The professional hair removal company declined service, noting that the staffer who does male hair removal was on sick leave while the only other staffer who did body waxes was a Muslim woman who refused physical contact with any males she was not related to. The unnamed transgender woman is suing the company for $50,000... Continue Reading

Schools across the United States have gradually transitioned from college to university as a way to indicate graduate offerings and compete for clout in the packed higher education landscape—particularly with the influx of international students. Calvin is the latest in a string of evangelical colleges to make the move.   Almost 900 students graduated this past weekend from Calvin... Continue Reading

We have an upward call in Christ to be with Jesus and to be like Jesus (Phil. 3:14). We have been called to freedom, not bondage (Gal. 5:13). God has saved us and called us to a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9). He has called us to his own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3).... Continue Reading

The first place to look is in the name of the church since most churches have names that reflect their ethos. Words like “victory,” “abundant,” or “conquerors” provide what may be key information. Beyond the name, look at the language used either in the church’s material or in its services. In different ways these churches... Continue Reading

There is a difference between guilt and guilt feelings. Guilt is objective. Real guilt is incurred any time we violate or transgress the law of God. However, our feelings are not always in touch with reality. There are people in the criminal-justice system who are described as sociopaths or psychopaths because they can commit heinous... Continue Reading

What are some first order doctrines? Examples include that God is triune, the deity of Christ, and the incarnation. Scripture guides us here in setting these doctrines as primary. For example, the apostle John calls someone an antichrist when there is a denial of certain things about Christ   Not every doctrinal issue is a... Continue Reading

There are positions we have on issues that we should hold lightly, without letting them become points of contention. Pastors and congregations grow and mature over time. “Complete patience and teaching” are a part of the pastoral charge (2 Timothy 4:2).   I have pastored two churches. I have also been a candidate for two pastoral vacancies... Continue Reading

Reformation Worship gives impressive testimony to the way the reformers in various countries devoted so much attention to the subject of worship. They well understood that the rediscovery of the gospel and the reformation of worship were two sides of the same coin, because sung praise, confessions of sin and faith, prayer, and the reading and... Continue Reading

A young man named Sean was exclusively attracted to other men, but today he’s married and has three kids. What changed? Sean said, “I stopped regarding my sexual desires as who I was and started regarding my body as who I was. Instead of trying to change my feelings, I accepted what I had, namely... Continue Reading

God is neither a salesman nor a jolly Santa. First, God doesn’t need anything from us. God is fully and completely self-sufficient and independent of his creation (Rom. 11:34-35). His power and self-sufficiency make negotiations with God a fruitless effort.   In his book Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace, Miroslav Volf... Continue Reading