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The Best of December

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I’ve been at this blogging thing for ten years now and have 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 months of December, stretching all the way back to 2004.

2011

The Driscolls and Real Marriage – These were some thoughts on Mark Driscoll’s book on marriage.

Money Matters: Do I Have to Give? and How Much Do I Give? – These were two entries in a series on money.

2010

I Looked for Love in Your Eyes – This is such a sad but powerful poem.

A Wikileaks Society – Here I reflected on what a Wikileaks culture might mean for the church.

2009

The Necessity of Long Division – Too often we try to get out of doing the hard work of the Christian life.

A Day-After Christmas Reflection – A reflection on celebrating–or not celebrating–Christmas.

2008

We Shall Be Changed – Every Christmas I try to take in a performance of Handel’s Messiah.

A Great Servant; An Evil Master – We’re always in a power-struggle with our technology.

2007

Delighting in Delight – It is great to delight in the delight of another.

Longing for the Im-mediate – This was important in the run-up to my book on technology.

2006

The “S-Word” – It’s probably not the one you’re thinking of.

Prayer and the Empty Hand – We humans have a problem with grace.

2005

Certainly This Was a Righteous Man! – I’ve always loved the centurion’s statement.

Effectual Worrying – Way back in 2005 I was reflecting on the nature of worry.

2004

Church of the Dropouts, Losers, Sinners, Failures And Fools – One of my favorite Switchfoot songs.

Old Fashioned Christian – I’m just an old-fashioned kind of Christian.


  • Optimistic Denominationalism

    Optimistic Denominationalism

    It is one of the realities of the Christian faith that people love to criticize—the reality that there are a host of different denominations and a multitude of different expressions of Christian worship. We hear it from skeptics: If Christianity is true and if it really changes people, then why can’t you get along? We…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 24)

    A La Carte: Growing in hospitality / What happens when the governing authorities are the wrongdoers? / Transgender meds for kids? / 100 facets to the diamond of Christ / Spiritual mothers point us to Christ / and more.

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    A La Carte (April 23)

    A La Carte: Climate anxiety paralyzes, gospel hope propels / Living what God has written / How should I engage my rebellious child? / Satan hates your pastor / How to navigate our spiritual highs / The art of extemporaneous preaching / and more.

  • The Path to Contentment

    The Path to Contentment

    I wonder if you have ever considered that the solution to discontentment almost always seems to be more. If I only had more money I would be content. If I only had more followers, more possessions, more beauty, then at last I would consider myself successful. If only my house was bigger, my influence wider,…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Why my shepherd carries a rod / When Mandisa forgave Simon Cowell / An open mind is like an open mouth / Marriage: the half-time report / The church should mind its spiritual business / Kindle deals / and more.

  • It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    Part of the joy of reading biography is having the opportunity to learn about a person who lived before us. An exceptional biography makes us feel as if we have actually come to know its subject, so that we rejoice in that person’s triumphs, grieve over his failures, and weep at his death.