BCL Online Picks — September 24, 2026

September 24, 2026/BCL/BCL Online Picks

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Explore what Jesus meant by “on this rock I will build my church,” why the persistent widow’s parable encourages us to pray, how Christians can remain hopeful in dark days, and more in this week’s online picks!

1. Why Did Jesus Say, “On This Rock I Will Build My Church”? (Matthew 16)

Was Jesus saying that Peter himself would be the foundation of the church? Over at Crossway, theologian Dan Doriani examines Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, explains what Jesus means by “this rock” and the keys of the kingdom, and shows why the church will prevail. Read it here →

2. Christian Optimism in Dark Days

How can Christians remain hopeful when the world around them seems increasingly dark? Over at Ligonier Ministries, Keith Evans shares why Christian hope does not depend on circumstances improving as we expect but instead rests on the risen and reigning Christ. Read it here →

3. 10 Things You Should Know About the Book of James

What holds the book of James together, and how does its teaching on faith and works fit with Paul’s? Over at Crossway, pastor and author David Gibson explains James’s call to an undivided life—a wholehearted faith that shapes how we speak, treat others, endure trials, and draw near to God. Read it here →

4. Ten Reasons to Stop Talking

Sometimes the wisest thing we can say is nothing at all. Drawing on the book of Proverbs, Tim Smith considers how restraint in speech can help us listen to others, work diligently, and avoid hurting people with careless words. (Many thanks to The Aquila Report for bringing this article to our attention.) Read it here →

5. What Is the Covenant of Works?

Understanding the covenant of works in Genesis 2 is key to understanding the entire Bible. What was God’s covenant with Adam in the garden, and why does it matter for understanding the gospel? In the first of a two-part series on biblical covenants, pastor and author Campbell Markham introduces the covenant of works and its place in the story of Scripture. Read it here →

6. Did Jesus Teach That Our Prayers Are Bothersome to God? (Luke 18)

In Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow, an unjust judge grants her request because she will not stop asking. Is God like that judge? Over at Crossway, theologian Thomas Schreiner explains why the comparison should give believers confidence to keep praying and not lose heart, even when an answer seems long delayed. Read it here →

7. The Cradle of Christian Truth: The Apostles’ Creed (Part 3)—God the Father

What do we confess when we say, “I believe in God the Father”? Continuing his series at The Heidelblog, theologian Harrison Perkins explains that Christians believe in the triune God who has made himself known through his Son—and that, through Christ, believers are welcomed as God’s adopted children. Read it here →