Hats off to Jamie Dean for an outstanding cover story in World magazine about child sexual abuse within Christian communities (families, churches, ministries) and the enormous cost of not reporting incidents to the appropriate secular authorities. As Dean writes, "Adults may not intend to fail victims of sexual abuse, but experts say churches make a common mistake of trying to handle abuse allegations on their own." … [Read more...] about Child Sexual Abuse within Christian Communities
Archives for October 2013
Doug Phillips (Vision Forum Ministries) Resigns
The news is breaking that Douglas Phillips of Vision Forum Ministries has resigned. This post should not be interpreted as a desire to heap scorn upon Mr. Phillips, his family, or the things he has courageously stood for over the years. On the contrary, while the circumstances which precipitated his resignation are sad, his resignation letter is in many ways a model of public repentance. It has become common in our day for those in positions of authority to "transition" from their duties in obscure ways, without any public acknowledgment of missteps, poor judgment, or wrongdoing. But Mr. … [Read more...] about Doug Phillips (Vision Forum Ministries) Resigns
Luther and the Reformation: Free R.C. Sproul Downloads
“On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther tacked up 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg. With this act, he hoped to provoke a discussion among the scholars about the abuses of the indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church. He was not trying to create a public furor by any means, but within a fortnight, these theses had spread through the country like wildfire. The last thing Luther had in mind was to start some kind of major controversy, but nevertheless major controversy did begin.” —R.C. Sproul In honor of Reformation Day, Ligonier Ministries is offering the downloadable edition of R.C. … [Read more...] about Luther and the Reformation: Free R.C. Sproul Downloads
Mark Driscoll – A Call to Resurgence: Reviewed
Andrew Wilson, pastor in Eastbourne, UK and author of If God, Then What?, writes an even-handed review of Mark Driscoll's latest missive, A Call to Resurgence: Will Christianity Have a Funeral or a Future?. An excerpt: At the center of the book, however, is an unresolved tension that threatens to scuttle the whole volume. On the one hand, Driscoll insists that, in order to pursue “resurgence,” the various tribes in contemporary evangelicalism need to unite around the gospel, choose our battles wisely, and allow all sorts of disagreement over non-essential matters (116). The tribes that he, … [Read more...] about Mark Driscoll – A Call to Resurgence: Reviewed
Parents, Require Obedience of Your Children
An exceptionally important article by John Piper on the necessity of parents requiring the first-time obedience of their children. He offers nine observations to "help rescue some parents from the folly of laissez-faire parenting." 1. Requiring obedience of children is implicit in the biblical requirement that children obey their parents. 2. Obedience is a new-covenant, gospel category. 3. Requiring obedience of children is possible. … [Read more...] about Parents, Require Obedience of Your Children
One in Seven 16-24 Year Olds is Idle
High youth unemployment combined with the high cost of college is leaving many 16-24 year olds in a lurch. Katrina Trinko in USA Today writes that, "according to the study released Monday by Opportunity Nation, a bipartisan organization that focuses on economic mobility, one in seven young adults ages 16-24 are not in school and not working." Read the whole thing. … [Read more...] about One in Seven 16-24 Year Olds is Idle