Catholicity, Orthodoxy, and Lordship
I read Spurgeon’s observations on depression today. He took portions of Psalm 23 and took the reader through a journey through the psalm. Each portion of the psalm paralleled a phase in the journey from despair to joy. Spurgeon immersed the despondent soul through each step of the Psalmist’s journey. Here is his paraphrased translation, …
I have a secret to share. I love talking to people. I am genuinely interested in hearing people’s stories. Human beings are fascinating. They have fears, wounds, and successes. To make things even better I have been called to listen to people’s stories for a living. And frequently, especially on Sundays, I get to share …
Updated 7/26/14 Sexual abuse is prevalent in the evangelical church! And what’s worse: we are not making it go away. The Roman Catholic Church has taken some steps to avoiding this cosmic crime against the least of these. But what has the evangelical church done? At this point very little! Some have treated–naively–pre-teen sexual abuse, …
Continue reading “Pedophiles in the Church: A Dogmatic Introduction”
Let me begin with a confession: I have seen the equivalent of 30 minutes of Duck Dynasty. This makes me uncommitted to the show. I have no intention of watching any more of it. At least, until Phil Robertson goes out and hits a home-run. A&E exercising their free speech called it a foul ball, …
There is resurrection coming! It has been almost a year since Trinity Talk produced a new interview. My schedule has picked up quite a bit at church and Trinity Talk became secondary in my priority list. But with the new format, I will be able to produce more interviews with world class scholars on a …
I have been reading my former seminary professor’s work Leaving Egypt: Finding God in the Wilderness Places. It’s a journey. A long one. The basic thesis is that we prefer to taste the luxury of food offered to idols than the bread of heaven. We have forgotten to long for the Promised Land. We prefer the Egyptian …
We are not just speaking of making up rules as we go, but of a prepared spontaneity.
The pastoral task requires a prophetic and priestly vision. The prophetic dimension comes through proclamation in word. This proclamation fills the ministry of word with grace. Grace is riches in the Bible. So the pastoral proclamation is a form of gifting the body with riches. These riches serve as tools for dominion. They equip God’s …
Continue reading “Pronouncement and Process in the Pastoral Call”
A wonderful piece by Ed Welch offers some thoughts on this profound question. Welch writes that there are two patterns: 1. Confess—then ignore. A couple indulges in premarital sex and feels guilty. They confess it to the Lord, and promise God and each other, never to do it again. But it happens again, and then again. By …
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 73:3 that I “was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” It is clear that as we come into worship this morning, we all have this one sin to confess: envy. At some time this week, we have desired something that someone else has. Maybe you …