Two Big Distractions for Pastors
Almost every pastor in our survey named one or both of these issues as a distraction.
They told us in overwhelming numbers that dealing with critics was a huge distraction. To a lesser extent, but still significant, the pastors said conflict among staff and key leaders was a significant distraction as well. The early church, according to Acts 6, was experiencing phenomenal growth. The author, Luke, simply says, “the number of... Continue Reading
Lifeway and ‘The Blind Side’: Another Side to the Story
Consumers want great stories without the words that offend their deeply held religious beliefs.
It seems that Hollywood can’t help itself. Instead of trusting in the power of a good story, it turns again and again to gratuitous profanity – even when that’s exactly what the audience doesn’t want. A few weeks ago, I told you that, in my opinion, Lifeway bookstores made a big mistake when it removed... Continue Reading
Does American Christianity Need Saving?
Whether or not U.S. Christianity is declining, one must wonder what kind of Christianity does not focus on perpetuating itself around the world.
A survey conducted by Trinity College (CT) in 2008 found that, since 2001, the mainline has fallen in membership the fastest while non-denominational churches have been “trending upward.” “Fewer than 200,000 people favored this term in 1990 but in 2008 it accounts for over eight million Americans,” the survey reports. New York Times columnist Ross... Continue Reading
Of Chickens, Christ, Law and Gospel
Do we expect the world will be friendlier to the gospel than it is to the law?
The truth is, whether we lead with gospel or law, we are going to be offensive. The gospel is more offensive than the law because it hits humans at the point of pride. “Do this and live” stokes pride. “You can’t do it no matter how hard you try” slaps pride down. Too much has... Continue Reading
What I Overheard at the Barbershop
You need to know that your politics don’t even register on Jesus’ scale, and that is a good thing.
Friends, we easily get so wrapped up in the wrong things. And I believe that if we were to dig deeply into our own hearts we would discover that we are not protecting the gospel in our politics, but ourselves. Let’s be honest. Our relationships and life experiences shape much of who we are and... Continue Reading
Gay Marriage: Killing the Democracy of the Dead
There’s something to be said about multiple millennia of consensus belief
Whether a society or people are religious or not, the most fundamental basis of society and peoples—literally since the dawn of humanity—has been marriage between a man and a woman. That bond is the cornerstone. To suddenly sever that bond is not only a radical rupture, but remarkably arrogant; it assumes that our current generation... Continue Reading
Family Wants to Prevent Breakup of Polish Siblings
Couple with seven children ready to adopt three siblings from Poland to keep them from being separated into different foster homes
At the top of the news feed, a friend’s post caught his attention and would not let go. It linked to a Children’s House International story about three Polish siblings, two girls and a boy ages 6 to 12, on the verge of being separated into different foster homes in just two weeks. An Angels... Continue Reading
Amending the PCA BCO Touching on Intinction?
Should PCA BCO 58-5 be amended to administer and take the elements of the Lord’s Supper separately?
Presbyteries will be voting on whether to amend BCO 58-5 by adding this sentence: “As Christ has instituted the Lord’s Supper in two sacramental actions, the communicants are to eat the bread and drink the cup in separate actions.” Summer is winding down and soon our Presbyterian Church in America Presbyteries will consider a proposed... Continue Reading
Is the GOP About to have an (Asian American) Evangelical Problem?
Asian Americans are changing the political face of evangelical Christianity
Christians make up the largest Asian American religious group (42 percent according to the Pew survey) and Pew’s and other recent surveys suggest that about 15-20 percent of all Asian Americans consider themselves born again or evangelical Christians. By some measures, Asian American evangelicals are even more religiously devout than their white evangelical counterparts. Few... Continue Reading
What Cautions Do You Have for the New Reformed Movement?
Cautions from John Piper for the New Reformed/New Calvinist Movement
“The danger of the contemporary worship awakening is that we love loving God more than we love God.” That was very profound. And you might love thinking about God more than you love God. Or arguing for God more than you love God. Would there be any cautions that you would have for the... Continue Reading