Except nobody in the masses was offended. Not one. At least not initially. After being told they should be offended, maybe they complied, but if they want to take their cues from elite masters, that’s their problem. It is sad and frankly pathetic to see a network like A&E cave to such craven (and utterly... Continue Reading

POECs are unhappy with the popular reduction of the tradition to the so-called “Five Points of Calvinism.”  Missing here, of course, is the ecclesial/sacramental dimension so central to the Reformation.  In addition, they are uncomfortable with the separation of faith and reason evident in some contemporary Reformed thinkers and groups that are drifting toward fundamentalism. ... Continue Reading

If Jesus was not born of a virgin, who was His father? There is no answer that will leave the Gospel intact. The virgin birth explains how Christ could be both God and man, how He was without sin, and that the entire work of salvation is God’s gracious act. If Jesus was not born... Continue Reading

Look, friends certainly have the right to support friends. But the culture of celebrity pastor is proving to be a danger to the church in one important area: the agenda. Most will tell you that the “agenda” is about the gospel. In reality, it is about advancing the personal agendas/vision-casting of the celebrity pastor. Plainly... Continue Reading

Most of the readers of this blog love “Big God” theology. We love to sing and savor the sovereignty. And rightly so. But let us always remember–and make explicit before our children and our churches–that this big God is our God. More than that, through Christ, he is our heavenly Father. And by the firm... Continue Reading

Ultimately Gallup opinion polls are less important than God’s opinion of us. We certainly don’t want to become man-pleasers either; people can smell that a mile off too. Our first question must always be “Does God trust us?” more than “Do the public trust us?” However, without sacrificing our integrity, we must also have a concern to... Continue Reading

On the issue of certainty, for instance, your friend’s postmodern view of God is actually every bit as inflexible as the allegedly Modern view it rejects. The dogmatism in your friend’s faith is quiet, veiled, but it’s still there. And that’s quite typical of Postmodernism. It preaches our inability to attain philosophical certainty while sneaking... Continue Reading

Now I do enjoy using Facebook for sharing funny moments and even a picture or two. And I have come to be generous with the like button as I compare it to a casual smile. But there is a line that the like button can cross. It can easily be used to feed into our sinful tendency to compare ourselves... Continue Reading

The first, and probably most prevalent myth regarding Calvinism, has to do with free will and choices. The argument goes something like this: If God has predestined people to be saved then people don’t have a free will, and our choices for or against God are not real choices. I get this argument, I really... Continue Reading

Thus far the passions of Francis seem to involve the relationship between the church and economic realties (his suspicions of capitalism reflect his background in South America, with its vast disparity between rich and poor, and the legacy of Liberation Theology) and the relationship between the church and culture, as evidenced by his clear desire... Continue Reading