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Sociology: A Litmus Test of Theology
Read more: Sociology: A Litmus Test of Theology“You know, I think every pastor should study sociology,” suggested Daniel[1], “that’s what I studied in college: if you really knew about communities and how people work, you could… well, pastors are leading groups of people- they need to know this stuff!” Such was the opinion of a customer of mine from last week as…
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These are my Confessions…And Their Essential Role in Sharing the Gospel
Read more: These are my Confessions…And Their Essential Role in Sharing the GospelWhen it comes to sin (especially the darkest of them), confession is a terrifying thought. Yet, what is probably even more terrifying- and far more damaging for the church, and the individual- is to be found out. Thankfully, accountability to confession and to discipleship is available within the family of God. But, to what extent…
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Getting Grounded
Read more: Getting GroundedThis last week, I learned about Earthing. If this sounds like a hippie-influenced, granola-society type of activity… you’re probably right. Though it’s proponents claim that there is scientific research to validate the claims of this practice, the basic gist is that we as humans accumulate loads of electron imbalances from the stress, emotions, work, and…
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Carving Thoughts Around “Crave:” Are the Longings of the Postmodern Person Really Timeless Truths of Every Soul?
Read more: Carving Thoughts Around “Crave:” Are the Longings of the Postmodern Person Really Timeless Truths of Every Soul?“Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations.” I think anyone who has spent time in the church has had a life filled with experiences where the execution of both new disciple making and disciple deepening have been found dreadfully wanting. So, how do we move forward from here? In the last few decades,…
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A Reflection: Checking Scholastic Habits with Orthodox Thinking
Read more: A Reflection: Checking Scholastic Habits with Orthodox ThinkingThis Labor Day, under the touching glow of a setting pacific sundown, invest some time reading a little primer entrusted to be by a dear friend- A Biblical Case for Natural Law, by Westminster Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics David Van Drunen. You’re probably thinking this post is a review of this book….
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Abortion, Obama, and Biblical Convictions
Read more: Abortion, Obama, and Biblical ConvictionsBiola’s President, Dr. Barry Corey, on the university’s decision. Last week, two new Christian Universities, Grace College and Seminary (Indiana) and Biola University (the first California school to join the discussion) joined an existing lawsuit against the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act, and the controversial requirements for employers of 15 or more employees to include…
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Sacrifice, Compromise, and Employment
Read more: Sacrifice, Compromise, and EmploymentDecisions. I face them. You have them. We all make them. Myself, more reluctantly than others. For anyone who has ever gone shoe shopping with me (and you know who you are, because you’ll never forget it), you’ve seen firsthand the incredible crippling power of analysis paralysis. One decision many twenty and thirty-somethings face is…
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“Being Poor doesn’t make you any Holier… or does it?”
Read more: “Being Poor doesn’t make you any Holier… or does it?”“One thing my dad always used to say was that it was only fair for him, or any pastor for that matter, to receive the same sort of compensation as any other teacher in that local market. Besides… being poor doesn’t make you any holier.” For whatever reason, about 4 years ago, this statement was…
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Pro-Marriage…but Above All, Pro-Jesus (and perhaps anti-self)
Read more: Pro-Marriage…but Above All, Pro-Jesus (and perhaps anti-self)“I can’t help but feel a little offended by Paul.” This phrase might be one you would expect to hear from one who has for the first time come across some of Paul’s passages for the first time. Perhaps from one reading his emotional introduction to Galatians. Or perhaps from another who has a hard…
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If “Better is one Day”… how sweet it is that “One Day” is “Every Day…”
Read more: If “Better is one Day”… how sweet it is that “One Day” is “Every Day…”“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. “ The rhythmic scrape of your leather sandal griping the rocky soil beneath them continues as you head up another hill. Also keeping…