The Gentle Temeraire
Thoughts on J.I. Packer's new book, Weakness is the Way
The book is a devotional gem. It is also a reminder that perhaps the most important voices in the church are not those of the young and the beautiful, of the middle aged who cannot accept that their teenage years are behind them, least of all of the Twittocrats who can reduce any profound and... Continue Reading
Breadwinner Moms: It’s Complicated
In reality, we simply don’t know the stories behind the statistics.
I am not saying these findings do not indicate legitimate problems in American families. They certainly do and there is room to critique the rise of single motherhood, mothers of young children working away from home, or even the matter of wives earning more than their husbands. But to make sweeping statements about the demise... Continue Reading
10 Sacred Cows in the SBC that Need to be Tipped
New traditions in the SBC that need to go
There’s an emphasis in our culture on being tolerant of other individuals and their ideas. This mentality has infiltrated the church as well. Various interpretations of Scripture are tolerated, often based on the perceived sincerity of an individual instead of the intrinsic social, historical, and grammatical properties of the text itself. The text does not... Continue Reading
4 Fears That Every Pastor Faces
Four fears tempt every pastor
Do you load the future on your shoulders, with all of its questions and concerns? Or do you give yourself to the work of the present, leaving the future in God’s capable hands? How much are you haunted by the “what ifs”? Do you greet the unknown with expectancy or dread? Do God’s presence and... Continue Reading
The ‘Inactive Roll’ and Biblical Shepherding and Discipline in the ARP Church
The concept of an inactive roll violates the clear intent of Biblical church discipline and shepherding
The concept of an inactive roll violates the clear intent of Biblical church discipline and shepherding. Even our definition of an active member is disgracefully lenient. A member of the Rotary Club has higher attendance requirements placed on him or her than in an ARP church! We are called to a far higher and holy... Continue Reading
First Wave at Omaha Beach
Thousands of Americans were spilled onto Omaha Beach. The high ground was won by a handful of men like Taylor who on that day burned with a flame bright beyond common understanding
When he was promoted to officer rank at eighteen, S. L. A. MARSHALL was the youngest shavetail in the United States Army during World War I. He rejoined the Army in 1942, became a combat historian with the rank of colonel; and the notes he made at the time of the Normandy landing are the... Continue Reading
Revised Belgic Confession Article 36: The Magistrate Is Subject To God’s Law
Belgic Confession Article 36 “Of the Magistracy and Government” has direct application in the ongoing debate over the so-called “two kingdoms” movement. The Magistrate Is Subject To Both Tables Of The Law, The Authority Of God’s Word, And Serves To Advance Christ’s Kingdom
In examining both the text of the revised Belgic 36 and the accompanying historical record surrounding the revision, we should clearly conclude that: 1. the Magistrate is subject to both tables of God’s law; 2. the Magistrate is subject to the authority of God’s Word; 3. the Magistrate is ordained to advance the kingdom of... Continue Reading
Calvinist Baptists but No ‘Lutheran’ Baptists?
What does it mean to be a Calvinist in a Baptist denomination; why not a Lutheran?
Although John Calvin and Martin Luther are generally recognized to be the two principal reformers of the sixteenth century, there is a certain asymmetry in their respective legacies, as seen in the fact that no one ever complains of creeping Lutheranism in the Southern Baptist Convention. As far as I know, there is no pro-Luther... Continue Reading
‘Glimpses of Grace,’ A Review
Does God just want us to be happy about our life’s circumstances?
So many of us women grow up dreaming about having a family. We dream of the kind of wonderful wife and mother we are going to be. I know I imagined it just like the Bible verse, “Her children arise and call her blessed.” But that didn’t happen for me. They arose with dirty diapers... Continue Reading
ELCA Lutherans Elect First Openly Gay Bishop
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has elected its first openly gay bishop to oversee churches in Southern California
Erwin, who holds a doctorate, bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from Yale University, has spent several years teaching university and seminary classes. He currently serves as a pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Canoga Park, Calif., and a professor of Lutheran confessional theology at California Lutheran University. Part Osage Indian, Erwin is also the first... Continue Reading