Gospel Living

For those who love conversion stories and also serve in ministry, Phil Johnson shared the practical implications of the text that served to save him from his sins.  I strongly recommend it: Watch Video (Youtube)

Michael Horton explains how the current church planting movement provide temptation to sin:

(A caution: one naughty word used at the beginning... yes, by the pastor.) Mike Porter over at A&OMin posted a good response to the video about the starvation of Christ's sheep and Perry Noble's general attitude.  I agree with it, and recommend that short read to you. On the one hand, I appreciate what Noble might be getting at in this vid, because I have been often tempted (especially in my earlier ministry) to want the "deeper" stuff with little regard for application.  Similarly, I've met folks who have heads full of religious knowledge but have no clue about what they would call "the basic stuff."  So, I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt there. On the other hand, he claims to say this to everyone.  I hope that is not true.  Porter is right; honest Christians desire more, growing thirstier the more they drink.  With the current famine sweeping American churches dry of the Word, I weep to imagine a hurting lamb being turned a...

What is the connection between the Pharisee and the Emergent Christian?  What is the cause of legalism and worldliness in our lives?  How does the Gospel impact these seeming extremes in our personal lives? Lane Chaplin engages Phil Johnson in a fascinating interview that covers these questions.

In case you are still unfamiliar or unsure about the Emergent/ Emerging "movement," here is a special done on it back in 2007. Summary: in an effort to grow and change in order to meet current cultural shifts, churches within the movement are instead being shifted by the culture. (HT: Christian Research Network ) PS: I don't see a part 2, sorry.  Head over to PBS and purchase something for a change.  :)

Presto!  You now have a cool church that will make everyone love you. "Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo . What do you mean, "Where's the Gospel?"  They mentioned an impoverished nation, right? (HT: Dan Phillips ) All you need to do next is hire the ultimate youth pastor ...

This is a fast post, sorry if it is a bit brief or terse.  The Emergent Movement is not dead.  It is simply, as it always was, in flux.  Now comes the ecumenical embrace of all things religious, including pagan mysticism.  Phyllis Tickle, Brain McLaren, and Shane Claiborne are just a few names to watch for. If this is new, check out this vid comparing RCC mysticism to that of the Emergents.  Here is the description from YouTube: Mysticism attempts to gain ultimate knowledge of God by a direct experience that bypasses the mind. Catholic mysticism, now officially married to the Emerging Church, needs to be reexamined. Old-time mystics such as Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross need to be examined again along with modern so-called evangelical mystics such as Richard Foster. All of this, and more, is accomplished in this professional presentation along with graphic inserts of persons and events. An analysis is also made of Phyllis Tick...

Phil Johnson, Speaker Evangelicalism is a “ mixed multitude .” Each time that term is used in the Old Testament of the KJV, it is used despairingly. We are living in a time of apostasy that is not too diff erent than some of the times described in the book of Judges. We have reached a time where everyone does what is right in his own eyes. He says he is tempted to stop calling himself Evangelical to distance himself from those who claim the label, from Joel Osteen to Tony Campolo to some Catholics and now, even some Mormons! However, he affirms the historical definition of Evangelicalism, and his spiritual fathers are Evangelicals. A lot of Evangelicals are fed up with the superficiality of the movement, and are following the path of Francis Beckwith, and run to Rome. Others, like Frankie Schaeffer, have gone to Eastern Orthodox churches. Still others are turning to the Emergent Churches. Has the movement gone astray because our parents and grandparents f...

An interesting video has popped up on YouTube: My first impressions are that the video is clever and the singer, a pretty good impressionist. I'm not sure people would dance around in tie-die shirts waving peace signs, resurrecting the spirits of the (dead) Beatles in the process, but a decent video all the same. Yet, this "Imagine" scenario describes only one point in the future: the Kingdom Age. For this time, these people are needed for the health of the church. How do I know? Because God is a sovereign God, and these men and their heresies continue to deceive. Now, I don't know the complete answer to the why question, of course. Are they a judgment because of where the church is today, spiritually? Maybe. Are they the simply natural byproduct of the poor theological emphasis and training of our churches? Perhaps. But I think Martin Luther said something like, " God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick ." These are here for a reason, and...