“Earlier this month, the Pew Research Center published some data on what American Christians value in everyday life. The data is fascinating, and I’d encourage you to read the summary here or the full report here.”   That Instagrammed photo of your girlfriend with her Bible and coffee the other morning was probably staged…so kinda... Continue Reading

Disagreement on sexuality and marriage have caused a deep divide between conservatives and liberals in the 12.3 million-member United Methodist Church. Pro-gay rights supporters want approval for clergy to live an openly homosexual lifestyle and for clergy to officiate same-sex marriages. As of now, the church condones sexual relations only within the covenant of monogamous,... Continue Reading

This decision, which has been in the works for years, did not change the wording of the church’s statement of faith. That will be discussed by the General Assembly next year. But the way has already been paved for a further departure from biblical Christian teaching. Given the current cultural acceptance of same-sex marriage, it... Continue Reading

“Regardless of the denomination, there seems to be three modes of Christian formation: experience, doctrine, liturgy. These three modes have proven true to my religious life, but they have also been borne out in conversations with friends, with remarkably little variation.”   A year ago I attended a conference at Georgetown University in honor of the fiftieth anniversary... Continue Reading

“Although concerns have been raised through the years, Beth Moore continues to be welcomed into the study groups within local churches where women read her books, study guides, and watch her videos with limited, if any, oversight from the pastoral staff.  Below I’ve documented three main reasons why pastors should fire Beth Moore from the women’s ministry... Continue Reading

At the 2015 General Assembly in Chattanooga, the PCA rejected an overture to require an accused officer to testify against himself. Doctrinal charges must be proved by public materials and sermons, rather than aggressive prosecution. At the GA in Mobile, however, Providence Presbytery has raised this same issue again through Overture 14, which seeks to... Continue Reading

Evangelicals have no hope of reversing the situation. Now that the Kirk has decided it is no longer governed by Christ through his Word, the Establishment will resort to the type of underhand politics, spin and macro management that I have witnessed this past year and which was once again evident on Saturday…Evangelicals will keep... Continue Reading

A year ago, the Muslim French leader Dalil Boubakeur suggested turning empty churches into mosques. It is the first time in France that something similar happened to a synagogue. “History teaches us that these transformations are rarely innocent,” said Bertrand Dutheil de La Rochère, an assistant to Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front... Continue Reading

“On pro-life issues, we overwhelmingly voted to end our denomination’s scandalous 43-year affiliation with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), voted by an even larger margin to delete an official UMC resolution expressing appreciation for RCRC, and in other actions, we voted decisively to repeal a 40-year-old official ‘Responsible Parenthood’ resolution very broadly defending... Continue Reading

While the pool of men — the church ordains only men — answering the call to enter seminary and serve as pastors has shrunk in recent decades, some want to enforce higher standards on ministers who aren’t ordained and strip away the so-called “Licensed Lay Deacon” credentials.   Half a millennium since a Catholic priest... Continue Reading