Confessionalism or fundamentalism?

‘As a pastor I found a number of people looking for shelter and they thought they found a conservative haven when came to the church… Many were in search of political conservatism—they want Republican ideology flowing from the pulpit—small government, low taxes, and strong national defense. Others were looking for a certain type of cultural conservatism—long jean skirt jumpers for the ladies, homeschooling for the kids, and courtship for the teenagers looking for love. And still yet others were looking for theological conservatism—they wanted a certain type of postmillennial eschatology that tried to engage culture on multiple fronts to wage theological war against all forms of unbelief. Others were looking for ethical conservatism—no consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or rhythmic movement to music of any sort. When these people didn’t find these things in varying combinations, they left because their perception was that the church wasn’t conservative.’

Make the most of Sunday mornings: two simple changes

I think our church experience would be transformed if more of us took these two pretty simple steps. It is partly why our church has a “soft start” that gives people room to filter in early, it’s why we encourage people to stick around and chat afterwards, it’s why we tell people what we will preach next week and why we revisit our sermon in our midweek groups. But the two simple steps outlined in this one would really help us engage with all these things most helpfully.

Why majority language ministry isn’t reaching minority groups

I instinctively recognise this one. Not only because I minister in a minority language setting whilst only able to communicate in the majority language (namely, English), but because I can see this at work – and have experienced it myself – in the majority culture of the British church and its inability to reach working class people effectively despite (on paper at least) speaking the same language. Clearly, linguistic comprehension is not the only significant barrier to the gospel for most people.

Once More with Feeling: Why Apologetics (Desperately) Needs Imagination

I co-sign this one by Ted Turnau, particularly the three points he makes about how to engage imagination in a post-Christian culture (even more particularly the first two of those points).

When you long for justice

This is both a real and moving account about the wish for justice in the aftermath of sexual assault: ‘As I walked out of the video recording room in the police station, so many thoughts assailed my weary mind that it felt like radio static. My oppressor could get jail time t-boned thoughts like They probably think you’re a stupid, weak, silly woman while What have I done? collided front-on while There’s no going back rear-ended them.’

Its not political idolatry. It’s boredom.

‘Political idolatry assumes worship, and worship assumes some kind of confidence in the thing being worshiped. You perform the worship, you wait for the thing worshiped to deliver on its promises, and in the meantime you go about normal life. Question: Do the most political content-addicted folks seem confident to you, even when they win? Are they characterized by performing the ritual and then getting on with normal life as they anticipate the idol’s delivering? Or, do they go from urgent thing to urgent thing, unsatisfied even by victory, always looking for the next thing? Are they Jacob Marley: “I cannot rest, I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere.” Worship doesn’t usually look like this. Neuroticism looks like this. Addiction looks like this. Boredom looks like this.’

From the archive: Decisions without decisionism

‘Let’s not allow people to rest on the decision of a single moment as definitive proof they are secure in Christ whilst, at the same time, calling people to decide that they must turn to Christ to be saved. Let’s affirm that those who are genuinely saved will never lose their salvation but that such people will persevere in Christ until the end. Let’s recognise the need to call people to decide for Christ whilst, simultaneously, recognising that such decisions to believe are only of value if they are an ongoing, Spirit-empowered reality.’