Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (December 13)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Seven Messages in the Meals – Most of us have been on both sides of this one. “To the family to whom we are giving a meal because they are going through a challenging time: When we hand you a dish with homemade lasagna and a salad kit, or spaghetti casserole, or a turkey hot dish, we’re not merely saying ‘be warm and well fed’. Here are a few ideas we want you to understand and consider while you’re sitting down to eat it.”

How to Get People to Read the Bible Without Making Them Feel Dumb – From Trevin Wax: “Stress the simplicity of the Bible, and the people you are hoping will read the Bible next year may begin to wonder if they’re just too dumb to understand it. I wonder if, in our efforts to get people reading Scripture, we might be minimizing the tough parts, and unintentionally undercutting our people’s sense of joy when they grow in biblical knowledge.”

Christmas In Dark Places – I enjoyed this poem. And this short film.

The Changing American Family – American households have never been more diverse, more surprising, more baffling. In this special issue of Science Times, Natalie Angier takes stock of our changing definition of family.”

Son of God – I don’t know anything about the Son of God movie (coming next year), but I do know it will be pushed hard in churches as a great evangelism opportunity. See also this article by Brett McCracken as he writes about two more big Bible movies coming our way next year.

Knight

When Satan fell he may have lost his innocence but he did not lose his intelligence.

—Trevor Knight

  • Robert wolgemuth

    Robert Wolgemuth Was a Kind Man

    I don’t remember the first time I met Robert Wolgemuth, but I know it was when I was much younger and just beginning to get my bearings as a writer. At the time, I was beginning to consider whether it would be useful to retain a literary agent who would represent me to publishers. I…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 21)

    A La Carte: The great Christian reset / Artists who refuse the hot take / A ministry of small things / The sin that so easily ensnares / The strict dietary laws / and more.

  • A Special Offer On Ten Great Books

    A Special Offer On Ten Great Books

    Reformation Heritage Books is offering Challies readers an exclusive 15% discount on their top ten recent releases. Use code CHALLIES at checkout. This offer is valid until January 27.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 20)

    A La Carte: When protest enters the sanctuary / Why I ditched my scrolling habit / Take sports betting seriously / The world runs on urgency / Sanctification hacks / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Endure

    Why We Can Confidently Persevere in Prayer

    I remember the days when my children were younger and would ask me to give them something—then ask me again, and ask me again. At that age, they had no ability to gain or purchase these things for themselves, so they were entirely dependent upon their parents to grant their requests (which were usually for…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 19)

    A La Carte: Learning to struggle / When “Stranger Things” stopped being strange / “If God Is For Us” / Reading as stewardship / A sermon you need to hear / Excellent Kindle deals / and more.