Things to Write About Keep Happening

About your article: “Confessions of a Toxic Boy.” Let me just say that you are a perfect picture of what can happen when a session backs their pastor, loves God, and loves the Bible. If your session weren’t supporting you, you would most likely not be able to be as productive as you have been. Too many conservative churches have sessions at odds with their pastors: it often cripples the pastors. The genius of Presbyterianism is that a handful of wise, godly men can provide their pastor with the necessary protection — “covering fire,” shall we say — so that he can fight the important battles. My hat’s off to you and your session. We are eternally grateful. Keep up the good fight of the faith, and finish well!

David

I can attest to the truth of “What’s His Name?” In her early 30s, she might think this guy’s her last chance to have kids, too.

Kristina

In response to “What’s his name” As someone who grew up in Moscow and left as soon as I could, I find your circle of self-affirmation quite interesting. Through the courtship process and other teaching, you train the women in your community to believe that they are defined by their relationships to men. Then, after convincing them that they are essentially goods transferred from father to husband, you make comments about how men can be complex and leave the faith for many reasons, but women always revolve around men. This observation makes a good old sexist joke, and can also be used to support your “women are easily deceived, and need male protectors” claim–what’s not to like?

This is not a “women” trait, this is a “women in your community” trait. In healthier communities, like the one I am now in, women question their faith for the same reasons men do, and are treated with discussions of their concerns and issues, not a dismissive “what’s his name?”

A Former Muscovite

It’s a shame when political bloggers can raise more objections to NFL trash than the church. Check this out from PowerLine:

Like many churches, ours had a special thing on Superbowl Sunday. It was embarrassing. My wife refused to go to it. This all brings to mind that famous quote from A. W. Tozer,

“For centuries the church stood solidly against every form of worldly entertainment, recognizing it for what it was — a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability. For this she got herself roundly abused by the sons of this world. But of late she has become tired of the abuse and has given over the struggle. She appears to have decided that if she cannot conquer the great god Entertainment she may as well join forces with him and make what use she can of his powers. So today we have the astonishing spectacle of millions of dollars being poured into the unholy job of providing earthly entertainment for the so-called sons of heaven.”

Steve

I picked up your book, When the Man Comes Around because the book of Revelation made no sense to me. Every time I came to it, I would just read it quickly to limit my frustrations. After reading your book the lights have come on in a couple of ways. One, Revelation is not as mysterious as I thought, and two understanding that it is about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD helps to clarify many other parts of the Bible for me. I do have a question for you though. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, what are we to think about how God views the modern State of Israel? Is this part of biblical prophecy? Thanks for writing the book. It has been a real blessing.

Brent

This is unrelated to any particular post, but I have a question I hoped you would answer. My wife and I recently had our first child, and we are wanting to baptize him. Our home church, however, only practices believer’s baptism at this point. Our church was started as a non-denominational baptist-y church, but over the years and as new elders have come on board, many of the leaders in the church have begun to embrace paedobaptist convictions. Include myself in that group (I grew up Southern Baptist). The church as a whole *recognizes* infant baptisms but only performs baptisms upon credible profession of faith (whatever that means).

In fact, it’s gotten so confusing in our church, that some elders have taken their young children elsewhere to be baptized, and some have not. Some of our sister church-plants baptize babies, and others do not. It’s kind of a mish-mash as we are in growing pains. That’s what happens when you start a young-and-single church and they all start getting married and having babies.

My question is this: what should I do about my child? Should I take him to another church on a Sunday and have him baptized? Should I have one of our elders perform the baptism on a weeknight in our home, surrounded by friends and family? Or should I withhold baptism from my son until our church agrees to baptize him publicly? We love our church and are deeply committed to it, so taking our membership elsewhere is not an option.

Any guidance would be helpful, and many thanks for your ministry.

Kyle

I frequently hear the great commission taught on as primarily an individual mandate for evangelism. In your writing and podcasts it seems like there’s more of a bent towards national and cultural transformation being the result. Could you recommend a book that summarizes that more corporate view of “baptizing the nations”?

Sean

RE: Podcast 128: FBI Surveillance Van #17

Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 Yeah, so anyways, I listened to your podcast and then – like you said – I renamed my WIFI network. After some careful thinking, I decided on “NSA agent 99” cuz I wanted to give the TV show “Get Smart” a plug too, ya know?

Yeah, so anyways, long about 2 hours later a pair of no-neck dudes in black hats and trench coats and way-cool shades knock on my door. Yeah, and I’m like hey, I know who you guys are cuz I watch CNN! So long story short I had to change the name back. Some people can’t take a joke and have no sense of nostalgia, you know?

I’m struggling to type this cuz of the bandages on my thumbs and it’s time for my pain meds so I’m gonna end it now. Love your show!!!

David

Thanks for responding to my Letter on Authority in the Godhead. I appreciate your ability to discuss topics in a carefully thought out manner. I’m struggling to understand a concept though. If the Father’s command is the Son (specifically the command to go into the world), then how can Modalism be avoided? To me, that seems as if the Son’s personal identity is determined by God’s covenant of redemption. I would think that the Persons are logically prior to the roles they take in redemption though their roles are taken in eternity. So, I would agree that the Father commands the Son into the world, but it is not the result of inherent personal authority and submission, but freely taken roles of redemption, specifically Fatherly adoption/election and Mediator which are both eternal in God’s will.

I would agree that the Father’s Word is the Son, and so the Father’s word/command to send the Son clearly shows that the Son is the Word of the Father. The Spirit likewise is clearly shown to be the Love/Breath of the Father and Son by His dwelling in God’s elect throughout history and His being sent by both Father and Son onto the apostles at Pentecost. But just as the Spirit’s dwelling in His people is not the locale of His personal distinction (though it clearly displays it), then the Son’s obedience in being sent is not the locale of His personal distinction from the Father (i.e. in subordination/authority) though it clearly displays that He IS distinct from the Father and Spirit.

I hope that makes sense. I feel like a very small fish in a very big pond in these matters, so I please correct me if I am completely wrong. I would appreciate your thoughts or references in this matter.

Caleb

Three thoughts after reading your piece on Donald Trump and the March for Life: (1) Thank you for being a pastor/man who fights the good fight. Your words (especially when you take the gloves off them) are inspiring for a young pastor like myself.

(2) I too did not vote for Trump in 2016, but I am starting to lean in his direction. Though I’ve said to myself many times the last three years, “Well, that’s not surprising,” there have been many other occasions for which I’ve been pleasantly surprised, many of which you mentioned.

(3) Part of leaning in his direction is that feeling of being naughty. I’m with you. Anything that does damage to the left just feels right.

Zeb

Those Evil Evas Just a few days after your January 6 post about the scapegoating of Evangelicals soon and very soon (Suppose for Just a Moment That Trump Takes It Walking Away), I saw this ad:

That’s fast fulfillment. :)

Sean