A fracture in the stonewall
Carl Trueman: ‘There is a sense in which it is encouraging for conservatives to see some LGBTQ+ individuals breaking with the T and pointing to the nonsensical premises and authoritarian ambitions of the movement. The enemy of my enemy is something of a friend, as the LGBTQ+ movement itself shows. But I fear the reality may be far different and less encouraging.’
Steve Chalke and the threat to prosecute evangelical churches
I was going to comment on this myself but David Robertson got there first and said it far better than I might have done.
The world’s easiest theological question
This is a particularly important one that might expose some of the issues we face with our culture of church leadership.
The blessing of good elders
‘I know what you’re thinking because I am thinking it too. Elders are sometimes not a blessing. We have all experienced situations where elders did not do their jobs or where they made poor decisions or where they were ungodly. I know all that. Even acknowledging that elders are sinners, and we have had bad past experiences, we should note that elders can and are a real blessing to many churches. Let me give you some reasons why elders can be a real blessing to you and your church.’
Can Christian ‘hospitality’ hinder gospel ministry?
‘My concern… is that in an effort to be inclusive to those outside the faith that we (inadvertently, perhaps?) somehow lessen the offense of the gospel. That in our efforts to win people, we downplay the heart of the message which calls people to a place of repentance for their sinful, wilful rebellion against Almighty God. I just don’t see how unbelievers can spend time with authentic Christians, in whatever context, and not be offended by the gospel. I think that if they’re not being offended then they’re not being exposed to authentic gospel living. I think if people walk away from a Christian community feeling good about themselves and their spiritual condition, then they have not understood what is at the heart of our lives.’
Policies, persons and paths to ruin
This is an interesting one from John Piper.
From the archive: Why I (usually) preach systematically through books of the Bible
‘It is our view that the usual, and best, diet for the church is to preach through books of the Bible systematically. It is not to say that it is wrong to ever preach a thematic series here and there, it is just to say that the main and usual approach to teaching the Bible ought to be systematic.’