An Open Letter to Women Straining under the Burden of Expectations
Are you worn down by the weight of the countless roles and expectations in your life? Are you feeling the pressure of doing more and striving harder to please the people around you?
Open Letters
59 results found
An Open Letter to Women in the Church
Sister, don’t try to follow Christ alone. There is no substitute for your commitment and service to your local church.
An Open Letter to Victims of Abuse
Justin S. Holcomb, Lindsey A. Holcomb
Disgrace is the opposite of grace. Grace is love that seeks you out even if you have nothing to give in return.
An Open Letter to Those Who Feel Unqualified to Offer Counsel
The Lord specializes in using people who feel weak in themselves, and your sense of inadequacy will probably protect you.
An Open Letter to Those Who Divide over Doctrine
We live in polarized times. Outrage and rancor seem to be simmering all around us, and it’s making it harder to talk across ideological lines.
An Open Letter to Those Suffering in the Hospital
Perhaps in the hospital bed, you try to pray but can’t find the words. The spiritual disciplines upon which you’ve depended seem oceans away.
An Open Letter to Those Suffering from Depression
Although you feel hopeless and helpless, I want to assure you that there is hope and there is help.
An Open Letter to Those Nonchalant about Their Sexual Sin
Are you living in sexual sin and darkness? Find motivation and hope for lasting change.
An Open Letter to Those Nearing Retirement
We need to have a clear understanding of our priorities in retirement and have a plan to implement them that can be flexible enough to adapt to changes in our abilities and life situations over the coming years.
An Open Letter to Those Living for Tomorrow
Remember death so you can remember Jesus.
An Open Letter to Those Frustrated by Their Progress in Sanctification
A professional counselor encourages believers who are experiencing doubt that God is still with them and working in their lives.
An Open Letter to Those Debilitated by Their Sexual Sin
If you feel debilitated by a past of sexual sin or by the ongoing presence of temptation, hear these words of comfort and encouragement.
An Open Letter to Those Caring for a Loved One with Dementia
Taking responsibility for the care of a person suffering from any stage of dementia can be one of the greatest challenges of life. But there are not only challenges. There are also opportunities.
An Open Letter to Those Apathetic about Their Sanctification
A professional counselor speaks to Christian who are unmotivated to continually seek God and serve others.
An Open Letter to the Younger Women of the Church
Let’s talk about why we should take the Titus mandate seriously and not miss God’s rich provisions for our growth in grace.
An Open Letter to the Woman Struggling with Aging
If you’re like most women, fear about your changing physical appearance is just the beginning of aging anxiety. Many of us struggle with aging because we know it is often a season of loss.
An Open Letter to the Weary Pastor
The gospel gives hope and encouragement to weary pastors—hope and encouragement that cannot be found anywhere else.
An Open Letter to the Timid Evangelist
Only the Spirit can give life. But recognizing the Spirit’s role should thrill our hearts with hope.
An Open Letter to the Suffering Christian
Jesus is a most sympathetic friend, fellow sufferer, and Savior. He has walked a hard road and he understands.
An Open Letter to the Student at the Start of a New Semester
How do we faithfully approach a new semester as Christian students? How do we steward our studies well and honor Christ?
An Open Letter to the Spouse of an Unbeliever
Since God commands believers not to marry an unbeliever, you might wonder, Does God want me to stay married to my unbelieving spouse?
An Open Letter to the Single Person on Valentine’s Day
You are completely valued and treasured just as you are because the Being running this massive universe is, in fact, a personal Being and he loves you wholly and completely.
An Open Letter to the Sexual Sufferer
If you are a victim of sexual sin, God offers you true hope and healing.
An Open Letter to the Preacher Writing a Sermon
Grace is slow sometimes. But grace is also powerful. The Lord will do his work.
An Open Letter to the Prayerless Church
The church is a spiritual force. It is animated by the Spirit of Jesus in our midst. So, if we want to see the church brought back to life, we have to make room to listen and be led by the Spirit as a community.
An Open Letter to the Pastor in a Post-Christian World
Though we are in post-Christian times, when the culture is becoming increasingly secularized, Christianity is far from “over.”
An Open Letter to the Pastor Doubting His Calling
A pastor may hear the still, small, devilish voice of inner doubt: Maybe I’m not really called to pastoral ministry.
An Open Letter to the Pastor Desiring Racial Reconciliation in the Church
Reconciliation—vertical and horizontal—is the goal of the good news. Gospel unity creates racial harmony.
An Open Letter to the Pastor about Embracing Weakness
The Lord, in his love and mercy, shows us that we are weak, and he often does it through affliction. But it is a certain sign of his love.
An Open Letter to the Parent Who Has Lost a Child
As a parent whose child died four and a half years ago, I want to offer you two hopeful words about that wound in your heart that never will fully heal on this side of eternity.
An Open Letter to the Parent of a Strong-Willed Child
Let us be careful about singling out the strong-willed child as though his will is more corrupt than ours.
An Open Letter to the Overwhelmed Parent at Christmas
For the believer, the most important thing we can do this Christmas is not wrap another present, but open up our hearts and minds anew to the wonder of God coming to earth.
An Open Letter to the Older Women in the Church
Older women, read Titus 2, and be encouraged to embrace your calling to train younger women in the church.
An Open Letter to the New Christian
Now that you're a Christian, what do you in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead? Here are a few practical suggestions as you seek to follow the Lord.
An Open Letter to the Man Struggling to Form Deep Friendships
It can be difficult for men to find the time and energy to invest in deep relationships with other men. But it’s worth it.
An Open Letter to the Hesitant Host
Are you busy? Are you important? Do you work on a tight schedule? Are your boundaries well-fortified?
An Open Letter to the Hesitant Church-Goer
Helpful reflections and encouragement for believers who are hesitant to return to church for a variety of reasons.
An Open Letter to the Evangelical Church on Christology
Scripture speaks to us on many issues, but none so important, glorious, and central as our Lord Jesus Christ.
An Open Letter to the Depressed Christian at Christmas
In the midst of a tough season, learn ways to carefully navigate the holidays while also contributing to your long-term healing.
An Open Letter to the College Student Facing Weighty Decisions
The further into college you step, the more you realize that what you thought was the destination is really only an incredible depot for decisions.
An Open Letter to the Church on the Issue of Infertility
Recognizing that many couples in your church community are infertile will invariably change the way you think about your community.
An Open Letter to the Church on Singleness
Let’s not neglect what Scripture has to say about singleness. It may well surprise us. It will certainly bless us.
An Open Letter to the Church Member Hurt by Their Local Church
Local churches hurt people. People hurt people, of course; but since churches are people, churches have the capacity to inflict severe relational pain.
An Open Letter to the Churchless Christian
It is impossible to have a faithful walk with Christ and Christian life—biblically or practically—without committed participation in a local church.
An Open Letter to the Christian Frontline Medical Worker
The work to which you’ve devoted your life can plunge you into your darkest hours, luring you into doubts about God’s love, perhaps even about his existence. Where is God in all this?
An Open Letter to the Christian Disheartened by Ongoing Temptation
D. A. Carson, John D. Woodbridge
That you are experiencing rounds of temptation is not as unusual as you might suppose. From the inception of the church believers have found this pilgrim way to be strewn with multiple temptations.
An Open Letter to the Christian at a Secular College
Whenever we start doubting our faith, it’s usually because we’ve come to believe something else in its place.
An Open Letter to the Child Facing End-of-Life Decisions for a Parent
How can you make rational medical decisions while flailing in grief? Even if you know your parent’s wishes, the burdens can feel too heavy.
An Open Letter to Teens Facing Doubts about Christianity
Perhaps you believe in Jesus, but sometimes you are not sure. Maybe you find the Bible hard to understand or you find yourself wondering what is true. Asking questions is often the best way to learn.
An Open Letter to Pastors on Preaching through the Whole Bible
Expository preaching is preaching that “exposes” the text of Scripture as God delivered it to us. It does not bring its own agenda to the Bible or to the pulpit, but seeks to understand the Bible text in its own terms.
An Open Letter to Pastors about the Teens in Their Congregation
The relationships, the preaching, the teaching, and the admonition of a specific church body are as vital to teenagers as they are to every other believer.
An Open Letter to Parents Feeling Unequipped to Disciple Their Kids
God calls us to disciple our children into him—to walk with them into his kingdom and help them be conformed to the image of the one, true King.
An Open Letter to Husbands on Mother’s Day
The fact that Mother’s Day may have secular origins does not mean that it can’t be used by Christian husbands to remind us of biblical principles related to our mothers and wives.
An Open Letter to Graduating High School Seniors
Of all the decisions you’ll face this year, the most important one may be whether you get up and go to church on the very first Sunday when no one is there to make sure that you go.
An Open Letter to Daughters on Father’s Day
Our heavenly Father has good news for each and every one of us, as well as fatherly gifts in store.
An Open Letter to Christians Who Doubt
Just defining or describing the doubt helps me talk to God more pointedly about it. And in some instances, he gives me insight or perspective that alleviates (but not totally removes) the doubt.
An Open Letter to a Young Woman Contemplating an Abortion
If by “personal” we mean something that belongs to you and no one else, your decision about whether or not to end this pregnancy by abortion is not as personal as they say.
An Open Letter to a Struggling Mom
Even while you and I experience the joys and bear the burdens of this glorious thing called motherhood, we remain—and always will remain—beloved daughters of our heavenly Father. Beloved is who we are.
An Open Letter to a Children’s Ministry Worker
The children entrusted to your care have ears, and they use them. So teach these little ones the big truths. God willing, it will yield fruit for many years to come.