Gospel-Driven Separation

“Earnestly contend for the faith.” This statement from Jude 3 has long been the battle cry of fundamentalist Christians, those who are willing to do “battle royal” in defense of biblical doctrine. Fundamentalists have rightly appealed to Jude as an example of a faithful defender of the faith. He willingly entered the fray for the [...]

Preaching Christ in Jamaica…Vicariously

Bob Bixby and Joy McCarnan, two friends from Morning Star Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois, have kindly let me know that My Jesus Fair was recently introduced to Jamaica by a mission team from their church. A report of their ministry can be read here.
Jamaica?! How great is that?! What a blessing that the printed [...]

Missing Ronald Reagan…

How good would Ronald Reagan look as a presidential candidate right now? Maybe I’m just feeling nostalgic, but this video made me wistful:

This one, on the other hand, made me smile:

Others: It’s Morning in America, The Bear, Tear Down This Wall.

Bob Kauflin on Songs and Associations

A couple weeks ago, I posted thoughts from Dave Doran and C. H. Spurgeon on the process of selecting music for corporate worship. Part of the discussion centered on the issue of association, and Spurgeon was especially clear that he chose hymns based on their content, not composer.
Since then, Bob Kauflin has fielded a question [...]

Quick Hits 2/22/08

Michael Mckinley’s brief article “A Hypocrite’s Guide to Preaching” is filled with helpful and humbling thoughts. Give it a look.
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Thabiti Anyabwile posts a winner on being content ministering in obscurity. More humbling thoughts.
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If those two links haven’t overwhelmed you, this one will finish you off: Phil Ryken quotes E. M. Bounds on the pastor’s need [...]

Shall We Contextualize the Gospel?

Contextualizing the gospel is the only way the church can impact our culture. If we want our message to gain a hearing, we must contextualize it—we must communicate it in a way that our hearers can relate to and understand. For example, since postmodernists reject the concepts of authority and truth that previous generations assumed, [...]

What I’m Reading: Living the Cross Centered Life

Last year I benefited from C. J. Mahaney’s little book The Cross Centered Life. Now I’m reading through the expanded version, Living the Cross Centered Life, with two men in our church. We met for the second time this morning, and we had a very profitable time discussing how the glorious gospel is relevant for [...]

A Valentine’s Day/Easter Encore

What do Valentine’s Day and Easter have in common? This youtube video. I posted it a while back, but it deserves an encore. If this little medley doesn’t get the romance/revival flames a-burning, I don’t know what will:

What I’m Reading: City on a Hill

I’ve profited from reading several books on the local church in recent years. I’m thankful for all of them, especially because those I’ve read have focused on what the Bible says the church should be and not on some too-clever strategy for church growth. This is a welcome correction, following an era in which (it [...]

Doran (and Spurgeon) on Hymns and Hymnwriters

Three Qualities of God-Honoring Worship Songs by Dave Doran is a must-hear message. It is the “church” version of a lecture he delivered at the most recent Mid-America Conference on Preaching and is therefore free. (A$ oppo$ed to the me$$age I ordered from MA¢P for $5. Ni¢e.) In it, Doran urges church leaders to exercise [...]