Some thoughts on pulpit methodology
Christ is the theme of every part of Scripture. If my sermons do not exalt and speak of him, then no methodology will remedy that most glaring omission of all. There is a philosophy current among evangelical preachers that one is not really preaching unless one is expounding and explaining a book of the Bible... Continue Reading
Money, Deficits, and the Devil – Lessons on economics from Faust
Perhaps the biggest lesson from Goethe’s Faust is that self-deception is intrinsic to all foolish acts Sometimes the best economists aren’t economists. One of the most famous plays in Western history was penned by the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). His two-part drama, Faust, is considered one of the greatest works of German... Continue Reading
Learn to be Married
So there’s this young pastor/church-planter guy. And he is in the midst of a challenging culture, trying to disciple his flock to glorify Jesus. His mentor gives him some advice as to what godliness should look like among his church members. It’s not hinged on behavior, but on what sound doctrine should produce in the... Continue Reading
Pray for a Boring PCA General Assembly
Surely it was no coincidence that in my devotions this morning, I read this line from one of John Newton’s letters to John Ryland, Jr. written near the end of Newton’s life: ”I have nothing to do with church controversies. … I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified.” While I like that,... Continue Reading
The Gospel and Racial Harmony – What I Learned at the World Cup
Not every tribe, but people FROM every tribe. He will lay claim to those people he has bought. God intends to have this multicolored people. Notes provided by Adrian Warnock, a staff member of Jubilee Church. Jubilee is a large multi-racial church in London and is a port to New Frontiers ministries. http://jubilee-church.org/who.htm This past... Continue Reading
Virginia’s Constitution: The First in the Colonies, the First in the World, Approved June 29, 1776
“…all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other…” In two short months from May 6, 1776 to June 29, 1776, a group of elected representatives chosen from... Continue Reading
The Secular Case Against Marriage, Courtesy of Newsweek
“If I had to be married to have sex, I would probably be married, as would every guy I know.” “Once upon a time, marriage made sense.” So write Jessica Bennett and Jesse Ellison in the June 11, 2010 edition of Newsweek magazine. The two women who wrote the article are both young adults who... Continue Reading
So, All Of A Sudden Bruce Waltke is a Fundamentalist?
As our readers are well aware, Professor Bruce Waltke’s departure from Reformed Theological Seminary back in April was big news on these pages http://bit.ly/9MWqny. He left RTS because he no longer fit into the confessional standards of the school. Now, however, he has become both the whipping boy and role model of fundamentalism in the... Continue Reading
On Controversy
Editor’s note: A minister, about to write an article criticizing a fellow minister for his lack of orthodoxy, wrote to John Newton of his intention. Newton replied as follows: Dear Sir, As you are likely to be engaged in controversy, and your love of truth is joined with a natural warmth of temper, my friendship... Continue Reading
Increase the Earning Power of Your Children
Want your children to go further in their education—high school, college, maybe more? Want them to earn more as adults? Here’s one key predictor of educational attainment and earning power. Is it IQ? Is it economic status? No, it’s the number of books in the home. That’s the finding of a 20-year study conducted in... Continue Reading