Lessons Learned from a Wolf Attack
When wolves in sheep’s clothing are recognized for what they are, they will not run. They will attack.
Wolves are inevitable as the gospel advances. Jesus had Judas, the believers in Ephesus had their own fierce wolves emerge after Paul was gone (Acts 20:29). Wise believers will seek to prepare for this common danger to the church—and act when the wolves are exposed. Some of the most painful lessons of ministry are... Continue Reading
The Real Function of Third Way Rhetoric
The person using third way rhetoric positions himself morally above the positions to his left and his right.
So much of the teachings of the urban church flatter the sensibilities of the people in the pews rather than fundamentally challenging them about the way they are living their lives…The pedimental nature of third way rhetoric is very effective, and it’s easy to see why it appeals to the striver class people who populate... Continue Reading
The Bible Says It, I Believe It
The Bible is going to offend; we let it loose, and stand firm.
No matter the teaching, no matter the offense—if the Bible says it, we ought to believe it. Period. We should never apologize for what the Bible says. Society is saturated with apologizers. Every which way we turn, someone is apologizing for something because it offended someone. It’s a vicious cycle. And Christians are, in... Continue Reading
Take Your Guilt and Sins to God
The book of Lamentations is a testimony to the sovereign faithfulness of God.
If we are honest, we know that sometimes our greatest pain comes from dealing with the consequences of unfaithfulness and sin—whether our own or that of someone close to us. And when we find ourselves there—and we will—Lamentations is our handbook. As we wrap up our four-week series, Redeeming Trauma, we need to pay... Continue Reading
Don’t Confuse Secondary or Tertiary with Unimportant
There are lots of tertiary things that will have a significant impact on your church.
We should think through tertiary and secondary matters and think carefully about what the scriptures say and how our approach to them will impact our churches. We may not write people out of the corpus if they land differently to us, but where we land may have implications that matter far more than we tend... Continue Reading
Precision Pastoring: Nourishing the Caregiver’s Soul
Jesus told Peter, "Feed My sheep."
With their deep understanding of the brutal realities of my life and the potential dangers that lurk, my pastors do not “motivate” me; they shepherd me. Modeling “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4). They preach the whole counsel of... Continue Reading
“Is It Bad?” Is the Wrong Question
We want to actively pursue good!
The next time you have a choice to make…ask the question, “Is this good?” We want to pursue those things that build up, as well as avoiding the bad; to walk in righteous paths rather than just avoiding the sinful ones. Me: “Hey Stacy, do you remember that kids movie?” Stacy: “Sort of.” Me:... Continue Reading
Different from and Different For
Egalitarians and the State of Christianity Today
Egalitarianism treats men and women not just as equals but as persons who are equally fitfor various roles. This is a radical departure from the wisdom of our God, who made men and women different from each other and different for each other. And to speak or act in any way that ignores, diminishes, or denies God’s good design... Continue Reading
Against Brokenness Theology
Replacing sin with victimhood.
Brokenness theology is not only unbiblical and spiritually damaging. It is also the gateway drug to a whole host of other heresies and errors. By teaching people that they are primarily helpless victims of forces outside their control, rather than willful sinners in need of salvation, it opens the door toward seeing every difficulty or... Continue Reading
Postmillennialism: A Reply to Doug Wilson
Postmillennialism lacks a biblical text to establish its assumption that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14) before the second coming.
The eschatological kingship of Christ begins already at his first coming culminating in his resurrection and ascension. Already at and dating from Christ’s exaltation, “God has placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (Eph. 1:22; cf. v. 20). This is a key eschatological pronouncement….... Continue Reading