May 6, 2006 | Ecclesiology
Hartford Institute for Religion Research Here is some recent data on mega churches in America. Will the mega model continue to thrive? It still seems that the moderate sized church finds the broadest ministry impact in America. HT: Chris... read more
Apr 30, 2006 | Ecclesiology, Pastoral Ministry
Between Two Worlds: Powlison, Counseling, and Seminary I agree with Dr. Powlison’s assessment that seminary is necessary for solid biblical counseling. However, I don’t necessarily think it is the primary discussion we should be having among evangelicals. We live in a day when many, if not most, won’t take a man serious in his counseling if he does not have some formal training. The world has created a professional field for such counselors and the church has embraced the mindset. Not that the world would ever come around to accepting theological training as adequate for counseling people with their problems. Only if we bow to their ideology, will they accept our credentials. The question evangelicals should be having, in my estimation, is not whether seminary is necessry for counseling, but whether training through the local church is essential for effective training. I think we need both in order to be thoroughly trained. In seminary I took the one required course in biblical counseling and a second course in marriage and family counseling. I’m thankful for my professor, Dr. Stuart Scott, and for the material we learned and thoroughly discussed. My theology classes were imminently relevant to the subject of counseling. The Masters’ Seminary placed a premium on not merely understanding theology in order to merely converse with the world of professional theology (though they trained us to be able to do so). We learned theology and the ramifications it has on daily living, congregational life and cultural trends. We also had to spend a day observing a pastor at Grace Community Church field calls from around the country and... read more
Apr 29, 2006 | Ecclesiology
T4G Statement of Faith What are your... read more
Apr 28, 2006 | Blogging, Culture
Blogs and the Survival of Civilization Reconsidered So, this rejoinder suggests that if I am disinhibited, Blogger and WordPress are not to blame. Disinhibition is a cultural trend that blogging simply allows the already disinhibited to vent. This article made me feel so much better. I’m not as disinhibited as Snoop Dogg or Al Frankin. With that, I believe I will continue blogging. Here’s more about blogging from Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post. A purely objective journalist criticizing the inhibitions of... read more
Apr 27, 2006 | Culture, Humor
Calif. Woman Spanked at Work Sues for $1.2M – Yahoo! News I went to public school in the days when teachers could whip the snot out of you for poor behavior. And let me tell you. After elementary school, I had little snot left in me. I’m all for going back to “swats,” as we called them, at school. But at work? Here’s the money quote from this article about a woman being spanked in front of her co-workers in a ploy to build sales: “No reasonable middle-aged woman would want to be put up there before a group of young men, turned around to show her buttocks, get spanked and called abusive names, and told it was to increase sales and motivate employees,” her lawyer, Nicholas “Butch” Wagner, said in his closing argument. The company says the spankings were voluntary and this woman just wants money. Probably. But getting spanked at work? I do wonder how the company’s sales figures have turned... read more
Apr 27, 2006 | Blogging, Culture
Blogs and the Survival of Civilization Dr. Mohler discusses the fact that the modern blog craze has produced a group of people who have no inhibitions about how they speak about other people and issues. The blogosphere is the new wild, wild west. I knew that was why I was attracted to... read more
Apr 26, 2006 | Blogging, Ecclesiology
The T4G conference begins today. It was the intention of our pastoral staff to be at this conference, but circumstances did not allow us to attend. So, I will be checking out the multitude of individuals blogging on the conference: Tim Challies, official T4G blogger. Jason Robertson – who is there and should be blogging, it would be sin for him not to Pastor Steve Weaver Marc Heinrich Paul Lamey Paleoevangelical Nick Reddin & Chris Hinton . . . Just to name a few. Give us good posts guys. We will be... read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Culture
Bush picks Fox’s Snow as press secretary – Yahoo! News This will sure be interesting – a former speech writer turned ultra conservative talk show host, now the most visible face of the U.S. Presidency outside the President... read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Ecclesiology, General Theology
Faith & Practice: Cooperation with Conservative Charismatics? Nathan Busenitz provides a good review of how a cessationist like John MacArthur can comfortably join up with a charismatic like C. J. Mahaney. This is helpful... read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Culture, Evangelism
Rednecks, Turnbuckles, and the Lord Jesus Christ | Resurgence Christians egaging the culture – o.k. Christians linking Christ to professional wrestling? Hmmm. Where will this lead? I really don’t have any problems with professional wrestling. What kid didn’t watch it growing up? Who hasn’t ateempted to send your best friend to purgatory through a pile driver? I also don’t have a problem with using various popular means of making the gospel known, as long as it is in fact the gospel that is up front and not the means. I’m simply afraid in our attempts to be relevant to the culture with our preaching the gospel, we’ve emphasized the culture to the minimizing of the gospel. Mark Driscoll’s suggestion, “We may end up with a whole new denomination of preachers in spandex pants with mullets doing a lot of Old Testament exegesis followed by heavy metal worship and Wonder bread for communion. But as long as they love Jesus, it’s all good,” seems to pin the gospel underneath medium. I suppose this kind of missional thinking would use Acts 17 as a model? Is this what the apostles did – they took whatever was popular and created a Christian version, tacking a few words about Jesus, sin, heaven and hell on the end? If that is missional, I think I’ll stick to biblical. Christians engaging their culture with Christ is one thing. This looks more like clothing a mimimalist version of Christ with the... read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Bookreviews
Discerning Reader: Discerning reviews of Christian books and of books that are of interest to Christians Tim Challies, one of the most prolific and most respected bloggers in the Christian blogosphere has launched a new web-site devoted to providing reviews of books of interest to Christians. Here is a wealth of helpful information about Christian books both new and old. I look forward to how this new site develops and... read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Culture
TV seance: John Lennon asks for peace – Yahoo! News read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Culture, Politics
CNN.com – Sources: Tony Snow likely to take White House post – Apr 24, 2006 read more
Apr 25, 2006 | Culture, Ecclesiology
Ohio Churches’ Political Activities Challenged I’m not one for pushing political activism in and through the church. I certainly believe we need to bring the Word of God to bear on the issues of our day, and I do have certain personal political convictions, but my church is not the forum for supporting specific political candidates and publicly advocating legislative initiatives. Though it is my right and responsibility as a U.S. citizen to be involved in the political process, I have yet to read where Christ indicates such political involvement should be my emphasis through His church. Even with my reservations toward political activism, I do find it facinating to hear the frequent jabs conservative Christians take from the left when they do happen to mention politics from their pulpits. The cry rings out on the nightly news and from the ever talking cable cronies that such churches should have their IRS tax exempt status revoked. So says 56 left leaning Ohio clergy regarding two conservative Christian churches – as well as The Washington Post. O.K. – remove their tax exempt status. But let’s also do it with churches such as The Riverside Church in New York City who bosts of left-wing politicians given politicaly partisan speeches from their elaborate pulpit on a regular basis – a church that seems to exist purely for political purposes. Or how about when Barak Obama was introduced at the Democratic National Convention by his pastor via satelite from the sanctuary of his church with choir members standing behind him, while also publicly endorsing John Kerry for President. I don’t remember any outcries... read more
Apr 24, 2006 | Culture, General Theology, Humor
Lamb sacrifice in vain – Yahoo! News Football players praying and pointing skyward in the end zone after a touch down has been sometimes cute but more often annoying. Giving God glory for a touch down – well – that’s another post. Amazingly, some soccer fans have gone way beyond end-zone prayers. The link above tells of a Bulgarian butcher sacrificing a lamb and putting its blood on the posts of the goal in hopes that his lame team could win a game. Oh – and it was on the eve of the Orthodox Good Friday. Please! If end-zone prayers are what we need to have to avoid blood sacrifices, keep them... read more
Apr 24, 2006 | Church History, Ecclesiology
Historia ecclesiastica: HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS ON BAPTIST ORDINATION Michael Haykin reflects on ordination from a historically Baptist... read more
Apr 23, 2006 | Culture, Psychology
Top News Article | Reuters.com In our culture’s quest to wrest human responsibilty from any objective moral standards, out comes another scientific study that says scientists know where the brain determines what we choose. Now that they have found it, the poor victims of compulsive gambling and eating disorders will no doubt soon have medications that will cause them to choose right instead of wrong. Oh no! wait. Who now will choose what is right and wrong? The moral delima is not quite over. Who will choose which behavior is excessive and which behavior is merely expressive? If new drugs can be deveoped that cause people to make better choices, will scientists be able to instill something in the medication that provides the foundation for right and wrong? Silly? Yes, I think so too. It is silly to think that finding the part of the brain that grappels with choices will now lead to a revolution in behavior. Yet, the quest for a victimized humanity continues. What will be... read more
Apr 21, 2006 | Ecclesiology, Pastoral Ministry
Challies Dot Com: Training For The Ministry Tim Challies writes on training for ministry. I agree with his assessment for the need for formal ministry training. He notes that we live in a day that tends to eschew formal theological training. I would say that we have lived in such a day for many moons in this country. Among Baptists of most flavors, formal training, from my own experience, has been strongly recommended, but certainly not required. The early ministry of Baptists in pioneer areas in the western U.S. did not necessarily require theological degrees of its preachers. It did require being sent by a local church who recognized the man’s call and giftedness, but not necessarily a degree. I would assume this was true of some other evangelical groups that were evangelizing the unconqurered... read more
