In Danger of Friendly Fire
Two ways in which friends of justification injure the truth of justification
Do you see the contemporary relevance? Witherspoon argues that some Christians are so eager to rout the legalist and glory in justification that they use “uncautious” expressions which make it sound like they have no place for the law or obedience. And on the other hand, some Christians are so eager to defend justification from... Continue Reading
The Most Essential Life Skill: Teachability
What it means and why it's important
Think of all the successful people you know, what is it that distinguishes them all? It’s teachability, isn’t it.Think of all the people you know that never really made the most of the gifts and opportunities God gave them. Unteachability is the common thread, isn’t it? If there’s one thing I want to to teach... Continue Reading
Are More Black Men in Jail Than in College?
The statistic is based on inaccurate and incomplete data
In 2002, the Justice Policy Institute released the report “Cellblocks or Classrooms” in which they claimed, “Nearly a third more African-American men are incarcerated than in higher education.” Since the report was issued a broad range of people—from NBA star Charles Barkley to President Barack Obama—have repeated the claim. But as Howard University professor Ivory... Continue Reading
Now What? The Gospel
A follow-up to the article: Top 10 Reasons Kids Leave the Church
So, in response to “what now”, “what next”? That’s it. To the question of “How do we fix the problems you listed in the Top 10 article?” That’s it. I don’t have another methodology for you. I don’t have a program. I don’t have a style. Just a charge: Preach the Gospel. We will no... Continue Reading
“Let The Children Come”…Say’s An Angry God…
Our children are important to God, and we should jump at the opportunity to bring them to Jesus
As usual the disciples were missing the point. And what Jesus says in His rebuke to the disciples is a rebuke for us all. He is telling us that children have value. They are not just cute accessories for life, or people we just deal with until they are old enough to contribute something. They... Continue Reading
It’s OK to Talk Like a Christian
Skip the trendy vocab, not the biblical terms.
In the video “Stuff Christians Say,” two guys toss around a dictionary’s worth of Christian lingo: non-denom, God thing, secular, relevant. It’s funny because the actors sound like the people we all know who repeat the latest religious phrase until it becomes ubiquitous and meaningless. As I watched, I hesitated to dismiss some words used... Continue Reading
You Might Be Reformed IF…
Describing what it means to be Reformed in your theology
If you suspect that how you *think* about God might be at least as important as how you *feel* about God, … If you believe that the fact that a doctrine is described in the Bible supercedes your personal feelings about that doctrine, … If you feel that nagging suspicion that something isn’t right when... Continue Reading
Forgive Each Other – Sounds Simple Right? Wrong.
We can’t do it in our own strength.
We live in a fallen world, and both Christians and non-Christians sin against each other. And very often in devastating ways. Sadly, even Christians fall into horrible sin at times and it can be life shattering when you are sinned against. Sin causes anguish, sadness and misery. So when someone sins against you, I would... Continue Reading
More Than Body Parts Indeed
Is our gender determined by how we feel or how God created us?
Despite the chromosomes God gives, despite the way the world sees, the way we feel must be the only truth-teller. But actually, in the case of this child in Colorado, it seems biology is the only faithful witness. The parents have said one thing over and over and over. They’ve dressed the child in pink... Continue Reading
On the Difficulty of Arguing for “Zero” Grazing
Christians who affirm traditional standards of sexual morality are increasingly marginalized in American culture
By the “doctrine of creation” ….I’m speaking of the notion of a creation order established by God which sets meaningful and beneficial parameters for human behavior. This concept of a creation order implies that there are good and healthy ways to live that are consistent with the way God made us, and that if we... Continue Reading