The State of the Anglican Communion: Midterm Report
Homosexuality has become the Ebola of the Anglican Communion
“The besetting sin that has bedeviled the Anglican Communion for more than two decades is, of course, homosexual practice, and, concomitantly, doctrinal uncertainty, theological compromise (the ordination of women to the priesthood and more recently the episcopacy) as well as near total moral breakdown with multiple sexualities now looking for acceptance in the Episcopal Church... Continue Reading
Pro-Russia Rebels Target Christians In Ukraine
Churches in eastern Ukraine mourned the deaths of four Christians kidnapped in June
“The Evangelical Churches in eastern Ukraine had “found themselves in the middle of a conflict”, he said. Besides the attacks from pro-Russian separatists, he said, “Cuban Cossacks” had “brutally destroyed churches, claiming that they do it in a fight for the Orthodox faith”. The Bishop called for prayer “in the fight against the darkness of... Continue Reading
Cultural Engagement
At the root of so much Christian “engagement” with pop culture lies an embarrassment about the “oddity” of the gospel
“But what pop-culture-engaging Christians need to understand most from Acts 17 is the Athenians’ response. Luke tells us that what arrests the attention of the Athenians is not the so-called bridges Paul builds by citing Athenian cultural products. What pricks their attention at the end is what pricked their attention at the start—Jesus and the... Continue Reading
Where College Football Is A Religion, And Religion Shapes College Football
Church attendance is on the decline through much of the US, but according to a “religion census” sponsored by the ASARB, eight states in the South saw increases between 2000 and 2010
“In this part of America, college football fits somewhere between pastime and obsession, and like church, it is more than a weekend activity. Nothing says more about a Southerner than the team he cheers on Saturdays and the church he attends on Sundays — “the two things we love the most,” says author Chad Gibbs,... Continue Reading
Does W-w Lack Nuance?
Evangelicals have adopted the mantra that faith goes all the way down and separates believers from non-believers
“In other words, for all the effort to employ “common grace,” the w-w craze has turned Christians into a group set apart on the other side of the antithesis. Even common grace winds up being divisive because it condescendingly grants to non-believers some truth but always reminds them that they really have no good reasons... Continue Reading
Truth Worth Dying For? Anyone? Bueller? Today, Anyway?
Do academics hold themselves to a different standard?
It is important (to these folks) that we respect these folks, that we not malign or criticize them or make them feel or look bad. No matter what they say or write, we mustn’t challenge their convictions or character. If they tell us that they fit in with a school’s doctrinal position or confession, we... Continue Reading
Mark Driscoll, High-Profile Pastors, and Credibility
The credibility of the church will rise and fall on how it treats the weak and wounded.
I am what you would call a conservative evangelical Calvinist. This is my tribe. But all the writings on the importance of the church will be met with skepticism without the acknowledgement of specific abusive systems. In other words, if you’re gonna applaud a leader and his church and point others to him and his... Continue Reading
When the Future Seems Frightening
There are a few important truths that need to be imprinted on our hearts.
The truth is, God may not protect us from harm or from tragedy or from trials. He could but he doesn’t always do so. But he does promise to be with us in them, to strengthen us, and to comfort us with his Spirit. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for... Continue Reading
Five Tips for Leading Your Small Group
The biggest difference between a small group that is spiritually, relationally, and biblically edifying and one that feels like an awkward waste of time is leadership.
As school starts back up, so will plenty of church-sponsored and church-related small groups. Some will study the Bible. Others will read a Christian book together. Almost all will have a designated leader or leaders. While knowing your Bible and having Christlike character are the more important factors, there are also a number of skills... Continue Reading
Did Al Mohler Just Throw Happiness Overboard?
I don’t want the Osteens’ happiness. But neither do I want to lose true biblical happiness.
Whenever serious error arises, like the Osteens’ Prosperity Gospel message, we’re always at risk of framing our theology in opposition to the error rather than by taking it straight from the Bible. Reformed Theology re-forms the biblical message from the Bible; Reactionary Theology forms theology in opposition to an error. In doing so – whether... Continue Reading