America’s views on family, love, sexuality generally, tolerance, God, and so much more seems to be pushing in directions that put Bible-believing Christians on the defensive. It’s easy to feel like we’ve become the new “moral outlaws,” to use Al Mohler’s phrase. Standing up for historic Christian principles will increasingly get you in trouble socially... Continue Reading

Something is happening to men. By traditional societal measures of success, they are slipping. They are underrepresented in higher education. They have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn. They are less likely to be married than in the past and more likely to be confused about their role in marriage and family. The End... Continue Reading

A sermon is a divinely authorized announcement of God’s truth. It is a proclamation of the great history of redemption as much as it is the transmission of data. … If a term paper fails to meet its goals it might result in a poor grade or a re-write. If a sermon fails to do... Continue Reading

If our pastor’s preaching is harsh, demanding, and condemning, etc., then we’ll view God as an unyielding judge who’s never satisfied with our best efforts. If our pastor’s preaching is jokey, humorous, and laugh-a-minute, then we’ll view God as a circus clown who’s just out to make us His buddies. Think back to the pastor... Continue Reading

Such were some of you . . . The church is not a place where sinners are welcomed to remain in their sin. To the contrary, it is the Body of Christ, made up of sinners transformed by grace. Not one of us deserves to be accepted within the beloved. It is all of grace,... Continue Reading

Parents, I don’t think you have to take a trip as we have planned to do with each of our children. If you are able to afford it and do it, great. Regardless, I urge you to be very intentional about not waiting on these kinds of conversations that should be taking place much earlier... Continue Reading

As far as the cell phone is concerned, I wonder if we are stunting our child’s prayer life when we are their constant lifeline? Instead of remembering to pray without ceasing, our children can just pick up the phone—“Let me ask mom…” Even in our relationship with God, we don’t have this kind of growth-stunting... Continue Reading

The second question is When to disaffiliate? Most Christians are so horrified and feel so betrayed by BSA that they want to act immediately. However, I think there are some good reasons to wait at least a few months, during which the new policy will have yet to take effect:   The recent decision by... Continue Reading

For some reason, the Christian commitment to the Bible as the word of God is a confusing concept for non-Christians. They see it as a strange, antiquated, quasi-idolatrous devotion that is out of sync with the modern world. After all, people today are no longer dogmatically devoted to absolute authorities. Are they? In a recent... Continue Reading

The Reformers never accused the medieval church of embracing outright Pelagianism, but of that subtler form of works-righteousness that invokes grace as no more than assistance for our attainment of God’s favor.  Maybe Protestants don’t get that because this is essentially the same tendency at work in many mainline and evangelical churches.   In his... Continue Reading