Daily Links 4-29-14

In today's roundup: chocolate is good for you, bookplates from famous libraries, how to destroy a church, and more.

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Destroy a Church in 4 Steps. Tim Challies digs into 2 Timothy 4 and shows how a church can easily self-destruct. Sadly, this is the type of thing that is happening all too frequently among churches in America.

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Another thing that unfortunately has become all too common: pastor scandals. But as this article points out, a full and public repentance is the best way to move forward.

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I totally agree with this: it's time to kill the media stereotype of incompetent fathers.

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A gallery of bookplates of 31 famous men.

The bookplate of Sherlock Holmes' creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Science once again proves what we know: chocolate is good for you.

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Are we expecting too much or too little from the church?

I am convinced that many professing Christians are simultaneously expecting too much and too little from the church. We are now in something of a “tail wagging the dog” scenario. Many people have expectations so church leaders aim to accommodate them. If one church won’t meet their preferences they can go to another. This becomes a significant long-term problem.

The church’s role is really quite simple: to make and train disciples. If we do this then we will create a culture where friendships grow out of the gospel rather than in spite of it. Other programs will see their rightful place in the life of the Christian. As Christians we should all work together to raise the gospel flag above the other markers of identity and heartily salute it then we would be well on our way.

Read the whole thing.