“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) The Basket Case Chronicles #124 “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For …
Not Counting Rocks
I have said in other contexts that the Pauline requirements for ministry are character qualifications, and as such they are not analogous to the operation of counting rocks. Though we are discussing the requirement of godly family management, let me illustrate the point with one of the other qualifications, also having to do with family. …
God is the Absolute
“In other words, debates over the lawfulness of divorce are likely to produce a good deal of logic- and text-chopping — and this can happen in both directions. Men and women who want to absolutize marriage run into trouble, and men and women who want to relativize it run into trouble as well. Marriage is …
Same Sex Mirage
A number of writers, me included, have been warning that the slopes really are slippery, and that the admission of something as radical as same sex mirage into any part of our political life is to introduce it everywhere. And yet, it has been surprising to see how fast the whole thing is moving. It …
On Spiraling into Chaos
The trial of George Zimmerman is now over, and there are perhaps a few things we can learn from the whole sorry mess. Perhaps. In the aftermath of this trial, we clearly have a highly polarized society. On the one hand, we have those who believe that a young and unarmed black man was targeted …
Representation in Church Government
My friend Steven Wedgeworth has some good thoughts about head of household voting here. Voting by household is fairly common in the CREC, but at the same time it is not so settled as to have no discussion swirling around it. So in addition to what Steven says, let me throw some loose pocket change …
A Little Black Twisty Thing
As Christians continue to process the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s supreme arrogance on the same sex mirage issue, one of the things we must continue to remember to do is review the basics. This of course will include constantly reviewing what the Scriptures explicitly teach on the matter of same sex sexual activity, but …
Jabba the Hutt With a Thyroid Condition
Chesterton observed — and why wouldn’t he? — that we drastically misunderstand the nature of our sin and rebellion. We like to flatter ourselves in our discontent, saying that the spirit of rebellion rises up within us because of all the things that are wrong. But the reality is the other way — things go …
A Moon Crater
I need to say a quick something about Exodus International shutting down, as they did so with apologies extended to gays and lesbians who had been harmed by their reparative therapy. Here is how one news story put it: “Exodus is an institution in the conservative Christian world, but we’ve ceased to be a living, …
Allergic to Other People
The church is capable of including any number of subcultural groups within her pale, and can do so without great difficulty. Ham radio operators, rodeo riders, surfers, and rock climbers are all welcome. And what they all do the Saturday before worship does not disrupt the reality of their worship together. But food subcultures are …