As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“…pastors and theologians have used the catchy acronym S.C.A.N to summarize four important attributes of the Bible: its sufficiency, clarity, authority, and necessity. In this article, I want to explain what those attributes mean and how they should shape how we disciple others.” - 9 Marks
More than ever before we need to see cross-cultural missions as advancing the Gospel among peoples and language groups, not merely reaching those within certain political boundaries. This distinction is becoming increasingly important as our world grows integrated through a global economy and technology. Peoples and languages, not countries—this is what I would like to emphasize.
“I’m going to share with you the question I get more than virtually any other. It comes from sons and daughters, husbands and wives, uncles and aunts….’A person I love is deeply committed to conspiracies. What can I do?’” - David French
“Ravi Zacharias International Ministries has halted fundraising efforts following the release of a report detailing the late apologist’s extensive sexual misconduct.” - C.Post
“…the ‘solution’ creates two new problems. Low interest rates and inflation punish savers and reward investors by making more capital available and driving people to seek a higher rate of return in the stock market. The study found that a monetary shock would raise stock prices by 5%, raising the annual incomes of white people by 200% to 300% more than those of blacks.” - Acton
“How I learned that the same God who numbered the stars knew and loved me personally.” - C.Today
“For certain, no two coups are identical. Any type of examination or anatomy of a coup will always have exceptions and outliers. Our team at Church Answers has, however, seen patterns that are common to most coups. Here are some of the patterns.” - Thom Rainer
Emil Brunner suggests the church catholic is not properly an external institution or organization at all, but “a brotherhood resulting from faith in Christ.”1 He sees the visible church is only the shell or instrument of this brotherhood.2 So, the thinking goes, when we think of “the church,” we shouldn’t think,
Well, in a church you have the pastors, the deacons, and Christians who join the church. And, the whole Church is the collection of these individual churches.
We are at a crossroads when it comes to COVID, at least in the western world.
Where are you at? Please choose the choice that best describes you.
Poll Results
Where are you COVID-wise?
Australia’s “Conversion and Suppression Practices Bill criminalizes any prayers or conversations in which one person aims to persuade another that pursuing certain sexual activity is not the best course of action. It’s not only illegal to pray or speak with an individual about changing their sexual orientation or gender identity….the law states that suppression is also illegal. ‘Suppression’ includes prayers for celibacy, and any advice that communicates sexual faithfulness to one’s spouse is a matter of holiness.” - 9 Marks
“As a co-editor and contributor to Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique (2017), [Grudem] presents many excellent biblical and theological criticisms of theistic evolution. However … I will demonstrate that most of his reasons for rejecting theistic evolution are also reasons that he should reject all old-earth creationist views, including the view of John Lennox that he now favors.” - AiG
“But we can also fight abortion, says French, on the demand side. That is, persuading women not to get abortions. They have the ‘right to choose,’ so we can encourage them to choose life. This tactic is already showing success. The abortion rate…is lower now than it was before it was legalized!” - Veith
On Cultural Understanding, Part 2: The United States - Olinger
“It is both fascinating and heartbreaking that most people long for significance and at the same time believe they’re nothing more than the product of arbitrary biological mutations” - IFWE
“You could go to seminary!”
I will never forget those words from my wife Lynnette—and she won’t either.
They were uttered as we were eating lunch one day in the spring of 1994, watching The Coral Ridge Hour from Dr. D. James Kennedy and Coral Ridge Ministries. The segment at the end of that particular episode highlighted the new Knox Theological Seminary, which Dr. Kennedy had begun and was promoting to his national television audience.
I was ending the second year of my first pastorate, in a small church in a small town in northwest Illinois, and had completed two graduate classes during that school year.
“I’ve known pastors who communicate that the ministry is a great burden, but they bear it for the Lord’s sake. I’ll agree there are plenty of burdens in the ministry, but we need to recover the joy.” - SBC Voices
“David’s lamp was sufficient to see a couple of steps ahead, but not much farther than that. It did not illuminate the whole way his feet would have to tread, but only the next few footfalls.” - Challies
“In November, Canadian health officials began showing up at Grace Life worship gatherings, recording the number of attendees, those who were not wearing masks, and social distancing. This continued each Sunday for about three months.” - Cripplegate
“I find deep encouragement in knowing that God has everything I need. Jesus is the chief shepherd of the church. Ultimately, what the church is or becomes is up to him. He’s in charge.” - TGC
“Before performing an abortion, doctors will have to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby has no heartbeat yet. The measure will protect all babies with detectable heartbeats except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life. Court battles will likely tie up the law’s enforcement, but pro-life advocates hope it will end up before the Supreme Court, where a conservative majority could overturn Roe v. Wade.” - WORLD
“The apologists affirmed: Christians are model citizens, respectful to Roman authorities, do good, and are not a threat to the empire. Within living memory of the apostles, these Christians learned well the deposit of apostolic teaching: we are, for example, ‘to show perfect courtesy toward all people’ (Titus 3:2) and to ‘Honor the emperor’ (1 Pet 2:17).” - Wyatt Graham
By Carl Johnson
Revelation 3:5 records this promise: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” One portion of the verse bothers some people; it is “I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.” Some infer from this statement that names can be blotted out of the Book of Life. The verse does not say that names will be blotted out of the Book of Life. In fact, it says just the opposite: “I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.”
“Roughly half of Black Americans say predominantly Black Muslim organizations such as the Nation of Islam (of which Malcolm X was once a member) and the federal government have had at least some impact on Black people’s pursuit of equality… . About eight-in-ten Black Protestants (81%) and Catholics (82%) say that predominantly Black churches have done at least some to help Black people move toward equality.” - Pew
“What views do U.S. Protestant pastors hold on the millennium described in Revelation 20? 60% premillennialism, 21% amillennialism and 9% postmillennialism” - LifeWay
“U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto permanently blocked enforcement of the executive order that put houses of worship in zones that limited them to 25 percent capacity with a maximum of 10 people or 33 percent capacity with a maximum of 25 people. Matsumoto made clear that his ruling in favor of the Orthodox Jewish group Agudath Israel of America would apply to all places of worship in the state.” - WORLD
“When understood and implemented fully, this can be a lifelong tax advantage for all ministers. Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about how it works. Here are the basics of what you need to know” - C. Leaders
“Just before he died [February 18, 1546], Luther preached what would be his last sermon from his deathbed in Eisleben. The ‘sermon’ consisted of simply quoting two texts, one from the Psalms and one from the Gospels. Luther cited Psalm 68:19, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.’ Then he cited John 3:16.” - Ligonier
“I wounded people in ways that were devastating….I should have done better. It grieves me that my words have hurt or been used to hurt the LGBTQ community. I apologize to you and I ask forgiveness of Christ.” - C.Post
