April 27, 2009
King Alfred of Wessex, A Great Leader
Gene Veith writes a short, interesting piece for Tabletalk magazine on the Christian leadership exhibited by King Alfred of Wessex. Alfred assumed the throne in AD 871 at the age of twenty-two. Almost immediately, the Vikings invaded England, and Alfred responded by unifying the various tribes against the common threat. Breaking from the pattern of past leaders, Alfred later codified the rule of law to end the socially debilitating vengeance practices perpetrated by family against family. But Alfred also Christianized the law, writes Veith:
He began his written code with the Ten Commandments, followed by the Golden Rule of Jesus. He replaced the blood feuds with a system of fines that would be enforced not by individual avengers but by the king and his officers. He instituted a judicial system, including trial by jury.Alfred was an example of a young Christian man who "set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (I Timothy 4:12).
It just so happens that Alfred is also the name sake of the institution (and the town!) where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree, Alfred University. Alfred (like many other universities) no longer bears any distinctive Christian moorings, but there is a statue of King Alfred on the campus that served as a helpful rendezvous spot for my friends and I when I was there. For any other Alfred University alumni out there, you'll doubly enjoy Veith's summary of King Alfred's distinguished Christian leadership.
April 25, 2009
Fidelity-Chastity Ordination Standard remains in place in PC(USA)
Leslie Scanlon, a reporter for The Presbyterian Outlook, reports:
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has once again voted to uphold a requirement that those being ordained practice fidelity in marriage or chastity if they’re single – the third time the denomination has voted to retain the “fidelity and chastity” standard since it came into effect in 1997.Nevertheless, the vote was closer than ever, which is leading some to speculate that it is only a matter of time before the PC(USA) formally accepts the ordination of practicing homosexuals. One reason for the vote being so close, Scalan notes, is that some conservative churches have left the PC(USA) for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. She writes:On April 25, 2009, the Presbyteries of Northern Plains and Boise became the 86th and 87th presbyteries to vote not to change the standard – meaning that a majority of the denomination’s 173 presbyteries have voted “No” on the proposed amendment to the denomination’s constitution. Some presbyteries have yet to vote – under the rules they have until June 28 to do so.
But the result has already been determined: the “fidelity and chastity” standard will stay.
"Some of those congregations which left were large or prominent churches which played leadership roles in rallying evangelicals during earlier votes involving gay ordination."
April 24, 2009
Obama's Grand Strategy
Charles Krauthammer's offers his final installment on Obama's grand strategy (the leveling of social inequalities). Unfortunately, Krauthammer's argument makes sense!
Big Truths For Young Hearts - Bruce Ware
This new book by Dr. Bruce Ware looks like great reading material for families with young kids. The publisher's description for Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God
Equips parents to guide their young children through all major doctrines in an understandable, chapter-a-day format.An endorsement by C.J. Mahaney:Sure, it's easy to teach your children the essentials of Christian theology when you're a theology professor. But what about the rest of us? With Big Truths for Little Hearts, Bruce Ware, (you guessed it!) a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6 - 14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand. Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their worldviews early, based on these truths.
The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, making it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children. With this non-intimidating format, parents will be emboldened to be their children's primary faith trainers and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way.
"Imagine a respected theologian devoting himself to training a new generation of pastors and scholars in the seminary classroom. Now imagine him driving home at night to teach that profound theology in simple terms to his children at their bedsides. Now imagine this father compiling those bedside conversations into a book available to all pastors, parents, and children alike. Imagine no more. My friend Dr. Bruce Ware has done it."Justin Taylor interviews Bruce Ware.
- C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries
April 21, 2009
Review of Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian
Pastor Tullian Tchividjian joins the provocative conversation on Christ and culture with this newly released (and widely endorsed) book, Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different. For those unfamiliar, there are a plethora of books (particularly recently) on the complex topic of how the Christian (and the church collectively) is to relate to the world. We've all heard the phrase "in the world, but not of it." But what does that look like? That's what Unfashionable is all about.
Following a helpful Foreword by Tim Keller, the book is divided into four sections: The Call, The Commission, The Community, and The Charge. The Call first describes Tullian's conversion story: briefly, though raised in a Christian family (the grandson of Billy Graham), he had abandoned the faith of his parents and left home at 16. At 21, God dramatically and quite suddenly converted him. Attending church for the first time in years, Tullian recalls being struck by how different those he met at church were from his regular "in" group. This leads to the book's theme: Christians make a difference in the world by being different from this world; they don't make a difference by being the same. He spends the rest of the section talking about the world's quest for authenticity and the church's seduction with being fashionable. Tullian writes:
"It's both sad and ironic that this shift is now putting the church in the wrong place at the right time. Just when our culture is yearning for something different, many churches are developing creative ways to be the same. Just as many in our culture are beginning to search back in time, many churches are pronouncing the irrelevance of the past. Just as people are starting to seek after truth, many churches are turning away from it. As a result these churches are losing their distinct identity as a people set apart to reach the world."The next section of the book, The Commission, starts with the implications of the Bible being God's standard for our entire lives. The following few chapters give a concise and understandable treatment on the kingdom of God theme in the Bible: that God intends to renew the world, that the first Advent of Christ led to his inauguration as King while the consummation of His kingdom awaits His return. Until then, Christians are called to be salt and light, and we're called to do so in community with one another. One of the most helpful phrases that Tullian returns to again and again is that we're to be "against the world for the world." In other words, we're to live distinctively and attractively different kinds of lives---lives which reveal that our true citizenship is in heaven, and that our treasures are being stored there---and that although we oppose the world's godless system of values, we are "for" the people of the world: we want to show them a taste of heaven in the way we interact with each other and with them. In doing so, the hope is that they, too, will be drawn into God's alternative culture (a culture not withdrawn from the world but one that permeates it and, like light, has a transformative effect). God critiques this fallen world by creating a covenant people, called out of darkness and into His light, to be a "city set on a hill" (Matthew 5:14).
In the third section, The Community, Tullian delineates "six defining marks that ought to identify the community of God": truth-telling, appropriate anger toward God-belittling sin, hard work (serving others rather than seeking to maximize personal ease), redemptive speech, kindness, and sexual purity. The book ends with a charge to follow the example of men like Augustine, Polycarp, and the countless men and women who give their lives for Christ in hard places, Christians who "joyfully accept undeserved physical and social misery" because they know that "here we have no lasting city" (Hebrews 13:14).
I found Unfashionable to be engaging and easy to read in spite of the complexity of some of the topics addressed. Tullian writes from the heart and is particularly arresting in his discussion of some of the ways in which the church (individually and collectively) looks like the world (for instance, in its pursuit of power rather than service). While hard-hitting and realistic about the evils in the world (and the indwelling sin in the lives of Christians), the overall tone is appropriately one of hope and optimism. The strong man has been bound and his property is being plundered (Mark 3:27). God's kingdom is advancing and will one day cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. I highly recommend this book.
Related: Charles Spurgeon quote and video of Tullian introducing Unfashionable.
April 20, 2009
The Gospel Coalition 2009 - This Week
James Grant passes on the good word from Andy Naselli: The Gospel Coalition will meet this week and the 36-page program is available online as a free PDF. Andy also explains that the plenary sessions will be available as live webcasts.
April 19, 2009
Should The GOP Ditch Religious Voters?
Steve Schmidt, campaign advisor for John McCain's 2008 presidential bid, recently addressed the Log Cabin Republicans. He opined that the problem with the GOP is perceived sectarianism and (consequently) intolerance on issues such as gay marriage:
“If you put public policy issues to a religious test, you risk becoming a religious party. And in a free country a political party cannot be viable in the long-term if it is seen as a sectarian party.”Maggie Gallagher responds:
Funny this is the Democrats' view too.Read the whole thing -- Gallagher is spot on in her analysis.Democrats are engaged in a highly sophisticated outreach strategy with the same basic message point: the GOP is not the natural home for religious people. Prolife Catholics can support Obama. The public things you see are only a small part of the money being flooded into penetrating religious peoples' intellectual networks to reduce effective opposition to sexual liberalism by disaffiliating their leaders from either the GOP or from their traditional stands on morality (cf. Rick Warren).
This is the Democrats’ carrot to religious people. They also are developing an increasingly big stick: After gay marriage, the most religiously committed Americans will be effectively marginalized as a public force—because they cannot act or support the idea that gay unions are marriages. Such people will, if we lose the marriage debate, be treated the way we treat bigots who oppose interracial marriage. Imagine: All it will take to make, say, a judicial nominee unconfirmable will be to establish that they are indeed Catholic.
Here's the Democrats strategy: Lure some small portion of the GOP’s religious base with sweet talk (see Pres. Obama’s upcoming Notred Dame speech). Next, remove the one quarter or so of Americans most committed to Christians moral teachings from public influence. Then play democracy (win elections) with the three quarters that remain.
The Christian and Science
Ligonier Ministries posts a helpful, three-part series on the Christian and the scientific enterprise. The series is taken from Dr. R.C. Sproul's book Lifeviews
The Christian and Science -- Part I
The Christian and Science -- Part II
The Christian and Science -- Part III
Don't Waste Your Life Tour - In Urban Centers
Desiring God announces that a partnership with Reach Records to spread Don't Waste Your Life
April 18, 2009
What's Wrong With Socialism
Matt Perman offers a great summary of a lengthier post by business expert Patrick Lencioni.
HT: JT
April 14, 2009
Charles Spurgeon on Fashion and Respectability
From the inside cover of Tullian Tchividjian's new book, Unfashionable, which I've been really enjoying over the last week and am about half-way through:
The great guide of this world is fashion and its god is respectability--two phantoms at which brave men laugh! How many of you look around society to know what to do? You watch the general current and then float upon it! You study the popular breeze and shift your sails to suit it. True men do not so! You ask, "Is it fashionable? If it is fashionable, it must be done." Fashion is the law of multitudes, but it is nothing more than the common consent of fools. --CHARLES SPURGEONThis book is engaging and very practically helpful. Tullian's main point is that Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world; not by being the same. The book carries endorsements from D.A. Carson, J.I. Packer, Michael Horton, Chuck Colson, and many others, as well as a Foreword by Tim Keller. I'll have more to say next Monday as I'm participating in a "blog tour" of the book.
April 13, 2009
Facebook Users Do Worse Academically
The Times Online is reporting what I've long suspected to be the case: Facebook use leads to lower grades.
FACEBOOK users may feel socially successful in cyberspace but they are more likely to perform poorly in exams, according to new research into the academic impact of the social networking website.Read the whole thing.The majority of students who use Facebook every day are underachieving by as much as an entire grade compared with those who shun the site.
HT: Challies
ESV Study Bible Now Available on Kindle
The ESV Study Bible Team announces:
Crossway is pleased to announce that the ESV Study Bible is now the first study Bible available on Amazon's Kindle. Created to help people understand the Bible in a deeper way, the ESV Study Bible has all 2,752 pages of ESV Study Bible notes, resources, and features conveniently accessible anywhere, anytime on the 10.2-ounce Kindle device.
Equivalent to more than 20 volumes of Bible text and study resources, the Kindle edition of the ESV Study Biblecan currently be purchased in the Kindle store for $9.99 (Introductory SRP of $14.99 until June 1st).
Free John Piper/D.A. Carson event on Pastor & Scholar
This sounds like a fantastic, free event in the Chicagoland area: An evening of presentation and discussion with John Piper ("The Pastor as Scholar") and D.A. Carson ("The Scholar as Pastor").
On Thursday, April 23, 2009, at Park Community Church in Chicago, IL, the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School will host an evening of free lectures and discussion with Dr. John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church and Dr. D. A. Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. The event will begin at 7:00pm and conclude around 10:00pm. Titled “The Pastor as Scholar, and the Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry with John Piper and D.A. Carson”, the evening will feature hour-long lectures by Drs. Piper and Carson that offer reflection of a theological and personal nature on the work of the pastor and the scholar, respectively.
Owen Strachan reports that "the evening will be recorded in high-definition by Desiring God Ministries (DGM) and live-blogged by the Henry Center. All material will be available for free at DGM, The Gospel Coalition website, and the Henry Center website." See Owen's post for more details.
HT: JT
Francis Beckwith on Obama Honorary Doctorate at Notre Dame
I previously mentioned the Christianity Today interview last month with Dr. Francis Beckwith on the decision of his institution (Notre Dame) to not only invite President Obama to speak at their commencement service but to also receive an honorary doctorate in law. Dr. Beckwith has since written a compelling essay in First Things on the matter. Here's the upshot, but do read the whole thing:
Why then would the University of Notre Dame bestow an honorary doctorate of laws on someone who for his entire public life has enthusiastically fought for a segment of the human population, the unborn, to remain permanently outside the protections of the law? Not only that, he has also demanded that our legal regime require that his fellow citizens, including Catholics, underwrite the destruction of these prenatal human beings. And not only that, he is right now preparing to remove by executive order protections that were put in place so that pro-life physicians, nurses, medical students, and others in the health care field may not be forced to participate in abortions or be discriminated against for refusing to do so or even harboring such beliefs.Dr. Beckwith is the author of Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion ChoiceUnless the university does not believe that the Church’s understanding of the moral law is true and knowable, it can no more in good conscience award an honorary doctorate of laws to a lawyer who rejects the humanity of the proper subjects of law than it could in good conscience award an honorary doctorate in science to a geocentric astronomer who rejects the deliverances of the discipline he claims to practice.
At some point, a Christian university must recognize that the truth it claims to know matters, even if the truth is unpopular, and even if the propagation and celebration of that truth may put one’s community at odds with those persons and centers of influence and power that dispense prestige and authority in our culture.
, which has received high commendations as a serious, weighty pro-life apologetic.
April 12, 2009
That's My King
This is a classic which my wife Marni introduced me to:
April 11, 2009
Did Jesus Spend Saturday Night in Hell?
The Apostles Creed begins:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,Many of us were raised with the notion that Jesus went to hell on Friday after dying on the cross. For a day and a half, he preached in hell before his resurrection on Sunday. The Scriptural support given for this view primarily comes from a few passages in I Peter. Here's one:
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (19) in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, (20) because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. (1 Peter 3:18-20, italics added)However, it is more natural to read I Peter 3:18-20 as referring to the earthly ministry of Noah, through whom the Holy Spirit preached. We see Peter refer to the Holy Spirit's ministry through Old Testament men earlier in I Peter: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories." (I Peter 1:10-11, italics added) Peter is telling us that the "Spirit of Christ" spoke through the prophets and also through Noah (cf. II Peter 2:5, where Noah is called a herald (or a preacher) of righteousness). Of course, Noah's contemporaries ignored the warning to repent and are now "in prison" (i.e., hell).
Here's a related text in I Peter that is likewise challenging.
They are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; (5) but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (6) For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. (1 Peter 4:4-6, italics added)The simplest translation here is that Peter is referring to those who responded affirmatively to the gospel preaching, but had since died by the time of this letter. They are (presently) dead, and they were (recently) "judged in the flesh the way people are" (i.e., they died, cf. Rom 3:23), and are now alive in the spiritual realm (i.e., they are with God in heaven). Peter is encouraging his readers that those currently maligning Christians will likewise stand before God's judgment soon enough.
It should be noted that this interpretation is consistent with Jesus' promise to the repentant thief on the cross: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43, italics added)
For more, see John Piper, who beat me to the punch, by posting on this topic a few hours ago.
(This post is from the night before Easter a year ago.)
April 10, 2009
Tim Keller on "The End of Christian America"
Jon Meacham of Newsweek magazine wrote a cover story entitled "The End of Christian America." Mr. Meacham was picking up on the recent American Religious Identification Survey 2008. One of the interesting findings of that survey was that "in 1990, 86% of American adults identified as Christians while only 76% do so in 2008." Meacham's story mentions Dr. Albert Mohler several times. Dr. Mohler has also responded to Meacham.
This morning, apparently in honor of Good Friday, Tim Keller was hosted by the MSNBC show "Morning Joe."
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
HT: Denny Burk
A Good Friday Conversation With Death
From John Piper:
CHRISTIAN:
Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?
I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.
Where is your sting?
DEATH, sneeringly:
My sting is your sin.
Read the whole thing.
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
From The Center of Church Music, which also provides the hymn's background:
O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred head, what glory, what bliss till now was thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine.
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.
April 09, 2009
Angels' Rookie Pitcher Nick Adenhard Has Died
Sports Illustrated and CNN are reporting the tragic breaking news that Nick Adenhard, a very promising rookie pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, was among three people to die in a car crash in Fullerton, CA this morning. CNN observes that "Hours earlier, Adenhart, 22, pitched 6 scoreless innings in his first start for the Angels this season. He was considered one of the top prospects in the major leagues." It is a vivid reminder that we are but vapors and mists that appear "for a little time and then vanish" (James 4:13-17).
April 08, 2009
Counterfeit Gods - Latest Book By Tim Keller
Due out this October, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters
Tullian Tchividjian posts the publisher's description:
The issue of idolatry has been with the human race for thousands of years; the subtle temptation is always to take what is good and turn it into the ultimate good, elevating it above all other things in the search for security and meaning. In this timely and challenging book, New York pastor Timothy Keller looks at the issue of idolatry throughout the Bible — from the worship of actual idols in the Old Testament, to the idolatry of money by the rich young ruler when he was challenged by Jesus to give up all his wealth. Using classic stories from the Bible Keller cuts through our dependence on the glittering false idols of money, sex and power to uncover the path towards trust in the real ultimate–God. Today’s idols may look different from those of the Old Testament, but Keller argues that they are no less damaging. Culturally transforming as well as biblically based, Counterfeit Gods is a powerful look at the temptation to worship what can only disappoint, and is a vital message in today’s current climate of financial and social difficulty.
HT: JT
Related: My interview with Tim Keller on The Prodigal God.
April 07, 2009
Escaping Anonymity
A great essay by Tim Challies from the April issue of Tabletalk on accountability and anonymity. The closing paragraph:
We face unique struggles in our increasingly anonymous world. We must commit to making ourselves accountable through visibility. We must commit to purity of heart and commit to only speaking or writing or reading or watching or doing what is honoring to God. And then we must ensure that there are people who know us, who will watch over us, and who will lovingly exhort and correct us when we fail in this commitment. While the British sailors went beyond Gibraltar and heaped contempt on the Empire they represented, we wish to be Christians who are “the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 2:15).Read the whole thing.
April 06, 2009
Font Size Increase
I went from size 12 to 14. The hope is that larger font will be easier on the eyes. Any feedback would be most appreciated.
ReThink Conference and Steve Wright - II
I mentioned the May 15, 2009 ReThink Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina last week featuring Steve Wright, David Michael, David Horner and others. I also reposted part 1 of a two-part interview with Pastor of Student Ministries, Steve Wright. Here is the conclusion of that interview.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[This is part 2 of a two-part interview with Pastor Steve Wright. Part 1 can be found here.]
ALEX: You've been in youth ministry for over 20 years. How has it changed during that time?
STEVE: Unfortunately I see student ministry heading in a very dangerous direction. Many of us got caught up on the “bigger is better” treadmill. Bigger budgets, bigger programs, bigger personalities. We believed we could entertain students all the way to the cross. While I would have never confessed it early in my ministry, I was literally trying to prop up the gospel with gimmicks, giveaways, and all the rest of an entertainment model.
It is no surprise that now we have several “For Profit” ministries thriving in an industry to keep students entertained. Unfortunately, today the gospel within student ministry has become Big Money.
ALEX: What are the biggest challenges in youth ministry today?
STEVE: Two big challenges stand out.
1. The Gospel - What gospel are we proclaiming? Are we challenging our students and families to encounter the gospel afresh every day? There was a seeker who came to Jesus once that many know as the Rich Young Ruler. Jesus offered him grace and eternal life, but this young man walked away because of his pride and his possessions. Jesus did not chase him down to give him a latte and put an iPod on his head, neither did Jesus alter His message to “give all.”
2. Theology - Will we do ministry on His terms or will we seek trendy, business and entertainment models? Are we willing as pastors to REALLY dig into God’s Word for His direction, and do we have the conviction to change course where necessary?
ALEX: How do you respond to those who believe that churches should not have youth ministries?
STEVE: Our first response should be in a spirit of love and gentleness. I wish the solution was as easy as doing away with student ministries. I have heard this message for some time now as the solution, but I really do not see many churches rallying behind this thought. Do we do away with preschool, children’s, women’s, men’s, and senior adult ministries? Acts 5:38-39 says, “If this thought is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God you will not be able to stop it.”
The key element to me on this issue is do we believe God’s Word is sufficient? If it is, how does it guide us in the context of student ministry? I, for one, do not believe that God’s Word is silent in this area and that IT DOES give extensive guidance as to the roles of both the family and the church. Acts 2:42-47 gives us a clear picture of what the church should look like and that picture demonstrates cooperation between families and the wider church body.
ALEX: How do family dynamics impact the health of a church's youth ministry?
STEVE: A student ministry rises and falls on the spiritual health of its families. As a youth pastor, it’s virtually impossible for me by myself to guide students to where they need to be spiritually. This was never the biblical model. Parents must assume the lead in this role; when they do, the results are amazing. God has blessed them with this amazing privilege of being daily mentors in the lives of their children. What a gift. We have already seen the results of this here at Providence.
ALEX: What do you hope this ReThink Conference accomplishes?
STEVE: Our utmost desire is that the pastors and other leaders who come will encounter the gospel afresh and see its power to change individuals, families, and churches. If I had to give you a short list, I would also say:
1. That we will make “much of Him.”Steve Wright serves Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC as Pastor of Student Ministries. He is the author of reThink
2. That the gospel of Christ and its rich provisions will once again be proclaimed as our only hope.
3. That pastors and church leaders will be inspired to do ministry “On His Terms”.
and regularly blogs at lastingdivergence.com.
Abortion - The "Right" Thing To Do?
One can hope that journalist Bonnie Erb is just out to get attention. But given her recent statements in U.S. News and World Report, one has to take her seriously. She argues that in some cases abortion is not a "sad alternative" (to quote some moderate pro-choicers), but in fact the moral thing to do. Erb recounts a March 25 AP news report of a woman who sought to have a child with her boyfriend, but later decided to abort the unborn child:
The pregnant woman showed up at the medical centre in flip-flops and in tears, after walking there to save bus fare.Erb's response? The woman did the right thing, given the economic circumstances.Her boyfriend had lost his job, she told her doctor in Oakland, Calif., and now – fearing harder times for her family – she wanted to abort what would have been her fourth child.
"This was a desired pregnancy – she'd been getting prenatal care – but they re-evaluated expenses and decided not to continue," said Dr. Pratima Gupta. "When I was doing the options counselling, she interrupted me halfway through, crying, and said, 'Dr. Gupta, I just walked here for an hour. I'm sure of my decision.'"
Yes, it's sad that this unwed, pregnant mother of three had no money for bus fare. It's terrible that her boyfriend lost his job. It is heart-wrenching that she fell to tears in the doctor's office. But in the long run, can we not agree that an unwed couple's decision not to bring a fourth child into the world when they are having trouble feeding themselves and three children is no tragedy? It's actually a fact-based, rational decision that in the end benefits the three children they already have and society as well.Is adoption even considered by Ms. Erb? Has it not occurred to her that thousands of couples would love to have adopted such a child, or that hundreds of churches (just in California) would have gladly helped with the finances needed to complete the pregnancy and locate a worthy adoptive couple? But this is the logical extension of those who do not believe the most defenseless humans have intrinsic value. Today, the unborn fight for survival. Who knows what other class of humans it will be tomorrow.Feeding and raising children is expensive. Tuition may be free at public schools but there are still books, transportation, food, clothes, medical care and activities that add up—way up. One may assume this family of five is struggling just to maintain its basics: housing and food. Add one more child and those costs rise as income drops. It's no tragedy: it's a good decision. The decision benefits society in two ways. It allows the couple to focus more time, energy and resources on their three children, giving each child a better life and a better chance of growing up to contribute to society. It also lessens the chance the family will have to rely on scarce public resources (food stamps, TANF) to raise their children.
HT: Denny Burk
April 04, 2009
Rethinking Retirement - Albert Mohler and John Piper
Dr. Albert Mohler had a great radio show a few weeks ago on the topic of rethinking retirement. His main point is that at every stage of life we should be deployed for maximum usefulness to Jesus Christ. And here's a fantastic 32-page booklet by John Piper on the topic.
Richard Gaffin on Union With Christ
Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. is the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has taught at Westminster since 1965. He is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He has written some extremely helpful books on the doctrine of salvation, such as Resurrection and Redemption: A Study in Paul's Soteriology and By Faith, Not by Sight: Paul and the Order of Salvation. James Grant points to a great series of free audio messages by Dr. Gaffin on union with Christ. Here are the titles of the messages:
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Part 1
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Part 2
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Part 3
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Part 4
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Part 5
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Q & A, Part 1
The Mystery of Union with Christ—Q & A, Part 2
April 03, 2009
Mature Femininity is Neither Obsequious or Domineering
The good folks at CBMW post an excerpt from my book With One Voice:
Great myths abound about what the nature of a feminine disposition involves. A feminine woman in the minds of some might conjure images of the Victorian woman, unable to perform menial tasks without her servants' help, and shrieking at the sight of a spider. We've covered most of the ground in the last chapter, so let's first touch on the error of unintelligent "obedience".There is more.
April 02, 2009
ReThink Conference and Steve Wright
On May 15, 2009, Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina will be hosting a conference called ReThink. The title comes from Pastor of Student Ministries Steve Wright's book which encourages us to "reThink" our approach to youth ministry. I previously reviewed Steve's excellent book, and given the upcoming conference, I thought I'd re-post part 1 of this two-part interview. I'll re-post part 2 in a couple days.
Last May (2008) Providence hosted a similar conference, which I had the privilege of live-blogging for them. This year, Pastor David Michael (of Bethlehem Baptist Church) has been added to the speaker list. It should be a real treat.
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In my last post, I introduced Steve Wright and his book reThink: Decide for Yourself - is Student Ministry Working?
ALEX: Please tell us a bit about how God saved you.
STEVE: I met Christ as a 10th grader at a little country church in north Georgia. My grandmother who was a committed Christ-follower passed away a few weeks before I was invited to go to a revival by a neighbor. Before this time, I had never thought much of death and eternity. At the revival that night, I heard the good news and made Christ Lord of my life.
ALEX: How and when did you first discern that God was calling you into youth ministry?
STEVE:This was a difficult time for me because I didn’t really understand much about church or Christian ministry. I wasn’t around either a whole lot growing up. I thought full time ministry was for senior pastors and missionaries. I went to Haiti a few times while I was in college to explore missions.
It is kind of funny because I would leave Haiti very broken and confused. I was broken over the sin and living conditions and confused because the missionary I worked with would work me so hard each day I thought I would die. I was a collegiate wrestler at the time and in really good shape (I thought), and I would leave thinking if missionaries work this hard every day there is no way I could make it.
God was gracious as He brought a pastor into my life who allowed me to work with his student ministry. As I was faithful, he would give me more responsibility. It was through his ministry that God impressed on my heart that He wanted me to be a pastor. This pastor not only modeled for me 1 Timothy 3:1-13, but also was used by God to show me what His plans for my life were.
ALEX: Please comment on the benefits and potential pitfalls of a youth ministry.
STEVE: Benefits:
• Dependency on God- I think student ministry constantly drives its leaders to their knees. It is terribly burdening to see what students and their parents face on a daily basis. Only by God’s mercy and His grace can we walk through these difficult times.
• Hope- I am blessed to see students claim Christ as Lord. Watching God’s transforming power in these students in whom I am pouring my life and His wisdom reminds me of the fact that God is always bringing restoration to people and relationships, and sometimes He allows us to partner with Him in the restoration. This has been God’s grace on my life.
• Observation- Student pastors have the opportunity to watch the lives of other Christ-followers because of their contact with these individuals through ministering beside and to them. Through observing the faithfulness of others, Tina and I have been taught so much more about God and what it means to surrender all daily to Him.
Pitfalls:
• Pride- It may sound strange, but pride is every student pastor’s greatest enemy. We know that God opposes the proud. In student ministry, it is simply too easy to do the opposite of John 3:30. If you were to ask me what my greatest need is in ministry, I would straightforwardly respond, “humility.” For me to be effective in ministry I must offer God’s grace and His great grace is only given to those who walk with great humility.
• Neglect- It is easy in student ministry to care for the needs of others in such a way that we bring leftovers home to our families. God Forbid! I must shamefully confess that in the first decade of my ministry I sinned in this way. I did not esteem my family as my primary ministry.
[This interview continues in Part 2.]
Steve Wright serves Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC as Pastor of Student Ministries. He is the author of reThink
April 01, 2009
Mark Dever Interviews D.A. Carson on Books
In a new hour-long interview, Pastor Mark Dever asks Dr. D.A. Carson to give a "tour of both how he writes and what he’s written."
From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology
Keith A. Mathison (M.A., Reformed Theological Seminary; Ph.D., Whitefield Theological Seminary) is dean of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and an associate editor of Tabletalk magazine at Ligonier Ministries. He has both authored and edited a number of books, including Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God?.
Dr. Mathison has written a book which seems fascinating in its topic and scope. Though I've only flipped through it so far, From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology strikes me as unlike any other book I've heard of on the topic of eschatology (a subject about which I know precious little). Keith graciously agreed to answer a few questions for us.
What prompted you to write a 832 page book on eschatology?
When I became a believer after graduating from high school, the first church I attended was a rural Southern Baptist church that happened to teach Scripture from a dispensationalist perspective. Many of the sermons were focused on the idea of the impending end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus. I read everything I could find on the subject, which means I read a lot of books by Hal Lindsey, John Walvoord, Charles Ryrie, and so forth. I became entrenched in the dispensationalist way of understanding the last days.
Ironically enough, my views began to change while I was a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, the best-known dispensationalist seminary in the world. While there I began reading books by non-dispensationalists, and these authors raised questions that many of my professors were not interested in discussing. As I dug into the Scriptures, I first became convinced that the dispensationalist doctrine of the pretribulation rapture was biblically indefensible. I then began to take a second look at the doctrine of premillennialism and ultimately concluded that it too was an incorrect interpretation of Scripture.
All of this is to say that I have had a long time interest in the subject of eschatology. Several years ago I made a book proposal to my publisher. I suggested the idea of writing a book on the subject that would begin with a look at what Scripture says on the subject, followed by an examination of what has been taught throughout the history of the church, and concluding with a systematic formulation of the doctrines. When I began writing, it soon became very obvious that the first section of the book was going to be much larger than I had originally anticipated. I discussed this with the publisher, and we decided to devote an entire volume to the unfolding of eschatology in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
OK, but why 832 pages?
The short answer is that this is how many pages it took to say what I believe need to be said. This work could easily have been hundreds of pages longer. Believe it or not, it is very compressed even at 800+ pages. There are many passages that I would have liked to discuss in more detail, but it is not possible to say everything.
What is unique about your book's approach to the topic of eschatology?
Most books on eschatology focus only on the events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ. In other words, they deal with subjects such as the Second Coming itself, the rapture, the millennium, the general resurrection, and the final judgment. Some also deal with the topics of personal eschatology, such as death and the intermediate state. While these subjects are an important part of biblical eschatology, they cannot be understood in isolation. We cannot fully understand the Second Coming of Christ, for example, without understanding the First Coming of Christ. The First Coming of Christ was itself an eschatological event. His death and resurrection and ascension were the turning points of redemptive history. In order to understand these things, we also have to understand God’s preparations in history for the First Advent. In short, in order to understand eschatology, we have to begin with Genesis 1, not Revelation 20. In this book, I trace the outworking of God’s revealed eschatological purposes from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation, showing how every book of Scripture contributes to our understanding of the big picture.
Do you think Christians today think too much or too little about the "end times"?
Both. Many Christians today think too much about the “end times” in the sense that they are obsessed with finding fulfillment of biblical prophecy in the latest newspaper headline. Every time there is a major disaster, there is a Christian teacher somewhere assuring people that it is a definite sign that the end of the world is imminent. I distinctly remember when I was in church in 1987, and our pastor had multiple copies of a book that asserted the rapture would happen in 1988. 1988 came and went. I don’t know if these authors and teachers understand how badly they can damage the faith of Christians when they do this. When they affirm that Scripture is saying in no uncertain terms that Jesus is going to return in 1988 and He doesn’t, many are going to conclude that Scripture is untrustworthy. I want Christians to understand why this sensationalist way of looking at eschatology is wrongheaded.
Most Christians think “too little” about eschatology in the sense that they don’t consider how “big” eschatology is. They don’t think about the fact that eschatology involves the First Advent of Christ as well as the Second. They don’t think about the fact that eschatology involves all of God’s preparations in history for the coming of Christ. They don’t think about the fact that the whole idea of promise and fulfillment which runs throughout all of Scripture is eschatological.
Is eschatology, in any sense, "practical theology"?
Eschatology is very much practical theology. The way we understand God’s eschatological plans has an enormous impact on the way we think, live, and worship. Our expectations for the present and future are shaped by our eschatology, and our expectations about the present and future affect what we do and the decisions we make. If I expect the enemies of God to run rampant over the church until Jesus comes to establish His millennial kingdom I am going to behave and think in one way. If I expect the church to establish a Christian culture throughout the world in the present age before Christ returns, I will behave and think in another way. If I believe that Christ has won the decisive battle, but that the war continues to be fought with both assurance of final victory and knowledge that the fight will involve suffering all along the way, I will think and behave in a quite different way.
Let me give one example of how practical eschatology is. Not long after I had become a Christian, I was standing in line at a drug store behind two men, whose discussion made it very evident that they were dispensationalist Christians who were convinced that the rapture was going to occur in the very near future. One of the two men said that he was putting everything on his credit card because he wasn’t going to have to pay it off after he was raptured. There is no telling how much debt this man ended up with, and how badly did this hurt his family? I wonder sometimes how many people did not bother getting a good education or training in some field because a pastor or television preacher assured them that there was no point in making any future plans because there was very little future left.
How do you hope your readers will be changed?
I hope readers of this book will come away with a greater sense of awe for the Triune God who is working all things together to accomplish His creational and redemptive plans. I hope readers will come away with a greater appreciation for how all of the seemingly disparate parts of Scripture fit together in a coherent unified whole. I hope readers will come away with a greater faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who despite any appearances to the contrary will put all enemies under His feet.
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