“In other words the preachers should be well versed in biblical theology which in turn leads on to a systematic theology. To me there is nothing more important in a preachers than that he should have a systematic theology, that he should know it and be well grounded in it. This systematic theology, this body …
Taking Temp Work to Extremes
“Shi’ite Islam, the dominant form of Islam in Iran, also allows for ‘temporary wives.’ This is a provision for men to gain female companionship on a short-term basis. In a temporary marriage, or mut’a, the couple signs a marriage agreement that is ordinary in every respect except that it carries a time limit. One tradition …
Let’s Do the Lurch
“. . . it is hard not to see a dance floor as a paddock for musical philistines” (Martha Bayles, Hole in our Soul, pp. 383).
Show Them How
“Those who preach the Lordship of Christ must always see that the message is preached by men who are bondslaves to the hearers for the Lord’s sake. Those who want the members of the church to submit to them must have shown them through their own behavior what submission looks like” (Mother Kirk, p. 183).
Preaching Because We Were Told To
“In other words, the content of the sermon is what is called in the New Testament ‘The Word’. ‘Preach the word’, or ‘preach the Gospel’, or ‘the whole counsel of God.’ That being interpreted means the messiage of the Bible, the message of the Scriptures” (Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, p. 61).
Some More Wishful Thinking
“PC watchdogs, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have virtually ruled out any dissent from the idea that Islam is peaceful, benign, and tolerant to a degree that will present no problem whatsoever for Western societies. They depict Islam as akin to Judaism and Christianity and, like them, liable to be ‘hijacked’ (through no fault of its …
Now There’s a Thought
“The abiding weaknesses of country music are two: love of sentimental cliché, rooted in its turn-of-the-century link with Tin Pan Alley, and fear of polyrhythm, rooted in white racism” (Martha Bayles, Hole in our Soul, pp. 380).
What It Means to Give Account
“The responsibility assigned is pastoring the flock which is ‘among you.’ The responsibility to shepherd is limited to an identifiable flock. In Scripture, God never gives anyone undefined responsibilities. This is especially true of elders who are held strictly accountable for the work they do. Try to imagine a bookkeeper who had to give a …
Your Sleep Will Be Sweet
INTRODUCTION: Sleep is an important part of our lives, even though we can recall very little of it. We spend about a third of our lives asleep, which amounts to twenty-five years for a seventy-five-year-old man. And if the chief end of our lives is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, as the Shorter …
A Busy-Pants Foreign Policy
In his fourth chapter, Gelernter addresses the rise and development of the American religion in the course of our war for independence. “The American Creed [liberty, equality, democracy] combined with American Zionism [residue of postmillennialism] yielded a full-blown American belief system. These beliefs would be refined further; they would eventually supersede Puritanism and become the …