When Churches Play at Politics
As Tim Keller of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church has said, “The church as the church ought to be less concerned about speaking to politics and more concerned about service.” According to this story, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli recently spoke to approximately 250 church leaders, outlining what they are allowed to do when it... Continue Reading
The Not-so-Hidden Agenda
A Yahoo Sports headline read, “Super Bowl hero’s shocking same-sex marriage comments.” Shocking? Tyree said, “The moment we have [same sex marriage], if you trace back even to other cultures, other countries, that will be the moment where our society . . . loses its grip with what’s right. Marriage is one of those things... Continue Reading
All out of whack!
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the average reader of this website is a fan of theology. Most of you are thoughtful, doctrinally attuned Christians. I also imagine a few of you might be a wee bit opinionated. It takes one to know one. I don’t use “opinionated” as a... Continue Reading
One Southern Baptist Convention: Slightly Divided
“The question for the SBC: How will a ‘red-state’ denom[ination] reach a ‘blue-state’ world that is younger, urban, more diverse, & less Republican?” So tweeted Jimmy Scroggins, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, Florida, five days prior to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting in Phoenix last week. The... Continue Reading
Why Not Paedocommunion?
The commands relating to children are different for circumcision and the Passover. In short, in the matter of the Passover, there is no command for the children to partake. In circumcision, there is a clear command that infants be circumcised (Gen. 17:7–14). This fact already establishes a difference between these two O.T. sacraments. Over the... Continue Reading
By what authority does the Presbyterian Church (USA) do what it does?
This means that no session or presbytery may adopt additional requirements other than those stated in the Book of Order that apply to all candidates, or to all candidates in a particular category or class.” The conversation took place in the restroom of the Louisville convention center during the meeting of the General Assembly debate... Continue Reading
Immigration and the Gospel
I’m amazed when I hear evangelical Christians speak of undocumented immigrants in this country with disdain as “those people” who are “draining our health care and welfare resources.” The Christian response to immigrant communities in the United States cannot be “You kids get off of my lawn” in Spanish. While evangelicals, like other Americans, might... Continue Reading
Ten Reasons I Am a Pastor
When I was eighteen, the Lord threw me out of a car traveling seventy miles an hour. I landed on my backside and slid 110 yards on the pavement. By the grace of God I wasn’t killed. As I stood up on that highway, having never lost consciousness, I committed my life to serving Christ.... Continue Reading
The River of Grace
Let me exhort you to thank God if he has put you in that river of living grace. There is no greater privilege than to be a pastor-preacher. In the para-church there is extraordinary fascination and vitality (but also there can be self-promotion), and you may well be drawn into some of its ministries, but... Continue Reading
Looking for a ‘Few Good Ruling Elders’
My father, who’s been in heaven since 1988, inadvertently taught me about praying to the saints. I was struggling with what to say and do with one of my sons who seemed to be adrift. We met for breakfast one morning, and as I slid into the booth, an involuntary prayer went up from my... Continue Reading