Some Notes on “Seven Notes from ‘Lincoln’”
A Response to M. David Sills
Dr. Sills claims the movie makes a “reductionist argument that the war was over slavery,” and says that this “is tantamount to saying the Iraq and Afghanistan wars…were over petroleum.” That is laughable. Here’s the main difference: Southern leaders and secession documents both state that the war was indeed over slavery. It should... Continue Reading
T-t-t-talkin’ Bout My Generation (But Thinking About the One After Next)
One cannot assess a man's life until it is over, until he is dead and in the grave.
What is the legacy of a great church leader? Is it his books? Is it his blogs or his podcasts? Is it the recording of his sermons? Is it his inspirational life story? ….It might indeed involve any or all of these; but surely above all else the legacy of the church leader is his... Continue Reading
The Power of Deep Rest
There is a symbiotic relationship between work and rest
All of us are haunted by the work under the work—that need to prove and save ourselves, to gain a sense of worth and identity. But if we can experience gospel-rest in our hearts, if we can be free from the need to earn our salvation through our work, we will have a deep reservoir... Continue Reading
10 Old Wives’ Tales about Church Growth
Some views about church are downright superstitious and, at times, dangerous to the church
Preaching is extremely important, but having a charismatic and gifted speaker is not the stand-alone element you need to grow your church—or turn it around. Preaching is a core element of the church, but focusing on preaching alone—or trying to find a talented communicator—is not the answer to church growth. There’s a lot... Continue Reading
Debtors to Ireland
Christians in the United States should consider sending funds and ministers to congregations overseas
I propose that every time a congregation in the United States calls a pastor from another country, that congregation …also send back some form of subsidy to the communion that lost its minister to the United States. Monetary assistance would be one form…U.S. Reformed and Presbyterians might also consider sending to other Reformed communions…young ministers... Continue Reading
The Need for Creeds
It's more than merely helpful to set down the church's core convictions in words
Every Christian and every church already has a creed in the sense that they all “think the Bible means something and that its teaching can be summarized” in different words. “The only difference is whether one writes the confession down, so that others may scrutinize it and judge whether its teaching is consistent with Scripture,... Continue Reading
Can You Trust the President, Congress or the Courts to Protect Your Privacy Rights?
Nothing you write, say, text, tweet or share via phone or computer is private anymore
With all branches of the government, including the courts, stridently working to maintain its acquired powers, there seems to be little to protect the American people from the fast-growing electronic surveillance state. Making matters worse, Congress has chosen to dig the hole even deeper. The Senate is set to vote on a bill which will... Continue Reading
Are Christians Totally Depraved?
Believe it or not, this is an important question
Even after God saves us, there is no part of us that becomes sin free–we remain sinful and imperfect in all of our capacities, in the “totality” of our being. Even after God saves us, our thoughts, words, motives, deeds, and affections need the constant cleansing of Christ’s blood and the forgiveness that comes our way for free
The chemistry of marriage
Perhaps the problem lies with the chemist(s)
[Marriage] is a discipline of hard work, persistence, curiosity, diligence, systematic study, recording results, experimentation, and pursuit of good answers. So, if this is chemistry, what does it mean that marriage doesn’t work because “chemistry” is missing? Marriage is an institution under assault, a relational commitment on the decline in our society. Statistics bear... Continue Reading
Christian right falls from mainstream
Election signals America's cultural shift as white evangelicals lose power
The Rev. Scott Sauls, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, said his city, like the rest of the country, is becoming more secular. But believers don’t necessarily need to fear that. Sauls, who spent several years as a pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, said being in a culture where Christianity is normal can cause people to take faith for granted. In New York, he said, few people attend church on a regular basis. Nashville is different.