BCL Online Picks — October 16, 2025

October 16, 2025/BCL/BCL Online Picks

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From the devil’s schemes to the dehumanizing aspects of social media, from Christmas myths to truths about Christ himself and more, here are BCL’s online picks for this week.

1. What Do We Know about the Devil?

As Halloween draws near, we’re reminded that the devil is far more than a costume or symbol of evil—he’s a real adversary with a deadly agenda. In this Tabletalk Magazine article, the Rev. Paul Levy, minister of International Presbyterian Church Ealing in West London, helps us understand Satan’s goals and schemes, not to alarm us but to magnify the hope we have in Christ and his victory on the cross. Keeping reading here →

Social media can draw us into mockery, elitism, and demeaning others—even among our Christian brothers and sisters. In this Modern Reformation article, United States Army chaplain Stephen Roberts shows why our tone and approach online matter as much as what we say. He encourages us to treat every post as public and every interaction as personal because “ultimately it is not merely our neighbors and our family in Christ that we most honor in thought, word, and deed, but the Lord Himself.” Keeping reading here →

3. What If the Worst Comes?

What if the worst really does come? In this Desiring God article, author Courtney Reissig walks us through the shock, uncertainty, and grief that snap our peace when bad news strikes and shares why God can be trusted to calm our fearful hearts. Keeping reading here →

4. Does Jesus Have One or Two Wills?

Did Jesus have one or two wills? It’s a question that goes to the heart of the person and work of Christ. In this brief Ligonier Ministries video clip, theologian W. Robert Godfrey helps us see why this isn’t just a matter for scholars but a truth that deepens our wonder and worship of Christ. Keeping reading here →

5. Is Christmas a Pagan Rip-off?

With holiday festivities just around the corner, it’s a good time to consider whether Christmas is just a redressed pagan festival as some have claimed. Kevin DeYoung examines the history and misconceptions behind that claim and shows us why Christmas is more than a co-opted holiday. In this Gospel Coalition article, DeYoung makes the case that “there is good reason to think that December 25 became the date for Christmas because of its connection to the (presumed) date of Jesus’s death and to the date of Jesus’s conception.” Keeping reading here →

6. Neither Poverty Nor Riches

We often assume that only the rich struggle with loving money, but Scripture warns that the poor can fall into the same trap. In this Reformation21 article, Gabriel Williams shares why “materialism, in all of its forms, is a harsh taskmaster to all who serve her.” Keeping reading here →

7. The Secret of Contentment

We all want to be content, but finding it isn’t so easy. In this Ligonier Ministries article, pastor and theologian William Barcley turns to Paul’s words in Philippians to remind us that true contentment comes not from getting what we want, but from trusting the God who provides what we need and pressing on to know Christ more deeply. Keeping reading here →