Skip to content ↓

The Best of September

Resources Collection cover image

I’ve been at this blogging thing for quite a long time now—it’s coming up on ten 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 months of September, stretching all the way back to 2004.

2011

Spiritual Abuse and More on Spiritual Abuse – This has become quite a big topic in the church today.

Honor, Respect & Taxes – It’s one thing to pay taxes; it’s another to respect the ones who levy them.

2010

What I Hate About Blogging – I must have been having a bad day.

On Being a Dad – I love being a dad (most of the time).

2009

The Truth About Canadian Health Care – Don’t let them tell you otherwise. We aren’t doing too badly up here.

On Visiting Saddleback Church – About the time I visited Saddleback and met Rick Warren.

2008

Calvinism and Evangelism – What we are to do and what we are not to do in evangelism.

Who Shapes Your World? – It’s always a little disappointing to see who TIME chooses as the people who are shaping our world.

2007

Spoilt for Choice – This was one of the seeds that eventually grew into The Next Story.

Bludgeoning with Providence – There is a way Christian leaders try to convince you they know God’s will for your life.

2006

It Is Good to Thirst – Yes it is.

Planned Neglect – There isn’t room for everything, so you need to plan to neglect something.

2005

The Enemy Next Door – This was an important one to me back when I wrote it.

The Infinite Value of Scripture – This is an old favorite. I think the metaphor made it into one of my books.

2004

Worshipping the Seeker – There are quite a lot of articles like this one in the early days of my site; in those days I was at a seeker-sensitive church and just starting to understand what that meant.


  • 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.

  • Not a Hindrance But a Prerequisite

    Not a Hindrance But a Prerequisite

    Many Christians feel they are too unholy or too sinful to participate in the Lord’s Supper. They come to the table downcast, convinced that their sin makes them unworthy. They may refuse to participate at all.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (January 17)

    A La Carte: Look to and learn from older saints / Don’t overthink your problems / Rebellion / When there is no good church / Teens and popular music / Where the gospel costs everything / and more.