They pursue discipline for any reason other than for the good of the individual, the good of the church, the good of the onlooking community, and the glory of Christ. Jonathan Leeman, “Appendix: Mistakes Pastors Make in Practicing Discipline,” Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (9Marks; Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 139–40: Pastors sometimes make the... Continue Reading

Someone told me recently that in his church, “If we can’t line-dance to it, we don’t sing it!” People do not like to stand and sing for 15 minutes or more at a stretch — period! If you don’t believe that statement, ask your people. They will tell you quickly that it’s too long to... Continue Reading

If ever the people of Israel doubted God’s love and power, all they needed to do was travel to Mizpah and look at the stone called Ebenezer. That “stone of help” would erase their doubts and fears, and help them regain confidence in the grace of God. This about one of my Ebenezers. In fact,... Continue Reading

Wheaton noted in the complaint that it has “no conscientious objection” to contraceptives, but it objected to providing insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs or services “even if those items were paid for by an insurer or a plan administrator and not by Wheaton College.” The most prominent evangelical college in the country joined a chorus... Continue Reading

The Bishop of our souls knows us better than we know ourselves. Although ministers and bishops are called to follow our Lord’s example, we will never have a pastor or elder who cares for our souls anywhere near the degree to which Christ, our Bishop, does. The titles that the New Testament writers use for... Continue Reading

Intinction and paedocommunion are not going away, and while they may not be as deleterious to the health of the church as the teaching of theistic evolution, they are nonetheless deleterious to the unity of the church. It would be good for all PCA members to make these things a matter of serious prayer in... Continue Reading

Other nontheists — both male and female — have shared stories of unwanted sexual attention at nontheist gatherings, including propositions for sex and unwelcome touching. Chatter has ranged from calls for more women to attend nontheist events to personal attacks on prominent female skeptics for discussing harassment. As skeptics, atheists and humanists prepare to gather... Continue Reading

What eluded Paterno, and what is crystal-clear from the Freeh report, is that the quasi-religious reverence with which the football program was held within the culture of the university, and in particular the secular godlike authority granted to Paterno, made this horrifying scandal possible. When the perceived good of the institution is taken as the... Continue Reading

I began to reflect on the whole submission-thing. I think it is just as hard–no, harder–for my husband than it is for me. He wants to please me. He wants to be on the same page, per say. I could tell that he especially hated to talk to me about my attitude. And now he... Continue Reading

In the Reformed church we are not comfortable with “numbers.” It is not numbers that count but faithfulness…The danger, however, is that we come by this route to develop an “un-expectant mindset.” We see our smallness and assume that “small is beautiful;” the more truly Reformed we are, the smaller we inevitably will be. But... Continue Reading