The big picture problem is not about Charismatics vs Cessationist or Mainline vs New Networks or Calvinist vs Arminians or those in between – really these divisions are not central to the gospel.  Core doctrinal truths like hell, one way to heaven through Jesus and moral behaviour like sexual purity and the sanctity of life... Continue Reading

The real debate is between those who strongly support the development of genuine Christian vocation but who want to preserve the Church from becoming a mere means to an end and those who see the Church as a way to make this world “a better place for us all.” For that is what cultural transformation theology... Continue Reading

The transformational view simply recognizes that God is having his way in the world. That includes both our successes and our failures in our work in culture. Not only does this fact change our definition of success in the culture-war, but also it tells us that we must remain vigilant in the struggle, for how... Continue Reading

If a New Jersey parent is confronted by the ever increasingly culturally encouraged and predictable adolescent enhanced sexual confusion of their child they may do a number of things but there are some specific things they might have done in the past that they now can no longer do in the present. They will not... Continue Reading

Jewish-Christian thought, however, sees man as made up of two distinct substances that are not in conflict. Nor does the Bible view matter as being inherently evil. For the Christian, redemption is of the body, not from the body. The Christian doctrine of substantial dichotomy is not dualistic. Man is not a dualism but a duality. That is, we have a... Continue Reading

Psalm 37 is a telescoping of a lifespan, to get beneath the daily blur to the essence of the spiritual principles quietly in operation in the respective lives of the righteous and the wicked. The latter seem to be the lucky ones, and it may appear that way for years; the former seem to be the... Continue Reading

We forget that religion devoid of the gospel starves, maims, and pummels those trapped in it so that when they are finally liberated, they walk out wounded. And just like the Allied Forces were shocked when they liberated the concentration camps of WWII Europe, we continue to be shocked when we encounter those who have... Continue Reading

I am consistently asked about the circumstances surrounding weddings.  What makes it permissible or not to conduct a wedding in ”this or that” situation?  I am very aware that there are strong opinions and lively disagreements about whether an evangelical pastor should marry Christians, non-Christians, and everything in between.  The debate does not end there.  Then you have to determine... Continue Reading

Many colleges are starting classes this week, and some conservative students have to make a decision. Say you have liberal professors and are not a career suicide bomber: You don’t want to be a classroom wimp, accepting propagandistic statements without protest, but you also don’t want to flunk. How, then, shall you live? The Intercollegiate Review,... Continue Reading

In many places it seems that “biblical” preaching simply means quoting a passage and then the airplane taxis down the runway, rotates, and lifts off and away we go into the homiletical ether.   One of the dirtiest little secrets about preaching is that many preachers are using what we used to call in radio... Continue Reading