What are “Gospel Eco-systems?” On the PCA Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission. Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel. The PCA Strategic Plan includes a number of controversial proposals. However, the item that probably represents the greatest risk has gone almost... Continue Reading
The Lord Who Acts Like It – Where did we get the idea that the church should be a place that makes people feel comfortable?
The sovereignty of this Lord is announced in many ways in churches, in word and sacrament, to be sure. But it’s also proclaimed visually. It’s interesting when a teenage agnostic and a federal judge understand the nature of the church better than do some church staff. A plaintiff known as Doe 2 recently said that... Continue Reading
Intellectual and Spiritual Growth: A Life Long Process
O use me, Lord, use even me, Just as Thou wilt and when and where; Every once in a while I get a call from a fellow staff member that runs something like this. “Howard, I know it is not part of your job description, but I have a project with which I need your... Continue Reading
Is Christianity biased toward book lovers?
It depends on what “book lovers” means. If you mean collecting old books so that you can have a room full of books, then no. It’s probably prejudiced against them, not biased toward them. But if you mean you are glad that God ordained to reveal himself and preserve that revelation in a book, then... Continue Reading
Spiritual trends didn’t prepare us for this
Shall we pray to God that the Gulf disaster get fixed? It was clearly our fault, so what exactly would honest prayer ask for? That BP be more careful next time? That we confront our own oil gluttony? That we ask forgiveness of God’s animal kingdom? As the disasters get more unmanageable, more heartbreaking, our... Continue Reading
Gulf Oil Spill and an Evangelical Crisis of Conscience
“Woe to you, O churches of the land, who tithe and fast, who preach and pray, who grow megachurches in the twinkling of an eye, who care about souls but not the land on which they live, which I too have made and called good” Some conservative Christians, from Sarah Palin to Ken Blackwell of... Continue Reading
The Power of a Distant Shore – Reflections on the Life of Bruce Howes
These are (Tony Stephens) reflections on Bruce’s life, to which I say a hearty Amen! I had the joy of spending most of an hour over the weekend on the phone with PCA Pastor Tony Stephens, who is planting Stillwaters Presbyterian Church in Kennett Square, PA. Tony will preside and preach at Bruce Howe’s Memorial... Continue Reading
Israeli Bashing, International Mindlessness, and Isaiah 58:1: “We have a problem”
The Church is the voice and conscience of the State. It is time for our voices to be heard. It is time for the conscience of the West to recall the goodness of God when we followed Him Daniel Henninger wrote in the Wall Street Journal on June 2 2010 about the almost unimaginable display... Continue Reading
Southern Baptist Ethicist: Without revival, U.S. will become unrecognizable
“Fifty-five percent [of American children] have lost their fathers in the home by their 6th birthday — when we know that this is a catastrophe for children.” American Christians will one day not recognize their country if a movement of God that begins with a revival among His people does not occur, Southern Baptist ethicist... Continue Reading
Commentary on the Erskine College SACS Accreditation Report
We asked several people involved in Higher Education and in the ARP, to comment on the recent report from Erskine’s Accrediting Agency http://bit.ly/deUx7D. Here are the returns we received. 1. From Dr. Ken Smith, President, Geneva College I do not know enough about Erskine’s governance structure or its authorizing documents to be able to comment... Continue Reading