Church Waking Up to Abuse
Boz Tchividjian says “Aslan is on the move” with Christians waking up to the problem of sexual abuse in evangelical and Protestant churches
“Any time someone shines a light on the dark pockets of the church throughout history, oftentimes those folks get attacked,” he said. “Either the messengers or the message get attacked. You have ‘the message isn’t true’ or ‘I don’t like the tone of the messenger’ or ‘the messenger is slandering the church.’” An expert... Continue Reading
20 Tips For Personal Devotions in the Digital Age
Meeting with God before we meet with the digital world is crucial.
Take guilt to God: Mention devotions to most Christians and the guilt meter goes straight to red: guilt over failure to do them, guilt over lack of profit in them, guilt over rushing through them. As there’s nothing so motivating as starting with a clean sheet, let’s take all our guilt to God and find the... Continue Reading
Why You Should Criticize Your Pastor
When and how to criticize your pastor and when to refrain
This may all seem a little burdensome when you feel like you ought to be able to say whatever you feel however you feel whenever you feel it. But your pastor bears similar burdens. Keep in mind that he likely has multiple people with “helpful suggestions” speaking to him every week. Measure your thoughts out... Continue Reading
Effective Personal Evangelism: Introduction
Any Christian with a heart for God's glory can be, in some measure, an effective personal evangelist
When I use the language of effectiveness, I am not speaking of guaranteed or immediate results: it is God who gives the increase (1Cor 3.7). Effectiveness, in this sphere, is a matter of the faithful communication of God’s saving truth to those who have not known it either entirely or accurately. Of course, our hope... Continue Reading
An Aging Maverick, Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong Has No Regrets
An interview with Spong on his life, his influence, and his newest book on the Gospel of John
“I was simply interpreting a rising consciousness,” he said. “Whether it was race or women or homosexual people, the issue was always the same: fighting against anything that dehumanizes a child of God on the basis of an external characteristic.” Now, he said, “I feel mellow,” his soft drawl burnishing the tone of reflection. “And... Continue Reading
John Calvin on the Holiness of Life
For Calvin, there is no such thing as the so-called “carnal Christian.”
Calvin leaves no room for a middle ground. Either we ardently pursue the example of Christ or else we strongly renounce Him by our conduct and lifestyle. How different this standard is from the attitude of so many of today’s Christians, who are quite casual or halfhearted in their pursuit of Christlikeness. But from Calvin’s... Continue Reading
Are Mercy Ministries Really A Slow Death To The Soul?
We need a plan to share the gospel, see people come to faith, be discipled and then trained.
I am not calling for an end to mercy ministries. I am calling for them to be made better. I am calling for them to be more reciprocal, less one sided and thought of more as a stepping stone on the road to serious Christian discipleship within the local church. My contention is that generous... Continue Reading
Ohio Congregation Ends Affiliation with PCUSA
Members of the Pierpont session cited a more liberal stance by the presbytery and PCUSA as a major factor in the decision to sever ties.
Pierpont’s session retained an attorney for representation if there was a legal challenge, an act they did not think went over well with the presbytery. They were advised that under Ohio law, there were no legal mandatory conditions they had to fulfill to leave the denomination. Also, they were advised that they would win a... Continue Reading
Creationist Group Challenges Atheists With ‘Thank God You’re Wrong’ Billboards
Answers in Genesis has posted billboards in New York City and San Francisco
“This was a way to publicly make a statement, to show that we’re being bold about our faith, to challenge these atheists and to help direct people to answers that we have on our website.” The billboards will have the brief message “To all of our atheist friends: Thank God You’re Wrong” and the URL... Continue Reading
May the Real Racist Stand Up: Impartiality and Gospel Equity
All partiality is sin and goes against the essence of the gospel
The nature of the gospel demands that we treat all of God’s people equally and fairly. It also demands that we ourselves think that others will do the same. The Gospel’s equity is plain to see and all of God’s people benefit from this Christian grace. James challenges us to lay aside our prejudices and... Continue Reading