Lifelong Sponges for Christ
If a man of far greater understanding than most can, in humility, learn from God through whatever vessel he chooses to work through at the time, then why shouldn’t we?
Why is this so important? Cultures change, and worldly priorities shift to a degree, but the Word of God stands firm like an immovable stone in the stream of life. It is through unchanging Scripture that ultimate truth and wisdom are to be found in Christ. We can only be sponges, ready to absorb this... Continue Reading
Twelve OPC Ministers And Elders Ask Westminster Board To Lift Waddington’s Suspension
Carl Trueman and eleven other Orthodox Presbyterian Church ministers and elders from five presbyteries ask the WTS board to lift a temporary suspension on an adjunct faculty member.
Obviously, those of us who sent the letter understand that we cannot dictate employment policy to the Seminary, but we are hoping that the Board will honor the commitment not to allow the Seminary to prejudice the trial and, above all, will show some compassion to Jeff and his family, by overturning the Administration’s decision. ... Continue Reading
The Vision Driving the High Cost of Dismissal from the PCUSA
How is it that teaching and ruling elders, who in some cases have known and worked with Crestwood elders for decades, can remain silent and participate in foisting such a crippling financial burden on those they call “brothers and sisters in Christ?”
POJ representatives have a vision of God and humanity that is fundamentally different from the vision embraced by Crestwood’s session. The struggle between these two visions drove Crestwood’s dismissal process, and likewise is driving the ultimate demise of the PCUSA. Sessions contemplating dismissal or already in the dismissal process can benefit by understanding the nature... Continue Reading
What Can My Church Do to Respond to Abortion and Infanticide?
It is the church’s ministry that witnesses to the world the truth of Scripture that each child, born and preborn, is created in God’s own image.
Many years ago a woman challenged me saying that the reason we have so many abortions in this country is that the church did not treat the death of premature children as the loss of a child. Her statement made me look at myself as a pastor. Early in my first pastorate, a couple’s preborn... Continue Reading
The Goldilocks Zone: To Programme or DE-Programme the Church
Different people feel the Goldilocks zone lies in different places.
I just wonder whether finding a Goldilocks zone is a luxury that only larger churches can afford? You may well find a middle ground in which you have some programmes (or, at least, only expect some people to do any one of them) and a free week the rest of the time, but small, struggling... Continue Reading
What Judges Teaches the Church
How can we understand and prevent a decline in the church from one generation to another?
The book of Judges provides a very clear answer to our questions. Its answer does not say everything that might be said in general, but it does say specific, crucial things that we must ponder to understand both Israel’s situation and our vulnerability. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the... Continue Reading
Why Are You Trying To Get Non-Disciples To Do Disciple Things?
It doesn’t make much sense to expect non-disciples to do disciple things.
“If you find yourself frustrated that you don’t have enough of those who serve, evangelize and tithe, the root cause is a lack of disciples. If you see too much divorce, too few discipling their children, too many knuckleheads, too little passion for ministry, the underlying cause is non-discipleship. It doesn’t work—and it doesn’t make... Continue Reading
A Distant Look Back at Missionaries and Attrition, Part I
“The opinion is often expressed that the present-generation missionary does not view his work as a work for life.”
This is the kind of sentiment that sounds as relevant today as it did in 1933—maybe even more so. After making this statement, though, Lennox then goes on to show that the missionaries of his day were actually serving longer, on average, and the proportion of “lifelong” service was increasing compared to their predecessors. The... Continue Reading
Six Challenges New Pastors Did Not See Coming
Not all expectations are unmet. But a number are.
I have been working with local church pastors for over three decades. I love these leaders. I love their hearts. And I hurt with them when they tell me these stories. Six of these stories are so common, I can almost predict them for new pastors. Of course, I hope they don’t take place; but... Continue Reading
Jordan Peterson at Liberty and A Cry For Help
"...These rules work. But they all stop short without the Ruler.”
At roughly the 21-minute mark in the convocation (link here), as Peterson is answering a question, there’s a commotion offstage. A young man rushes up and grabs a microphone, on the verge of tears: “My name is David [full name redacted], and I need help! I need help! I just wanted to meet you. I’m... Continue Reading
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