Millennials At Hand
Those 18- to 33-year-olds present a challenge to churches, but they may be more religious than we — or they — think
“These days, the Millennials engaged in and engaging churches seem less concerned with sectarian diatribe or gospel gimmicks than with the captivating person of Jesus and his still-radical responses to struggling humanity. If Jesus is right and those who clothe the naked, feed the hungry and care for the sick have actually “done it also... Continue Reading
Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale, Pastor Bob Coy Resigns Over ‘Moral Failing’
Coy, 58, and his wife Diane founded the Fort Lauderdale church nearly 30 years ago
In a statement released Sunday, church elders said Coy, of Coral Springs, resigned Thursday as senior pastor of the 20,000-member church “after confessing to a moral failing in his life which disqualifies him from continuing his leadership role.” Coy’s Active Word ministry on radio, television and digital media has also been suspended, the church said.... Continue Reading
People Say Stupid Things
What Not to Say When a Baby Dies
Years ago, when our daughter Bethanne was born, I realized that when faced with difficult circumstances people often say stupid things. I know that most of the time the stupid comments come from good intentions. People mean to be kind, generally. They simply just don’t know what to say. Here’s a small sampling of things... Continue Reading
Pastoral Wisdom and the Mandate to Report Abuse
Reporting abuse is not simply a legal mandate, it is a moral and biblical one as well.
Yet, despite these clear mandates, I find that churches and other Christian organizations are sometimes leery of reporting abuse when it comes to their attention. They look for ways to avoid complying with the law due to any number of reasons: fear of legal consequences, repercussions within the organization, or harsh reactions from the public.... Continue Reading
What Mozilla Means
The defenestration of Eich by people at Mozilla for dissenting from the new orthodoxy on marriage is just the beginning.
You can bet its not just Mozilla. Now that the bullies have Eich’s head as a trophy on their wall, they will put the heat on every other corporation and major employer. They will pressure them to refuse employment to those who decline to conform their views to the new orthodoxy. And you can also... Continue Reading
Evangelicals Seeing the Fault Lines
This uneasy union of evangelicals has been destined to fall because it is a boundary-less coalition without creed or confession or standards of any kind.
Groups who are not content to let evangelicals remain on the sidelines are forcing them to take sides on all of these issues. Some are capitulating or assimilating, following a hybrid, Borg-like ethic that (in their minds) looks like the old evangelicalism (because it embraces “love”!) but functions like moral libertinism (because it doesn’t know... Continue Reading
Living — And Then Dying — By The Economic Sword
Recent events at World Vision and Mozilla appear to have gripped the American conservative Christian imagination.
Yes, we should lament the moral malaise of society; we should use our freedoms to try to reverse that; but we should also acknowledge that the methods we use to gain influence ourselves are also open to our enemies. And thus we should think twice about crying foul on that particular point when the results... Continue Reading
How to Handle Your Sin
There are the two radically different schools of thought when it comes to dealing with our imperfections.
Do you want true, lasting comfort for your body and your soul? Do you need what you can’t supply? Are too lost to find yourself? Do you want to cope or do you want to be saved? If you have sin (and we all do), and if you are ready to name it for what... Continue Reading
4 Lessons in World Vision’s Flawed Vision
World Vision’s flip-flop on same-sex marriage illustrates a profound danger inherent in mercy ministries that are not built upon a theological foundation
What you think about the kingdom of God matters. It you think that the point of giving/evangelism/church is to advance God’s kingdom by supporting “justice,” then you likely will end up having your money going toward some kingdom-building justice project that is neither advancing the kingdom or the gospel. I don’t mean to sound harsh... Continue Reading
Hey Gay Rights Fascists: In Spite of Your Mozilla Victory, You Will Still Lose
Intimidation, coercion and bullying will not win arguments or silence other points of view
Haven’t you learned anything from history? ‘Advancements’ earned through tyranny never endure. You can only win a debate by suffocating your opposition for so long. Your strategy is doomed for failure, because it has always failed. In the name of ‘fighting for the freedom to love,’ you’ve utilized hate. For the sake of ‘tolerance,’ you’ve... Continue Reading