“Forty-four percent of Americans say they are ‘very satisfied’ with the way things are going in their personal life, the lowest by two percentage points in Gallup’s trend dating back to 2001. This also marks the continuation of a decline in personal satisfaction since January 2020, when the measure peaked at 65%.” - Gallup

“while I argue expository preaching is to be most common, other approaches have their place. I would say expository preaching is primary but preaching that is ultimately biblical can come in other forms as well.” - Ed Stetzer

“To many the church appears as a cult, an archaic institution clinging to outdated beliefs. Others see the church as a place of judgment, intolerance, and hypocrisy. This perception isn’t entirely unwarranted…. But it also stems from a misunderstanding of what the church is supposed to be.” - Brian Cederquist

“What should be a source of shock for today is the increasing number of young Americans who doubt that the Holocaust, one of the most well-attested events in all history, even happened.” - Breakpoint

Hatred of any human being is never an option for a believer in Jesus Christ.

It is easy to sinfully justify hatred, especially when the world, the community around us, encourages it. Hatred, a lust that already exists in the human heart in seminal form, doesn’t need a lot of stoking to bring it to a raging flame.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

“Those raised in the church are often indifferent to her teachings and practices while it is those from outside the church who are most interested. I’ve received young people from Catholic, mainline Protestant and evangelical backgrounds.” - The Dispatch

Related: Orthodox Christian churches are drawing in far-right American converts - NPR

“By the time of the Reformation, many of the gains made in the fight against Pelagianism were lost. An entire ecclesio-sacerdotal system of salvation, which relied more on individual merit than the grace of God, had become dominant.” - Ligonier

“A.W. Tozer said, ‘What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.’” - Breakpoint

“If you hit the bullseye on this Ven diagram, you earn a living doing what the world needs, what you’re good at, and what you love to do. You are fortunate.” - IFWE

“After our conversation, he asked those counseling him if they felt it would be prudent to let him speak from the heart in a video interview at our church in Mobile. The idea is that I would interview him and release the video if, and only if, his family, his counselors, OnePassion’s board, and the elders at TBC were all in agreement.” - Clint Archer

This is a series of brief devotional articles on The Orthodox Catechism (“OC”), a Particular Baptist document written by Baptist pastor Hercules Collins in 1680. Read the series.

When confronted with a moral failure, our instinct is to minimize or to blame-shift. Yes, we shouldn’t have said this, but it only happened because you said that. No, we haven’t quite gotten around to fixing the car like we promised, but that’s because you keep using it every Saturday. Although these are silly little examples, the pattern holds true for the larger things.

“So how should a Christian respond to these ‘imaginings?’ What would you say if someone played that at a funeral, right before you were supposed to speak?” - P&D

“Almost half (45%) of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say to receive material blessings from God they have to do something for God. The percentage that agrees has almost doubled from the 26% who agreed in a 2017 Lifeway Research study.” - Ministrywatch

“Inevitably, the issue of church size enters the discussion. They say things like, “We’d like to do more, but we’re just a small church.” … Sometimes, comments about size serve as a cover for different concerns.” - Lifeway

“…pro-lifers today are awakening to serious worldview challenges that went largely unnoticed when Roe v. Wade was the law of the land. These challenges don’t replace the ones I wrote of during the previous Trump presidency; they represent additional challenges for 2025 and beyond.” - Desiring God

In this series we have learned how it is always dangerous to replace Israel.

Replacing Israel occurs when one interprets the word Israel in the text of Scripture to mean the church or all believers—understanding them to be the new Israel or the spiritual Israel. It is taking the concept of Israel (the people, the nation, or the land) in a non-literal sense.

We are concluding this series with a practical case study, showing how these issues worked out in the life, ministry, and influence of one of the greatest Reformers in the history of the church.

“Here are some basic principles we learned in a study…. What specific action does your church take to move members into ministry?” - Chuck Lawless

“Both Mahmoud v. Taylor and Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton address a fundamental question: Will parents maintain their God-given right and responsibility to protect their children and guide their moral development?” - TGC

“The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has appointed …. Dalrymple, the former executive director of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.” - CPost

“The moral argument for God’s existence has become less popular in some circles. Here Gavin Ortlund shares two reasons why Christians should hesitate before abandoning this argument, and three strategies for how to rehabilitate this argument.” - YouTube

Question

How does a biblical worldview ground math? Is math a reflection of the mind of God (which we recognize because His creation is orderly, and to some degree reflects His nature)—similar to laws of logic being a reflection of the perfect mind of God?

“On the eastern slopes of the City of David, just a few hundred yards away from the Temple Mount, archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority claim to have uncovered a second temple.” - Biblical Archaeology Society

“Some pastors bemoan the business-model trends that some missionaries follow in their support raising, while others hurt for the missionaries who are still stuck in a deputation rut that’s been 150-years in the making.” - P&D

“For many of these voters, being on the political right is not about being conservative, at least not socially conservative. The result is significant lack of clarity on the political right about what social conservatives hope to conserve.” - Breakpoint

“In North America, MennoMedia is releasing a new study Bible that features the reflections of 597 Bible study groups from 18 Anabaptist faith groups.” - RNS

“The institutional credibility of the Church and of many leaders has taken such a hit in recent years… and it can leave many Christians feeling dazed and disoriented as to the way forward.” - Baptist Press

Read Part 3.

As I complete this review one of the things that stands out to me is how much the author leans upon Reformed Confessions and writers from the past. While he does interact with Scripture a lot, one notices that men like Irenaeus, Augustine, Calvin, and a host of Puritans are brought in to direct the arguments. This is not to say these great men shouldn’t be referenced; it is the supporting role these authorities are given that is of note. They often do not merely corroborate an assertion; they reinforce and develop it.

“The real challenge is helping the elders change their focus from a board-of-trustees mentality to a shepherding mentality. In this article I will share our journey of making that change” - 9 Marks

“’We must be doing something right to last 200 years.’ Can we say the same thing this year as we celebrate our 250th anniversary of the American Revolution’s start in 1775? … it’s worth thinking about what we have done right, what we’re doing wrong, and whether we can get back on track.” - Marvin Olasky