Deacons are part of the government of the Church, or at least are covered in Systematic Theology books under the locus of the Church. Therefore, it stands to reason that to misunderstand the true nature of ecclesiology is also to miss the function of deacons. Since the end of the twentieth and beginning of the... Continue Reading

Third in our series of Alternative Plans to the now-failed BCO 14 Amendments which were published on The Aquila Report. This one came from our Editor, Dominic Aquila, and was entitled: A Sensible Alternative to the PCA BCO 14 Amendments. For Alternative Plan Number One, go to http://bit.ly/hbCePp For Alternative Plan Number Two, go to... Continue Reading

It seems to me that we need to stop justifying the mission of God by unflatteringly caricaturing any and all pre-Grunge churches. We also need to vociferously reject this false pitting of ecclesiocentric against missiocentric perspectives that abounds in the missional movement’s apologetics. Theologians have an irksome propensity for needlessly multiplying technical terms. Words like... Continue Reading

Does “Skins” cross the legal line of criminal child pornography? Just imagine the moral culpability of a network whose executives even have to ask the question. MTV turns 30 this year, and it is wasting no time as it rushes headlong into a mid-life crisis. The cable network, first known as Music Television, pioneered the... Continue Reading

A pastor can expect criticism because we often preach below-average sermons. (After one sermon, a guy asked me, “So where do you work during the week?” My sermon apparently gave him the impression that preaching wasn’t my vocation.) I have often been asked what it was like to pastor at Covenant Life Church for 27... Continue Reading

On a related note, the “worship wars” will become a thing of the past. Our society’s musical taste are too fragmented for there to be a “contemporary” and “traditional” style. Young people are less and less likely to choose a church based on the style of music. The temptation in predicting trends is that we... Continue Reading

…does not discriminate against non-Christians, and operates within the admittedly-restrictive boundaries of pluralistic law. Yet, it is unashamed of stating publicly how its corporate culture and values are shaped by Biblical precepts… I, myself, am grateful for Christians endeavoring to do whatever they do to the glory of God. As Eric Liddell’s colleague in Chariots... Continue Reading

Second in our series of Alternative Plans published on The Aquila Report. This one came from PCA Teaching Elder Martin Hedman and was entitled: A Viable and Voluntary Alternative to Fund the PCA Administrative Committee. For Alternative Plan Number One, go to http://bit.ly/hbCePp First Published September 14, 2010: This past summer, the 38th General Assembly... Continue Reading

“PCA” is not a uniform brand. We don’t even have an official logo, after all these years! MacDonalds is the same the world over. But every PCA church is different. You cannot move to another town, and look up the PCA church there, and know what you are going to get. A while ago I... Continue Reading

Rigorous catechesis was prevalent in the early church and again during the Reformation. These days, many pastors downplay doctrine in a misguided effort to fill pews or avoid conflict. Congregations don’t require a lengthy formation, and often welcome new members after an hour of instruction, if that. My family watches Jeopardy! every night. My husband,... Continue Reading