Bible, theology, culture, etc.
One of the many indictments brought against those who affirm the doctrines of grace (the five points of Calvinism) is that it makes prayer unnecessary. Why pray if God has already predestined everything to happen? Doesn't prayer make much more sense with a God who is less controlling than the God of Calvinism? John Piper … Continue reading Why Do Calvinists Pray? (Video)
I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. - 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 … Continue reading We Need Fathers: A Challenge to Young and Old Men
Is being a part of a local expression of the invisible body of Christ, the church, something that Christians should do? Is it taught anywhere in the Bible that we should actually go to church, or simply just be the church? Here are eight huge blessings you miss when you divorce yourself from the church: You Lose the Effectiveness … Continue reading Churchless: 8 Reasons To Be A Part Of A Church
In Kevin Deyoung's book Why We Love The Church, he interacts with certain Christian leaders who wish to dismiss some of the practices of the church as unnecessary, unhelpful, and even unbiblical. One of these practices that receives a large amount of criticism is the practice of preaching during the worship service. Deyoung brilliantly engages with the … Continue reading Why We Need Preachers
What does the Bible tell us about Walter White and Tony Soprano? Are they accurate representations of real humanity? Well, kind-of.
"Where are you going, Master?" cried Sam, though at last he understood what was happening. "To the Havens, Sam," said Frodo. "And I can't come." "No, Sam. Not yet anyway, not further than the Havens...Your time may come. Do not be too sad, Sam. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to … Continue reading Tolkien’s View On Death: The Grey Havens
There has been a bit of a social phenomenon that has infiltrated our TV shows, movies and stories. If anyone were to list off their favorite shows, for the most part the hero of the show wouldn’t necessarily be the classic understanding of a “hero”. Walter White, the meth-cooking murderer, couldn’t be further from Ward … Continue reading The Destruction of Sin (Judges 8-9 transcript)
"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him … Continue reading The Shadow is Only a Passing Thing
We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he “wants a woman.” Strictly speaking, a woman is just what he does not want. He wants a pleasure for which a woman happens to be the necessary piece of apparatus. How much he cares about the woman … Continue reading Lustful Men Don’t Want A Woman – C.S. Lewis
I spend a lot of time speaking with young people, most of whom are in college, and a conversation I have found myself having often involves them slowly putting into words unspoken doubts, questioning whether or not their faith is genuine or if Christianity is even worth believing in. I love being able to have these conversations … Continue reading Challenging Your Faith
Marc Sims 