Check out and subscribe to my latest SUBSTACK.
Man Rampant, NSA, Hale Institute, and Moods
Pastoral Theology and Anti-Jewishness Moods
Baptism and Our History
One of the joys of life at Providence is seeing children come to the baptismal font. We see these scenes often in our church, which is a sign of life. We witness the Spirit’s work in the waters of baptism, and I hope every baptism you witness becomes a reminder of who you are and what you are called to do. Baptism connects us to that great historical record that goes all the way back to Acts 2.
We are reminded that at Pentecost, that new beginning for the Church, the Spirit of God was poured on the heads of the early church, and that church was propelled to baptize the nations. 3,000 were baptized and joined that new movement beginning in Jerusalem and going to the ends of the earth.
Immediately after, household after household began to be baptized because God’s faithfulness is to you and your children. He does not change his plans but confirms them, and he does change his recipients, but he receives them.
This morning, God is bringing these little ones into the church’s life so that they may enter into the same Pentecost spirit of Acts 2. These little ones are receiving a new beginning. They are entering the waters of baptism and joining the prophets and kings and priests, the households of Acts and the billions baptized ever since. Today marks the start of a new identity, a new way of moving, being, and living in the presence of God.
ACTS 29 and the Antisemitism Awareness Acts #jewish #antisemitism #columbia
For Subscribers, I begin a three-part series on Romans 11 and the Future of Israel. I lay the groundwork for current discussions, and then offer the modern dispensational framework, and set the stage for supersessionist models in the upcoming article.
The Leftist Lollipop Guild and Columbia University
Rory Wilson, grandson of Douglas Wilson, is a student at Columbia University and has recently made the news for stepping up to bullies. That fetal position theory is not aging well, Lig.
Now, mind you, 99% of those masked on campus have no clue what is taking place in the Middle East and, like their leader, Joseph Biden, wouldn’t know the difference between the presidents of Egypt and Mexico. Kosahri and Tacos…blah, blah, blah!
As I have argued elsewhere, these theatrical displays are attempts to pin down their own guilt on Jews or Woodstock hippies, also known as their dads. It’s not anti-zionism or Trump that drives their ire; it’s that success is something they cannot envision for anyone else but themselves. They envy those who can actually get up for class.
Dr. Yoram Hazony observed that the question is not “What kind of American are you?” The question is whether there is an American nation going forward or not.” And that is becoming clearer each day because there is a portion of American evangelicalism that would rather sulk in victimization. They genuinely do not think Jesus has a better strategy than his opponents, so they delve into wild theories to rationalize their opponents’ actions.
But that theory is rather straightforward in Psalm 57: “They are setting traps for themselves.” I mean, did you see how that dear leader of the Columbia Revolution stood before reporters, saying that they were in a state of protest where they needed humanitarian aid? She was begging reporters to please sneak in some tailored glutten-free souvenirs. After all, we do not want them to die of starvation. And that is almost a direct quote, except for the glutten-free part, which is implied by every conceivable context.
The reason we win is because the opponents, the pro-Marxian lollipop guild, are self-defeating. They can’t keep up with that ancient word called “logic.” And all we need to do is stand in front of doors and make it difficult for them to come in because, sooner or later, they will need to retreat to the comfort of their cannabis cookies.
What are the distinctives of the CREC?
The purpose of the CREC is not to be the PCA without Tim Keller or the OPC without D.G. Hart. We reject third-wayism and dualism, but there is much more that comprises who we are.
We are a communion of Reformed churches deeply interested in cultural renewal within the church and the home, theology that comes out of our fingertips, and a liturgy that enriches God’s people with joy.
Our confessions, diverse yet unified, reflect our catholicity. But it’s our shared distinctives that truly define us. We acknowledge that these may differ from the trajectory of other Reformed bodies, but they are the pillars of our 130+ churches. Among them are our eschatology, epistemology, and ecclesiology.
Our postmillennialism is deeply embedded in our lives. This is more than a preference for historical optimism. Postmillennialism is how we see the Bible moving. It is far from a mere academic discussion. In fact, it would not be easy to function happily in the CREC without that eschatological predisposition. It impacts everything from our preaching/teaching to our education and interpretation of the times.
Our presuppositionalism asserts that we are not ashamed of the Word of God or its language. The language of the Scriptures is the vocabulary of heaven, and we submit to its wisdom in totality. It further gives us confidence in affirming doctrines like six-day creationism, though many consider us Neanderthals. It is nearly impossible to come into the CREC denying that Genesis paradigm. We do not belittle tradition but restore tradition to its rightful place. The testimony of the church (tradition) leads us to a high and reverent esteem of the Sacred Scriptures.
Our paedocommunion practice is fundamental to our existence as a whole. Without the communing of baptized children, the CREC would fail to offer the grounds for our covenantal theology. Covenant communion is the way we enflesh our theology of children. We affirm that baptized children shall receive all the covenant benefits. We also believe that they are integral members of the body of Christ, without whom worship would be incomplete. While some congregations can function outside this system, they must understand that they are co-laboring with an undeniable majority who believe life and table, water and word, bread and wine, worship, and participation belong unto them.
We are happy to form fraternal relations with many denominations, and we have a growing sense of unity with a host of institutions and denominations who share our conservative political convictions against the insanity of the leftist ideologues. and the goal is to build much more on those in the months and years ahead.
While we wish to continue growing, we understand that not every church is a good fit for the CREC. While we cherish the hundreds of inquiries received worldwide and the overwhelming interest in our communion, we also want to grow in a manner that honors who we are without diluting the principles that made us who we are.
How the CREC got on Tucker Carlson twice in one week
What would cause a small denomination of about 130 churches worldwide to have two representatives–in the span of seven days–interviewed by one of the most listened-to shows in the world?
It requires what I call “happy generalism.” You must desire an ecclesiastical culture that is at ease in the priestly world of Exodus and the heavenly world of thronerooms in Revelation, who sits in the Shire, Wessex, Middle Earth, and walks through wardrobes.
To have something worth sharing, you need curiosity about the world. In other words, you cannot be interesting unless you are filled with interests. A happy generalist must be saturated with imagination, ready to twist the plot at any second, prepared to explicate things from a unique angle, avoid cliches, and see the world through new eyes.
I guarantee you that this is not the fruit of public education nor a steady dose of Fox News; it is a mind equipped with the literature of the West, biblical preaching, abundant discourse and dialogues, festive meals, and champagne toasts.
I have seen congregations of 50 people achieve more publicly and intellectually than congregations of 5,000. No one should be allergic to growth, but we should all be allergic to incurious growth, the kind of increase that happens merely on emotive or entertainment grounds.
This week has been more than instructive. We have seen that good ideas articulated carefully, rooted in undaunted courage, can take you to some of the biggest platforms. In those places, you can tell millions that Christ is risen indeed, halleluiah!
The Scattered Seed Podcast on my Life and New Book
This was an enriching interview. I was able to offer some of my history in pursuing pastoral ministry and then delve into the purpose of the armor of God. The questions were engaging, and the conversation flowed easily.
I have done hundreds of interviews, but these guys set the bar pretty high for excellency.
Racism and the Seatbelt Society
Various forms of racial/ethnic animosity are a common thread in a disenchanted world. It is far easier to find massive scapegoats to alleviate our people’s political and social sins or our own.
In this paradigm, we can live reactionarily, passing out guilt cards to everyone else and every people group but ourselves. Then, our mistakes can be atoned for and absolved by those who regurgitate the same priestly language. It’s “their fault” is not a 21st slogan. It is as old as midday in the Garden of Eden. This model chooses a seatbelt society specializing in safety but never giving heed to the adventure of responsibility.
Nick Fuentes, Antisemitism, and Angry Young Men
Nick Fuentes appeals to many young men because our youth is looking to attach their anger at something or someone to explain our massive lack of civil order. But many find the wrong enemy to attach their misdirected anger at civilization. Outrage has become the currency of choice for many in our day. But the outrage is not imprecatory in nature, seeking wisdom and justice from on high; it’s rooted in the imbalance of their theology, which only understands reactionism as a paradigm. It is undeniable that these men are seeking father figures. They are self-appointed popes submitting to a self-appointed pope. Their hatred of people groups is a subscription to an anti-creational and anti-redemptive structure and worldview.
When it comes to antisemitism (“the notion that Jews are uniquely malevolent and destructive in their cultural, economic, and political influence in the world”; see Douglas Wilson, “American Milk and Honey,” pg. xv), the issue here is not whether there are negative things to observe about Israel’s geo-political strategy; the point is that those who believe in Jewish tyranny are generally prone to insurrection ideologies. They are incapable of rational argumentation except to utter incomprehensible fragments attempting at lucidity. Here’s an example from Fuentes and the natural outpouring of antisemitic rhetoric:
“I don’t hate Hitler, you know, I mean, I don’t. I’m not in favor of genocide or whatever. But I look at Hitler as a statesman. Hitler didn’t kill my people or anything like that.” -Nick Fuentes
Fuentes is a product of misdirected anger. He attempts to give honor to whom honor is due by forgetting that we do not call good evil and evil good, and neither is Jesus calling us to praise Judas’ good deeds nor is the devil seeking compliments.
Fuentes attempts to harmonize his Jewish hysteria with his Catholic faith. But he repeatedly fails because he and those who follow him cannot think clearly because their lenses are putrid and that accompanies his analysis of everything. They need a scapegoat to vent their unrighteous indignation. They are the blind leading the blind.