David Platt to transition out of IMB presidency
Body
Platt added, “I have come to the realization that it is not viable long-term for me to lead as president of the IMB while serving as teaching pastor in a church.” BPress
The Process of Adding Individuals to the Two Offices of the Local Church
Introduction
One of the perennial challenges that face congregations and the leaders that lead them is the question of how to add individuals to either the elder team or the deacon team. Challenges abound. If congregations are not very careful, they run the risk of leading the church in either one of two directions. The first is a kind of oligarchy where only a select few could ever be elected, even if there is a larger pool of available individuals that could be selected from.
Discussion
Plenty of the ‘Nones’ Actually Head Back to Church
Body
“Americans who identify as agnostic or ‘nothing in particular’ are four times more likely to change their religious affiliation than Protestants or Catholics.” CToday
Discussion
From the Archives: Should All Believers Learn Biblical Languages?
How important are Hebrew and Greek skills for interpreting the Bible well and thriving as a Christian?
It’s an important question, since we believe Christians ought to grow in their ability to interact directly with Scripture and discern truth from error—and not only feed themselves well, but hopefully teach and admonish one another well also.
Any learning that has the potential to further those ends has to be seriously considered.
Views on the languages question range from “all you need is good intentions and the Holy Spirit” to “nobody lacking Greek and Hebrew skills can get the Bible right.” Debaters tend to characterize one another as holding one of these two views, but the reality is that most attitudes fall somewhere between.
Discussion
Showdown looms over SBC and Calvinism
Body
Land “describes the current struggle over the next leader as a battle between the ‘Billy Graham wing’ of the SBC versus the ‘John Calvin wing.’” OneNewsNow
Discussion
Are Virtual Reality Churches the Wave of the Future?
Body
“Attend a real church in virtual reality,” says the website of a VR church established by Los Angeles, California-based Pastor D.J. Soto and whose mission is “to explore and communicate God through virtual reality, augmented reality, and next generation technologies.” CPost
Discussion
After Baptism Gone Wrong, Court Weakens Church Protections
Body
“Nearly a year ago, the Oklahoma Supreme Court decided 5–3 that a Muslim convert to Christianity—whose baptism nearly got him killed—couldn’t sue First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa for inadvertently alerting his would-be murderers with its online announcement of the baptism.
Discussion