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A La Carte (5/5)

A La Carte Collection cover image

The Slippery Story – It’s been very interesting to see how the story of Bin Laden’s death has changed over the past few days. The Atlantic tries to make some sense of it. I wonder how much of the changes are based on misinformation that came through today’s way-too-fast news cycle.

Victory Over or Struggling With? – That’s an important distinction. “In Evangelical circles, in pastoral care, and in the biblical counseling world, it seems to me that we spend much more time preaching, teaching, and counseling about ‘victory over,’ and much less time journeying with and pondering ‘struggling with,’ ‘fighting with,’ or even ‘victory in.’ Do we perhaps sometimes mistakenly convey the impression that applying biblical principles eliminates the battle, the struggle?”

You Might Be An Idolator If… – Here’s a short list from Stephen Altrogge’s new book.

The Kids With George W. Bush – Denny Burk: “TIME magazine has a fascinating story on the children who were with President Bush on 9-11 when he received the news that America was under attack. They are all very appreciative of his calm response and that he didn’t immediately storm out of the room.”

E-Readers Fail at Education – I’m not too surprised that e-readers aren’t make big inroads into the classroom. It’s the reasons that I find interesting (and understandable).

Ten Years of Innovation – Here’s a good reminder of how much the way we communicate has changed in the just the past 10 years. “As I woke this morning I was struck by that fact. In less than 10 years the world and the technology we use to experience it has changed so completely. On September 11, 2001 there was no iPhone, there was no Twitter, there was no YouTube. But there was a basic human desire to connect, to share experiences and to have our experiences shared and understood by others.”

What are the heavens, the earth, the sea, but a sheet of royal paper, written all over with the wisdom and power of God?

—Thomas Brooks

  • Hymns

    Pitch Perfect and Tone Deaf

    God commands us to sing. Yet while some of God’s people are gifted singers, the plain fact is that others are not. In any congregation, it’s likely that some have near-perfect pitch while others are functionally tone-deaf. Those who struggle to sing may be self-conscious, tempted to stay quiet or to do no more than…

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    Weekend A La Carte (December 6)

    A La Carte: Rightly ordered desires / Ordinary wonders / For my good, not my comfort / Make room for special-needs families / Christmas spirit / Wisdom rarely makes you famous / and more.

  • New Dimensions Template

    Noteworthy New Commentaries from 2025

    There are few resources I rely on more than I rely on my commentaries. Over the years, I have developed an extensive collection and turn to them often. I try to keep tabs on new commentaries and thought I would let you know about some of the best options that were published in 2025

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (December 5)

    A La Carte: Doug Wilson vs public schools / Your church needs you to sing / Wicca’s origins and Christian Nationalism / Out of season / Amish millionaires / Two wedding aisles to walk down / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (December 4)

    A La Carte: Why I changed my mind on mixed martial arts / Misunderstanding porn / When time feels short / The Bible and friendship / Is God disappointed in me? / and more.