 Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! Today I'm sharing five articles that I've enjoyed reading this past week along with my favorite quotation from each. 1. Two Habits of Successful Parents by Tim Challies ". . .a young mom is more likely to seek the counsel of another young mom who has an online following than the counsel of an older mom who does not." 2. 5 Ways to Ensure Our Souls Aren't Strangled by Screens by Kevin DeYoung "Because we understand our worth as image-bearers and our identity as children of God, we will not look to the Internet to prove that we are important, valuable, and loved." 3. Are You Too Busy to Disciple Someone? by Ajith Fernando “Christianity is not an individualistic religion. The Christian life is lived in community.” 4. What Did Jesus Teach about Evangelism? by Jerram Barrs "As we read the four Gospels we learn that Jesus is the best example of how we are to relate to those we meet, whatever their views, whatever their way of life. He is the best example of how we are to live before unbelievers and how we are to love them, serve them, and speak truth to them." 5. The Drama of His Glory by Christopher W. Morgan “God’s glory is the magnificence, loveliness, beauty, and grandeur of his perfections.” That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II: Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Website: Free Online Theology Courses This link will take you to the courses section on The Gospel Coalition website. They offer a large variety of great courses on theology and life. Plus, they're all free! 2. Article: 20 Ideas for Dating Your Wife In this article, Justin Buzzard gives some really simple and practical ideas that husbands can use to date their wives. 3. App: Christian Audio The title of this app kind of speaks for itself, but it's an app for downloading and playing Christian audio books. If you create an account with them, you get a free audio book download every month! 4. Video Series: Family Worship with Donald Whitney This is a five day series of short videos on the what, why, and how of family worship. This is a lost art today, and it may sound intimidating to begin, but Donald Whitney makes it super simple! I think you'll really enjoy this series. 5. Facebook Hack: See First If you ever find yourself clicking on your Facebook app only to end up mindlessly scrolling and reading pointless content, then you'll love this little hack. Go on Facebook and search for pages like: Desiring God, Crossway, and The Gospel Coalition and click "see first." Then whenever you go on Facebook, the first things you will see are great videos and articles that will help you grow as a Christian! Below is a video showing you how to do it with our church page. (P.s. Our church would be another great page to "see first" haha) That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!
Article by Michael Goforth II: Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Resource: The Gospel Prayer Use this prayer to help you grow deeper in the gospel everyday: “In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less. Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy. As You have been to me, so I will be to others. As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection.” The link above will let you download different visual versions of the prayer. Enjoy! 2. Book: The Valley of Vision This is a collection of puritan prayers compiled by Arthur Bennett that can help guide you in your prayers. I bought this a few years ago and it has been such a blessing to my prayer life. As Mark Dever explains, "When used slowly, for meditation and prayer, these pages have often been used by God’s Spirit to kindle my dry heart." 3. Podcast: History and Hope This is a new podcast with Mark West and Matthew Lyon where they look at history from a Baptist perspective. They only have two episodes so far, but I've really enjoyed both of them. Go check it out! 4. Playlist: Hymns Live The Lord has used this playlist to really stir my affections for Him lately. Some of my favorites from the list are "Is He Worthy," "His Mercy is More," and "He Will Hold Me Fast." Enjoy! 5. Article: 18 Things to Pray for Your Church This is a great article by Jonathan Leeman that reminds us of the importance of praying for our local church. He also gives you 18 sample prayers to get started. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! To see all editions of The Friday Five, click here.
Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Weekly E-mail: Equip Every week I send out an email with the latest sermons, articles, and videos from our church. You can view an example from last week using the link above. You can also simply enter your email here to subscribe:
2. Playlist: New City Catechism Songs
Last week we started our second journey through the New City Catechism, and this is a helpful YouTube link to the songs for each question. 3. Sermon: Why Did God Create the World? This is a classic sermon from John Piper that will change the way you look at everything. Piper is the founder of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He also served as pastor 33 years at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 4. Blog: Gospel-Centered Discipleship "Gospel-Centered Discipleship exists to publish resources that help make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus." 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Each week, during our Sunday morning gathering, I highlight one book or resource that I've found helpful. This page is regularly updated with the links to those books. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Movie: The Pilgrim's Progress I had a chance to watch this movie for free last week and was greatly encouraged by it! I know it is more geared toward children, but there is a lot of depth for adults as well. It's based on the classic book by John Bunyan. Here's the description, "Based on John Bunyan’s epic masterpiece, The Pilgrim's Progress is one of the most popular books of all time, and one of the most important stories of our faith! Second to the Bible in total copies and translations, the story was written by John Bunyan a pastor, imprisoned for sharing his faith. This powerful allegory helps families understand the spiritual journey is the most important journey in life, as well as the importance of sticking to the path, even when the journey gets difficult." 2. Song: Is He Worthy This song, based on Revelation 5, has been so powerful in my life lately. Here's an excerpt, "Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave. He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave." Take a few minutes and go listen to it! 3. Film: American Gospel: Christ Alone This film is a must watch. Here's a description, "Is Christianity Christ + the American dream? American Gospel examines how the prosperity gospel (the Word of Faith movement) has distorted the gospel message, and how this theology is being exported abroad." 4. App: The New City Catechism I've shared this before, but this Sunday our church is beginning our second journey through this catechism, so I wanted to share the app again in preparation for it. Earlier this week, I wrote an article on the practical benefits of catechisms. Click here to read it. 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Each week, during our Sunday morning gathering, I highlight one book or resource that I've found helpful. This page is regularly updated with the links to those books. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. This week I'm sharing 5 online ministries that have been helpful to me. 1. Desiring God Desiring God exists to spread the message that, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." 2. Grace to You Grace to You is the online teaching ministry of John MacArthur, the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. Their mission is stated as, "Unleashing God’s Truth, One Verse at a Time." 3. Ligonier Ministries "Ligonier Ministries exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible." 4. The Gospel Coalition "The Gospel Coalition seeks to help people know God’s Word with their minds, love God fully with their hearts, and engage the world with grace and truth." 5. Crossway "The purpose of Crossway has been, from its founding as a not-for-profit ministry in 1938, to publish gospel-centered, Bible-centered content that will honor our Savior and serve his Church." That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. App: Day One I've been hit and miss over the years when it comes to keeping a journal, but the benefits of recording God's providence in my life have made me want to be more disciplined in this area. The Day One app has helped with consistency in this discipline. 2. Podcast: Simply Put I recently came across this podcast by Ligonier Ministries and I've really been enjoying it! Here's a description, "Simply Put is a new weekly podcast to help you build your Christian vocabulary. Each episode explains a different theological term in clear, concise language and shares stories and illustrations that apply it to your life." 3. Article: The Legalist's Final Rest In this article, Jeff Robinson wrestles with the struggle between legalism and license in our Christian life. He gives six reasons why we should read Galatians again. 4. Video Series: Family Worship with Donald Whitney This is a five day series of short videos on the what, why, and how of family worship. This is a lost art today, and it may sound intimidating to begin, but Donald Whitney makes it super simple! I think you'll really enjoy this series. 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Each week, during our Sunday morning gathering, I highlight one book or resource that I've found helpful. This page is regularly updated with the links to those books. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Website: The Bible Project The Bible Project is a website with hundreds of short, fully animated videos that use visual storytelling to teach the Bible. They have videos on a variety of topics like key biblical themes, how to read the Bible, and more. My favorite feature from them is their book introduction videos where they introduce each of the 66 books of the Bible. Go check them out! 2. Sermons: Classic Messages from John Piper John Piper was the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for 33 years and the Lord has used his pulpit and writing ministry in amazing ways. Few preachers have helped me see and savor the supremacy of Christ and the glory of God like he has. This is a link to some of his classic messages. 3. Infographic: You Have More Time for Bible Reading Than You Think Crossway surveyed over 11,000 readers last year asking questions about how they spend their time. In this article they share the results of that survey in different infographics. They also include a chart with how long it takes to read each book of the Bible. For example, the average reader can read the entire book of John in about 1 hour and 51 minutes! Kind of cool to know. I saved the graphic to my phone and reference it often. 4. Video: Paul Miller's Story of Learning to Love Description: "Paul Miller, author and founder of SeeJesus, a global discipling mission, tells the story of how he learned to love through seasons of suffering in his own family. Through his family’s own trials, he came to realize that loving people isn’t always efficient, but rather, it requires you to slow down and be present and attentive. Paul shares his own journey of learning this kind of love from the pattern of Jesus's life." 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Looking for your next great read? This is a link to over 50 different book recommendations! And they're all organized into categories to help you find the perfect book! That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Article: 3 Ways Your Faith Should Shape Your Work We spend most of our waking hours at the workplace and this is an excellent article from Jeremy Treat that wrestles with how the Kingdom of God should shape our view of our work. 2. Article: Trade Self-Help for God-Help Self-help resources fill our book stores and blogs today, but Christians have something much better than self-help. In this article, Greg Morse points out some things we can learn from self-help and then challenges us to trade it in for God-help. 3. Podcast episode: How to Date Your Wife Men tend to stop pursuing their wives once the wedding day is over, but this should not be the case. In this episode of the Crossway Podcast, Justin Buzzard is interviewed and he gives a bunch of great tips for husbands on how to continue pursuing their wives. 4. App: Biblical Training This app and website offers top-notch courses and lectures to help you grow in a variety of different biblical topics. The best part is, it's completely free! 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Looking for your next great read? This is a link to over 50 different book recommendations! And they're all organized into categories to help you find the perfect book! That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!
Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to the Friday Five! This week I'm sharing five books that will radically transform your prayer life. Click on any of the books and you'll be redirected to Amazon where you can pick up a copy. As a side note, if you use the links on this page to purchase a book, we'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I'll put the fancy legal statement at the end of the article.*
1. The Prayer That Turns The World Upside Down by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
2. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller
3. Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church by John Onwuchekwa
4. Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller
5. Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney
Have a great weekend!
*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to the Friday Five! This week, we're sharing our top five most popular articles of 2019 so far. We'll put the title and a brief excerpt from each. 1. Take Up And Read "It was December of 2013 and my secret Santa handed me a gift. I was puzzled by the size of it since I had only asked for an Amazon gift card, but I tore into the wrapping paper with excitement. . ." 2. Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl "Once upon a time, an evil serpent-dragon slithered through a garden on the hunt for his prey. He was on a mission of deceit and rebellion and through a series of well-crafted lies, he was successful. Heeding the serpent's advice, the very first humans plunged themselves into a spiral of doom and destruction. . ." 3. Where are You Looking for Identity? "The laundry was done, the dishes were put away, I was sitting on the couch looking at our beautiful home and thinking about my amazing “new” marriage and my wonderful husband . . . yet, there was still this emptiness inside." 4. Let Your Death Shape Your Life "It might rain. You might catch a cold. You might get a raise. You might get fired. Your team might win. The restaurant might be good. You might pass your test. There are a lot of "mights" in this life. We live in a world full of uncertainties, but do you want to know one thing that is certain? You’re going to die." 5. I Say Grace Before I Dance "Have you ever thought about why we “say grace” before meals? I know it was the example of Jesus and the apostle Paul (Matt. 15:36, Acts 27:35), but what is the purpose behind it?" This next one was just as high as the others, so I thought I'd add a bonus. I would change the title, but "The Friday Six" just doesn't sound quite as cool. BONUS: Your Desires Are Too Weak “If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. . ." That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! Welcome to The Friday Five! This week I'm highlighting five free apps that will help you in your walk with the Lord.
1. Three Circles Life Conversation Guide This app helps you share the gospel in an engaging and memorable way using 3 circles. I’ve used it several times and found it very useful in explaining the gospel to unbelievers. 2. The Logos Bible App This app is packed with awesome features that will help you in studying God's Word. It has tools for word studies, passage analysis, topic guides, and more. It also comes with a pretty solid starter library free of charge. 3. The New City Catechism This is a great resource that will help you learn the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. On their website they describe it this way: “The New City Catechism is a modern-day resource aimed at helping children and adults alike learn the core doctrines of the Christian faith via 52 questions and answers.” Go check it out! 4. Five Psalms Several weeks ago, I shared a video about praying the Bible. (To watch it, click here.) The Psalms are one of the best spots for doing that, and this app makes it super easy! I've been using it daily for a while now and I highly recommend it. 5. Christian Audio The title of this app kind of speaks for itself, but it's an app for downloading and playing Christian audio books. If you create an account with them, you get a free audio book download every month! That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! 
Welcome to the Friday Five! Since this Sunday is Father's Day, I'm sharing five books on marriage, parenting, and the home. Click on any of the books and you'll be redirected to Amazon where you can pick up a copy. As a side note, if you use the links on this page to purchase a book, we'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I'll put the fancy legal statement at the end of the article.*
1. Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp
2. What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage by Paul David Tripp
3. Family Driven Faith: Doing What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk With God by Voddie Baucham Jr.
4. The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in It's Proper Place by Andy Crouch
5. The New City Catechism: 52 Questions & Answers for Our Hearts & Minds
That's a wrap, Happy Father's Day!
*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
 Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Video Course: God's Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts This is a free video course that provides a very helpful overview of the Bible. It is based on the bestselling book by Vaughan Roberts. 2. Article: Are You Too Christian for Non-Christians? by Rick Segal “If we don’t make unbelieving people a priority, we’ll always gravitate toward the comfort of Christian cul-de-sacs.” In this article, Rick Segal challenges us to make time for unbelievers, and he gives us seven helpful steps as we get started. 3. Article: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Opportunity by Tim Challies "We spend far more of our lives with baristas, cashiers, and customer service agents than we do with athletes, surgeons, and presidents—people we fancy as having the truly fulfilling occupations. And these little interactions really do brighten or darken our days." This article is a great reminder of the difference a small job can make when it is done well. 4. Book: Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God by Rankin Wilbourne I read a lot of books, and many of them are very good. But every once in a while I come across a book that God uses in especially remarkable ways in my life. This is one of those books and I'd highly recommend you pick up a copy. I'm not exaggerating when I say it will change your life. If you use the link above to purchase the book, we'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Here's the fancy legal statement: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 5. Free Ebook: Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus by Mark Dever Do you want to obey Jesus' final command and make disciples? Then this concise and practical book is for you. If you click on the link above and fill out a short survey, you can download a copy for free! That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II: We recently started a sermon series called, "Life on Mission," at our church, so this week I'm sharing five books that have helped me live as an everyday missionary. If you use the links on this page to purchase a book, we'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I'll put the fancy legal statement at the end of the article. 1. Life on Mission: Joining the Everyday Mission of God by Dustin Willis and Aaron Coe "Life on Mission is a thorough yet simple guide for everyday missionaries—electricians, lawyers, church planters, students, etc.—that equips them with truths and practices for living out the gospel within their own community." 2. What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert "Beginning with Paul's systematic presentation of the gospel in Romans and moving through the sermons in Acts, Gilbert argues that the central structure of the gospel consists of four main subjects: God, man, Christ, and a response. The book carefully examines each and then explores the effects the gospel can have in individuals, churches, and the world." 3. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever "In The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, Dr. Mark Dever seeks to answer the four basic questions about evangelism that many Christians ask: Who should we evangelize? How should we evangelize? What is evangelism? Why should we evangelize? In his answers Dever draws on New Testament truths and helps believers apply those truths in practical ways." 4. Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt "To become fluent in a new language, you must immerse yourself in it until you actually start to think about life through it. Becoming fluent in the gospel happens the same way—after believing it, we have to intentionally rehearse it (to ourselves and to others) and immerse ourselves in its truths. Only then will we start to see how everything in our lives, from the mundane to the magnificent, is transformed by the hope of the gospel." 5. Take Heart: Christian Courage in the Age of Unbelief by Matt Chandler "In this stirring, passionate book, Matt Chandler shows us we need Christian courage like never before, and how to live with compassion and conviction, able to look around positively and reach out confidently. It encourages us not to be thwarted by fear, but to depend on God and have confidence that Christ will build his church, despite continual marginalization." That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
 Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Book: Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke An incredible book that attempts to answer the question, "How can Christians thrive in this spectacle-saturated digital age?” I wrote a full review of the book here. 2. Podcast: Why You Probably Need A Digital Detox To go along with the book recommendation above, this is an episode from the Crossway podcast where they interview Tony Reinke, the author of Competing Spectacles. 3. Article: What I Pack In My Spiritual First Aid Kit by Tim Challies In this article, Tim Challies explains what he carries around in his "spiritual first aid kit." He says, "As I journey round the world, I know I need to carry a medical first aid kit with me. As I journey through this life, I know I need the spiritual equivalent. It has served me well and, I trust, will continue to as I plod on in this great pilgrimage." 4. Article: Dear Church Member, Your Shepherd Is Also a Sheep by Sean DeMars Sometimes church members forget that pastors are still growing, learning, and struggling with sin. And sometimes pastors forget that it's okay to admit this. In this article, DeMars has a word for both groups reminding them of this truth, "Your pastor is a shepherd, but he's still a sheep." 5. Article: How to Pray When You're Fighting with Your Spouse by Paul David Tripp This is a great article about the power of prayer in marriage. The author argues, "Prayer is a necessary ingredient of a healthy marriage. On our knees is the best posture for our marriage." That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Article: 7 Things to Do When You've Blown It (Again) With Your Kids by William P. Smith An excellent article on parenting. Here's my favorite quote, "Behind the glory of the gospel, going all the way back to the first sin in Eden, is the God of a million second chances. This great God comes to his believing people when they’ve fallen—and when they’ve fallen again—and says, 'My child, get up. Because Christ has gotten up from the dead, no story has to end in tragedy. Every single one can be redeemed, even this one with your kid.'" 2. Article: 10 Spurgeon Quotes on Contentment by Ed Romine There a very few Spurgeon quotes that aren't worth sharing. In this article, Ed Romine brings a treasure chest full of them. Here's an excerpt, "...learning contentment, in all its forms, “was far better than much that is acquired in the schools.” But, only God himself could “teach you how to be full,” truly full. Indeed, when a man’s soul is “full of God” he “is a truly rich man.” He is truly content." 3. Article: 10 Things You Should Know About The Danger Of Media by Tony Reinke Another great article. Here's my favorite quote God, ". . .must awaken his transforming power deep inside us and open our eyes to behold the splendor of Christ." 4. Article: Facts and Faith by Nick Piervicenti Nick and I took classes together through the online master's degree program at West Coast Baptist College. This past week he shared this article that is definitely worth your time. Here's one of my favorite quotes, "The theologian understands the fact that God is omnipotent, but the Child of God fully experiences it by faith. The Bible Scholar can comprehend the depths of the character of Christ, yet the disciple and friend of Christ is led by this firm, yet gentle, Shepherd." 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Each week, during our Sunday morning gathering, I highlight one book or resource that I've found helpful. This page is regularly updated with the links to those books. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. App: Christian Audio The title of this app kind of speaks for itself, but it's an app for downloading and playing Christian audio books. If you create an account with them, you get a free audio book download every month! 2. Free Ebook: Habits of Grace by David Mathis I love this book and recommend it all the time. The author breaks down the spiritual disciplines into three helpful categories: 1. Hear God's Voice 2. Have God's Ear 3. Belong to God's Body. If you click the link above you can learn more and download the book for free. 3. Song: His Mercy is More This past month, we've been singing this song at our church and I've been so blessed by it. The words are simple, but powerful. You'll find yourself singing it all day long once you hear it! The link above will take you to a video of the song performed by Matt Boswell and the Boyce College Choir. 4. App: Commission-Reach the World This is a free app put out by Lancaster Baptist Church in California that makes it super simple for anyone to share the Gospel. To download it for iOS (Apple devices), click here. To download it for Android, click here. 5. Video: Theology Is Not Just For Pastors by Mike Peters Our church is privileged to partner with the Peters Family who are serving the Lord as church-planting missionaries in Spain. Recently, we reached out to Mike and asked him if he would be willing to share a short challenge from God's Word. In this video, he discusses the importance of theology in the life of every believer. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. App: Five Psalms A few weeks ago, I shared a video about praying the Bible. (To watch it, click here.) The Psalms are one of the best spots for doing that, and this app makes it super easy! I've been using it for about a month now and I love it. In fact, I think I'm going to do an entire blog post about this app in the future. 2. Article: Start Asking God For More by Gary Millar The subtitle of this article is, "Four Reasons We Pray Less." I found it both convicting and encouraging. Here's my favorite quote: "The core of the gospel is that we have nothing, contribute nothing, bring nothing to God — we are rescued by grace alone through faith (asking!) alone. It shouldn’t come as a shock that prayer, which is made possible by the gospel and shaped by the gospel, works exactly the same way." 3. Article: 6 Keys to a Rewarding Digital Detox by Tony Reinke Another great article. Here's my favorite quote, "As we sever from our screens, as we become more attentive to what is not on a screen, we become more attentive to where God calls us to focus our attention." 4. Video Series: Family Worship with Donald Whitney This is a five day series of short videos on the what, why, and how of family worship. This is a lost art today, and it may sound intimidating to begin, but Donald Whitney makes it super simple! I think you'll really enjoy this series. 5. Resource: Book Recommendations Each week, during our Sunday morning gathering, I highlight one book or resource that I've found helpful. This page is regularly updated with the links to those books. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Book: Discovering the Good Life by Tim Savage "Here is an invitation you can’t resist. Let’s venture into the forest together and discover, perhaps for the very first time, just how good life can be.” —Tim Savage. This is an amazing book about the surprising riches available to us in Christ. If you want to read my full review on it, click here. 2. Article: God Caffeinated His World by David Mathis I'm a big time coffee lover, so this article caught my attention. It's about the benefits and dangers of caffeine from a Christian perspective. Here's an excerpt: "Unlike money, caffeine literally grows on trees — and not just a shrub or two. More than one hundred species of plant around the world, on four continents, contain caffeine. Even Christians may be surprised to discover how extensively God caffeinated his created world." 3. Free Download: Bible Study Cheat Sheet by Tom Harmon This is a cheat sheet from the book, Asking The Right Questions by Tom Harmon. It's an excellent guide that will help you get the most out of your time in the Word. 4. Blog: Holding Hope with Charisse Goforth You may recognize this one because we feature her articles on our site from time to time, but she also has her own blog! I might be a little bias on this one because this is my mother, but I think you'll really enjoy reading her articles! 5. Resource: Equip Weekly Email Brief Every Wednesday I send out a weekly brief with articles, videos, and sermons from our ministry. Click on the link above for a preview and a place to subscribe. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. Since today is Good Friday, I'm sharing 5 articles about the cross with my favorite quotation from each. 1. 10 Things You Should Know About The Cross by Patrick Schreiner "The cross is not only where our sin is paid for, where the devil is conquered, but the shape of Christianity. As Rutledge has said, “the crucifixion is the touchstone of Christian authenticity, the unique feature by which everything else. . . is given true significance.” 2. The Story Of Good Friday by Ben Roberts "Jesus, God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in you. Through you we are reconciled. You made peace through your blood, shed on the cross. Jesus, in our sin, we were once your enemies. In your grace, we are now your brothers and sisters. By your atonement alone we are holy in God’s sight. In you alone, we are without blemish, free from accusation." 3. The Cross Is A Shared Victory by Tim Savage "On the cross, Jesus took the worst that sin could mete out. He stood his ground. He resisted sin to the end. He purged sin of its power. He died to sin. . . .And we are the beneficiaries." 4. He Was Forsaken By The Father by Marshall Segal "Jesus knew what he must suffer (Matthew 20:17–19), but that did not lessen the torment. As mere humans, we simply will never know the depths of his agony." 5. Why We Call The Worst Friday 'Good' by David Mathis “Satan meant that Friday for evil, but God meant it for good, and so we call it Good Friday.” Have a Happy Easter!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where Pastor Michael shares five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Article: Lord, Deliver Me From Distraction by Jon Bloom In this article, Jon Bloom deals with a lot of the distracting temptations we face these days. This quote was especially convicting, “Our attention often runs to what’s important to us. So distraction can reveal what we love.” 2. Free Download: Spiritual Gifts Test Every Christian has been given a gift of grace from the Holy Spirit designed for the edification of the church. The best way to learn your gift is to get involved in your local church. However, a spiritual gifts test can be a fun way to learn about the gifts and see which one you might have. 3. App: 3 Circles Life Conversation Guide This app helps you share the gospel in an engaging and memorable way using 3 circles. I’ve used it several times and found it very useful in explaining the gospel to unbelievers. 4. Video: The Story This short video is a great overview of the gospel. It can be used to familiarize oneself with the gospel message, and it can also be shared with unbelievers to help them understand God’s gift of salvation. 5. Podcast: Sermons from Calvary Baptist Church This is a link to our church podcast where you can hear the weekly sermon from our church. Simply choose your favorite platform and subscribe so that you never miss an episode! We usually have the Sunday sermon posted by Monday afternoon. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where Pastor Michael shares five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. App: The Logos Bible App for iOS and Android This app is packed with awesome features that will help you in studying God's Word. It has tools for word studies, passage analysis, topic guides, and more. It also comes with a pretty solid starter library free of charge. 2. Website: Bible.org This site describes itself as the place, "where the world comes to study the Bible." They offer a lot of cool resources and articles. 3. Podcast: The Crossway Podcast Crossway books and publishing just came out with a new podcast this past week! I tuned in for one of their episodes and found it to be enjoyable. 4. Ministry: The Bible Project "The Bible Project is a non-profit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos to make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere. We create 100% free videos, podcasts, and resources that explore the Bible’s unified story." I love the videos put out by these guys. Check out their website with the link above or visit them on YouTube. 5. Article: Pursuing the Holy Spirit by April Goetsch This article was shared with me this past week and I found it both convicting and encouraging. A great reminder to pursue Spirit-empowered Christian living. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where Pastor Michael shares five resources to help you in your walk with the Lord. 1. App: The New City Catechism This is a great resource that will help you learn the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. On their website they describe it this way: “The New City Catechism is a modern-day resource aimed at helping children and adults alike learn the core doctrines of the Christian faith via 52 questions and answers.” Go check it out! 2. Video Series: The God Who Is There This is a 14 part video series by D.A. Carson to help you, “find your place in God’s story.” I really enjoyed watching the lectures. 3. Courses: Online Biblical Training This website offers free courses on a variety of helpful topics. They also have a mobile app so you can learn on the go! 4. Article: Guilt Evangelism: A Better Reason To Share Your Faith This article by Pastor Steven Lee was very encouraging to me and I think you’ll enjoy it! 5. Article: How To Pray When You’re Struggling to Understand the Bible In this article, Jen Wilkin offers some extremely practical tips that will enhance your prayer life. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend!  Article by Michael Goforth II:
Welcome to The Friday Five! The weekly spot where I share five resources to equip you in your walk with the Lord. 1. Infographic: You Have More Time for Bible Reading than You Think Crossway surveyed over 11,000 readers last year asking questions about how they spend their time. In this article they share the results of that survey in different infographics. They also include a chart with how long it takes to read each book of the Bible. For example, the average reader can read the entire book of John in about 1 hour and 51 minutes! Kind of cool to know. I saved the graphic to my phone and reference it often. 2. Playlist: In His Presence: Melodies For The Home This is an album created by The Village Church in Texas with peaceful songs to play during personal or family worship. I play it often during my Bible reading and prayer and I think you'll really enjoy it! It's not just on YouTube, but I thought that would be the easiest way to share. You can also search for it on Apple Music and places like that. 3. Article: Start Every Day With A Truly Blank Slate by Delilah Pugsley This encouraging article reminds us that, "It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23) Here's a quote from the article, "If you find yourself in the wake of failed resolutions and self-condemnation, I invite you into the freedom of Christ. I invite you to start each day anew by placing your hope in him, letting him be everything you need." 4. Book Review: Practical Hope for Screen Addicts by Samuel James "Open laptop. Get out copy of Cal Newport’s new book on digital minimalism to write review. Launch Microsoft Word. Stare at blank document for 10 seconds. Momentary blackout. . . . Regain consciousness. Somehow the screen has transformed into Twitter. . ." I found this book review not only helpful, but humorous as well. Not to be cliche, but I actually LOL'd a few times. . .I think you'll enjoy it! 5. Free Ebook: The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses by Chris Bruno Fill out a short survey and you can download a free copy of this awesome book! I absolutely loved it, and would highly recommend it for anyone looking to get a short and engaging overview of the Bible. That's a wrap, enjoy your weekend! |
