Calvin’s take on venerating relics
‘For Calvin, the relic isn’t a theologically neutral artifact. It’s the fruit of disobedience that refuses to worship God and God alone. Relics, which may have been introduced with good intentions and for pedagogical purposes, eventually opened the door to pagan religiosity and inappropriate veneration. “The desire for relics is never without superstition,” Calvin writes, “and what is worse, it is usually the parent of idolatry.”’
Model problems
‘The next generation of pastors primarily desire to function in a team ministry environment. And by team ministry they don’t mean them and lay elders, they mean them and a paid full/part-time staff team. I’ve had lots of conversations with young ministers and those thinking of ministry where that has been the goal. They cite various reasons; “I think a staff team balances out weaknesses and strengths.” “I don’t do well when I’m isolated.” “I need the care and support of others around me.” “I need the encouragement of being able to plan and pray and dream together.” And so on are all reasons I hear. There’s a couple of huge problems that reveals…’
2 common pitfalls to avoid when evangelising Muslims
Seems sensible and fairly easy. Unless you are specifically scheduled to have a debate or presentational discussion, these seem like good bits of advice.
Online prophets are more like Jonah than Jeremiah
‘In today’s era, with the algorithms and platforms that lend themselves to outrage and attention, the prophetic impulse can lead us to a place of perpetual and unending critique. We fail to recognize the difference between the normal flaws and failures of overall good leaders who steward their authority well and the egregious sins and injustices that require a forceful and unequivocal response. Everything receives the same level of outrage.’
The Marquis de Sade – The Progressive Prophet
You may not agree with every inference and link David draws in this one, but the parallels between the doctrine of the Marquis de Sade and the modern day tendency for progressivism are difficult to ignore.
Does God love us simply for his glory?
John Piper answers this one very helpfully.
From the archive: Have you valued and loved rightly?
‘What our reaction tells us is not (necessarily) whether we have idolised something. It tells us whether we love something or not. That love may or may not be disordered. We have put an overly large value on a thing that is, at heart, not all that valuable at all. But often, we are valuing things rightly. We’re not putting them in the place the Lord occupies, but just as the Lord commands us himself commands us to love certain things, we love them rightly. And so we show the right level of disappointment and upset when we don’t have them. Not the disappointment and upset of a smashed idol; the disappointment and upset of losing a thing that was rightly loved to begin with.’