This is a remarkably good set of questions for pastors and elders to employ in evaluating their flocks and their own ministry. 1925 is also of interest since for Old Lifers that year was arguably THE turning point in the history of American Presbyterianism, a time when the PCUSA whitewashed the denomination’s health and started... Continue Reading

The Bishop and Deputation of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina have withdrawn from the 77th General Convention. On 11 July 2012 the lay and clergy deputies released a statement confirming their withdrawal. “Due to the actions of General Convention, the South Carolina Deputation has concluded that we cannot continue with business as usual. We... Continue Reading

Another ability that many pastors have not acquired is casting a vision. Although “the vision thing” is often the subject of satire among ministers, a church suffers if the pastor is not able to align the staff and people and move them toward a goal that they all can embrace or at least accept! In... Continue Reading

The label “complementarian” has only been in use for about 25 years. It was coined by a group of scholars…to try and come up with a word to describe someone who ascribes to the historic, biblical idea that male and female are equal, but different…The label arose in response to the proposition that equality means... Continue Reading

Let me be absolutely clear. I don’t believe in Christian America. I believe strongly that this is a time rather like Augustine’s, when he broke the identification of the church with the Roman Empire; so we need to break any suggestion that the kingdom is bound up with Britain or Europe or America. Many American... Continue Reading

Plantinga defends two claims throughout his book. One is that there is “a superficial conflict but deep concord between theistic religion and science;” the other is that there is “a superficial concord and deep conflict between naturalism and science.” The bulk of the book is devoted to the first claim. Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam... Continue Reading

“I have conditional grace at times. And I think the church has conditional grace and I think our model is always to say ‘do we give people what they have earned or what they need?’ They’ve all earned condemnation, I’ve earned condemnation. What I need from God is grace.” To those on the outside, Jerry... Continue Reading

Following the march, BJUnity members want to pursue open dialogue with school administrators in an effort to help them come into compliance with accepted standards on LGBT issues in the school’s current quest for regional accreditation. Also, they will continue their challenges for the Republican Party to distance themselves from this network. As a sign of... Continue Reading

When I was younger, I remember listening in amazed delight at the stories of my absent minded grandfather. My grandmother seemed to take it all in stride, and often laughed about the turn that life could take with an absent minded husband. Other pastor’s wives had similar stories, and as kids we called absent mindedness... Continue Reading

Any time a society attempted to place Christ in the center, they subtly turned the idea of Christ into an idol. Think of the “holy Roman Empire” and all of the resulting nations. A Christ who favors any nation besides the distinct Kingdom of God is not the Jesus of the New Testament. There’s a... Continue Reading