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The Best of April

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I’ve been at this blogging thing for quite a long time now—a bit over 9 years. I’ve been at the daily blogging thing for almost as long. This means that I’ve got an extensive backlist of articles from years gone by. I thought it might be fun to pull out some of the articles I wrote in previous Aprils, stretching all the way back to 2004.

2011

I Hate Hell – An article on hating hell but accepting the reality and necessity of it.

Why Christians Should Read in the Mainstream – I wrote about why Christians shouldn’t confine themselves to reading only Christian books. Looking back a year later I can see that I took this to heart!

2010

When God Abandons the Public Schools – Rejoicing in an evidence of God’s common grace when a particularly ugly curriculum was rejected by the public school board.

The Writer’s Life – I enjoyed re-reading these reflections on the writer’s life.

2009

The Quiet Time Performance – This was a reflection on how quiet time or personal devotions can so easily become a kind of performance.

Reveling in Humiliation – This article reflected on what it says about us that we find such joy in television shows that humiliate the participants.

2008

The Hardening – Maybe I had been reading John Owen and taking a page out of his playbook by comparing sin with an awful disease.

Drawing Out the Infection – Here are some thoughts on the value and method of accountability relationships.

2007

Frugality – I remember being surprised at how much heat I took for this article on frugality. I simply sought to show that there is no inherent good in frugality.

Spiritual Counterfeits – This must have been in the run-up to my book on discernment. I was thinking about the nature of evil and whether Satan’s modus operandi is to counterfeit truth.

2006

Training for the Ministry – This article seems a bit ironic in that I have since become a pastor but without seminary training.

Boldness Is Our Birthright – This may not be the best article I’ve ever written, but I can see that it was one of those important ones in my spiritual development.

2005

Blogging and Accountability – Seven years ago I was reflecting on how the accountability structures of the local church can work hand-in-hand with the blogosphere. I don’t know that we’ve gotten a whole lot better at this.

Gray Hair Is a Crown of Glory: Ageism in the Church – This may have been one of the first articles I wrote that was picked up by a magazine.

2004

Tolkien’s Tale of Stewardship – I have revisited this article a couple of times because the metaphor really works well.

Knowledge of God – In retrospect this article seems really kind of amateurish.


  • Dumb Will Do

    Dumb Will Do: Why Satan Doesn’t Need Heresy

    There is one memory of my earlier years as a Christian that I’ve never been able to shake. It’s a formative memory that I actually don’t think the Lord means for me to shake, for it has often reminded me that, when it comes to the local church’s worship, the stakes are sky high.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (February 10)

    A La Carte: Break shame’s chains / I don’t deserve this / Seeing the world like a Great Gray Owl / The cosmic canvas / Preserving wonder / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Neglected Prayer

    The Things You Neglect To Pray About

    There is a close connection between prayer and humility. This being the case, there is also a close connection between prayerlessness and pride. Those who believe they are self-sufficient feel no need to petition God for his help, for his strength, for his wisdom. It is only those who admit their lack who will cry…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (February 8)

    A La Carte: But it’s good / A new song / A spiritual tsunami / Sports betting / Loving your closest neighbor / Being Christian has made you a better man / and more.

  • Lest We Drift

    Lest We Drift

    We all love to be part of a movement, don’t we? There is a kind of exhilaration that comes with being part of something that has energy and excitement. There is a kind of spiritual thrill that comes with being part of something that is premised upon sound doctrine and fixated on the gospel of…