Ministering to the Sexually Broken
Why is sexual sin so destructive, and how does Jesus help those who are guilty of it?
“Sex has the unique power, almost like nothing else, to either bless or to harm and exploit. There’s usually no in-between. When used to bless your spouse, it’s a beautiful picture of Christ’s relationship with His church. When it takes on a life of its own, used for one’s personal satisfaction to meet one’s own... Continue Reading
Years Of The Evangelicals
During the past 40 years, evangelicalism was everywhere, and influentially so
“George Gallup Jr. famously declared 1976 the “Year of the Evangelical.” Subsequent commentators often pluralized “evangelical.” They might have done the same for “year,” too. In many years hence—1980, say, or 2004—it was 1976 all over again, to judge from the headlines. Those election years highlighted the Christian Right, a force that was not on... Continue Reading
Unborn Child Has ‘Inalienable’ Right to Life ‘At All Stages of Development’: Alabama Supreme Court
Children in the womb should have the same legal standing as other children, the Supreme Court of Alabama ruled Friday
“According to Justice Tom Parker, who wrote the majority decision, “It is impossible for an unborn child to be a separate and distinct person at a particular point in time in one respect and not to be a separate and distinct person at the same point in time but in another respect. Because an unborn... Continue Reading
The False Teachers: Benny Hinn
Benny Hinn is a dangerous deceiver, a fraud and charlatan who enriches himself at the expense of countless others
“Critiques of Benny Hinn can span a multitude of areas—his Word-Faith theology, his “little god” theology, his claim that each person of the Trinity is actually his own trinity, his outright lies about his accomplishments, and much more besides. But for our purposes, we will recognize him as the world’s most recognized faith healer.” A... Continue Reading
Five Things that Might Happen If Your Church Never Got Another Member
If you put aside the idea that someone is going to come and save your congregation from extinction, what might that do to the way you minister?
“What if your congregation never got another member? What if you could no longer afford to wait for somebody to join and finally make of you what you’re convinced you ought to be? How would that change what you do, and how you understand what is required of you, given what you already have?” ... Continue Reading
“Homosexual” And “Homosexuality” In The New Testament
The New Testament not only has a concept of homosexuality but a vocabulary to describe it
“The argument is sometimes made that Christian opposition to homosexuality is grounded solely in the Mosaic (Old Covenant) civil laws and thus, if Christians oppose homosexuality they must also seek to enforce the rest of the Mosaic civil and ceremonial legislation. If, however, there is clear teaching against homosexuality in the NT, that argument fails.”... Continue Reading
Father, Son Identified As Afghan Hospital Attack Victims
Gary Gabel was a member of the Orchard Evangelical Free Church in Arlington Heights, IL; his son John worked for the Colorado Springs-based charity Morning Star Development
Gary and Betty Gabel “were concerned about helping others,” Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas W. Hayes told the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald. The mayor said he’s known the family for 25 years as members of the Orchard Evangelical Free Church in Arlington Heights. Gary Gabel sang in the church choir, was involved with church youth groups... Continue Reading
So You Believe in “Marriage Equality”? Why Not for Throuples?
If marriage isn't just between one man and one woman, what's to stop marriage between multiple people?
Sherif Girgis, Ryan Anderson, and I (and others) have been asking this question—or posing this challenge—to advocates of the re-definition of marriage for some years. No one has been able to answer the question or meet the challenge. So far as I am aware, only Jonathan Rauch has made a serious effort—and completely failed. The... Continue Reading
Abusers in the Christian Church: The 5 Stages of Biblical Repentance
What true repentance does and does not look like
If an abuser denies their sin, and calls their victim a liar, then he or she is not repentant. If an abuser acknowledges their sin, but blames the victim for tempting them or taking part in their sin, then he or she is not repentant. If an abuser demands forgiveness and full pardon without any... Continue Reading
The Care of Souls: The Heart of the Reformation
The Reformation itself was a pastoral care movement growing directly out of care for the salvation of the soul
Pastors and those who desire to be pastors, if your idea of pastoral ministry is limited to the pulpit, then you are no heir of the Reformation regardless of the length or theological weight of your sermons. The Reformers, mirroring Christ and the apostles, were deeply involved in the lives of their people, aware that... Continue Reading