Skip to content ↓

Weekend A La Carte (2/2)

A La Carte Collection cover image

The Superbowl and Women – This is a brilliant and very important article. Give it some time and attention! “I contend that the way we consume iconic national events like the Super Bowl better depicts what we really believe about women and their so-called roles than do our formal theological statements, denominational position papers, teachings about the spiritual disciplines, and admonitions toward modesty and fidelity. For in the invisibility of normality, there we find our idolatry.”

Going Outside the Camp – James Coffield challenges us: “We have all ‘sinned against sinners.’ The church is often quick to reach out and serve those suffering from physical sickness, as it should.” But we do not do so well when it comes to mental illness. “As believers, we are often curious about the factors that may have contributed to the illness, but we are called to be humble and kind. We need humble curiosity when dealing with those afflicted with mental illness.”

Secrets of Grand Central Terminal – This is fun. It’s an interactive map displaying some of the secrets of New York’s Grand Central Terminal.

The Rented Crowd – I always enjoy Conrad Mbewe’s descriptions of the cultural nuances of his context. Here he writes about the African phenomenon of the “rented” crowd and warns you to be careful when counting attendance during your missions trips.

8 Notes on Counseling Abused Children – I’m not sure how helpful it is to distill so serious a charge (the charge to counsel an abused child) down to 8 short points, but I did appreciate Victor Vieth’s attempt to set helpful directions. The final point gives us all a challenge: “Preaching the gospel to abused children involves more than waiting for one to appear in our office or even our churches—it means an active search for the lost.”

Superhero Dad – If you happened to catch the viral photo of a superhero dad and his superhero son out shopping, this article gives context. It never ceases to surprise me how 15 minutes of fame can come about in a digital world!

Sex is from God. He gave it to us as a gift. It’s a wedding gift.

—Bill Shannon

  • Are We Living in the Last Days

    Are We Living in the Last Days?

    The world is a mess. The world is a mess and seems to be getting messier. I could draw up an inventory of all the wars and conflicts, the diseases and disasters, the rise of immorality and decline of virtue, but that would be to tell you what you have already observed and already know.…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (March 29)

    A La Carte: How to protect your kids from sexual abuse / Talk to God about what hurts / How’s your Bible reading plan going? / Resentment between men and women in the church / and more.

  • A Batch of New Books for Kids

    A Batch of New Books for Kids (and Teens)

    Every month I put together a roundup of new and notable books for grownup readers. But I also receive a lot of books for kids and like to put together the occasional roundup of these books as well. So today I bring you a whole big batch of new books for kids of all ages…

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (March 28)

    A La Carte: The case against the abortion pill / What I’ve learned about grieving with hope / Heartbreaking deception: teen girls, social media, and body image / Could podcasts save the church from stupidity? / Count it all joy / and more.

  • What God Wants You To Forget

    What God Wants You To Forget

    We are never far from reminding God of our credentials, of providing him with a curriculum vitae that lays out all we are, all we have been through, and all we have accomplished for his sake. We are never far from making the subtle turn from grace to merit, from what is freely given to…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 27)

    A La Carte: New music / Millennials and GenZ / Scotland’s new hate crime law / Cate Blanchett, Easter is for you / Why the Reformed pray for revival / What truly happened to Jesus on the cross? / and more.