Let’s not boycott our neighbors. Let’s not picket or scream or bellow. Let’s offer a cup of cold water, or maybe even a grande skinny vanilla latte, in Jesus’ name. A respected pro-family organization announced this week a boycott of Starbucks coffee. The group, which supports legal protection for traditional marriage, launched the “Dump Starbucks”... Continue Reading

“Get rid of the idea that unbelieving people are seekers of God,” he continued, “not only is it a mistake to think, but to use it to design worship is one of the most pernicious errors the church has fallen into. The Bible says that natural man does not seek after God, and we are... Continue Reading

Preachers aren’t cops with tasers. They’re shepherds who lead the flock to green pastures and still waters. Ever been tased by applicatory preaching? I’ve tased and been tased. Reformed preachers know they are not to stop with proclamation of God’s Word. There must also be application. Such preaching is commended to us by the directions... Continue Reading

John Calvin believed that babies come out depraved (he was sort of right; the most violent stage of life is age 2). G. K. Chesterton wrote that the doctrine of original sin is the only part of Christian theology that can be proved. It’s always interesting to read the quotations of people who knew a... Continue Reading

As powerful as a parent is, there are just some life truths that a young person is going to absorb or hear better from somebody else other than their parent. The ideal is to form a constellation of caring adults around a kid, with other small group members, neighbors, church members, coaches, boy and girl... Continue Reading

Arminians had long vilified Reformed theology as either explicitly or implicitly antinomian. Arminius himself had first provoked criticism by denying that Romans 7 could possibly describe the experience of a genuine believer. His followers have maintained that Reformed soteriology inevitably leads to carelessness and vitiates the seriousness of the call to holiness. Like Moses (Dt... Continue Reading

I am not aware of any SBC seminary faculty who advocates theistic evolution or evolutionary creationism (EC). Many (including me) are involved with or express sympathy to the intelligent design movement (ID). (Biologos Editor’s Comments) “The BioLogos Forum” is pleased to feature essays from various guest voices in the science-and-religion dialogue. Please note the views... Continue Reading

Many contemporary services that I have visited in the last couple of years are very inaccessible. The singing is done (almost) solely by the pros on stage. Scriptures are rarely read and elements of most traditional services are completely absent. Creeds? Never saw one. Confession of sins? Ditto. Responsive readings? Also absent. The role of... Continue Reading

It doesn’t tell us how to organize the church or give us job descriptions for deacons or elders. Why did God leave the structure so vague? So that it could fit in every culture and every age. You must build your church around the talent God has already given you. Whatever God wants your church... Continue Reading

In the long run, human tastes and opinions have no more weight than we give them, and who are we to give them meaning anyway? Who is to say that lying, or cheating or adultery or child molestation are wrong –really wrong? Where do those standards come from? Many times, as Christian theists, we find... Continue Reading