22
Mar
2013
Distorting Another Good Verse: Proverbs 29:18
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In the early years of my Christian experience, I heard some messages on Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (KJV; NASB also uses “vision”). The gist of these sermons was that effective Christian leaders have visions, the ability to set goals for... Read More
20
Mar
2013
The Eclipse of Creation and New Creation in Biblical Theology
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One of the tensions of pan-denominational evangelicalism that fixates entirely on Gospel essentials is the eclipse of the bookends of biblical theology: creation and new creation. Details about the doctrines of creation and eschatology are interesting, we are told, but they should not be pressed, and certainly should never be made standards of ecclesiastical cooperation.... Read More
18
Mar
2013
Some Advice from Paul for Young Seminarians: A Letter
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Dear [seminarian], I thought I’d write to pass along a bit of advice about your studies from St. Paul. I suspect now may be as good of a time as any, since you’ll likely receive this right after your midterms. (If not, feel free to put my note on hold until you’ve weathered that storm.)... Read More
16
Mar
2013
Equip and Encourage
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For the first DBTS student body chapel of the Spring 2013 semester, a panel discussed the topic of missionary deputation. Specifically, they answered questions regarding the issues missionaries, churches, and church leaders ought to address regarding the process. For similar video resources, visit the DBTS Vimeo page. Panelists included: Peter – DBTS student body president and... Read More
14
Mar
2013
Cultivating Fear by the Cross
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Often reason and experience are pitted against each other in discussions of Christianity. Some Christians accuse others of merely intellectual Christianity, while others retort back about an overly emotional worship. Recently, I finished a classic work that, while arguing for the necessity of both, emphasizes the non-rational or experiential aspect of religion. In The Idea... Read More
12
Mar
2013
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
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Although St. Patrick’s Day appears on our calendars each year, most modern celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day have little to do with the person behind the holiday. This coming weekend many people will wear a little extra green, some will celebrate their Irish heritage, and more than a few will drink a pint or two... Read More
11
Mar
2013
What Is Marriage? Part 2
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Two days ago I posted a review of What Is Marriage? by Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, and Robert P. George. One of the authors, Ryan Anderson, has now written a 12-page summary of the arguments for the traditional view of marriage titled: Marriage: What It Is, Why It Matters, and the Consequences of Redefining It. HT:... Read More
9
Mar
2013
What Is Marriage?
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What Is Marriage? by Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, and Robert P. George is an important book. It is based on a 40-page article penned by the three authors published in 2010 in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. The present volume is a 110-page expansion of the same argument. What Is Marriage? argues... Read More
6
Mar
2013
The Rites of the Gathered Church as Ordinary Means of Grace
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In Reformed life, one commonly hears reference made to the “ordinary means of grace,” a category that typically includes the reading of Scripture, prayer, the “ordered” ministry of the Word, and other rites/functions of the gathered church. In my previous post, a review of Kevin DeYoung’s book The Hole in Our Holiness, I made a... Read More
4
Mar
2013
The Oversight of Ourselves
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One of my favorite books on pastoral ministry is the hard-hitting classic, The Reformed Pastor, by Richard Baxter. Baxter lived and ministered in the 1600s in the town of Kidderminster in Worcestershire, England. Baxter, a Puritan, was called by J. I. Packer, “The most outstanding pastor, evangelist, and writer on practical and devotional themes that Puritanism produced” (back... Read More