Financing elders

This one takes a look at a growing problem concerning succession planning and appointing new pastors. 

What If You Die Before Repenting? 

I regularly get some form of this question. My answer is always the same as in this post. It is a very helpful one: ‘Imagine a man who professes Christ with a genuine faith. He isn’t a perfect man; like every Christian he struggles with sin. One day he has a fight with his wife before leaving for work. On his way out, he says some horrible sinful things to her. The man drives away in his car still fuming angry. As he drives through an intersection, he gets t-boned by someone running a red light. The man dies instantly. Can his wife and family have any assurance about his eternal destiny?’

As a Christian I Made a Mess of Dating: You Don’t Have to 

‘As a young Christian, I thought I was mature enough to know not to date someone who doesn’t share your beliefs. I knew better, and I prayed that I’d date someone “equally yoked,” someone with whom I could share my faith. Happily, I did just that. I met a wonderful Christian man. We could “talk Jesus” and entertain ideas about marriage. However, concerning basically everything else about the relationship, we left little room for God.’

Since Satan Knows the Ultimate Outcome of God’s Plan, Why Does He Continue Opposing God?

This one offers an answer.

Encouraged in Evangelicalism

This is a nice (and short) one from Al Gooderham.

What Does the Bible Say About Cherubim?

It may not exactly be the question on everybody’s lips, but I love these slightly niche articles that take a look at some of the more obscure bits of the bible. This one takes a look at what the bible has to say about cherubim.

From the archive: If Christian books are often bland (and they are), why would we do the same to our conversations?

‘Most people writing books are middle-class like my apologetic friend. And their editors tend to be middle-class too, who also don’t want to offend. Then there are some very middle-class understandings of what it means to use words that are ‘seasoned with salt’ which differ from how people in my community would apply that. So, two people not wanting to offend, worried they might offend, and wanting to be gracious in the way they speak (which is obviously right) but applying that in light of how they understand that term. And presumably not wanting to write a book that is anything like a rant, just imagine how plain speaking and direct any points it might be making will be now? If my friend who wrote a decent, measured article for me felt he was ranting, imagine what books he and his pals are writing when they aren’t! Then imagine how editors, who don’t want that sort of thing either, make sure that they are kept even further away from that sort of thing. Then we wonder why a lot of writing is boring. It is death by a thousand caveats, apologies and nuances.’