If we are to continue providing Sunday schools in our churches, there are good reasons to purposefully distinguish between those Sunday school classes and our worship services. The call to worship carries a summons from God. We are not summoned to attend Sunday school in this kind of authoritative manner. The call to worship is... Continue Reading

When the Holy Spirit helps me to see the truth of Scripture and to embrace the truth of Scripture, it’s not because the Holy Spirit is giving me some special insight that he doesn’t give to somebody else or is giving me special information that nobody else can have. All the Holy Spirit does is... Continue Reading

In the meantime, I have a practical solution.  It’s not toleration.  It’s not domination.  It’s not even abomination.  Let those who identify themselves as transgenders use the bathrooms in the faculty lounge or the principal’s office.  It’s called accommodation!   Christians are at war with the world.  Jesus said “He who is not with me... Continue Reading

We do not have to worship after the manner of Nehemiah and Ezra; synagogue worship does not govern our practice today. So join with me in learning from the past. Join with me in honoring the past. Let us not throw away our ancient roots, but at the same time, let us not be bound... Continue Reading

Much has been written and said particularly about “the prayer of faith.” The focus has been on mountain-moving prayer by which we simply “claim” things from God with confidence that we will receive them because we believe that He will give them. But what exactly is the prayer of faith?   Years ago, the editor of a... Continue Reading

The problem is, of course, that there are a number of places in Scripture in which a collaborative relationship between divine and satanic agency is assumed, or explicitly taught, without going anywhere near the unforgivable sin (unless we are to believe that Moses, the Chronicler, Luke, Paul and co committed it within the pages of... Continue Reading

“Paul warns that false doctrine would come from believers within the church who adopt wrong teachings and are destructive in their influence. Damage comes from neglecting theology and allowing churches and organizations to stray into false teaching about the truths of God’s Word. Studying systematic theology is important. We should do it with intentionality and... Continue Reading

Nevertheless, the question remains, “What do we do with theological tradition?” Perhaps it would be more helpful if we asked what is happening when someone cites a tradition (or, more specifically the teaching) of a bygone theologian as an appeal to authority?   Reformed evangelicals sometimes speak and write as if they believe that we have little... Continue Reading

“At the heart of this issue and related ones is the fundamental question of identity. Repeatedly, when proponents of gay, lesbian, and transgender rights speak, they use the terminology of self-identification. This generation is trying to discover itself and, in the spirit of this postmodern age, looks within to find the answer.”   Each news cycle... Continue Reading

The requirement that the candidate be “above reproach” provides an introduction and overview of every other requirement that is to follow. Being “above reproach” cannot refer to some sort of moral perfectionism (Paul himself by his own words would be precluded), but rather the phrase refers to reputation within the community.   The Apostle Paul... Continue Reading