Presently there are no quotas forcing churches to ordain women, but clearly removing the clauses spells trouble for complementarians. 1) Some conservative students are already blackballed for their views on women’s ordination. Removing constitutional protections makes their ordination process even more difficult. 2) Our ministerial vows make clear that we will conduct our work according... Continue Reading

Granted, it may very well be that I am telling myself all of this so I can sleep at night and function during the day. Churches may be small due to theology, choice, geography, backwardness, style, character or a host of other reasons. For my part, being smaller isn’t necessarily bad. Frankly, I really like... Continue Reading

The marginalization of Christianity in a military becoming more and more hostile to religion has left the chaplains feeling muzzled—and they now face same-sex couples coming to them for marriage counseling. The chaplains still get to wear crosses on their collars, so they worry even more about those Christians in regular uniforms losing the First... Continue Reading

Our lost neighbors might be “pagan” in the sense that they are not part of the community of God, but they are still accountable before God. Their consciences are embedded with a law. John wasn’t the first to say to Herod that he couldn’t have his brother’s wife; this was hardly new information. Herod’s conscience... Continue Reading

One of his parishioners once asked him, “Pastor, are you unhappy with us? You seem dissatisfied with us.” He thought to himself: “Yup, that’s right. I’m not really satisfied with you folks and why should I be? You have a long way to go.”   Disclaimer: All biblical and Reformed preachers must preach the law... Continue Reading

Preaching is more than regurgitating your favorite exegetical commentary, recasting the sermons of your favorite preachers, or reshaping notes from one of your favorite seminary classes. It is bringing the transforming truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ from a passage that has been properly understood, cogently and practically applied, and delivered with the engaging... Continue Reading

But in the words of Jim Daly, the man who replaced Dobson as head of Focus on the Family, a new evangelical leadership is emerging. And while they share much of the old guard’s theology, they scarcely resemble the evangelicals we have gotten to know over decades of culture war. Meet six “new evangelical” leaders... Continue Reading

Do American Christians really believe that Christianity benefits by being associated with all that America represents in the Muslim world? To many Muslims, America appears as the great fountain of pornography, debased entertainments, abortion, and sexual revolution. Does it help our witness to Christ that all this would be associated in the Muslim mind with... Continue Reading

This story is a prime example of the fact that politicians are no better than the rest of us, and it is only the truly naive who believe that politicians are morally disposed to pursue what is best for others or that they are naturally gifted and competent to do so. BODY We live in... Continue Reading

But inside that unadorned room was the most exquisite church: people of worship and prayer, people honest about sin, people pleading for God’s mercy, people proclaiming God’s glory, people fellowshipping in His grace. Breathtaking! Yes, I stepped into that church and my heart quickened from the beauty around me—the beauty of God’s holy people. We... Continue Reading