The Inerrancy of Scripture: The Fifty Years’ War . . . and Counting
His conclusion: “If Jesus as a finite human being erred from time to time, there is no reason at all to suppose that Moses, Paul, and John wrote Scripture without error.” We are entering a new phase in the battle over the Bible’s truthfulness and authority. We should at least be thankful for undisguised arguments... Continue Reading
North Carolina College Students free to opt out of elective abortion coverage
“My religion is against that. I don’t think our money for health care should be going to support that by any means.” The debate over abortion is prompting changes in the state’s health care coverage for college students. All students in the UNC System will be required to have health coverage for this first time... Continue Reading
A Mosque perhaps, but a swimming pool??
“…the facility will include a swimming pool, a 500 seat performing arts theater and a basketball court.” Much will have been written about the Mosque at Ground Zero both for and against. And yet little touches upon the planned usage of the Islamic Center. Along with a prayer hall the facility will include a swimming... Continue Reading
Capel Caryg: What We Can Learn From the Welsh Calvinists
Those Welsh kept on being Methodists, a modern word for Puritans, since they deeply valued small-group accountability. But they were Calvinists. Salvation is about God’s grace, and they knew that well. Take a look at Capel Caryg in Remsen, N.Y. See what it says on the building? “Whitefield Methodist Church.” That was a good try.... Continue Reading
On Taking from the Haves to Enhance the Have-nots
America is not Israel! We are not the nation of God’s covenant. But, the spiritual principles operative in God’s relationship to Israel are applicable to America. Our founding Fathers recognized this and provided a theological framework rooted in Old Testament theology as well as New Testament kingdom theology.* As a nation we would do well... Continue Reading
On the Preparation of the Pastoral Prayer
A Letter Written to Students Preparing for the Pastorate: On the Preparation of the Pastoral Prayer My Dear Students, I know that one of your primary concerns as you consider your calling to the pastorate is sermon preparation. And this is right. But you must not relegate the preparation of the pastoral prayer to a... Continue Reading
Thank God for the New Atheists? – Where the rejection of biblical Christianity inevitably leads
Dowd revealed his near total animus to classical Christianity: “In an ever-evolving cosmos, ‘orthodoxy’ is a recipe for either extinction or irrelevance.” Michael Dowd argues that Christians should thank God for the New Atheists. A self-styled “evangelist” for evolution, Dowd recently preached a sermon in Oklahoma City in which he called for nothing less than... Continue Reading
A Prayer About A Third Kind of Son
So he got up and went to his father. ”But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 Heavenly Father, I’m not beginning my day in a far away... Continue Reading
The Aftermath of the PCA’s 38th General Assembly (V)
The Strategic Plan has been put forward as the direction of the PCA for the future. That being the case, one might reasonably expect a great deal more precision than is on paper. Means # 1: Encouraging Forums for New Ideas We are sorting through the Themes, Goals, and Means of the Strategic Plan of... Continue Reading
What Do I Have To Believe To Be Saved?
The following is an edited transcript of the audio to an ‘Ask Pastor John’ video. What are the most basic things a person needs to believe in order to be saved? Paul says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” He says, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is... Continue Reading