And for pastors, church leaders, and others so concerned with the survival of the church amidst the glut of “adapt or die!” hype, is asking Millennials what they want church to be and adjusting accordingly really your best bet? Are we really to believe that today’s #hashtagging, YOLO-oriented, selfie-obsessed generation of Millennials has more wisdom... Continue Reading

It was a jarring juxtaposition, to hear our food scene feted while the plight of the city’s hungry and under-resourced is worsening. If Richmond wants to foster a “community for the common good”—a phrase used by the Public Square presenters—all of the region’s citizens must benefit. Fostering gourmet farm-to-table experiences for those with disposable income... Continue Reading

So where do we draw the line? Although most the extremes in this survey weren’t shared by the majority of respondents, it illustrates how figuring out what might cause men to “stumble” is nearly impossible. This is not to say modesty should be chucked out the window and we all wear (or don’t wear) whatever... Continue Reading

Evangelical elites, when speaking politically for ecclesial bodies, should stick with issues to which Scripture and Christian tradition speak most directly. As representatives of mostly democratic polities, they should also strive to represent a consensus view within their churches. Otherwise they will create resentment among their members and are likely not to be taken seriously... Continue Reading

Actually, it may not be that Millennials are leaving the church at any greater rate than the generations that have come before them abandoned the faith, even as they sat in the pews.  Assuming that church attendance equates to the faith that’s been authentically believed by the church since the Book of Acts probably isn’t... Continue Reading

In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles! Then, of course, as Christ’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we will begin... Continue Reading

When Christians sing about the wrath of God, we are singing about ourselves. Our consciences point us to the truth that, left to ourselves, we are undone. We’re not smarter or more moral than anyone else. And God would be just to turn us over to the path we would want to go—a path that... Continue Reading

If you run a business, using a business model is great and so is having a vision statement. A company that knows what they want to produce and how, is much better off than one that just sort of exists. However, the church is not a business. It is more of an organism. We are... Continue Reading

The problem with Briggs – and much of the inerrantist backlash against critics like him – is that he insisted on interpreting Scripture through a very narrow lens: the lens of the late nineteenth century scientific mindset. Thus, he wrote, “we are obliged to admit that there are scientific errors in the Bible, errors of... Continue Reading

This text admonishes preachers and theologians to deep personal piety. There is an undoubted connection between the person (in this case Paul) who has a message, and the message itself (the whole counsel of God). To paraphrase Paul’s teaching, the whole counsel of God must be proclaimed by men who are clothed in humility, bathed... Continue Reading