Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!

Greetings!

This is fast. It’s been a busy, unusual day for me. If you know me personally, you may find out. If you don’t, it’s not that important.

Here we go!

  1. Fear of missing out

Aimee Joseph offers a great modern day analogy of Luke 9, which covers Jesus calling His disciples, in her article “Burn Your Boats: A Warning about FOMO.”

I confess, I mainly read the article initially to find out what “FOMO” stood for (Fear Of Missing Out). It’s a great read.

  1. Gay Girl, Good God

I first became familiar with Jackie Hill Perry at an Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission conference five years ago. Jackie was one of the speakers. When she first came out to speak, the first thing she said was, “Greetings Earthlings.” I knew right off I would like her.

Kristen Wetherell offers a review of Jackie’s new book “Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been.”

Next to Rosaria Butterfield, Jackie Hill Perry is one of the best speakers on the topic of sharing Christ with someone involved in the gay-lesbian lifestyle.

  1. Mohler on election cycles

Al Mohler covered some great topics this week in his daily discussions known as The Briefing. If you haven’t been listening to his podcasts, why not?

There isn’t a national Christian leader alive I trust more than Al Mohler, and his willingness to advise conservative Christians on a daily basis is a pure gift. As my dad used to say, “I need all the help I can get.” And the wisdom Mohler offers in discerning issues today is so valuable in helping me gauge what’s going on in the world.

His Friday edition gives a great lesson on the election patterns for Congress. Why do members of the House of Representatives get elected every two years, and why do U.S. Senators serve six-year terms? I totally appreciate Mohler’s explanation.

  1. Better debate on drinking

Joe Carter recently emphasized that the debate on drinking needs to improve. What does he mean by that?

“If you were to go back to 1948,” Carter wrote, “you’d likely find the same discussions about alcohol that we’re having in 2018.”

In his article “Why Christians Need A Better Debate About Alcohol,” Carter pointed out that alcohol consumption has majorly increased.

Carter wrote, “Both Abstainers and Imbibers (DHD comment: the two opposing camps in the drinking debate) should be able to examine the empirical evidence and come to a general agreement on what constitutes imprudent, unhealthy, or dangerous levels of consumption.”

  1. French advises Young Evangelicals

David French is one of my favorite political writers. He wrote a great article addressing America’s Young Evangelicals, titled “The Two Different Temptations Facing Young Evangelicals.”

French admits he did not join the majority of his conservative co-horts who whole-heartedly support President Trump. I may not be in complete agreement with French, but I know we both did not vote for Trump in the recent presidential election (I left my ballot blank for U.S. President).

I am selective on my views on the President’s decisions and will continue to be. I favored his Supreme Court selections. I am not fully on board on all his decisions relating to immigration issues, though I do favor protecting the borders. I totally disagree with his handling of his Twitter account and his practice of disgracing those who oppose him.

With that said, French gives great advice to young Christians – “hold your faith tightly and your politics loosely.”

  1. Happy Birthday Jo-Nathan!

Today is my brother’s birthday. I end this week’s Doyle’s Half Dozen offering him a birthday shout-out.

Jon is loyal and kind. He is a great father to his kids and a tremendous younger brother. He definitely inherited more of the patient gene than I did, and he especially is the smartest one of the Doyle clan.

Happy Birthday Jo-Nathan! I’m sure turning 46 won’t be as difficult for you as it was for me.