Complementarian Motherhood
As a person under authority, a person who acts according to the direction of another, I understand my children
As a mother, I find myself learning and relearning daily how to submit, not only to the earthly structures of authority, but also to my God and his word. Ultimately each of us—husband and wife, child and parent—must bow to the Lord of all and take our direction from him. And this is another opportunity... Continue Reading
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws create open season for Christian persecution
In addition to being charged with blasphemy, Christian women fear rape, forced conversion, and marriage to Muslims.
False accusations of blasphemy, forced marriages, and social hostility face Christians in Pakistan, where many view non-Muslims as a lower class and not even Pakistani, according to International Christian Concern’s William Stark. Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy law makes it illegal to speak against Islam. Todd Nettleton, director of media development at Voice of the Martyrs, said the... Continue Reading
The Book of Revelation: How Difficult Was Its Journey into the Canon?
Revelation stands as one of the most controversial, complicated, and esoteric books in the New Testament canon.
But, the story of the book of Revelation is not what one might expect. Other debated books tended to have a lukewarm reception at the earliest stages, only to gain more and more acceptance over time. Revelation, on the other hand, had nearly the opposite experience; it had a very early and positive reception in... Continue Reading
What Separates the Ten Commandments from the (seemingly) Ten Thousand Commandments?
We can better understand God’s will by sorting through the Six Hundred and Forty Commandments that flesh out the Ten Moral Commandments
We should worship by keeping the Ten Commandments without the Ten Thousand additions. The ceremonial and civil additions were good for a time, but have ceased to be the divine standard for holy living today. So worship well; holiday well; keep your covetous lusts in check while you honor authority, spouse, and neighbor. But forget... Continue Reading
Why Pastors Are Losing Trust
Clergy are perceived as figures of authority; how they receive and maintain their authority impacts whether they are viewed as trustworthy
When Pastor Eddie strolls out on stage in his skinny jeans, untucked shirt, and spiked hair, conveying to the amateur sociologist in the crowd that individual personality counts for everything. His bio on the website doesn’t mention if he has ever been to school and only discusses some individual accomplishments: he made this church grow and... Continue Reading
Students Hold Demonstration Before Chapel Speaker
Wheaton College students demonstrate before chapel guest Rosaria Butterfield gave her testimony and address to the community
“At the meeting after the chapel, the students explained that their demonstration was meant to express concern that Dr. Butterfield’s story would be interpreted by the community as prescriptive rather than descriptive,” Ash said. “They expressed the desire for other stories to be told among the community in order to represent more than one person’s... Continue Reading
A Catholic Showdown Worth Watching
The real battle taking place in Catholicism pits two camps of “conservative” Catholicism against each other
On the one side one finds an older American tradition of orthodox Catholicism as it has developed in the nation since the mid-twentieth century… Essentially, there is no fundamental contradiction between liberal democracy and Catholicism. Liberal democracy is, or at its best can be, a tolerant home for Catholics, one that acknowledges contributions of the... Continue Reading
Will Counseling Make a Church Turn Inward?
A local church that takes counseling seriously can do a good job of reaching non-believers as well as building community
When a church counsels, it is saying more than the Bible is true; it is saying that the God of the Bible is real. He comes to change lives, families, communities, cultures and the entire cosmos. You can actually see those changes! When a church counsels, it is engaging in one of the most important... Continue Reading
7 Reasons Very Active Church Members Drop Out
The top seven reasons formerly active members drop out of church
Most of the time a very active church member will drop out rather suddenly. But, on a few occasions, they just gradually withdraw from involvement in the church. These dropouts had trouble articulating to me why they left, or why they slowly withdrew from involvement. Perhaps the image many of us have of church... Continue Reading
The Spirit’s Internal Witness
The Holy Spirit provides a testimony that takes place inside of us—He bears witness to our spirits that the Bible is the Word of God
This is where the internal witness of the Spirit comes in. Only those whom God the Holy Spirit has regenerated will submit to Scripture as His inerrant and infallible Word. The Holy Spirit does not give us a new argument for the truth of the Bible, but He confirms in our hearts the truth of... Continue Reading