10 Pitfalls of the Foolish Apologist
A handy reminder of the pitfalls to avoid in being ambassador's for Christ.
When the conversation gets complex, he needs to make sure to correct every single error he sees with another person’s view. Never mind that his conversation partner is getting offended by his “attention to detail.” This apologist is the fallacy police, the fact-checker, and grammarian all-in-one. If he makes an error, back-pedaling is in order, with little... Continue Reading
Without Lines, When I Listen to J.S. Bach Am I Listening to Jay Z (whoever he is)?
The necessity of drawing lines in our faith.
Christian Piatt needs to say hello to two-kingdom theology, which may be post-postmodern or popomo. 2k keeps the lines. The sacred is different from the secular. Nadia is different from Jane. Church is different from coffee house. Baroque is different from punk. Sunday is not Monday. Lines matter, as any wearer of tattoos should know.... Continue Reading
Are You Faking or Trying When It Comes To God?
The difference between faking and trying isn’t in the actions for the most part; it’s in the motivation.
Faking and trying often look quite similar. Both require going through the motions of something we either don’t know how to do, or have no intention of doing, well. When I’ve gotten dragged into soccer games on various youth group or missions trips I look like I’m playing because I’m running around and kicking the... Continue Reading
Religious Freedom Bill Shot Down In Knesset Vote
Constitutional law that would have allowed for civil and gay marriage is defeated in preliminary reading.
The Freedom of Religion and Conscience bill, sponsored by Meretz MK Zahava Gal-on, aimed to block discrimination on religious grounds and allow for civil marriage regardless of race, sex, citizenship, and religion. A bill that aimed to formally separate between religion and state in Israel was rejected by a 56 to 21 margin in its... Continue Reading
Frank Schaefer, Phil Robertson and the Myth of Christian Unity
Are socially liberal Christians and socially conservative Christians of the same body?
I’d suggest that when disagreements among Christians flare up as they have in the past few days, we are not witnessing different expressions of an underlying, unitary tradition called Christianity. We are, rather, dealing with different “religions,” as separate from each other as one “religion” is normally taken from another. In case you were... Continue Reading
A Privileged Call: Jane Patete Retires After 12 Years With CEP
“His purposes were that I would serve. These have been some of the most challenging and glorious years of my life."
“Jane has been an excellent example of a woman who uses her gifts to serve the church with great humility,” said Stephen Estock, current CEP coordinator. “She is consumed with a passion for seeing the next generation know the beauty and dignity of living as adopted daughters of God in service to His kingdom.” ... Continue Reading
Facebook ‘Dead and Buried to Teens’, Research Finds
Comprehensive European research has found that teens are leaving the service in droves - and the biggest deterrent is their parents
“What appears to be the most seminal moment in a young person’s decision to leave Facebook was surely that dreaded day your mum sends you a friend request,” wrote Miller. Facebook is ‘dead and buried’ to older teenagers, an extensive European study has found, as the key age group moves on to Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and... Continue Reading
Anti-Calvinist No More: I Repented
A young pastor's journey to the doctrines of grace.
At a low-point in my ministry, when I was 21 years of age and in my first full time youth pastor position in a Southern Baptist Church, with the pastor out of town I held an altar-call during morning worship to pray for the SBC because there was a heresy sweeping the convention. This heresy... Continue Reading
How I Escaped the Mormon Temple
After being in the LDS Church for 30 years, I began reading the New Testament. What was there shocked me.
When I read what Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,” I knew I was being drawn—sucked, pulled, conveyed, transported. In physics, an event horizon is a boundary beyond which the gravitational pull is so powerful that there is no escape. This was... Continue Reading
A Plan To Read Through The Bible In 2014
How to read all the books of the Bible in canonical order in one year.
Christians need the Bible like humans need water. The Bible is our life-blood. The Lord Jesus plans to perfect His people by means of His word. That is why He prayed,“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Since the Bible is the word of God written, our progress in sanctification relies... Continue Reading