Advice for Troubled Young Men (in the Free Church of Scotland)
To enter into a guerilla movement seeking to reverse a decision you dislike is dishonourable, dishonest and contrary to the principles of unity Over the last few weeks, a number of young guys – bear in mind, I’m a young guy myself – in the Free Church have spoken with me about how troubled they... Continue Reading
What we tell our kids about Santa
‘Tis the season . . . for parents to decide if they will tell the truth about Santa. When it comes to cultural issues like Santa, Christians have three options: (1) we can reject it, (2) we can receive it, or (3) we can redeem it. Since Santa is so pervasive in our culture, it... Continue Reading
When a Rebuke Became a Reward
Imagine what Zechariah and Elizabeth talked about after their friends left the naming ceremony where Zechariah had miraculously regained his speech. What might he have learned in those silent months? “So… are you going to tell me?” Elizabeth was ready to burst. She had waited nearly a year to hear what had happened in the... Continue Reading
Tree Cutting and the Search for the Perfect Tree
Boniface then found a tiny fir tree growing in the Oak’s roots. This, he said, was a better tree. It was like the tree of life. Not only could winter not kill it, but it stood for eternal life offered to them by Christ. Last year this time, we took a trip not far from... Continue Reading
The ACLU’s Not-So-Holy Trinity: Roger Baldwin, Corliss Lamont, and Harry Ward
Harry Ward…was a Methodist minister and a professor at Union Theological Seminary… More than supporting the ACLU, Ward was chairman. Imagine: a Christian was a founder of the ACLU. That’s Harry Ward. When it came to sheer manipulation by communists, Ward was arguably the single greatest dupe in the entire history of the American Religious... Continue Reading
A Reminiscence and Reflection on the current student riots in the UK’: A Response to Larry Ball’s Response
I am extremely grateful to Pastor Larry Ball for his reminder of the importance of scripture as the only basis for all of our faith, life, and practice. Larry Ball’s Response: http://bit.ly/gRKxbs Andy Webb’s original article: http://bit.ly/gobiG5 While I am not a theonomist myself, I would also agree that the Moral Law of God has... Continue Reading
Translating ANTHRŌPOIS in 2nd Timothy 2:2
…let me offer a word about how this text has been rendered in the NIV and its revisions since 1984. Only one word has been changed in this verse from the 1984 NIV to the 2010 revision. “Men” has changed to “people.” An essay recently appeared on the “Perspectives in Translation” website. It concerns how... Continue Reading
Some Thoughts on Truth and the Polish Movie Katyn
“You choose the dead over the living. That’s morbid.” Agnieska replies, “No, I choose the murdered over the murderers.” The following are a few thoughts I had after watching the heart-wrenching Polish movie “Katyn” (http://tinyurl.com/23dkbbv )*. Most people have forgotten that a few days after Poland was invaded by the Germans from the West in... Continue Reading
Honoring Bill of Rights Day — and Responsibility
December 15 is Bill of Rights Day. This year is the 219th anniversary of the adoption of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution—the Bill of Rights. Few Americans notice Bill of Rights Day. That isn’t surprising, since we have done such a poor job of upholding and abiding by its provisions. (From... Continue Reading
The Sins of the Father
The reality of the biblical warning is clear enough. We are warned that the consequences of our sins are not limited to ourselves, or even to our own generation. Bernard Madoff did not ruin only his own name, but the name carried by his children and grandchildren. The suicide of Mark Madoff, the 46-year-old elder... Continue Reading