Things Are Fine
Blinkered Dogmatism
“More is involved in raising up a godly seed than for a man to have dogmatic convictions about birth control, matched only by his unwillingness to feed, read to, educate, pay tuition for, bestow upon, and love the results of his dogmatism. There are no promised covenantal blessings for the self-absorbed proprietors of stud farms.”
Concise and to the Point, p. 108
Go Home, Europe, You’re Drunk
Introduction: One lesson that is soon learned in pastoral ministry is that you don’t try to counsel people, or evangelize them either for that matter, when they are drunk. Save your energy for sweeping water uphill. But the tenderhearted feel so sorry for the person who is, um, impaired, that they want to step in …
Breathing Really Hard
“Every fruitful minister in the history of the world has routinely been in over his head. Trust God and go . . . And when you have done all, and you stand before your Maker—cut, bleeding, grimy, sweating, and breathing hard—you will say that you are an unworthy servant, and only did as you were instructed (Luke 17:10). If that. And he will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23). Enter into joy.”
Concise and to the Point, pp. 98-99
Catching Up on the Letters
I would remind you all that I was out gallivanting for several weeks, and so did not have a letters section for you on Tuesdays, as was my wont. So we are back in the saddle now, but with one necessary ...
Which Is Why They Are Huffy
“Men who resent being warned are men who have already neglected too many warnings.”
Concise and to the Point, p. 97
Our Memorial on Nations: Comments and Observations
Introduction: This is just a hat tip to a famous painting, and not a violation of the Second Commandment. At the triennial meeting of the CREC Council a few weeks ago, we adopted a memorial on ...
An Angular Delivery Platform
“As a red sky at evening predicts fair weather, so also bitter betrayals are often the prelude to great blessings. Some of the greatest blessings in my life have happened in just this way. What I wouldn’t have wished for for anything is now ranked with those things that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
Concise and to the Point, p. 96
So Many Layers . . .
Trying to Manage Relationships by Lying
“Trimmers, patchers, managers, and other unreliable friends will not hesitate to tell you to lie if lying might make a problem disappear. They will not think of it as a lie, but what it actually is matters. A lie can never be fixed with another lie, not even a flattering one. Any kind of lie, even a peacemaking one, will sap the strength of your ministry. We are to speak the truth in love—but it must be the truth.”
Concise and to the Point, p. 95