How the Trinity Works Together in Salvation
Calvinists believe that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are united in the work of redeeming lost mankind.
The Father and Son are united in their work for the salvation of those who believe: the Father electing and sending His Son; the Son atoning for the sins of those chosen and given to Him by the Father (John 6:37–40). The same harmony exists between the Son and the Spirit. Jesus did not die... Continue Reading
The Craft of Life-Changing Preaching
We have devalued the communication aspect of powerful, effective, life-changing, gospel preaching
I’m not suggesting that this regimen of preparation is the right one for you, but we cannot be satisfied with poorly prepared exegetical meanderings, delivered by a pastor who doesn’t see his own mediocrity because his heart needs to be recaptured by the awe of God’s glory and grace. God’s presence in our preaching and... Continue Reading
Delaware Pastor Draws “A Line in the Sand”
TE Dekker (PCA) preached a sermon on the beach as part of a July 4th celebration
Ferrese granted permission for a one-time event on July 4 to “celebrate freedom on our nation’s birthday” with a rally to include “music, prayer, testimony and preaching,” after the pastor sought another permit. … So, Dekker took to the beach on Independence Day, preaching a sermon by the shore that he titled “Line in the... Continue Reading
Sinclair Ferguson’s Reflections on the Gospel in Scotland and in American Evangelicalism: Substituting the Idea of Grace for The Person of Jesus Christ
Preaching about grace detached from the person of Christ
…reviewing what took place in Scotland would be to understand how easily the church slips into turning on its head what theologians would call the indicative of the Gospel and the imperative of the Gospel: focusing on the administration of rites rather than the ministry of the Holy Spirit as the means by which salvation... Continue Reading
Former NY Times Writer Virginia Heffernan Lampooned for Admitting She’s a Creationist
Former New York Times technology and culture writer Virginia Heffernan, who now writes for Yahoo! News, recently told the world she's a creationist and she has become a lightning rod for ridicule because of it.
“I am a creationist. There, I said it. At least you, dear readers, won’t now storm out of a restaurant like the last person I admitted that to. In New York City saying you’re a creationist is like confessing you think Ahmadinejad has a couple of good points. Maybe I’m the only creationist I know,”... Continue Reading
Another Big Mistake that Young Preachers Make
Prayer can transform both pastoring and preaching
The conversation goes like this, “I pray for you and every family in our church regularly and I wanted to know if there was anything that you would like for me to specifically pray about.” Write it down, pray for it, and ask them about it after a period of time. This will change the... Continue Reading
Change Wisely, Dude
A young writer has some advice for church leaders trying desperately to attract and retain young people: change carefully and wisely. What young people say they want in their 20s is not necessarily what they want 10 years later.
When I slipped back in, I wanted what my own parents had wanted in their hippie youth back in the 1970s: an anti-institutional church that looked less like a church and more like a coffee house. But after two years at Praxis, the coffee tasted thin. I felt homeless in heart. I missed intergenerational community.... Continue Reading
The Slippery Slope to Polygamy and Incest
Opponents of same-sex marriage have long argued that allowing such unions will lead to marriages among more than two people and between adults who are related. They're right.
In private conversations with leaders in the marriage movement, I often hear two responses. The first is that there is no political energy behind a fight for incestuous or polygamous marriages. The second is that they would be fine if those restrictions fell as well but, in effect, “don’t quote me on that.” The first... Continue Reading
Who Ruined the Humanities?
Of course it's important to read the great poets and novelists. But not in a university classroom, where literature has been turned into a bland, soulless competition for grades and status.
So you see, I am not making a brief against reading the classics of Western literature. Far from it. I am against taking these startling epiphanies of the irrational, unspoken, unthought-of side of human life into the college classroom and turning them into the bland exercises in competition, hierarchy and information-accumulation that are these works’... Continue Reading
One Fan’s Perseverance Helped Mississippi State to Overcome Obstacles
The three seconds that changed the lives and future for many people
The 59-year-old man in a wheelchair told the Bulldogs of his successes that came after many doubted his capabilities. Some even doubted his life. In 2010, doctors twice advised Amy to plan funeral arrangements when rectal cancer whittled Doc’s body down to 60 pounds. “But God said, ‘I ain’t ready for you! Go back!’” Doc... Continue Reading