Vanguard Presbytery’s First Convocation
Vanguard Presbytery held its first Convocation on July 30, 2020 in Nashville, TN
There were 94 people present for the Convocation with over 350 others watching the live stream. The actual numbers of how many people watched cannot be determined. One minister who was present placed the link to the Convocation on his church website. Within a day or so, 1400 people had gone to the link to... Continue Reading
Preaching the TONE of the Text
The preacher must be careful not to abandon the truth in the journey from text to sermon.
Every text has a central truth. And every text has a natural tone. To discover the truth of the text is to discover the tone of the text. Some passages teach doctrine. Others offer comfort. There are passages that state commands. Still others give issue warnings. Some passages encourage the weary soldier to fight on,... Continue Reading
Salt and Light for the World
A cynic might say, “I’ve never seen people more able at coming up with reasons why not to engage the world as the Christians I know.”
Jesus told His followers to be salt and light in the world that men might see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven. John defined the concept of love as having been loved by another first, and therefore we should love in the same way. James denounced those who gave preference to those... Continue Reading
Why Reformed Christians Are Vulnerable To Social Justice
At this rate, social justice is probably going to be one of the major legacies and pitfalls of the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement.
Social justice has become so widely accepted in mainstream Reformed circles it might be considered their sixth point of Calvinism. Some influential leaders and organizations look like they identify with social justice just as much as they identify with the five points of Calvinism and the five solas. Many young Christians didn’t learn how... Continue Reading
One in Three Practicing Christians Has Stopped Attending Church During COVID-19
Barna researchers identified a few types of churchgoers in this unique era of digital Church.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each of these groups of Christians, including generational and emotional trends among each. This data was collected in late April through early May 2020, so percentages mentioned below may have again shifted in recent weeks as the pandemic has progressed. However, the responses shown here—reflecting engagement... Continue Reading
More Pastors Agree With Andy Stanley: No Worship Services Until 2021
Now 5 percent of church leaders say they don’t expect to reopen for the rest of the year.
In the video announcement sent out to his congregation, Stanley explained that even if North Point resumed services, only a small portion of the church could or would attend, and the church could not guarantee safety from the virus. Holding Sunday gatherings would also put leaders in the logistically difficult position of contact-tracing should an... Continue Reading
U.S. Megachurch Of 12,000 Members Shifts Toward House Churches; Facilities Closed in 2020
Pastor J.D. Greear, of Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, told his 12,000 congregants that church facilities will not reopen in 2020 and plans include launching a couple thousand house churches.
“Instead of The Summit Church being 12,000 people meeting in 12 different locations on the weekend, now we are going to be about 15,000 people meeting in about 2,400 locations,” said Greear during the Summit Church’s live stream on Tuesday (7/21). DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA (ANS) – Pastor J.D. Greear, of Summit Church in Durham,... Continue Reading
Defending the Freedom of the Church
The metes and bounds of church autonomy will continue to be worked out in other contexts, and it may end up quite narrow in its application.
Almost forty years ago in the Columbia Law Review, First Amendment scholar Douglas Laycock argued that the First Amendment protected a right of church autonomy that was distinct from the standard conscientious objector claims of religious free exercise. In the years since, scholars such as Notre Dame’s Richard Garnett have argued for a principle of freedom... Continue Reading
When Did the Church Begin?
"It depends on what you mean by 'the church.'"
If we understand the church as merely a new covenant phenomenon, the church did not start until Pentecost or perhaps the Last Supper. If, however, we understand that the church is part of God’s eternal plan for His creation, we will see that it actually began long before the new covenant was inaugurated, although under... Continue Reading
Progressive Christian Author Matthew Paul Turner Comes Out as Gay, Announces Divorce
Turner revealed that despite his current feelings of "sadness and grief," he is ready to "embrace freedom, hope, and God as a gay man."
“My husband, my best friend has bravely shared his deepest truth this past year. He is gay. While this doesn’t change how much we love him, it does change our relationship. We are moving forward with ending our marriage, while remaining deeply committed to our family and each other.” Christian children’s book author Matthew... Continue Reading
