Current Theme | May 2025
Wise Words: Simple, Salty, and Sacred
From building up and doing good to tearing down and mocking evil, words have incredible power! In Proverbs, the tongue is said to give life and to take it away (Prov. 18:21); James says the tongue is a spark of a fire and a rudder—so small and yet so consequential (Jas. 3:4–6)! Likewise, creation itself comes from the Word of God (John 1:1–5), Jesus is the Word of God incarnate (John 1:14), and our Lord says that every word we utter will be measured against us (Matt. 12:36). With so much at stake, speaking like Christ and patterning our words after the whole counsel of God is one of the most important disciplines we can learn. For that reason, we are taking this month to see how God’s Word teaches us how to use our words. Join us as we seek to be sanctified in our speech.
Table of Contents
Concise
The Serrated Edge of Scripture: How God Uses Satire
By Clinton Manley • Concise Article • May 2
Can satirical humor be holy? The biblical authors and our Lord Himself are no strangers to loving, cutting speech.
Longform
How Then Shall We Mock? Ten Principles for Wielding the Sword of Holy Satire
By Clinton Manley • Longform Essay • May 5
Properly wielded satire can be a weapon of exposing sin in the hope of reform. What are its rules of engagement for Christians?
Podcast
4.20 Clinton Manley • Reading • “How Then Shall We Mock? Ten Principles for Wielding the Sword of Holy Satire”
By Clinton Manley • Longform Reading • May 5
Properly wielded satire can be a weapon of exposing sin in the hope of reform. What are its rules of engagement for Christians?
Concise
Speech Act Theory, Scripture, and The Holy Spirit
By Gregg R. Allison • Concise Article • May 6
What is speech act theory? In what ways is its framework helpful in interpreting scripture? And how then can Christians use it as they minister?
Concise
Clear as Christ: Why Direct Communication Is Vital for Christians
By Jonathon Woodyard • Concise Article • May 7
What happens when our speech is too eloquent and our tweets are too clever? Our followers are entertained, but the gospel is obscured. Learn how to recover Christian clarity in communication.
Concise
The Prince of Preachers on the Art of Speaking: Spurgeon’s Use of Language
By Tom Nettles • Concise Article • May 8
Charles Spurgeon's preaching wasn't great merely through Bible study, talent, and passion. He was also devoted to the art of language. Learn how Spurgeon counsels one to speak in normal conversation, in impromptu speeches, and behind a pulpit.
Concise
How Proverbs Helps Us to Speak Wisely
By Scott Callaham • Concise Article • May 9
How would you speak—and not speak—if the Book of Proverbs was your guide? And what about the seeming contradiction of Proverbs 26:4–5?
Concise
When Public Figures Err with Words
By Drake Isabell • Concise Article • May 12
Andy Stanley and Alistair Begg’s LGBTQ+ comments prove that we need more than just three tiers of theological triage to evaluate professing Christian teachers.
Concise
“Not Quarrelsome But Kind”: A Brief Reflection on Our Speech During Times of Controversy
By Michael A. G. Haykin • Concise Article • May 13
How do teachers of God's Word live up the call to correct in gentleness? When are firm words that fight error appropriate?
Concise
Take Thinkings Captive: How Much Should Current Issues Concern the Pulpit and Pew?
By Andrew Ballard • Concise Article • May 14
The strongholds of idolatrous ideas, narratives, frameworks, and ideologies must be torn down that Christ might be seen. Pastors and church members need to do this before and among the flock.
Concise
The Two Voices Every Preacher Needs
By Josh Daws • Concise Article • May 16
One voice gathers the sheep. Another voice scares away the wolves and thieves. Pastors must have both voices—and never mix them up.
Longform
Ten Words about Words: Getting a Grip on Godly Speech
By David Schrock • Longform Essay • May 19
Here is a handy way to think about speaking in the full range that God would have us speak.
Podcast
4.22 David Schrock • Reading • “Ten Words about Words: Getting a Grip on Godly Speech”
By David Schrock • Longform Reading • May 20
Here is a handy way to think about speaking in the full range that God would have us speak.
Concise
The Courage to Believe
By David F. Wells • Concise Article • May 21
The Church must find the courage to recover both the language and understanding of sin. It must reinhabit the universe of meaning given in Scripture.
Concise
A Theology of Language: From Creative Word Spoken to the Word Incarnate
By Ardel Caneday • Concise Article • May 23
This is a brief story of the universe—from the word that creates to the Word that redeems—told through the lens of language.
Podcast
4.23 David Schrock, Trent Hunter, Stephen Wellum • Interview • “Ten Words about Words: Getting a Grip on Godly Speech”
By David Schrock, Trent Hunter, Stephen Wellum • Interview • May 26
Listen in as Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum interview David Schrock on his Christ Over All essay: “Ten Words about Words: Getting a Grip on Godly Speech"
Concise
In Praise of Clarity: Martin Luther Against “Studied Ambiguity”
By Michael Pohlman • Concise Article • May 27
In an age of hedging, unbiblical nuance, and verbal rabbit tricks, Martin Luther's clarion call for clarity rings out with contemporary significance. Let's be more like Luther in this regard, and less like Erasmus.
Concise
Speak More Persuasively: Redeeming Rhetoric with Augustine of Hippo
By Michael Longerbeam • Concise Article • May 28
Augustine of Hippo thinks that if you are a Christian, you should study rhetoric. Find out why.
Concise
Restoring Integrity to the Pulpit: An SBC Resolution to Fight Pastoral Plagiarism
By Ethan Jago + David Schrock • Concise Article • May 29
Plagiarism has crept into the Southern Baptist Convention, and it needs to be driven out. This is a first step.
Concise
Which is It? “Whitewashed Wall” or “Most Excellent”?
By Brian J. Vickers • Concise Article • May 31
How do Christians understand when to speak, when not to speak, and even how to speak? We can learn from Paul how to adorn Christ with our words.
Concise
May Intermission: From Wise Words to Good Fathers
By David Schrock • Concise Article • June 3
Join us in June as we turn from May's discussion on wise words to June's topic on good dads.
Upcoming
Practicalities of Godly Fatherhood
By Aaron Rock • Longform Essay
The War on Men
By Owen Strachan • Concise Article
Book Review of Gentle Parenting
By Chad Lawrence • Concise Article
Review of Gregg Allison’s Book on Complementarity
By Doug Ponder • Concise Article
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