Life in the Balance – Are We Targeting the Weak?
Here, we learn, as Joni writes, that all humans are created in the image of God, with intrinsic value. In fact, she says, “the image of God is especially mirrored in the weak” and disabled. A young man named Doug made a startling announcement to a friend. “When I get married,” he said, “I hope... Continue Reading
Manhattan Declaration a Year Later: Half a Million Support Pro-Life Values
The authors penned their declaration a year ago not knowing it would spur an international movement. Now, nearly a half million backers have signed the Manhattan Declaration, a “call of Christian conscience” originally spurred by concern that U.S. leaders had lost sight of the meaning of religious freedom. In the months since, the declaration has... Continue Reading
What Bible is the Vatican reading?
Bishops in Rome tossed the theological equivalent of a hand grenade, threatening to blow up decades of efforts to improve Catholic-Jewish relations. This past Saturday, a synod of bishops in Rome tossed the theological equivalent of a hand grenade, threatening to blow up decades of efforts to improve Catholic- Jewish relations. In a press conference... Continue Reading
Practical Shepherding: How much vacation time should a pastor take?
Editor’s Note: This is our first selection from a relatively new blog. Brian Croft is Senior Pastor of Auburndale Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. The name of his blog tells us it’s purpose: Practical Shepherding. We look forward to more articles from this blog in the future. You may begin reading this post with the... Continue Reading
Seven Reasons Halloween Judgment Houses Often Miss the Mark
How many people do you know who came to know Christ through a Halloween “Judgment House” or “Hell House”? If you know one, you’re outpacing me, and everyone I’ve ever talked to about this. 1. They’re not scary enough. To speak of hell, Jesus used the imagery of a garbage dump overun with worms, a... Continue Reading
A Prayer About Replacing Quarrelsomeness with Beauty
…it’s one thing to be attacked from the outside, but quite another for the disruption to happen from within the family. Hear our prayers for people we love. The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in... Continue Reading
Rohring down the Rails toward a Fuller Evangelicalism
The age of sola scriptura is over!! The age of sola spiritus has arrived!!! At least according to Emergent historian, Phyllis Tickle. The Berlin train system is a jewel of Prussian efficiency. But I don’t speak German, so when I tried to take my Berlin grandchildren home from the Berlin zoo, we jumped on a... Continue Reading
The PCA’s New Dilemma about Deacons (V)
The concept of “commissioning” deacons and/or deaconesses the way it is being conceived and put into practice currently among some PCA pastors is neither found in Scripture nor in the history of the Presbyterian and Reformed churches. What about Acts 6? It is a legitimate question to ask whether Acts 6:1-6 refers to Deacons; if... Continue Reading
Touching the Third Rail! – Why Are Reformed Christians in the U.S. Obsessed With Politics?
During the past week there were two brief blog entries on the Reformation 21 blog that provide some interesting (and humorous) information for our more ‘politically active’ readers. Question Posed by Blogger Paul Levy (Paul Levy is pastor of the International Presbyterian Church of Ealing, London, UK.) I go away to the Algarve for a... Continue Reading
The Pink Ribbon Campaign: Are We Funding Breast Cancer?
Many Americans who buy those pink bracelets may not be aware of the strong Links between Planned Parenthood and the Komen foundation. Komen founder Nancy Brinker once served on the advisory board of Planned Parenthood of Dallas You’ve seen them everywhere: pink ribbons and wristbands to raise awareness about breast-cancer prevention. But before you donate,... Continue Reading