For your attention

1. Letter from freed Iranian pastor – Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani expresses his gratitude to God and others in this letter he wrote after being released in early September after more than 1,000 days of imprisonment for refusing to recant his faith in the Lord Jesus.

2. Why you should welcome people inviting themselves to your house – Tim Challies writes about not being “inconvenienced by inconvenience” at his blog. He says, “Let me offer a few reasons that you ought to be willing, eager even, for people to invite themselves into your home.” If you read nothing else in today’s “For your attention,” I urge you to read this. It may transform your home, our church and the lives of many.

3. Christians and embryo adoption – Russell Moore explains with on-target insight why Christians should support -- and participate in -- embryo adoption and why it is not a compromise with in vitro fertilization and other objectionable, reproductive technologies.

4. Which is more important -- public or private worship? -- David Murray, professor at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., quotes 17th Century Puritan pastor David Clarkson on the importance of public worship. In a sermon, Clarkson gave 12 reasons why public worship is to be preferred over private worship. (HT: Tim Challies)

5. Some insight into the supposed fragment on Jesus’ wife – Thomas White of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary provides some background on the recent report of a fragment supposedly referring to Jesus’ wife and some of the problems with the fragment and such a claim.