“It has been shown that, normally, the rise and fall of great nations are due to internal reasons alone. Ten generations of human beings suffice to transform the hardy and enterprising pioneer into the captious citizen of the welfare state” (John Glubb, The Fate of Empires, p. 24).
Famous for Being Famous
“Judging by the time and space allotted to them in the Press and television, football and baseball are the activities which today chiefly interest the public in Britain and the United States respectively. The heroes of declining nations are always the same—the athlete, the singer or the actor. The word ‘celebrity’ today is used to …
Looking Up in Faith
“This doctrine of the triumph of the gospel encourages, and the fact that we need encouraging should be evident . . . A modern Christian has been watching the news on his nineteen-inch color TV set, in the living room of his home. He switches the set off and comments to his wife that the …
How Cathartic Healing Is Threatened
“If there is just one exception, if even one single voice is raised in disagreement with the unison against the victim, then there is no guarantee of a favourable outcome. The drug loses its effect; the group’s unity cracks. If the hatred appears in the least bit lukewarm, doubt may spread, comprising the cathartic effects …
Scott Clark Gearing Up to Unchurch Everybody
Before the final round of bets, Scott Clark is pushing all his chips out into the middle of the table. He has recently gone over the notae of the church, which in itself is not a problem for anyone following the Reformed understanding of the Church. So, okay so far. But then, as one commenter …
Austin Outer Limits
Been out of town for a few days . . . we were down in Austin, TX for a wedding. A wonderful time, great friends, a really fun town. One of the things we did during our off-hours was visit the Whole Foods Market there in Austin. I understand that it is a mongo-big chain, …
Taylor and Beth
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, welcome. In the kind name of the Lord Jesus Christ, welcome. In the communion of all the saints who love the Lord Jesus, welcome. As befits a Christian wedding, we have begun in the name of our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this …
But Nobody Wants to Die
Scriptures teach us that the service of the Lord should follow a definite pattern. We come to the Lord first, and we receive forgiveness of sins from Him as we confess our sins. This corresponds to the guilt offering in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. Then we hear His Word read and proclaimed, …
Red, White, and Blue Idols
We are gathering to worship God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit through the name and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. In short, we are a congregation of Christians. We are doing this as citizens of a nation that continues at war, and we have a two-fold duty in this respect. …
God of More Than Ether
“Instead of praising some neoplatonic God for revealing to her the vanity of earthly things, Bradstreet sang hymns of praise and gratitude to an anthropomorphic God Who often answered petitions for such worldly gifts as health and long life” (Daly, p. 103).