In recent years he has been reading books by Christian authors such as New York pastor Tim Keller: “’The Reason for God’ is pretty awesome. I really enjoyed the book. I pass it out.”   Jeremy Affeldt played a critical role in the San Francisco Giants victory over the Detroit Tigers in the World Series:... Continue Reading

The book’s chief value is Butterfield’s blunt examination of how the church, and its culture, first appeared to her. In this book, she addresses many of the stereotypes that abundantly churched people (often unintentionally) foster about non-Christians. And she explains how the Body of Christ both failed and reached her as the Spirit began His work in her soul

If, then, people are the most valuable of all of God's creations, the defense of human dignity should be the core governmental occupation, and protecting it from those policies that endanger human dignity most immediately and profoundly should be the primary occupation of Christians in political life. In practical terms, this means that the indisputably biblical duty to defend the right to life, defend the God-ordained social institution most at risk (marriage), and defend the religious liberty that is foundational to all other freedoms rank at the top of the believer's civic duties.

They contended (security) fosters diversity and freedom of speech on the pulpit and provides protection for clergy in the denomination's distinctive itinerant system. Clergy are required to go where they are sent by bishops and can be asked to move every four years or so.

If the person who fell morally in a way that disqualifies them from ministry submits him or herself to the care of the church leadership, then restoration is typically the next focus.

With their “True Love Waits” jewelry, conferences and T-shirts, Christians may be the face of the abstinence movement, but Muslims and Hindus are more likely to abstain from premarital sex.

Every catechism, by reason of human weakness and time and space and an editor’s whims, is limited. The NCC is no different, of course. But it’s helpful to consider its limitations in light of its objectives. Keller introduces the NCC as a catechism which maintains what he characterizes as the three historic aims of catechisms.

I think it is imprudent for a pastor to endorse either candidate for President of the United States, since neither is likely to uphold clear biblical teaching as the guide for his government. This does not mean, however, that there are no important differences between the candidates and the parties. There are, I believe, clear matters where policy commitments can be seen to be generally supportive of or hostile to a biblical worldview. In cases where a candidate’s stated policies are directly contrary to God’s Word, such evil plans should not be supported by Christian votes.

I pastor a church filled with people in the Intelligence Community. When it comes to what exactly they do, I don’t ask and they don’t tell. Why? Because then they’d have to kill me.

Imagine this: your father commits a heinous crime. As hard as it is to think about, you know the evidence is conclusive. He willfully and deliberately stalked a woman he did not know. He picked her at random, followed her, and then he brutally raped her. Or imagine something worse. He committed an even worse... Continue Reading