So why the bust up over homosexuality when the most important things have already been made matters over which we can institutionally agree to differ? I suspect the answer is the yuck factor. Homosexuality is, or perhaps better was, revolting to a certain generation. It disgusted them in a way that polite, educated men denying... Continue Reading

Older liberal Christians have assumed that a younger generation of evangelical Christians, who are clearly more liberal politically than their generally Republican parents, will join them on the theologically liberal, desacralizing side of the church. What is actually happening, though, may be more complicated than this. Younger Christians who are keeping the faith are often... Continue Reading

What is it about Francis Schaeffer that keeps books coming off the presses almost 30 years after his death? Bill Edgar shows some reasons why in an effective new analysis, Schaeffer on the Christian Life, Countercultural Spirituality. Part of Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life series, the book shows how the unusual man became so... Continue Reading

With less than 60% of the 80 Presbyteries in the PCA represented at the annual Spring meeting of the Nominating Committee, held at an Atlanta Airport area hotel on Saturday, March 16, a major change in the membership of the denominations ‘Supreme Court’ has been recommended to the 41st General Assembly.   Each Presbytery in... Continue Reading

In contemporary evangelicalism, many pastors have gone bonkers over “common grace” and “common good decisions”, but in the process some have forgotten the very public role of “special grace”, that message of God’s redemption in Jesus that is meant for the whole world.   In past years there has been a renewed interest among evangelicals... Continue Reading

God did not act because he endorsed my manner of living, but because of his zeal for his own glory and his faithfulness to his promises of grace for his people. God has the authority and power to use whatever instruments he chooses in whatever way he chooses. Ministry success is always more a statement... Continue Reading

In seeking to be a “different kind of Christian,” we’re tempted to think we can accomplish more for Jesus if we could just be less offensive, more innovative, more missional/gospel-centered/seeker-friendly. Yes, our ministry can and must grow with every generation. But we must not succumb to the Satanic idea that we can build the church... Continue Reading

In short, Portman appeals to at least three biblical doctrines to support his embrace of gay marriage: (1) the love of God, (2) the Golden Rule, and (3) creation. His understanding of all three of those doctrines is distorted at best and calls for a response.   Last week Senator Rob Portman announced a dramatic... Continue Reading

First, they have a functioning God under whom they are subservient (normally it’s science or rationality, but mainly themselves), and that idea of God informs the way they live and interpret their lives. It informs their biases and determines their values, and governs any sense of morality or ethics they adhere too, or ignore. Once... Continue Reading

Bell went on to say that while it used to be fair to equate evangelicals with social conservatism, that assumption no longer holds true. More pointedly, he said, “I think we are witnessing the death of a particular subculture that doesn’t work. I think there is a very narrow, politically intertwined, culturally ghettoized, Evangelical subculture... Continue Reading