now, if we are honest, we have come to realize that no other “member” of our body wreaks more havoc to our Christian lives as our tongues do.[3]

Godly Restraint

Thankfully, this verse does not just teach us that the increase of words leads to an increase of transgressions. The Spirit of God goes on to tell us that “whoever restrains his lips is prudent” (Prov. 10:19). To restrain means to keep back, withhold, or hold off. Prudence is simply the God given wisdom that enables us to live a life that magnifies the Lord. And it is the one who has enough self-control to restrain his lips that is prudent. So godly wisdom reveals that it is far better to largely keep our mouths shut than it is to incessantly open our mouths and multiply transgressions against our good and gracious God.

But how come so many Christians, including myself, do not restrain their lips? Well, I believe it is because we are not nearly as spiritually mature as we think we are. We think that if we put away sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, drunkenness, murder, and things like these, then we are spiritually mature—and to an extent this may be true. We forget, though, that few things clearly reveal the credibility and maturity of our Christian faith like how we manage our tongues (Mt. 12:33-37; Jas. 1:26; 3:1-4). 

So do some self-examination. Evaluate your spiritual maturity based on how you govern your tongue. How are you doing with these sins: grumbling, complaining, lying, crude joking, quarreling, degrading humor, gossip, slander, flattery, destructive sarcasm, and irritable responses? And do not just evaluate your spiritual maturity based on how you speak to co-workers and strangers; evaluate it based on how you speak to those closest to you, i.e., your friends, family, and spouse.

Gospel Comfort

This type of self-examination is helpful. Regarding sins of speech, self-examination enables us to see that these sins are not trivialities—they are treasonous acts against our Sovereign Lord that deserve a sentence of condemnation. Self-examination alone, though, is never good. It must also be paralleled with an examination of the grace of God in Christ.

If the Lord counted these sins of speech against us, who could stand on the day when we must give an account of every careless word we have ever spoken (Ps. 130:3; Mt 12:36)? None of us. Thankfully, in Christ, the Lord does not count these sins against us. Christ, with His single and efficacious sacrifice for sins, has made complete atonement for our sins, even our sins of speech (Heb. 10:11-13). Now we can exclaim with the Psalmist, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12). Praise the Lord!

Gospel Obedience

Gospel obedience is an obedience that is rooted in God’s love for us in Christ. Well, what does gospel obedience look like regarding Proverbs 10:19? Let me mention four ways this may look in the lives of Christians.

First, we need to have a biblical view of the seriousness of speech sins. We must never think of these sins “as anything less than the nails that pierced” Christ’s hands and feet. This will lead us to pray for an increase of “refraining wisdom.” [4] Second, we should be prudent and restrain our lips, “not indeed in silence, but in caution; to weigh our words before uttering them; never speaking, except when we have something to say; speaking only just enough; considering the time, circumstances, and person; what is solid, suitable, and profitable.”[5] Third, we must exercise the same level of refraining wisdom on social media, email, text, and any other medium we use to communicate these days. And fourth, when we hastily open our lips and use our tongues in destructive ways, we need to repent and cry out with Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:24).

[1] Charles Bridges, Proverbs, Geneva Series of Commentaries (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth, 2008), 102.

[2] John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 320.

[3] Douglas Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000), 159.

[4] Charles Bridges, Proverbs, 103.

[5] Ibid.