“The evangelical college posted, then deleted, a message celebrating Vought’s confirmation as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.” - RNS

Also: Wheaton College rebuked for removing post congratulating alum in Trump admin: ‘Caving to the mob’ - CPost

This post comes in response to a brother in the Middle East who seems to be combating false teaching in this area. I hope that this helps. I have not included the apposite sections within the major Systematic Theologies, nor have I included the important critical studies of Dunn or Pannenberg (which are both worth reading). These books furnish a well-rounded portrait of the Jesus of the Bible and His identity as the God-Man.

Doctrinal Works

B. B. Warfield – The Person and Work of Christ

An old standard made up of essays from various publications, this volume includes historical, biblical, apologetic and devotional material by one of America’s greatest theologians. This is a must-have.

New statement on dual - practice baptism

“Every city in America is different when it comes to regulating space for churches. However, in our current cultural climate, here are some suggestions for churches to become better neighbors in their community.” - By Faith

“The IRF [international religious freedom] community is a loose network of activists, policy experts and religious organizations that advocate for greater attention to IRF in US foreign policy. I engaged with them when I ran the Pew Research Center Global Restrictions on Religion project” - Providence

In another thread (Christ Anderson’s book), Romans 14 came up. That passage commands unity. It’s meaning is important in the schism-vs-fellowship question.

In the other thread, Larry said:

“Brierley thinks this ‘wider turning of the secular tide in the West,’ is a result of secularism’s failed predictions. A couple decades ago, the New Atheists promised a rational utopia in the wake of religious decline. Instead, we got a crisis of meaning” - Breakpoint

“Gavin Ortlund offers a critical appraisal of the Roman Catholic sacrament of penance or confession, from a Protestant perspective.” - YouTube

By Anthony Wood. Read Part 1.

His Humility Will Protect Us

For those of us who serve in a leadership capacity, the world demands that we show strength. Who among us, in the flesh, has not been lured by more power? A larger church building? An organizational structure without checks and balances?

Deeper still, which among us has not been tempted to think that “he” is the reason for a church’s effectiveness? Business success? Money saved? Children well raised? How quickly our hearts turn from the truth as we erode into self-sufficiency.

“The ‘He Gets Us’ ad campaign [aired] a new commercial during the first half of the Super Bowl on Sunday (Feb. 9), marking the project’s third consecutive year of having a presence in the big game, with the hopes of spurring dialogue and curiosity about Jesus.” - RNS

“For an ancient philosophy, Stoicism is wildly popular right now. Silicon Valley tech barons and young men in weight rooms across the country are searching for guidance, and they often find it among the maxims of Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.” - Acton

“Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to lead and shepherd the GARBC from the men who know it best. This interview features David Strope, GARBC interim national representative, and Clare Jewell, current GARBC national representative.” - GARBC

“The old purity culture that has earned such scorn in trendy Christian circles over recent years certainly had its limitations and its problems. But it understood a couple of truths: Sex is important, not trivial; sex is sacred, not just one species of human act among others” - Carl Trueman

“Once considered a vice and the realm of Vegas casinos and organized crime, legal commercial sports betting has become America’s favorite pastime.” - RNS

Related: The Sports Betting House Always Wins. Who Loses? We Do. - TGC

Various studies over the past decade or so have found that increasing numbers of people think of themselves as “spiritual but not religious.”

The trend makes sense. We are made with eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). The view that everything is just chemistry and physics can’t possibly satisfy. We all know at some level that there is more to reality, and we’re drawn to that something more. Because humans are at odds with God by nature (Eph 2:3), we’re drawn to something more, but without God. We use to call it “spiritualism.” It has gone by many other names.

The Price We Pay Betting on Sports

“So it is with all secondary sources of happiness. Things such as art, music, literature, sports, careers, and hobbies generate no light on their own. The light they bring comes from ‘the Father of lights’ (James 1:17).” - Randy Alcorn

“you can inadvertently create a vibe that suggests the work of membership is somehow ‘less than’ the work of elders. That’s a tragedy.” - 9 Marks

“The 2024 Super Bowl drew more than 123.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest television broadcast viewership in the nation’s history. Yet, most U.S. adults don’t believe God cares who wins the Super Bowl or determines the game’s winner” - Lifeway

“A new project to explore how technological progress should serve human flourishing has united a stellar group of conservative leaders. A Future for the Family: A New Technology Agenda for the Right is asking where technology should take us.” - Breakpoint

“Ministry success [is]… about the tension between competing goods. Each good is vital. Each demands attention. And each represents a genuine biblical mandate. These aren’t problems to be solved but tensions to be managed in ministry.” - Lifeway

Last time we began a consideration of the Apostle Paul’s statement in Romans 11:13: “I magnify my ministry.” We’re thinking of some practical implications and applications of these words of Paul, which fall in the midst of his extended treatment of God’s future plan for the people and nation of Israel.

We previously pondered our need to manifest sobriety in our ministries, and also to model consistency in all that we do in our service to the Lord.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have favorable ratings that exceed their unfavorable ratings by seven or eight percentage points. However, at least one in four U.S. adults are not familiar enough with Rubio and Jeffries to rate them.” - Gallup

“…spiritual warfare rages over who appears to make people most satisfied: God or Satan. Thus, sounds of human gladness in God taunt Satan’s ears. Saints have understood their joy as a polemic: ‘You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound’ (Psalm 4:7).” - Desiring God

It is easy to begin with comments “It depends” or “Yes and no.” A poll, by nature, addresses a broad summary, not so much nuances or exceptions.

I have felt overwhelmed with all the news about the many changes our current president has made in such a short time. Many of them thrill me, others I have questions about. But I don’t think I have ever seen so much creativity from Washington. Even solutions that might not work (like making Gaza into a Riviera) are out of the box.

What is your general impression?

“Officials announced the university, previously named Baptist Bible College, would close last summer amid financial struggles and declining enrollment. It was listed on the market for $17.5 million in the fall.” - Yahoo News

Also: Sale of former Baptist Bible College is pending - Audacy

“Christianity is absolutely compatible with a neutral, procedural liberalism—in fact, Christendom birthed that political system. But Christianity isn’t entirely compatible with a secular, value-laden version of liberalism.” - TGC

“While the missionary-supporter relationship is multifaceted, this basic truth must be established: anyone choosing to financially support a missionary joins the missionary’s ministry and that of his sending church.” - P&D

One of the marks of a Christian is a desire to share the good news of the life-transforming gospel with others. In the words of the apostles, “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). But what if a friend, fellow worker, schoolmate, or family member asks us to desist? Does there come a time when we should refrain from speaking to a person about Jesus and Christianity?

“In his new book, ‘Believe,’ Douthat makes a case for name-brand religion, saying the world’s largest faith traditions are like maps for helping us navigate life and the universe around us. They also might just be true.” - RNS

Related: Gavin Ortlund interview