Category: Theology
These 9 Statements Used by Christians Need to Stop
Posted on January 13, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
One of the most striking features of this decade is the slow but certain death of cultural Christianity. By that I mean there was a time when you could say you were a Christian, spout off a few cliché “biblical” phrases, and people shook your hand and said “God bless you, brother.” But that time is coming to an end as we realize that many people have mistakenly believed they were Christians for one wrong reason or another.
Cultural Christians are becoming easier to spot due to their use of clichéd statements that have no foundation in Scripture. We’ve all heard these statements come out of the mouth of church-goers at one time or another. We’ve probably even said one or two ourselves.
Statements like “cleanliness is next to godliness” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” have been used so often that many people believe they are biblical and can be found somewhere in the Bible. When you mention that such phrases are man-made and have no root in Scripture you will be met with confused looks and questions. But, like many things that came out of cultural Christianity, these, and other statements are simply…wrong.
A recent article listed “9 Unbiblical Statements Christians Believe.” As I read through the article I couldn’t help but recall conversations with friends that have used each statement. And, as one might expect, these phrases appear often on social media either as a post or as a response to a friend.
So what are some of the statements used often by Christians despite the fact that they are not biblical? The list includes:
4 Million Views in a Few Days: This Acappella Version of “Mary Did You Know” Will Give You Chills
Posted on December 24, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
“Mary Did You Know” is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. I listen to versions of the song with careful scrutiny to determine who has done the song justice and who should never have tried to sing it. (I’ll keep my personal favorite to myself.)
One thing is for certain, Peter Hollens has done an absolutely amazing job with his Acapella version of the song. As he begins to sing, sitting on a church pew, it seems odd that it is just him. I couldn’t help but wonder what caused the video to be viewed a million times in 48 hours. But then, another five “Peter Hollens” join the original to finish the song. As I sat watching one man sing six parts in a flawless performance I was moved. Yes, it’s that good. and yes, you need to watch it.
Enjoy this stunning rendition of a beautiful song with deep theological truth in the lyrics. Let your heart and mind be blessed by the truth of the song.
True Love is NOT About Feelings or Emotions – Anna Duggar Understands That
Posted on December 23, 2015 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
What strikes me about her comment is her realization that her emotions were not trustworthy. Anna seems to recognize that true love is not about feelings but choices. In our current culture love is an emotion. It’s something people feel, and, therefore, can un-feel. So it’s no surprise that people fall into and out of love. But this show a misunderstanding of what true love is. The reality is that love is a verb. Love is the decisions we make each and every day.
Anna is right that what she is going through is a betrayal, and it’s hard. But she is also correct in that if she were to react according to her emotions she would surely make a “mess” into a “disaster.” So often people turn a mess, a fixable mess that could be overcome, into a disaster. Often that disaster is permanent and cannot be overcome. They do this by reacting emotionally rather than making choices consistent with a proper understanding of love.
Let’s use this example to illustrate what I’m talking about.
VIDEO: The Piano Guys Remind Us Why “O Come O Come Emmanuel” is Still an Awesome Song
Posted on December 22, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
One of my all-time favorite Christmas songs is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” From the melody and harmonies to the theologically rich lyrics, this song is a beautiful reminder that we are still awaiting our promise for Messiah’s return. Consider the first verse and refrain of the song:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
The song continues to teach theological truth and inspire worship from there. If you too love inspiring music and incredible musical ability, you will love this rendition of the famed Christmas carol. The Piano Guys have a gift for making some amazing instrumental music. This is no exception. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I did.
Take 3 minutes to Watch This Stunning A Capella Video Telling the Christmas Story. Yep, It’s That Good!
Posted on December 15, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
I’m a fan of a capella music. So when I saw this video it was a no-brainer to share it. A recent article shares a brief description of the musicians singing and their purpose for the video:
“Two a capella groups from Brigham Young University teamed up with an interfaith nonprofit to release a stunning version of ‘Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful’ — a rendition that they hope will help people ‘remember the real reason that makes this season so joyful.’ BYU singing groups Vocal Point and Noteworthy joined Faith Counts, a nondenominational organization, to produce the song as well as an associated video:
“As another holiday season comes upon us and life seems to speed up in a frenzy of party planning and gift buying, take a few minutes to slow down and remember the real reason that makes this season so joyful.”
I couldn’t agree more. Slow down for a few moments and reflect on the purpose this season exists. Without the birth of Jesus we would not have anything to celebrate. This video is stunning and I hope you will not only watch it but that you will share it and bless someone else.” Merry Christmas.
These 5 Tips for Christian Parents Will Help Teach Our Faith to Our Children
Posted on December 9, 2015 in Family, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Once upon a time people thought it was the church’s job to instill faith into their children. Now only the naïve and mistaken parent adheres to that misguided idea. The faith of my children is primarily my responsibility; the church is there to supplement what I am doing to grow my children in the “nurture and admonition” of the Lord. Knowing that I have such a great responsibility means placing a priority on their spiritual development. Before anything else, musical development, athletic development, or even vocational development, comes their spiritual development.
I’m not arrogant enough to think I can do it alone. I constantly search for resources to aid in my teaching and training. To that end I recently read an article at Monergism that stood out. It was a very simple reminder to Christian parents about what it takes to raise godly kids. One striking feature of the article is that it nowhere mentions the church. Now, this doesn’t mean the author is suggesting the church holds no importance in our children’s faith formation. To the contrary this article is merely giving some practical tips to parents with a deep burden to grow faith in their kids.
Another feature of the article is that every tip given was directly aimed at parents. This reiterates that the responsibility for my kids’ faith development is primarily my responsibility. At least for a while I must lead in instilling those seeds of faith that I want to see grow. It is a very dangerous thing to try and unload this responsibility on someone else; or even the church. Not only are we risking that those seeds won’t be planted at all; we are risking that the wrong seeds will be planted or that they won’t be properly watered and will die.
Take a look at some of the useful advice from the article that can help us instill a life-long faith in our children:
Christians Can Learn a Valuable Lesson from a Gay Man Trying to Enter the NFL
Posted on November 30, 2015 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
The major identifier of any Christian should be our identity in Christ. It’s not about our “conversion story,” or where we are in our “walk of faith.” Creating an identity out of something with no inherent worth or value will always lead to frustration when others don’t place as high a value on that thing as we do.
Take for example the story of Michael Sam, the former NFL draft pick that was also the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team.
Before the combine, before the draft, Michael Sam was a decent football player barely hitting the radar of NFL scouts. Most scouting reports had him listed as a little too small and a bit too slow for his defensive position. But he was nonetheless headed for the NFL combine and would try to make an NFL roster. Then, the relatively unknown player from the mid-west decided to have a press conference to announce that he was gay.
In the world of sports this was only news because there was no openly gay players and Sam would be the first if he could make a roster. For the most part though, NFL scouts, coaches, and owners sort of…yawned. They weren’t looking for a poster-child for social causes or to break new sporting ground. They were looking for talented football players that would help them win championships. Because, at the end of the day, wins is all that matters.
As Tradition is Replaced by Modernism – Everything from Church to Marriage Changes With It
Posted on November 24, 2015 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
But, little did anyone know that with this new movement in church culture came a new movement in social culture. The tradition of courting/dating was replaced with the hookup culture; and extended into a generation that now uses technology to be “friends” and find dates for casual sex. Traditional engagement was replaced with cohabitation as a form of experiment to see if two people are compatible. Marriage for life was replaced with no-fault divorce and an easy out mentality. Even the definition of marriage slowly but surely has been replaced to mean, quite literally, anything a person wants.
It’s a cycle that is becoming easier to see. As church teaching became fluffier, more focus-on-yourself-because-you’re-a-good-person-centric; the church turned out less disciples and more attenders. The attenders are now abandoning their “Christian” label in favor of something more inclusive; and adopting theological positions that reflect this desire. As a result the church is shrinking as true believers are left wondering where so many people went. So yes, I agree that Christianity is not dying, we aren’t about to see the end of the church; we are only seeing a reflection of decades of shallow teaching in a sin-soaked culture.
Have You Ever Wanted to Leave Church? You’re Not the Only One!
Posted on November 17, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Have you ever considered walking away from church?
That question has become a central topic in many churches, conferences, and publications. The rise of the “dones” is a phenomenon that is both interesting to watch and terrifying. For many pastors and church leaders it is a nightmare that they are facing and trying to figure out. For church culture commentators it has become a routine topic of discussion.
So, who are the dones?
The dones are the most committed, involved, faithful members of a congregation. They are leaders in ministry; they are teachers; they are the biblically educated; they are the givers. And they are walking away from church. They don’t relocate to another church, and they aren’t retreating to house churches (not all of them). They are simply walking away from the organized, institutional church…forever.
Some will be quick to judge and say that these are backslidden people that need to “get right with God,” and get back in church. Others are little more judgmental and claim that these are people that “may not be saved at all.” Name-calling and judgment won’t stop the dones from walking away so it might be a better use of our time to figure out why they are leaving.