Unfortunately, many moderate to progressive congregations are like a disaster response effort that has outrun its supply lines. The reality is that they must believe in church growth or eventually die.

Party affiliations again reveal differences in opinion on this issue. Among pastors who call themselves Republican, only 9 percent believe the election cycle has been too religious, as compared to 20 percent of Independents and 39 percent of Democrats.   Nearly 90 percent of pastors believe they should not endorse candidates for public office from... Continue Reading

Christian broadcasters have donated tens of millions of dollars in recent years to build Israeli schools, community centers, hospital wards and even synagogues. Part of the support is based upon their belief that the return of the Jewish people to Israel will usher in the second coming of Jesus.

I have never been a fan of Steve Brown, but one day, while driving and scanning for radio stations, I heard an interview with him in which he said something to this effect: "The church ought to be the best place for person who is homosexual and Christian to ‘come out.’ But, of course, it’s not.” I remember thinking that he was exactly right. In my view the PCA has a long way to go before it can provide the kind of pastoral ministry needed by those who struggle with the big sins, which are defined among us almost exclusively as sexual ones

When a woman is destructively fierce, Wagner explains how that can affect her husband in two different ways. A normally confident man can become very intimidated by his wife, and cower in passivity. This scenario is more common in the church than we would probably like to admit.

Piper’s use of eternal regrets to get people to relieve suffering reminds me of evangelists I used to hear years ago. They would warn everyone that they were going to be miserable when they got to heaven when they realized that Uncle John and Aunt Mary weren’t there, and it would all be because they didn’t witness to them. Being miserable in heaven was the motivator used to get people to witness to others

Opponents argue the treaty would strip parents of the right to decide what’s in the best interest of their children, including the choice to educate them at home. Home School Legal Defense Association founder Michael Farris told me the treaty gives homeschoolers serious reason to be concerned: “We’re giving away the sovereignty of the family, as well as giving away the sovereignty of America.” The Vatican has already refused to sign the treaty on the grounds that it may be used to promote abortion.

My point is not that we should be constantly examining ourselves. The Puritans often said that for every one look you take at yourself, you should take ten looks to Christ. However, it is right that we lay our lives alongside that of our Savior and see, however dimly, the renewing work of the Holy Spirit in us.

I’m not pining for a return to the pillory, mind you. But at least with that instrument of shame, the personhood upon whom the public gaze was cast—flesh and blood, not an image, subject, not object—was manifest. In the age of the virtual, postmodern pillory, we need to consider when the images we circulate freely are images of the image of God, and treat them accordingly.

A lot of them brought up homophobia. We didn't ask about it, but they brought it up on their own. Some of them brought up fears of a theocracy in our society. So, you put those two together, the fear of cultural progressives is that the Christian Right will take over our society and outlaw homosexuality and turn us back to the Dark Ages. And, this is by their own words.