Do you have a “Sandpaper Person” in your life?
Is being a sandpaper person a gift of the Spirit that Paul forgot to mention?
But what do you do with someone who is a self-appointed sandpaper person in your life? What I mean is, what if someone decides that they know best how God should be working out your sanctification and that they just know that God is using them to rub off your rough edges? Whether or... Continue Reading
The Story You May Not Have Heard (Warning: Graphic Reading)
On March 18th a trial began: the trial of West Philadelphia abortionist “doctor,” Kermit Gosnell, who readily practiced infanticide.
As the testimonies from this trial are made public, our stomachs should be turning, our hearts should be grieving, and our heads should be bowed. I am no sensationalist. I find no pleasure in grotesquely reported and detailed accounts. However, this is one trial and the details of which every citizen of this country should... Continue Reading
Is the FV Controversy Dead?
A reply to Doug Wilson's article on the Leithart trial
On the first point, even though a church court has spoken, that doesn’t mean that I have to agree with it, nor does it mean that church court decisions are above criticism. Or will we start saying that Machen should just have stayed quiet and been a good boy? Not to mention Luther. There have... Continue Reading
The Annulment of Same-Sex Marriage
Those who believe in overturning traditional marriage have run a well-marketed campaign of victimhood and oppression tied to identity politics
Majority rights with minority protections must be respected. But this canon does not mean that minority demands must not be questioned. To apply same-sex marriage to the 14th Amendment passed on behalf of freed slaves who were previously considered property and not citizens is intellectual malpractice. Every American has the same “equal protections” in civil/criminal... Continue Reading
Second-Hand Clothing Undermines Africa’s Economy
Many well-meaning charities are complicit in keeping many African nations poor.
The second-hand clothing industry in parts of Africa is big business. In fact, many charities receive substantial revenue from the sale of this clothes. Why buy a t-shirt for 10 dollars when you can buy one for 32 cents? These trends should come as no surprise to Americans because consignment shops and thrift stores are... Continue Reading
The Sorry State of the Apology
Scriptural responses to society's shallow regret
An authentic, proactive apology has the power to diffuse anger, re-establish dialogue, and bring tremendous healing. As followers of Christ, let us set the standard for what it means to apologize well. The apology seems to be at an all-time high, and simultaneously, an all-time low. Thanks to public figures such as Arnold Schwarzenegger,... Continue Reading
Overture Asks PCA General Assembly to Direct SJC to Rehear the Leithart Case
Illiana Presbytery requests the 41st General Assembly to direct the Standing Judicial Commission to rehear case 2012-05 (RE Gerald Hedman v. Pacific Northwest Presbytery)
The Standing Judicial Commission heard the case at its March 6, 2013 meeting and voted, 15-2, to deny the complaint that Pacific Northwest Presbytery had erred in finding TE Peter Leithart not guilty of five charges that had been brought against him. The overture asks General Assembly to direct the SJC to rehear the case... Continue Reading
John Piper on Homosexuality
A thoughtful pastor’s teaching on what the Apostle Paul says about homosexual behavior in his letter to the Romans
Homosexuality is the most vivid form of that breakdown. God and man in covenant worship are represented by male and female in covenant sexual union. Therefore, when man turns from God to images of himself, God hands us over to what we have chosen and dramatizes it by male and female turning to images of... Continue Reading
California’s Attack on Boy Scouts Continues
While the target of this bill is the Boy Scouts, its effects are much wider than that
SB 323 would remove certain State tax exemptions for public charity youth organizations that discriminate on the basis of gender identity, race, sexual orientation, nationality, religion or religious affiliation. While the target of this bill is the Boy Scouts (the Committee’s official analysis says, “It is clearly aimed at them”) its effects are much wider... Continue Reading
How Cool Is Too Cool for Church?
Special effects, and high SPLs can be divisive to a congregation. Are your production values consistent with the vision of the church?
So how far is too far? A single answer could never cover all types of churches. The more important questions are: 1) What are the vision and philosophy of the church? And, 2) How, and how fast should the service transition to fulfill the vision of what the leaders desire? If the tech staff is... Continue Reading