At a recent world climate summit of some sort (I lose track of the official titles of these wacko things), we heard the expected headlines from the expected talking heads. Like John Kerry. (Is he still our Climate Czar? And are we Americans really going to keep tolerating government officials being given the title of Czar?) And Al Gore, preacher of Cosmic Climate Catastrophe. (Just how rich has he become from this gig, anyway?) ...
Missions is on my mind. A lot. Not just because I am a Pastor, although this surely does drive me to pray over and ponder missions more often than I might otherwise. But, primarily, missions stays on my mind because I am a Christian. To be a Christian is to desire to have the very heart of God for this world. And God’s heart is a missionary heart, if ever there was one. John 3:16 says so. ...
At a recent local pastors’ prayer gathering (which I have been blessed to be a part of for over ten years), a fellow pastor challenged us all from Colossians 1:3-4 to be thankful for our flocks....
“America’s founders were all deists!” Earlier this year, I heard a preacher make this very proclamation from the pulpit. It struck me as odd, because I happen to know this particular preacher is not lazy in his preparation. So, I had to assume this preacher had either bought into some historical revisionism, or had simply been negligent to fact-check....
Will the true Pro-Life Republicans please step forward? Will the true Pro-Life Christians please stand up? The overturning of Roe has really exposed us, in conservative circles, hasn’t it? I have lost track of the evangelicals who are salivating over half-hearted, incremental measures in their States. In my own State of Indiana, lawmakers were too cowardly to simply abolish abortion. Instead, our GOP-controlled Legislature gave us an incremental bill which they touted as stopping 95% of all abortions. My guess is, if they had a voice, the 5% of babies still being dis-membered and carved up in wombs might not be happy....
Labor Day in America! A Holiday where we celebrate the fruits of our labors . . . by not laboring. ...
It’s that time of year again. Kids standing on curbs at 6 AM, and yellow buses noisily grinding up and down our roads. Public and private schools seem to almost go year-round these days. Long gone are the days of a full three months of summer vacay. And, for all the required class-time, every indicator over the last decade or so reveals that students in the United States are performing poorly, and are not even learning the basics: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. ...
If anyone doubts the intrusion of Critical Theory into the worldview of the average Southern Baptist Christian, or church, not to mention the Convention at upper echelons as expressed in the annual resolutions proposed and passed at conventions, one need only: a) Observe how many SBC leaders are now linking the pro-life cause with socialism / Marxism / redistribution of wealth / government nanny-state; b) Review the many resolutions expressing some kind of public apology for sins of the past. This post focuses on the latter. ...
In the previous post, I warned of the feminist view of the office and role of pastor that has infested the Southern Baptist Convention. As the Chairwoman of the Credentials Committee mentioned, some in the SBC think the “gifting” of pastor can be distinguished from the “office” of pastor, thus paving the way for ordination of women into the pastorate, or the allowance of women serving in some kind of pastoral functions or roles. This kind of obfuscation of the meaning of words is classic liberal, ignore-the-plain-meaning of the Bible strategy. ...
During Her Confirmation Hearing, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Infamously (Or Famously, Depending Upon Your Political And Ethical Persuasions) Could Not Nor Would Not Answer The Question, “What is a woman?” Instead, she quipped, “I’m not a biologist.” Well, the Credentials Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention recently answered the question, “What is a Pastor?” by essentially saying, “We’re not theologians.” ...
Sexual abuse is abhorrent to every genuine follower of Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is abhorrent even to the vast majority of non-Christians. (This is, by the way, what makes the current push of the LGBTQ agenda into the public elementary schools so disturbing. It is classic pedophile grooming to sexualize young, pre-pubescent children. But I digress.) Sexual lusts and sins of every kind, as defined by the Holy Scripture, are also abhorrent to Christians. The Church of Jesus Christ has always stood against such evils. To oppose abuse in any form takes no courage at all. ...
The annual spectacle known as the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting is over. I watched it all via livestream, and our church sent two messengers. Although I have not met with the messengers in person yet, we texted extensively during the convention, and I feel quite safe saying we were all three very disappointed. ...
Forgiveness. It’s a beautiful word that flows with joy off our tongues. May we who are in Christ also see it flowing ever-so gracefully from our hearts. When Christians forgive one another, as Christ has forgiven them, it is truly like a river flowing from our inmost being, refreshing the souls of the forgiven. ...
Forgiveness. Such a beautiful, terrible word. Beautiful to receive, but often so terribly difficult to give. ...
What is it about us human beings that we simply cannot seem to resist talking about other people? ...
We’ve all been there. Cringing as we hear someone in church sharing a testimony that just gets way too specific about one’s pre-conversion past, or even one’s so-called “backsliding.” It sounds dangerously close to glorifying the sin. At best we might be thinking TMI (to use textese, a language I do not actually speak). At worst, we are covering our children’s ears and praying our teens do not get any wild ideas about how awesome it would be to have that same testimony. ...
The “leaked” document published by Politico pertaining to the upcoming Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade is a stunning development. Add the highest court of our land to the ever-growing list of institutions that have proven to be infiltrated with untrustworthy snitches who care more about themselves and their personal agendas than the higher good or the overall integrity of the institution or offices themselves. Whatever we might think about this “leak,” one thing is clear to us all – it was done for personal political motives. ...
On this Good Friday, amidst the tumult of our sin-wrecked world, it would be good for us to soak up the lines of the poem penned by Isaac Watts. We know this poem as the hymn, “When I Survey.”...
OK, so it is not my intent here to argue against the way our society defines “race.” I have done that elsewhere in blogs addressing the false definitions employed by Critical Race Theorists. I do appreciate that Google’s definition added the phrase “or ethnic group.” Biblically, there is one race – human – but many people groups / cultures, ethnicities. But that’s not my point here....
Was it a publicity stunt? Intended to rescue a Hollywood awards show from years of plummeting ratings and viewership? Or was it a real, raw expression of insult, injury and angst? ...
On March 12, 2022, our Lord and Savior called one of His servants home to heaven. That servant was Joe Nichols. A devoted husband to Leola (March 17th would have been their 57th anniversary). A strong Dad, Papaw, and Great-Granddaddy. A servant in Corydon Baptist Church and the Southeast Indiana region for many decades. To say Joe had a servant’s heart is to vastly understate it. ...
For my faithful few readers out there, you know that I try to resist the urge to blog as quickly as possible about whatever is in the 24-hour news cycles. I think far too many pastors and Christian leaders and bloggers reverse James 1:19 and are quick to speak, and slow to listen. The plethora of opinions inundating Twitter and the blogosphere regarding the 6-day old war between Russia and Ukraine serves as Exhibit A. ...
Valentine’s Day is hokey. Probably the epitome of a Hallmark holiday. Nevertheless, there is certainly nothing inherently wrong with observing special days or special occasions (Rom 14:5). And genuine love is worth celebrating! Not just today, but every day....
For several months now, our newscasters have been reporting on the phenomenon of distraught parents pushing back against school boards, teachers, and the public educational system in general. Granted, the demeanor of these parents is not always kind. And yet, many conservative Christians cannot help but feel empathy, if not just outright cheer them on. Bible-treasuring believers have historically held that parents are the God-ordained authorities in the lives of children, followed by faithful pastors and other wise Christian mentors (Deut 6; Ps 78; Eph 6; Col 3; Titus 2)....
For any American Christian who imagined that the radical Marxist, anti-Christian, church-hating agenda of the LGBTQ+ movement would simply remain in Europe, Canada (see my previous blog) and California, think again....
Just a few days ago, one of the most wicked pieces of legislation in the history of humanity took effect in Canada. Bill C-4 effectively criminalized what has been labeled “conversion therapy” regarding sexuality and gender. Any Canadian citizen who promotes or attempts in any way to convince a person that heterosexuality and/or actual biological gender is to be preferred may now be imprisoned for up to 5 years! ...
I trust the World Health Organization . . . About as far as I can throw them! Or, almost as much as I trust the CDC and Dr. Fauci. But, some of my few faithful readers may recall many months ago that I wondered why seemingly nobody was saying anything about “vaccine equity.” ...
The lack of biblical discernment among several big name evangelical leaders and churches is now beyond disturbing. More and more reports of a new form of church segregation are popping up around the nation. Ironically, some of the same pastors and leaders who have been slowly but surely drinking the Kool Aid of wokeness, which claims its aim is “antiracism,” are now encouraging if not outright instituting the sin of partiality in their churches! ...
God has ordained government as the earthly authority with the power of the sword (Rom 13:1-7). Governments are all accountable to the King of kings for how they rule (Dan 4; Rev 18). Governments are beholden to God’s Word to discern good from evil. The Bible is replete, however, with examples of earthly rulers and governments who refused to stay in their lane....
At one of the most divisive political times in our nation’s history, Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows how to bring her party together. The deceptively named “Women’s Health Protection Act” seeks to wipe out all the various pro-life laws passed by the states, and permanently legalize abortion on demand, for any reasons whatsoever, right up until birth....
The song by Alan Jackson, “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?” says it well. It did feel like everything in the world was on pause, on that day twenty years ago. 9/11. ...
...a fitting epitaph for what we Americans have witnessed over the last few weeks. ...
I recently read this blog post by Dr. Chuck Lawless. While I certainly cannot improve upon the 10 Questions given to us by Dr. Lawless, I want to come at it from a slightly different angle. Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries has often said that Christians should find a healthy New Testament Church then build their lives around it. I heartily concur. ...
In a sermon now infamous among many of us Southern Baptists, the then President of the SBC, J.D. Greear, stated that “God whispers about sexual sin.” ... So, let’s take a sampling of God’s whispering:...
A pastor friend recently posted this citation from R. J. Rushdoony, from page 111 of his book The Politics of Guilt and Pity. I thought it worth posting again here:...
A mom in our church recently texted me a question: “I’d like to know what top 12 hymns you would recommend all children know.”...
Missions is on my mind. A lot. Not just because I am a Pastor, although this surely does drive me to pray over and ponder missions more often than I might otherwise. But, primarily, missions stays on my mind because I am a Christian. To be a Christian is to desire to have the very heart of God for this world. And God’s heart is a missionary heart, if ever there wa...
Keep Reading What is it about us human beings that we simply cannot seem to resist talking about other people? ...
Keep Reading We’ve all been there. Cringing as we hear someone in church sharing a testimony that just gets way too specific about one’s pre-conversion past, or even one’s so-called “backsliding.” It sounds dangerously close to glorifying the sin. At best we might be thinking TMI (to use textese, a language I do not actually speak). At worst, we are covering our children’s ...
Keep Reading On March 12, 2022, our Lord and Savior called one of His servants home to heaven. That servant was Joe Nichols. A devoted husband to Leola (March 17th would have been their 57th anniversary). A strong Dad, Papaw, and Great-Granddaddy. A servant in Corydon Baptist Church and the Southeast Indiana region for many decades. To say Joe had a servant’s heart is to vastly unde...
Keep Reading I recently read this blog post by Dr. Chuck Lawless. While I certainly cannot improve upon the 10 Questions given to us by Dr. Lawless, I want to come at it from a slightly different angle. Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries has often said that Christians should find a healthy New Testament Church then build their lives around it. I heartily concur. ...
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“Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). This has always been one of the most disturbing verses in the Bible to me. It disturbs me for three main reasons. ...
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We are changed. All of us. Changed. You might think I am referring to the miracle of the new birth in Christ Jesus. And indeed, every Christian has been and is being and shall be changed! But I am actually referring to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had upon us. It has changed us. Some more than others. But changed we are, every single one of us. In some ways, for g...
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Yes, it feels really weird to be writing this blog post. After all, I am a pastor. But I am convinced this post, and others like it, are critically important for churches today. Rather than try and say all I want to say, I think I will simply let well-known pastor, Thabiti Anyabwile, say it for me (DON'T MAKE YOUR PASTOR A STATISTIC). And my conclusion is that for all t...
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Every pastor I have ever known has experienced discouragement. And many of the "great" preachers / pastors in church history have battled seasons of depression and melancholy. Spurgeon being the classic example here. We pastors are human and our calling baptizes us daily in trench spiritual warfare. Sometimes our discouragement is unwarranted. A pity party for which we mu...
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