Five Things on Friday

Here's a look at Five Things that are on my mind this week:

1) There's never been a better time to learn about the U.S. Constitution! Join the Patriot Academy for a free 6-week course on the Constitution, starting Oct 12. David Barton and Rick Green, Constitutional experts and advocates for the original intent of our founding documents, lead you through this one of a kind course on the meaning and purpose of the Constitution! We’ll gather together in an online meeting to watch the videos and discuss the workbook as we go article-by-article through the Constitution and Bill of Rights, learn about executive orders, recess appointments, the Electoral College, the powers of Congress and the President, freedom of religion, the duty of citizens, and much more. Shot on location in Independence Hall, in the same room where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written! You can register for free here.

2) Looking for a good devotional? Millions around the world have enjoyed Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. It turns out there is an update language version of it, which I purchased on Kindle this week. It has been excellent!

3) Each day, I like listening to a number of podcasts (on the way to and from work and while at the gym, etc). One fun little daily one is called Creation Moments with Ian Taylor. Each morning, Mr. Taylor's distinctive voice articulates a young-earth view of creation in under two minutes. I always enjoy his programs on different aspects of God's design in nature. Check it out. 

4) Over the past ten years, I have lost several people who are very close to me. For that reason, in the past few years I have been experiencing various kinds of grief which come on like waves and won't quite leave me alone. For that reason, I have recently been doing what is called "grief work" - the psychological process of coping with significant loss. Human beings experience grief for a number of reasons and we often do not understand the effect it has on our lives (emotionally, spiritually, and physically). If you have experienced loss, whether a death, change of job, family changes, identity changes, or any number of things) I encourage you to reach out to a trusted pastor, counselor, or therapist and begin the process of grief work. You will be thankful that you did!

5) This weekend, I have a meeting with our leadership team at the Plymouth Church of Christ. One of the items on our agenda is to review our process for discipling new Christians. I have been assembling some thoughts and resources so I can contribute to this important conversation. One item that I have been reviewing which looks promising is the 9Marks book titled Training: How Do I Grow as a Christian? If you are looking for a good discipling resource, consider checking this one out.

BONUS: I was excited to hear that THE CHOSEN has begun filming their second season this week after crowd funding another year! If you haven't seen season 1, you need to so.