Defending Contending
The Necessity and Sufficiency of Scripture - Tue, 21 May 2013
Scripture: Necessity and Sufficiency Last week, we studied the authority and clarity of Scripture. Anyone recall anything about those subjects and why they’re important? Today, we examine the necessity and sufficiency of Scripture. Again, two tightly connected attributes of God’s Word that are closely tied to the two we looked at last week. If any […]
Tragedy in My Own Neighborhood - Tue, 21 May 2013
Last week, a terrible tragedy struck in two homes just a stone’s throw from my own house. As of the writing of this article, one man is currently in custody on nineteen criminal charges, including the murder of five people. When I first heard of this terrible crime, my first thought, in fact my overriding […]
Scripture: Authority and Clarity - Fri, 17 May 2013
Why is it important for us to study the authority and clarity of Scripture – anyone have any ideas? Does The Fall reveal anything of the importance of these two issues? Let’s take a look at Genesis, but bear in mind the nature of Scripture – the Word of God. Now the serpent was more […]
Do Not Be Surprised
NoCo90 with Todd Friel: Do Not Believe the Abortion Mill Lies
GTY Blog
The Fatal Flaw of the Charismatic Movement - Thu, 23 May 2013
The Strange Fire conference represents a thorough, biblical response to the errors and excesses of the charismatic movement. It will be comprehensive both in its scope of content and breadth of teaching. On that note today we wanted to let you hear from another of our keynote speakers...
Personal Evangelism 101: Identify Spiritual Needs - Wed, 22 May 2013
It would be wonderful if unsaved people eagerly came to you with their questions about salvation and eternal life, but that’s not likely to happen very often, if ever...
Personal Evangelism 101: Take Initiative - Tue, 21 May 2013
As believers, we’re often surrounded by people who have no interest whatsoever in God or His Word. That indifference can be a significant barrier to our evangelistic efforts—how do we effectively bring the gospel to a world that doesn’t want to hear it?
Ligonier Ministries Blog
Believing and Perceiving the Sovereignty of God
$5 Friday: The Arts, Islam, & Assurance
A Special Panel Discussion on Christology
Moriel Ministries
Doug Harris - Fri, 17 May 2013
It is with mourning and compassion for his wife that Moriel and Jacob Prasch learned that Doug Harris of Reachout Trust went to be with The Lord. Doug was Britain’s leading anti cult apologist and directed the evangelistic outreach of Reach Out Trust to Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. Doug was an intelligent, articulate, and capable [...]
Contrast: IRS Treatment of Jewish Organization vs. its Treatment of Organization founded by Barack Obama’s Muslim Brother - Wed, 15 May 2013
by Shoebat Foundation May 15, 2013 Last week, we learned that the Jewish group known as Z Street had its tax exempt status application held up because it was “connected to Israel”. Last night, Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Z Street’s representative Lori Lowenthal Marcus appeared with Greta van Susteren and said that not only is the group’s 2009 filing still [...]
Why Galilee? - Wed, 15 May 2013
Question: Why did Jesus pick Galilee as the place where his disciples would see Him? Answer: Multiple reasons The Pilgrim Feasts were over and it was normative for Galileans to return to Galilee until next Pilgrim feast 50 Days later (Shavuoth/ Weeks; Pentecost). By returning to His earthly home in Galilee Jesus was showing He [...]
Pyromaniacs
"Boundaries" - Fri, 24 May 2013
This is a re-post from March 2012. Phil explains why "erecting boundaries" is often a positive and necessary thing to do.
We're often told by gurus of church-growth and guardians of postmodern values in the evangelical community that we mustn't erect "boundaries."
I gather from the way such comments are often bandied about that the word boundaries is supposed to have totally negative connotations. Honestly: I don't see why. I can understand how worldly people whose minds are enslaved to earthbound, man-centered, self-indulgent thoughts might wish for a world without any lines or borders. But candidly, it's an attitude that's hard to reconcile with the whole tenor of the New Testament.
Contemporary evangelicals' resistance to boundaries is especially hard to reconcile with the fact that pastors (the word means shepherds) are expressly charged with guarding the flock and keeping predators out of the fold. And there simply is no realistic way to keep sheep in the sheepfold and wolves out if you refuse to observe any boundaries. In John 10:7, Jesus famously said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep." I cannot envision any useful purpose for having a "door [for] the sheep" if there is no sheep-pen or enclosure of some kind with well-defined, secure barricades, sturdy fences, or a protected perimeter of some kind.
But mainstream evangelicals have been indoctrinated along with the rest of postmodern society to think walls and borders are inherently sinister. We're conditioned to favor a whole different set of more stylish and more politically-correct values: tolerance, openness, diversity, mystery, indecision, broad-mindedness, and liberality. It's considered humble and generous to entertain perpetual qualms about what we believe. We're not supposed to think any single perspective can righteously claim to be true to the exclusion of all others.
So today's evangelicals bend over backward not to sound the least bit dogmatic. Because certainty is perceived throughout our culture as a kind of cruel arrogance. Clarity, authority, careful definitions, and firmness are likewise looked upon with deep suspicion. Stating your beliefs with settled conviction is a sure way to start trouble these days.
Want proof? Just page through our blog and read any random comment thread where 30 or more people have replied. You'll see, I think, that the most common complaint we get from angry commenters is that we sound too sure of our position—or some variation on that theme. (We're too rigid; too reluctant to change our minds; too emphatic in the way we make our case; or whatever.) We're expected to qualify and over-qualify everything we say in a way that practically nullifies every critique and ultimately countermands every concern. We are told we always ought to look for things to commend if ever it is absolutely necessary to criticize something, and above all, we must be brotherly to everyone who comes in Jesus' name.
See: the concept of "unity" commonly touted today has nothing whatsoever to do with "being in full accord and of one mind" (Philippians 2:2). Instead, it is a broad, visible, ecumenical homogeneity without boundaries.
And that is nothing like the biblical concept of unity.
Slaughter of the Sheep
Hillsong Conference: Strange Bedfellows - Mon, 20 May 2013
I learned a long time ago that if you want to lose followers, just talk about their favorite singers/bands. I might lose a few after this, but so be it. Hillsong has been on the slippery slope of false doctrine … Continue reading 
Church of Tares: Purpose Driven, Seeker Sensitive, Church Growth, and New World Order - Wed, 08 May 2013
If you haven’t seen this video, you really should make time in your schedule to watch it. It’s almost two-hours long, but is well worth it!
Strange Fire - Tue, 23 Apr 2013
Sola Dei Gloria
T Rex Christianity - Thu, 25 Apr 2013
From TomintheBox News Network 
Phyllis Schlafly: Bring Back McCarthyism - Tue, 23 Apr 2013
I have hated watching what has taken place in this nation over the last few years. Its as though we’re on a determined path to destroy ourselves from within. While the Prophecy authors, and a hand-full of the usual nuts, go about warning of God’s judgment “soon” to come upon America, I believe they are [...]
The Lion is on His Way - Mon, 22 Apr 2013
I do recall this and thought it was interesting too, In September of last year the president of a large nation stood before all the nations gathered in the assembly hall of the United Nations in New York City. He spoke about peace and understanding, but in his speech he also proclaimed that Jesus was [...]
The Cripplegate
On Doctrine and Practice: Theology in the Service of Piety - Fri, 24 May 2013
The Book of Philippians is about the Gospel. It’s not quite an exposition of the doctrinal content of the Gospel, like Romans is. And it’s not quite a defense of the Gospel in the face of heresy, like Galatians is. Philippians is more about the implications the Gospel has on the various aspects of our [...]
Evangelicals & the Eucharist (Part 1) - Thu, 23 May 2013
Over the past few weeks, I have received no less than three inquiries regarding the early church’s celebration of the Lord’s Table and its implications for the evangelical church today. Two of these inquiries have come from Roman Catholics, each of whom has suggested that the Roman Catholic practice of transubstantiation best represents the way [...]
The call to minister to the poor - Wed, 22 May 2013
Yesterday I wrote on how the New Testament calls believers to help minister to those afflicted by tragedy and disasters such as this week’s tornado. I gave some practical steps for churches to apply the biblical commands to meet each other’s needs in times of distress. Yet it occurred to me later that there might [...]
The Reformed Traveller
Sovereign Grace Ministries’ 2nd Amended Lawsuit: A House of Horrors? (Graphic) via The Wartburg Watch - Wed, 15 May 2013
(screen shot taken from the complaint) ~ The Wartburg Watch “Today, the 2nd Amendment to the lawsuit has been released. If you think the last one was bad, you are forewarned. What is included in this released suit will turn your stomach. We are now left with two diametrically opposed possibilities. Either these accusations are […]
Book Review: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller - Fri, 26 Apr 2013
. “To support this concept of ‘ego’, Keller reveals his “admiration” for Madonna as an example of one who “shows a tremendous amount of self-awareness.” (p21) More ominously, he recasts the teaching of Paul as showing “how the gospel…transformed his sense of self-worth, his sense of self-regard and his identity” and how “his ego operates…now.” […]
Domestic Violence and the Church – Free Training In Charlotte, North Carolina, May 4, 2013 - Wed, 17 Apr 2013
A Cry For Justice – Awakening the Evangelical Church to Domestic Violence and Abuse in its Midst ~ Barbara Roberts is one of the presenters at this training in Domestic Violence and the Church training in Charlotte, North Carolina. [You can invite people using the Facebook page in this link.] Thank you to Julie […]
The Watchman’s Bagpipes
First Communion Wedding Dresses?
Random Apostasies and Heresies
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