“Sex has the unique power, almost like nothing else, to either bless or to harm and exploit. There’s usually no in-between. When used to bless your spouse, it’s a beautiful picture of Christ’s relationship with His church. When it takes on a life of its own, used for one’s personal satisfaction to meet one’s own... Continue Reading

“George Gallup Jr. famously declared 1976 the “Year of the Evangelical.” Subsequent commentators often pluralized “evangelical.” They might have done the same for “year,” too. In many years hence—1980, say, or 2004—it was 1976 all over again, to judge from the headlines. Those election years highlighted the Christian Right, a force that was not on... Continue Reading

“Multi-ethnic ministry flows from the gospel as we are first redeemed to God and then to one another. With the picture of Christ’s multi-ethnic bride in Revelation 5:9-10, the Lord stirs our affections in such a way that we desire to see shadows of that glorious day now.”   Observing young children play any sport... Continue Reading

“What if your congregation never got another member? What if you could no longer afford to wait for somebody to join and finally make of you what you’re convinced you ought to be? How would that change what you do, and how you understand what is required of you, given what you already have?”  ... Continue Reading

“The argument is sometimes made that Christian opposition to homosexuality is grounded solely in the Mosaic (Old Covenant) civil laws and thus, if Christians oppose homosexuality they must also seek to enforce the rest of the Mosaic civil and ceremonial legislation. If, however, there is clear teaching against homosexuality in the NT, that argument fails.”... Continue Reading

Sherif Girgis, Ryan Anderson, and I (and others) have been asking this question—or posing this challenge—to advocates of the re-definition of marriage for some years. No one has been able to answer the question or meet the challenge. So far as I am aware, only Jonathan Rauch has made a serious effort—and completely failed. The... Continue Reading

If an abuser denies their sin, and calls their victim a liar, then he or she is not repentant. If an abuser acknowledges their sin, but blames the victim for tempting them or taking part in their sin, then he or she is not repentant. If an abuser demands forgiveness and full pardon without any... Continue Reading

Pastors and those who desire to be pastors, if your idea of pastoral ministry is limited to the pulpit, then you are no heir of the Reformation regardless of the length or theological weight of your sermons. The Reformers, mirroring Christ and the apostles, were deeply involved in the lives of their people, aware that... Continue Reading

Between 2006 and 2011, three children in devoted homeschooling families died while being disciplined by their parents, professed Christians who reportedly read or followed Michael and Debi Pearl’s controversial parenting book, To Train Up a Child. The parents are now behind bars, and their living children are with family members or in foster homes. No... Continue Reading

Third, Old Calvinists can benefit from  New Calvinist critiques of us, even when we disagree with them.  I would point to Tim Keller’s criticism, in his book Center Church, of the Old School emphasis on faithfulness in ministry.  Keller argues that we must not settle for mere faithfulness, but must see fruitfulness as the measure of our ministry.... Continue Reading