Best of 2011: Tabletalk
Each month, a selection of feature articles from Tabletalk are posted on the blog. As this year comes to an end, for your edification, here are the ten most viewed Tabletalk articles of 2011.
An Appetizer for the Feast by Noël Piper
"Go ahead. Ask me what would make me happiest if I had a totally free day. I'd tell you that during such a dream day I'd be by myself, probably with a book. Right at the front of my personality assessment is a capital I that means 'introvert.' It could also stand for 'I want to be alone—a lot.'"
An Outpost of Jesus' Kingdom: An Interview with Mark Driscoll
"Religious idolatry uses God for health, wealth, success, and the like. In this grotesque inversion of the gospel, God is used for our glory, as if not only are we supposed to worship ourselves, but God is also to be a worshiper of us."
Is the Church Full of Hypocrites? by R.C. Sproul
"If a person claims to be without sin and then demonstrates sin, surely that person is a hypocrite. But for a Christian simply to demonstrate that he is a sinner does not convict him of hypocrisy."
Why "Let Go and Let God" Is a Bad Idea by Andrew Naselli
You can tell that Keswick theology has influenced people when you hear a Christian 'testimony' like this: 'I was saved when I was eight years old, and I surrendered to Christ when I was seventeen.'"
The Unholy Pursuit of God in Moby Dick by R.C. Sproul
"I believe that the greatest chapter ever written in the English language is the chapter of Moby Dick titled 'The Whiteness of the Whale.' Here we gain an insight into the profound symbolism that Melville employs in his novel."
The Practice of Mortification by Sinclair Ferguson
"Failure to deal with the presence of sin can often be traced back to spiritual amnesia, forgetfulness of our new, true, real identity. As a believer I am someone who has been delivered from the dominion of sin and who therefore is free and motivated to fight against the remnants of sin’s army in my heart."
Old Answers to the New Atheism: An Interview with Peter Hitchens
"Death is the great reminder that this life is limited, and that it may not be the end. For most of our lives, we behave as if this is not so. It is only when death touches those close to us that we are forced into this understanding, especially in a modern world where death is kept at a distance, ignored, undiscussed, and shuffled off into corners."
The Gospel and the Oncology Waiting Room by Mike Pohlman
"Cancer clinics...are God's megaphone to a chronically amused people."
Ten Years Later by R.C. Sproul
"What is most tragic is that when we were given a wake-up call ten years ago on 9/11, we pushed the snooze button and went back to sleep."
Don't Waste Your Cancer: An Interview with Matt Chandler
"The bulk of my sanctification through this ordeal has been the birth of a deep desire for intimacy with our great God and King."
"Month by month, Tabletalk represents an oasis in a desert of false spirituality, mindless Christianity, and vapid conviction. Tabletalk represents theological rigor, biblical Christianity, and authentic Christian devotion. It is an antidote to the world of superficial Christianity. Read it and grow."
—R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
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