BCL Online Picks — October 30, 2025

October 30, 2025/BCL/BCL Online Picks

Photo Credit: Ferdinand Pauwels [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Are women being “sidelined” in the church? What are Halloween’s true origins? Why is October 31st a special day for Protestants? Should Christians tithe? Did purity culture cause more harm than good? Find out in this week’s online picks!

1. A Brief History of Halloween

Is Halloween simply harmless fun or a night rooted in darker beliefs? In this A Puritan’s Mind article, C. Matthew McMahon cautions believers that many of the symbols and traditions we associate with the holiday trace back to occult practices and the worship of death. McMahon’s challenge isn’t only about what we celebrate but whom we serve. Keeping reading here →

2. What Happened on Reformation Day?

If you’re looking for something to celebrate on October 31, rejoice in and remember the birth of the Protestant Reformation! The date marks a key moment in history when the gospel broke into darkness. In this Ligonier Ministries article, Tabletalk Magazine associate editor Robert Rothwell recounts how sixteenth-century theologian Martin Luther’s stand for truth changed the church and the world. Keeping reading here →

3. Sidelined

Many women have been told they won’t be respected in the church until they can also hold titles such as pastor, elder, or deacon, but such a claim confuses calling and function with personal worth and dignity. In this American Reformer article, Martha Dunson thoughtfully dismantles this perhaps well-intentioned but deeply misguided teaching that continues to sow confusion in many churches. (Many thanks to The Aquila Report for bringing this article to our attention!) Keeping reading here →

4. 7 Reasons Christians Are Not Required to Tithe

What if the Mosaic laws on tithing weren’t the final word on Christian generosity? In this Gospel Coalition article, theologian Thomas Schreiner lays out seven reasons why believers aren’t required to tithe under the new covenant. Instead, giving is motivated by grateful hearts for all God has done for us in Christ. Keeping reading here →

5. Critique Purity Culture, but Teach Sexual Ethics to Teens

Purity culture is often remembered for its rules and rings, but was it all bad? In this Gospel Coalition article, Cameron Cole offers a balanced reflection on what the movement got right and where it went wrong, reminding parents and churches that Christian faithfulness flows not from fear or performance but from hearts transformed by the gospel. Keeping reading here →

6. Overcome Your Fear of the Future

Anxiety about tomorrow can easily eclipse the peace we’re meant to know today. In this Gospel Coalition article, Blake Glosson reminds us that the cure for fear isn’t control but instead confidence in our good and loving God, who sovereignly rules over today and every day to come according to his perfect will. Keeping reading here →

7. 5 Reformation Doctrines That Still Transform the Church

Can you name the five “solas” of the Protestant Reformation? Historical theologian R. Scott Clark writes, “The doctrine that the Scriptures alone are the final authority for life and doctrine is as vital—and scandalizing—now as it was when Luther recovered it in 1521.” In this “Word by Word” Logos blog post, Clark highlights the five enduring doctrines from the Reformation that continue to shape and strengthen Christ’s church today. Keeping reading here →