“She begins the story, appropriately, with the 18th-century revivals of the First Great Awakening, the birthplace of American evangelicalism. She demonstrates that from the beginning the movement was primarily religious and theological, with political overtones, and quite diverse.”   I first encountered Frances FitzGerald in the 1970s when I read her Pulitzer Prize-winning book on the Vietnam... Continue Reading

“God carefully constructed his world and then placed it in the hands of people. You and I are designed to be resident managers, caring for the wide variety of amazing things God has purposefully crafted to be reflectors of his glory.”   Why do little kids daydream about being a pilot or a princess? Why... Continue Reading

“For centuries, the Dutch knew just who they were: mostly blond- or red-haired, blue-eyed, white, straight-talking, Calvinist capitalists who believed in God, family, hard work, and doing the right thing. Looking around, a Dutchman saw himself in his neighbors, and that was reassuring.”   Here is a good overview of what taking every square inch... Continue Reading

If you were to hear me preach from the Old Testament, you would hear me say “Yahweh” in the places where my NASB or ESV says “The Lord.” I’m often asked after services by visitors what Bible translation I use which uses Yahweh. I tell them I’m using theirs, and have them open to the... Continue Reading

One local pastor described these conferences as “very necessary for the increase of knowledge to all ministers.” The archdeacon of Essex, John Walker, said that there was in these events “an increase in learning, and edifying of the people to have grown thereby.”   “Post-Christian” is just one of the many titles being used these... Continue Reading

“In this collection on Christian Men and Their Godly Moms, we have learned of the power of a mother who was spiritually strong even while physically weak, and we have learned of the power of a mother who fervently prayed. Now we want to examine the power of a mother who diligently trained her son... Continue Reading

“I prefer not to use the term limited atonement because it is misleading. I rather speak of definite redemption or definite atonement, which communicates that God the Father designed the work of redemption specifically with a view to providing salvation for the elect, and that Christ died for His sheep and laid down His life... Continue Reading

“Calvin’s friends had good reason for proceeding to publish [a biography] with haste. There were others who wanted to tell a very different story. Calvin’s nemesis Jerome Bolsec lived to have the last word, and penned two accounts ten years after the reformer’s death.”   The title is all the introduction you need. Here we... Continue Reading

According to one historian, the “last fifteen years of the nineteenth century saw the theological leadership of American Methodism change hands almost completely.” Orthodoxy and creedalism became passé and even John Wesley became infrequently cited, often more for criticism than instruction.   When did United Methodism become theologically liberal? Many assume only recently, in their... Continue Reading

“We must be praying people, first, because we know that our only help is in the name of the Lord. It is the Lord who builds the house and watches over the city—who gives success to the church’s mission and spiritual life to its worship. In prayer together, we admit that we are helpless.”  ... Continue Reading