Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (July 22)

thursday

I wanted to again thank all those who donated to the Nick Challies Memorial Scholarship. The first scholarships will be awarded to 10 Boyce College or Southern Seminary students beginning in the coming semester. The fund remains open for those who would like to continue donating to it.

There is a little list of Kindle deals for the collectors.

(Yesterday on the blog: Have You Tasted Heaven?)

Call it Racism, Not ‘White Supremacy’

Samuel James says that with “All variables equal, I think it’s a mistake for Christian social justice advocates to adopt the mainstream practice of talking about ‘white supremacy’ and ‘whiteness’ instead of sticking with ‘racism’.”

Two Cheers for Civil Religion

Carl Trueman: “The old civil religion has not fallen to orthodox religion, to a vibrant Christianity; no, it has fallen to an anti-culture where anything goes and anyone who objects is villainized. In fact, I would argue that it is even worse than that: We have a new civil religion, that of the therapeutic, and it is rapidly colonizing Christianity.”

Homeschool to Public School … and (Sometimes) Back Again

Rebekah Matt provides some counsel, based on experience, for those transitioning between homeschool and public school.

The ‘It’s Just a Movie’ Mistake

“I used to think everyone was wooed by the characters and qualities they admired onscreen. Turns out, many aren’t even aware of the ways movies subtly impress upon us visions of character, virtue, and vice.” The article includes some useful insights into films and television shows.

Can Our Loved Ones in Heaven See Us During Important Times in Our Lives?

I feel a little less certain of the answer to this than Randy Alcorn does, but his answer is well worth reading.

Context Matters: In the World, but Not of the World

“This phrase is common in Christian circles, but many may not know where it comes from. Is this a biblical saying? If so, are we using it correctly? If we read the Bible as a whole and not as an inspirational-motto jukebox, we’ll see that some familiar expressions take on a deeper meaning than we originally thought.”

Flashback: White Fragility and the Bible’s Big Story

I want to turn to the Bible to suggest how it might help us understand issues of race and racism, for it also contains a narrative structure.

He that has his trust set upon God does not need to dread anything except the weakening or the paralyzing of that trust.

—Alexander Maclaren

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (January 11)

    A La Carte: Parents can’t fight porn alone / Victory in Jesus (a new song) / Will you pass the test? / What God meant is what God means / Lessons from caring for a disabled child / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (TGBC)

    This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by The Good Book Company. They are giving away a bundle of books for ministry leaders.  The Bundle includes: As you look at all things through the lens of the gospel, you’ll increasingly become the fully-formed follower of Jesus and servant of his church that you have been…

  • Trump, Trudeau, and the 51st State

    These are strange days in Canada. The incoming President of the United States has suddenly promised to slap a 25% tariff on cross-border trade—a tariff that has the potential to devastate the Canadian economy. Some suggest it could cost Canada a 3% hit to its economy and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (January 10)

    A La Carte: Dawkin’s gender dilemma / The worst of all possible worlds / Value character over performance / Is heaven a real place right now? / Last of the middlebrow Protestants / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (January 9)

    A La Carte: Discipleship in the Reformed world / Why Christians need to watch out for Jordan Peterson / The forbidden woman and the path to death / I’m no gambler / a firm foundation in an uncertain world / and more.

  • Thoughts on Digital Libraries in 2025

    Thoughts on Digital Libraries in 2025

    Do I have a library made up of thousands of books or do I have a library made up of a couple dozen? I suppose it depends on what you count as a book. It has been many years—at least 15, I think—since I decided to go all-in with ebooks, a decision I have stuck…