Josh Collins, who has been one of our contributors and commenters (often as Josh C) needs your help. He is in a contest to win a free conference trip - to Verge. Here's the link if you want to help him out. Takes about 2 seconds. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FgdMlYIyd&h=2AQFAvkmEAQEI66sr48LBXuH-90UyQC53GweyTvoWJLeVtw … [Read more...] about A Plug for a Friend of Voices
Christmas and the King of Kings
I wrote this Advent-related post for the church I serve. “The Lord is King forever and ever…” Psalm 10:16 It is not enough to think of Jesus as King of the world by virtue of creation. It is crucial to think of Him also as the coming King of God’s People. That has two things that need to be considered: the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of God. To consider, first of all, the Kingship of God over Israel, we must look back at the Old Testament. Beginning with Exodus, we see God as the King of Israel in opposition to Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Pharaoh has oppressed the Israelites and … [Read more...] about Christmas and the King of Kings
Applying Lessons from Penn State to Pine Chapel
The news and the general blogosphere have been giving a bigger emphasis to issues of child abuse and criminal sexual misconduct since the Penn State scandal broke loose. Within a short period of time Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, updated the school’s policy regarding the obligation to report instances of child abuse: I discovered yesterday that the policy handbook of the institution I am proud to lead calls for any employee receiving a report of child abuse, including child sexual abuse, to contact his or her supervisor with that report. That changes … [Read more...] about Applying Lessons from Penn State to Pine Chapel
Discipleship Begins at Home
Deuteronomy 6:5-7, 20-25 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise… 20 "When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?' 21 then you shall say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in … [Read more...] about Discipleship Begins at Home
Dealing with Fools: Sorting Out a Biblical Contradiction
I was raised hearing that "there are no contradictions in the Bible." My dad was hammering that message from the pulpit long before anyone heard anything of a conservative resurgence in the SBC. But then I read Scriptures and found that there is one very clear contradiction. Look at Proverbs 26:4-5. 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. There it is. Verse 4 tells me not to answer a fool according to his folly, then verse 5 contradicts that advice and gives me the opposite … [Read more...] about Dealing with Fools: Sorting Out a Biblical Contradiction
Should the Scarecrow Scream
“Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person”. (Matthew 15:10-11) Translation: All foods are clean. I, Jesus, am declaring by my own authority that the ceremonial laws of Leviticus 11:1-47 no longer apply. We eat our pork chops and read through this very quickly without thinking about the offensive and sweeping claims that Jesus is making here. He is overturning over a millennium worth of history and tradition. That would be like going into a deeply traditional Southern Baptist church and … [Read more...] about Should the Scarecrow Scream
Herman Cain Suspends Campaign
Herman Cain suspended his campaign today. Not sure what that means, but I think it is clear - he's not going to be president. I'm not sure we know the truth now or whether we will ever know the real truth. Did he sexually harass women and carry on a long-term affair with another woman or is he the victim of another character assassination by the hit-and-run media in America (and perhaps a political hit by campaign rivals)? I don't know. But the political nomination process has become a bloodsport that produces one winner and a lot of broken lives. Is this the way we really want to do … [Read more...] about Herman Cain Suspends Campaign
A Football Playground
In an effort to keep our discussions focused on other posts, I thought I'd throw this up in case you want to talk trash. I think we all join in hoping that Georgia will rise up and smite the Tigers so that BAMA will be excluded from BCS bowl contention. I just love those things on which we all agree. … [Read more...] about A Football Playground
Thank God for Mark Driscoll
NOTE: Since much of the discussion seems to focus on some questions about Driscoll's continuationism, you might want to hear what Driscoll says, not just what people say he says. I have linked, at the end of this post, to a discussion he had with Douglas Wilson below. Driscoll is far from some wacked-out crazy, folks. He is a non-cessationist. He believes in the operation of supernatural gifts today. Listen to Driscoll, not just those who attempt to shape him as some kind of nut. I don't like everything Mark Driscoll says nor the way he says it. Not my style. I'm more suit and tie, … [Read more...] about Thank God for Mark Driscoll
The New Math of Forgiveness
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” -- Luke 23:34 Nothing hurts like hurting about hurts that make you hurt others. What a compound of pain that leads us to do unto others because something was done unto us and we've come all undone over it. So, we hurt and we cry and we ask ourselves why. And we hide and we run and we pray and we seek and we rise and we walk and we declare ourselves done. And then we see . . . we're not. For the carnage lies along the trail we yearn to leave behind and it calls out to us, to which we can only, in exhaustion … [Read more...] about The New Math of Forgiveness