I regard myself as pretty old school. I don’t much care for the evangelicalism of the 21st Century. I feel much more at home with D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones or J. C. Ryle than I do with John Piper and Wayne Grudem. I know many people don’t see much of a difference, but I believe (like Peter Masters) that Lloyd-Jones and Ryle would. For one thing there is the charismatic emphasis: something older evangelicals would have had no truck with. Then …
Category: Pastoral Issues
Review of Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You’ve Been Told, by Bradley R. E. Wright, PhD, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2010, 249 pages, pbk I am not one to read many books written by sociologists. The occasional work by Os Guinness and the obligatory few by Peter Berger are about it. I recall breezing through one of Barna’s books about ten years back. Quite honestly, though such reading has been profitable, I have come away wondering just how much I …
The first weekend of July I had the pleasure of being a guest speaker at the Family Retreat in Waxahachie, TX. I had been given the broad title “The Family and the Church.” Praise God, even though they were quite hard-hitting, the talks were well received. Here is an outline of each presentation, which was given under the auspices of Veritas School of Theology: First Presentation: All in the Family This talk centered on the key institution of marriage in …
I am off to give a series of talks on “The Church and the Family” this weekend, so here is an old post to fill the absence of something new this week. I suppose every Pastor would say that the issue of dating is one of the most important for him to have a clear stance on. A number of practical, not to say emotive issues are involved. In this short paper I would like to give what I believe …
This post follows up an earlier one in which I looked at the “desire” of First Timothy 3:1. Again, what is the “Desire”? We are looking into the subject of the Call to the Ministry. Last time we considered the “desire” of 1 Timothy 3:1, and we saw that whichever way you cut it, this desire must be qualified in order to exclude carnal and fleshly impulses, overly romanticized fleeting impressions, the cocksure preenings of proud self-assuredness, or the recognition …
I’m a bit slammed right now. I have several posts coming, but can’t finish any of them now. Here’s a “devotional” filler from the past. Intro. Psalms 113 to 118 form what is known as the “Hallel”; a set of Psalms that have for millennia been sung at the Feast of the Passover and other festivals. At the Passover Psalms 113 and 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 through 118 were sung after it. Thus, in the …
I am busy trying to do too many things at once. I have just assembled a desk only to find out that I have put on the draw rails the wrong way round. I’m going to have to dis-assemble the thing to put it right. So before doing that I thought I would at least post something. I am nearly done with the second part of my oft interrupted “The Great Explanation – Atheist Style (2),” but perhaps this change …
I’m having a spot of bother upgrading my blog. This is either down to the incompetence of others or myself. If I were a betting man I would bet the lot on me! In the meantime here is something I sort of liked when I first wrote it in Sept. 07. The New Testament is clear about the fact that believers are to adopt a “renewed mind” (Rom. 12:2), that they “walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity …
Paul David Tripp’s “Dangerous Calling” Seminar was an excellent example of what a parachurch speaking ministry ought to be. In my last post I commented on two of Tripp’s perspectives on the temptations of pastoral ministry today. Here are some more thoughts about his presentation: 3. Dr Tripp’s third perspective was a reminder that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, “everything else is body.” He spoke about the dangers of confusing our personal kingdom with God’s kingdom. This …
Last week a small group of us from church attended a seminar by Paul David Tripp on the “Dangerous Calling” of the Christian ministry. Those who know me know that I can be a skeptical old dog when it comes to these seminar speakers. “Good technique/little real substance” has been my reaction on more than one occasion. But I am glad to report that Dr Tripp exceeded my expectations with his materials, his theological acumen (and concern), and his ability …
