In a very real way, the tragedy of modern worship is that we have become like the Samaritans — we worship what they do not know. The grief of our era is that the Church has fallen into the worship of a tiny Christ. And a good portion of our remedy is to be found …
Service in the Supper
The Lord Jesus, as He established the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, taught His disciples about another kind of authority, one that does not depend upon who shall be reputed the greatest. He also taught that it did not depend upon how people might flatter the one who holds to carnal power – when someone …
Gladness in the Sanctuary
In this time of exhortation, it is easy to dwell on the things we are doing wrong, or might do wrong, as we approach the Father in worship. And to a point, this is actually as it should be — sinners must never become presumptive about anything. At the same time, one of the things …
Trusting in Mammon
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 72 “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch” (Prov. 11:28). One of the oldest temptations in this fallen world is that of trusting in the security provided (or so it is …
So Much Genius, So Little Talent
“Reputations born of hyperbole must gather ever more hyperbolic hyperbole unto themselves, else they die (and take their fabricators with them). The problem, of course, is that there is a point above which a reputation cannot rise: once a writer has become the most important writer of the day, he or she has nowhere to …
All You Need Is Love
“Love that refuses to defend that which is loved is not biblical love at all. Such a sentiment is actually self-absorbtion. Love that shuns a fight is an oxymoron, and so I turn the charge around. The modern evangelical world says peace, peace, but there is no peace. Neither is there love. I love the …
Warrants and War
The debate over NSA wiretaps of Al Quaida operatives continues apace. Democrats are huffing and puffing over it, and the president continues to enjoy widespread support for his program as he sticks to his guns. And as these things go, the president will almost certainly win this debate on a practical level. But I want …
The All-Purpose Disinfectant
In talking about Christ and pop culture, we should always remember the basic options. Among them would be a basic distinction that appears to be beyond many afficianados of pop culture. It is this: you are either persuading or being persuaded. And watching evangelical Christians try to act like a “Christian worldview” is an all-purpose …
Everything Is Important Because Nothing Is
“The Let’s Pretend We’re Living In A Golden Age game was not a new one. For decades the entire cultural establishment had been putting itself to sleep at night by telling itself over and over again that it was a truly stupendous little cultural establishment, probably the most important little cultural establishment that had ever …
One, Two, Three, Now!
“The blessing has been so significant that we have continued our satiric tact with an additional objective in mind — keeping the suits and haircuts away. Whenever a promising movement of the Holy Spirit begins nowadays, one of the first things that happens is that the agents, businessmen, and other assorted handlers move in so …