Want to defeat evil? Put down the swords and pick up the tools

Body

“David’s story feeds into Jesus’ proverb: ‘all who take the sword will perish by the sword’ (Matthew 26:31). Jesus was telling Peter who began fighting to defend him from being taken to the cross. It was a time when lots of people thought it was right to use violence to fight for independence.” - Mark Horne(link is external)

Discussion

Stop Trying to Be Cool

Body

“Terms like ‘seeker’ and ‘emergent’ and ‘missional’ and ‘relevant’ and ‘contemporary’ have all at various times found their way into the evangelical lexicon….they all grapple with a perennial matter namely: How does the church relate to the culture?” - Ken Brown(link is external)

Discussion

The courage, creativity and charm of GK Chesterton

Body

“I see Chesterton as one of the great defenders of the Christian faith in the 20th century. He was resolutely, persistently, and brilliantly countercultural, and in the wonderful way he spoke out I find three things worthy of praise.” - C.Post(link is external)

Discussion

Of Course the Church Is Going to Be Small

Body

“Our models and our expectations for ‘successful’ churches tend to focus on growing in numbers. But is that realistic? …. Christian minorities gathered into small congregations can still function effectively as the Body of Christ. In fact, that may be the Biblical norm.” - Veith(link is external)

Discussion

Proclaiming the Truth in Sodom

Jay Lickey

Of all my days of being in and around churches, I have heard some church names that caught my attention. The Halfway Baptist church always made me chuckle when I drove past it in college. I have heard of a few Corinthian Baptist churches which made me wonder what kind of problems they were dealing with. I have even heard of a Laodicea Baptist church. But in all my days I have never heard of a Sodom church. No one is surprised by this. But it does get you thinking, doesn’t it? What would a church do in a modern-day Sodom?

Discussion

No: A Christian worldview isn’t a code word for ‘whiteness’

Body

“…the claims that ‘scholars’ like Du Mez, Gushee, and Jacob Allan Cook (as we will see) are making are so cynical and unbiblical, not to mention corrosive to constructive discourse, that they merit attention and correction.” - C.Post(link is external)

Discussion

Change, Part 2: Sovereign, Attentive, and Good

Body

“I’ve proposed using the Old Testament account of Joshua’s succession of Moses as a pattern for us as we face a rapidly and significantly changing world. I suppose I should justify that.” - Olinger(link is external)

Discussion

The World Is Afraid, and the Church Isn’t Helping

Body

“At the end of 2020, Lifeway Research asked U.S. adults which feeling they sought to avoid the most: fear, shame, or guilt. Four in 10 U.S. adults (41%) said fear, the clear winner of the three options.” - Lifeway(link is external)

Discussion

The Supreme Importance of Worldview

Body

“…most people obtain their worldview by unconsciously absorbing it from the culture rather than consciously adopting it from Scripture. Identifying and mastering the components of the biblical worldview will strengthen the faith of any believer, help us to detect and refute error, and live consistent with the way the world really works.” - P&D(link is external)

Discussion