A New York Times article on this event more interestingly quoted NAE President Leith Anderson saying NAE has no official stance on gun control but might now “take a harder look.” He cited King Herod’s slaughter of the innocents.   The National Cathedral is making gun control its new big focus and is hosting an... Continue Reading

Blogs that monitor Sovereign Grace have posted a transcript of a November talk by Covenant Life pastor Joshua Harris in which he said denominational leaders viewed challenges as signs of disloyalty, made major decisions without consulting churches and had a pattern of “minimizing the seriousness of the issues of the past” rather than repenting and... Continue Reading

In many churches, the pastor’s salary is a quiet issue. There is a sense of discomfort from both the pastor and the members when the topic is broached. Such discomfort is unfortunate, however, because a number of churches will not seek every year to make certain the pastor is paid fairly.   A couple of... Continue Reading

So bishop positions are bought, and the price is rather steep to keep the less serious out of the ranks. Perhaps that’s where there was so much emphasis laid on “success” in the early parts of the interview. A pastor of 15 people can’t be a bishop because the worldly resources of “success” won’t allow... Continue Reading

For the four years 2008-2011, the denomination closed or dissolved churches at a rate of 75-80 per year. It is expected that number will accelerate. If the experience of Presbyterians is like that of other former mainline denominations, one might expect upwards of 2500 PCUSA churches to be closed in the next decade due to... Continue Reading

Reformed Christians: Continuing personality issues, but overall the hardcore Reformed will still look and act a lot like they do today, because (almost uniquely among Protestants) Reformed folks know and value their tradition. The edgy/emergey segment will contribute a few cultural differences.   I was asked this in an online forum, and my answer got... Continue Reading

“Many folks have asked if this is Katrina-like. In many ways it is far worse since the population density is far greater, and the weather and temperatures are terrible. People are really hurting up here: keep praying for resources to sustain recovery operations that allow us to reach others in their time of need” —... Continue Reading

It’s good that you’re involved with a local body of believers with whom you have disagreements and varying preferences. Why? Because that is the whole idea of God calling out and gathering together His local body. We come together, not because we agree on everything and have the same preferences, but because, despite our disagreements,... Continue Reading

There has so much hurt and division caused, and so much obfuscation, smoke and bewilderment, that the sooner we have an objective, independent assessment of the conduct of all the parties involved, the better for the Church itself. This matter has gone truly global, and the whole Reformed Church family, worldwide, is talking about it.... Continue Reading

The Book of Order makes use in some references to the true Church and in other cases to the true church. The problem is that people don’t “hear” the lower case or capital letter. When a presbytery recognizes one part of a congregation as the true church it denigrates the people of faith whom it... Continue Reading