Are We Expecting Too Much or Too Little From the Church?
“What are you looking for in a church?” “What were you unhappy about in this church?”
The church’s role is really quite simple: to make and train disciples. If we do this then we will create a culture where friendships grow out of the gospel rather than in spite of it. Other programs will see their rightful place in the life of the Christian. As Christians we should all work together... Continue Reading
Christian First, Presbyterian Second
"I'm first and foremost a follower of Christ, a Presbyterian second, and an evangelical a very, very distant third."
I’ve been having conversations with GenX PCA pastors all over the denomination who are walking away from involvement in YRR (Young, Restless and Reformed) events and conferences because they want to invest the next season of life in building a better PCA-style Presbyterianism. They don’t care about the PCA being an “evangelical leader.” Boomers seem... Continue Reading
Perseverance of the Saints Anathematized
The stark difference between Rome’s anathema of perseverance and the Reformed affirmation of it.
To summarize, Rome has anathematized (accursed) any the Christian who believes that he or she will undoubtedly persevere in the Christian faith by God’s grace. Reformed theology teaches that Christians will persevere in the faith – and can be assured of that perseverance by God’s Word and Spirit. This is one of many reasons why... Continue Reading
Are Reformed Churches Against the Creation of ALL Images?
Refining the understanding of churches and the place of images
In its historical and religious context, it is clear that the 2nd Commandment language concerning the “heaven above . . . earth beneath . . . water under the earth” had specific reference to the Egyptian gods of those domains that the Israelites had long worshiped, and were still worshiping (Ezekiel 20:8-10). Thus the 2nd... Continue Reading
Pressler Says SBC Controversy Started in Houston Church
“Conservative resurgence” co-founders Paul Pressler and Paige Patterson passed on stories about the early days of the struggle to students at Midwestern Seminary.
“All of us were crying,” Pressler said. “Then Charles comes in the room and he sits down. And he sits there about five minutes and he said: ‘Men, I’ve got to tell you something. God knocked me flat on the floor in my room this morning before I came over here and told me I... Continue Reading
Misplaced Humility and the Resurrection of the Dead
On Easter Sunday we celebrate a key event in the history of redemption, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
This Easter Sunday let us repent and put humility and bold confidence back where they belong, showing sincere humility (and suspicion) in regard to the subjective feelings, intuitions, leadings and instincts of our own hearts, and unwavering confidence in the objective truth of God’s law and promises. Easter, like every Lord’s Day, is not a... Continue Reading
Highland Park Presbyterian Church Sues For Control of its $30 Million Property
The parties had been engaged in mediation, but talks broke down before a settlement was reached
“The property is worth $30 million, and HPPC has left the national Presbyterian denomination for a smaller, more conservative sect. The Presbyterian Church (USA) believes it should retain ownership of HPPC’s church property, but that isn’t sitting well with Highland Park Presbyterian, which has 4,000 active members and is one of the largest Presbyterian churches... Continue Reading
Tragic Worship
The problem with much Christian worship in the contemporary world is not that it is too entertaining but that it is not entertaining enough
Of all places, the Church should surely be the most realistic. The Church knows how far humanity has fallen, understands the cost of that fall in both the incarnate death of Christ and the inevitable death of every single believer. In the psalms of lament, the Church has a poetic language for giving expression to... Continue Reading
Biblical Worship Is Trans-Generational
When it comes to the worship of God, what matters is not what any one particular person or generation desires
Healthy churches should be comprised of people in every generation. When church leaders seek to do whatever is necessary to pull in more of the younger crowd (such as Millennials), they run the risk of pushing out people in other generations before them, and therefore create an unbalanced church ministry. The Millennial generation is not... Continue Reading
On the Cultivation of Christian Tradition
We affirm the importance of traditions that we have inherited from the saints of the entire church age
“One of the enduring characteristics of the Reformation, particularly among those of those Protestants not identified with the magisterial Reformation, is a deep distrust of tradition. In an oft-noted irony, this has lead to many churches having an unexamined and hardened tradition of anti-traditionalism. Such a mindset runs counter to the teaching of the New... Continue Reading
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