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 …
The Pomo Wrecking Ball
I just finished reading a review of D.A. Carson’s Staley Lectures. The review was by David Mills (no, not the David Mills of Touchstone), and can be found here. The lectures were apparently the basis for Carson’s subsequent book Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, which is also worth reading. David Mills shares some of …
Sammy the Stinkard
Once there was a young boy named Sammy. His father had been on quite a few business trips recently, and was working long hours even when he was in town. As a result, Sammy had not seen much of him for the last several months, and neither had Sammy’s mother. Now you might think that …
Longing for Judgment
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! Come down and judge, O God and king! Plead my cause, Plead my case Before an ungodly nation. Deliver me from liars, And from the unjust man. You are the God of my strength . . . Why do You cast me …
Meeting At the Appointed Place
When God feeds His people He uses means. These means are called means of grace. They do not bring grace to you the way a bucket carries water, but they are means of grace. So what does this mean? The biblical formula is that God saves and sanctifies us by grace through faith. Different wings …
Thirty Years of No Other Way to Go
Today is December 31, 2005, New Year’s Eve. It is also my thirtieth anniversary. Nancy and I were married New Year’s Eve, 1975. It took us a few years to figure out why the restaurants were always so crowded when we went out to celebrate. I met Nancy the year before we married, but I …
Gotta Serve Somebody
David Wells marks a difference between postmodernism and postmodernity. “As we try to understand our contemporary world, it is necessary, I believe, to distinguish between postmodernism and postmodernity. The former is the intellectual formulation of postmodern ideas on the high end of culture. It is their expression in architecture, in literary theory, philosophy, and so …