All of this is interesting in itself, but I would propose that the most important fact here (only alluded to in the RNS article) is this: Compared with North America and Europe, most Christians in the non-Western World (now commonly referred to as the Global South) are much more conservative, both theologically and morally.  ... Continue Reading

With that qualifier, “Why me, Lord?” is impregnated with pride.  It shakes its fist at God.  That fist can be raised high in outright rebellion, such as in Psalm 139:20, or it can be more subdued, like fingers crossed behind the back.  The subdued version conveys a degree of protest often fostered by doubt or... Continue Reading

The most common knock against the M.Div, along with most academic degrees (the M.Div is technically a vocational degree), is that it is not practical. It does not prepare you for “the real world.” And there’s some truth to this.   James Miller is hardly the first to call into question the future viability of... Continue Reading

Our culture doesn’t have a problem with people loving their food above everything else, as long as it doesn’t affect their waistline. But Christians should be concerned with the sin of gluttony in all its expressions because it offends God. It also hampers our fruitfulness: our money is taken up with the high quality and... Continue Reading

When sheep look to other sheep for guidance, the whole flock gets lost. It is even worse if they follow the wolves. None of our local churches are perfect, and so none are the reliable standard for all the others. And who can adequately express the profound insanity of polling the unchurched, as Barna and... Continue Reading

Feminism has also had a poisonous effect on Christian theology. Does the church really “need” the feminism of Virginia Mollenkott, whose Christology contends for “The Androgynous Jesus”? Can we really claim that the world “needs” the feminism of Mary Daly, who argues that we must cast aside any notion of God as Father? Daly also argues that... Continue Reading

I heard the story again last week. A pastor I know announced his resignation. No moral failure. No severe crisis at the church. No major family problems. No sickness. He was simply burned out. That’s how he described it. He said he had gotten to the point that he was having trouble putting one foot... Continue Reading

The first step is to get our expectations clear.  We should not expect that Matthew would say something like, “I, Matthew, am writing Scripture as I write this book.” Gospels are a very different genre than epistles, and we would not expect the authors to provide the same type of direct and explicit statements about... Continue Reading

Hopefully you are experiencing one of the gifts the Lord gives to redeemed marriages.  Your physicality is to be only a picture of your marriage rather than the essence of it.  Christ elects and saves His people into holiness so that, in part, Christian husbands and wives can grow to know Him and love one... Continue Reading

Courts have decided in favor of same-sex couples by claiming that religious objections to changing the definition of marriage is nothing more than animus against gays and lesbians. Those with such animus need to be forced to change and if that means trampling on Constitutionally guaranteed religious liberty, so be it.   In junior high... Continue Reading