What Reformed Theology Is Not
We begin by saying that Reformed theology is not a chaotic set of disconnected ideas
“It is the task of this article to approach the question of Reformed theology from the perspective of what is called in philosophy the via negativa. This method of approaching truth defines things in terms of what they are not; hence, it is called the “way of negation.” For example, when we speak of the... Continue Reading
President’s Apology Adds to College’s Saga
A Baptist college president has apologized for comments about a state convention executive director
“Aguillard had said that he suspected Hankins was fomenting an anti-Calvinism controversy at Louisiana College and that he had heard a rumor that Hankins wanted his son, Eric Hankins, currently a pastor in Mississippi, to replace Augillard as the college’s president.” A Baptist college president has apologized for comments about a state convention executive... Continue Reading
Holy Guacamole
Is one's life like a spoiled avocado, looking good on the outside but rotting at the core?
“The avocado reminds me of the truths I know about sanctification. I am, once and for all, chosen (dare I say picked?) and declared righteous by Jesus’ atoning death. As such, I am seen as holy by God. This is definitive sanctification (2 Tim. 2:1; Eph. 5:25ff; 1 Thess. 4:7; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Titus 2:14;... Continue Reading
Charitable Confusion
World Vision reverses decision to hire employees in same-sex marriages, but questions remain about theological clarity
Still, questions remain over the leadership’s position on the issue. The reversal statement spoke of “the biblical covenant of marriage between a man and a woman,” and the organization’s commitment to the Bible as the “only, infallible Word of God.” But 48 hours earlier, Stearns had compared the issue of same-sex marriage to disagreements over... Continue Reading
God’s Death Row
Jesus made it his mission to preach eternal pardon to those who had earned eternal death
“Moses must have felt like the biggest hypocrite. He was one who was guilty of unlawful killing, and yet he still lived. How could he communicate this decree? Perhaps this is why Moses was the most meek man on the planet. He was always aware that each breath was one more undeserved blessing from God.” ... Continue Reading
Why Your Church Needs to Stop Counting People
Our church stopped keeping attendance, and we were liberated from all of the anxiety that results from "managing" growth
“After several years of hard work, we finally discovered that there are more effective ways of measuring spiritual growth in a church. We began to listen to how people talked about and reflected upon their faith. We asked whether people could think critically about faith formation, make connections between the Bible and their lives and... Continue Reading
Idolatry in Corporate Worship
What are some of the idols we might battle on Sundays? Here are a few that come to mind.
“While I don’t want to minimize the importance of faithful planning, musical skill, and wise leadership, our greatest problem when it comes to worshiping God doesn’t lie outside us, but within our own hearts. It’s the problem of idolatry.” What’s your greatest hindrance to worshiping God as you gather with the church for corporate... Continue Reading
Millennials At Hand
Those 18- to 33-year-olds present a challenge to churches, but they may be more religious than we — or they — think
“These days, the Millennials engaged in and engaging churches seem less concerned with sectarian diatribe or gospel gimmicks than with the captivating person of Jesus and his still-radical responses to struggling humanity. If Jesus is right and those who clothe the naked, feed the hungry and care for the sick have actually “done it also... Continue Reading
People Say Stupid Things
What Not to Say When a Baby Dies
Years ago, when our daughter Bethanne was born, I realized that when faced with difficult circumstances people often say stupid things. I know that most of the time the stupid comments come from good intentions. People mean to be kind, generally. They simply just don’t know what to say. Here’s a small sampling of things... Continue Reading
Pastoral Wisdom and the Mandate to Report Abuse
Reporting abuse is not simply a legal mandate, it is a moral and biblical one as well.
Yet, despite these clear mandates, I find that churches and other Christian organizations are sometimes leery of reporting abuse when it comes to their attention. They look for ways to avoid complying with the law due to any number of reasons: fear of legal consequences, repercussions within the organization, or harsh reactions from the public.... Continue Reading