How One Deep South Church Left Segregation Behind
Many leaders of what would become the PCA barred blacks from membership, defended white supremacist organizations, and taught that the Bible opposed interracial marriage and supported segregation.
Every week, Elbert McGowan preaches to a congregation that’s one-third African American. They sing songs found in both Presbyterian and African-American hymnals. The congregation does more hand-raising and clapping than a typical Presbyterian crowd, while the theology is solidly Reformed. Elbert McGowan grew up five minutes from Trinity Presbyterian Church on the north side of Jackson, Mississippi.... Continue Reading
An Open Letter to Bernie Sanders from a Vermont Pastor
Evangelical Christians who hold to salvation in Christ alone may be a minority in our great state, but we are not racists or bigots, and our elected Senators should not make such broad-brush and intolerant statements.
As a Vermont pastor, I ask my country for freedom to not only preach the gospel–but also for freedom for those I preach to–to hold their religious beliefs while also holding public office. If you return to our roots of religious freedom as a state and as a nation, the religious tests will stop. And... Continue Reading
Southern Baptists Voted Overwhelmingly to Condemn ‘Alt-Right White Supremacy’
The decision was met with a standing ovation as about 5,000 members of the denomination voted at their annual convention to affirm their opposition to the alt-right movement, which seeks a whites-only state.
Members had already voted Tuesday to condemn gambling and Planned Parenthood, and they adopted a statement on the importance of public officials who display “consistent moral character.” That resolution also commended “those leaders who choose not to meet privately with members of the opposite sex who are not their spouse,” a group which includes Vice President... Continue Reading
5 Rules for Sermon Illustrations
Illustrations are not an end unto themselves.
A well-chosen illustration can illumine the passage and strengthen the sermon. That is why generations of seminary students have been taught that good sermons include explaining, illustrating, and applying the text. Of the three, illustrating the text is the least important, but it is important nonetheless. Have you ever heard a sermon illustration that... Continue Reading
Sorry, Old Testament: Most Theologians Don’t Use You
Should systematic theologies equally rely on Bible verses from the Old and New Testament? Experts weigh in.
“We do well not to jump to conclusions too hastily, but we’d be foolish not to use this study as an occasion to think about our theological principles and of the best practices and examples out there. That said, it is rather shocking not to see Deuteronomy 6:4–5, Exodus 3:14, or Exodus 34:6–7 located in the top 10 verses,... Continue Reading
Twenty Relics of Church Past
The question I asked was basic: “What did you have or do in your church ten years ago that you don’t have or do today?”
Sunday evening services. It is amazing how quickly these services have disappeared. Except for Sunday evening services that are an alternative to and replica of the Sunday morning services, there are fewer and fewer churches meeting on Sunday evening. This article will get me in trouble. It began with a simple and informal poll on... Continue Reading
Barna Study Reveals America’s Most ‘Churched’ and ‘Unchurched’ Cities
The Barna Group recently released data revealing which of America's cities are the most "churched," "unchurched," "dechurched" and "post-Christian"
According to the data, the two most “churched” areas in the United States are Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Salt Lake City, Utah, which are both 59 percent churched. The areas of Augusta-Aiken, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ranked as the third and fourth most churched cities, being 57 percent churched. As trends show that church... Continue Reading
Hundreds of New Churches Not Enough to Satisfy Southern Baptists
Baptisms are at a 70-year low, while Sunday worshipers are at a 20-year low
“There’s no denying the decline of America’s largest Protestant denomination any longer. The SBC lost almost 78,000 members in the past year, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) released ahead of its upcoming annual meeting. Southern Baptists have now lost a million members since their peak of 16.3 million in 2003.” Southern Baptists... Continue Reading
Christians Faced Widespread Harassment in 2015, But Mostly in Christian-Majority Countries
In some of these countries, the Christian majority was itself harassed, often by the government
“Christians were harassed by governments or social groups in a total of 128 countries in 2015 – more countries than any other religious group, according to the report. But there also were 2.3 billion Christians in 2015, more than any other religious group. Large populations of Christians are present in all but a few parts... Continue Reading
The Curse of Talent for Young Ministry Leaders
In ministry circles, we have seen in recent years many talented young leaders crumble
While it is impossible to sum up all that goes wrong in the heart of a ministry leader who has been called “exceptional” or “an amazing leader,” here are three dangers “talented” ministry leaders face, three dangers we all must guard our hearts against. I am over 40, so no longer young, and I... Continue Reading
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