Category: Theology
Why Do Christians Need to Oppose Transgenderism?
Posted on June 25, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Since the SBC annual meeting the issue of transgenderism has been on my mind a lot. Not because I hadn’t thought about it before, but because of the fact that a major denomination needed to adopt a unified statement clarifying biblical teaching on the issue. Something seems terribly wrong with this fact.
Why is it necessary for the SBC to adopt a formal resolution codifying biblical teaching on the issue of transgenderism? Dr. Russell Moore, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission answers the question:
“The cultural mindset is that gender is something that is constructed by the individual. So it’s disconnected from how the person is created. And that’s one of the reasons why I think this resolution … was so wise, because it spoke to what the Bible teaches about what gender means in the first place, about how God’s design is good.”
Dr. Moore is right. The fact that society has turned gender into something that can be bent and altered at will is part of the problem. The established gender binary’s that once created the foundation of our society have been attacked and weakened, prompting a surge of defense for the male-female complimentarian view that was once so…normal.
Why I Voted for the SBC Resolution on Transgender Identity
Posted on June 24, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
The Southern Baptist Convention took a much needed stand in the effort to reshape sexuality into a fluid, preferential aspect of one’s life. At the annual meeting this year in Baltimore, MD, the SBC voted on a resolution entitled “On Transgender Identity.” The full text of the resolution can be read here.
Much discussion has already taken place around this resolution. Even before the convention began there was a rumbling as a result of what some knew would be “controversial” resolutions. One friend, when he heard I would be attending the SBC annual meeting, said he would be praying for me as we would be “voting on some resolutions that will be perceived as controversial.”
When day two of the annual meeting arrived and I looked at the list of resolutions I didn’t see anything that could be remotely considered controversial for a Southern Baptist. Then I got to resolution number nine.
Resolution number nine is speaks to the issue of transgenderism. As efforts to redefine marriage in our culture have progressed and been successful, the logical progression that many of us predicted would occur is now taking place. Once homosexuals found support for their alternative lifestyle and sexual orientation it was just a matter of time before others, such as polygamists and transgender persons began seeking rights as well.
Sadly, even some Christians have been deceived into believing there is nothing wrong with being a transgender person. The reality however is that such abuse of one’s biological sex stands in direct opposition to God’s created design. Hence the need for the SBC to codify in a resolution the Southern Baptist position.
Here’s what the resolution says, in part:
PC-USA: Votes to Affirm Homosexuality
Posted on June 21, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Derick Dickens
You do not have to go back very long when there was the theological fight for Princeton Seminary. At issue was the rise of liberalism that was taking away this once great bastion of great theologians. In the wake of this controversy, J. Gresham Machen wrote in his classic book, Christianity and Liberalism,
The Great Commission: Talking the Talk Without Actually Doing Anything
Posted on June 17, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Chuck Lawless, writing at Thom Rainer’s website, shares some insight on why many churches talk about the Great Commission but rarely do anything or follow up their talk with action. These points by Lawless are very much worth considering and perhaps, unfortunately, more true of our churches than we care to admit. But without first admitting there is a problem we won’t seek to correct it. So let’s be honest, admit there is a problem, the figure out how to make it right.
In seventeen years of doing church consulting, no church leader has said to me, “Our church really doesn’t want to do the Great Commission.” I’ve worked with many churches, though, that proclaim the Great Commission but never get around to doing it. Here are my conclusions about why churches so often fit this description.
Church leaders talk the language without letting the biblical texts “sink in.” They speak about the Great Commission because the Bible so obviously commands it (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:45-47, John 20:21, Acts 1:8). I suspect many leaders, though, echo the words out of evangelical habit more than out of heartfelt burden. When we proclaim the message without obeying the command, the words have not settled firmly in our heart.
Reflections from Inside the Southern Baptist Convention
Posted on June 16, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
After a couple of days I was inspired, refreshed, and encouraged to go back to my church and continue on the path God has laid out for me to reach my community; especially millennials and the younger generations. As I walked away from the convention I had a few reflections from my time in Baltimore that I wanted to share.
1. This ain’t your daddy’s Southern Baptist Convention. The days of old, white guys in suits with Bible’s big enough to choke a mule are gone. The SBC is younger, tech-ier, and dressed in blue jeans and flip flops. Yes, plenty of guys wore suits, but bow-ties were prominent. The old ways are dying as the focus shifts to Gospel-centric methods that don’t include dress codes. It’s a good shift for the SBC as we seek to engage our culture.
How Should Christians Think About Education?
Posted on June 11, 2014 in Home School, Theology by Derick Dickens
What is a great education? Some people may envision an Ivy League degree or an “A” student who belongs to the honor society. But as Christians, education is more than memorizing facts and being able to answer mathematical equations. These are all good, and they do makeup part of the educational process, but they are not education; education is more substantial.
Part of the problem is that there is a diminishing definition of education. Today, people have relegated education to a diploma and reading, writing, and arithmetic, but this minimalist view of education is destroying the soul of true education, replacing it with a cookie cutter approach, test focused studies, and ideals that fail to educate.
There are many distinct offerings for education that is often missed, but today we will explore three.
Education is Theological and Spiritual
The Doctrine of God: God the Creator Makes His Creativity Known
Posted on May 30, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
First, God is the author of all creation including the creative passion given to individuals today. And second, creativity for the glory of Christ should be encouraged by Christians and the church.
Many young evangelicals feel as though the church has turned its back on creativity. At various times throughout history creativity in the arts was deemed sinful and inappropriate for believers. But if God is a creator and author of all creative gifts then creating for the glory of Christ should be celebrated.
Sadly, many Christians have abandoned creativity and left music, art, literature, and movies to lost people. There is a resurgence of Christians in Hollywood that are boldly speaking about their faith. They are encouraging young believers to pursue careers in the arts for the glory of Jesus. Faith themed movies are making waves in Hollywood and stumping critics regularly. Movies like: Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Soul Surfer, The Blind Side, and God’s Not Dead are bringing faith to the big screen. We should support these works and encourage those in Hollywood making these movies. The ability of art to transcend cultural and denominational lines makes it a powerful tool we as Christians should be utilizing rather than ignoring.
An Open Letter to Glenn Beck After Speaking at Liberty University
Posted on May 24, 2014 in Theology by Derick Dickens
*This article is in response to Glenn Beck’s recent statements about the backlash of speaking at Liberty University. I have opposed inviting Glenn Beck speak at Convocation because he is not a Christian.
Dear Glenn Beck,
Discovering your program long before you moved to New York and then Texas, from the early days I enjoyed your political commentary, satire, and “Moron Trivia”. While I do not always agree with you, you have amassed an empire that does try to combat the liberal bias prevalent in other outlets. I rarely listen to you today, but I am not hostile to you.
I am a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia. In fact, I am not merely a one time graduate, I hold my undergraduate degree and a Master of Divinity, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty. I am a conservative and not one who would bash you or Liberty because of your conservative stance.
Yet, I opposed you speaking at my Alma Mater.
Why Should Anyone Believe What a Christian Says?
Posted on May 21, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
It’s hard to read news headlines each day. I try to stay informed by maintaining a robust news aggregator service that I check daily. This allows me to read several hundred headlines each day and keeps me as informed as any person would want to be. But I admit that it is a difficult task.
Part of the difficulty is reading headlines related to Christians.
With all that Christians face from a lost and dying world each day it only compounds our burdens when we harm ourselves and the Gospel from within. When Christians behave in such a way so as to bring shame and embarrassment upon the Gospel we preach and the name of Jesus we are doing no one any favors. Most of all, we are helping to push others further away from Christ rather than being a tool to draw them to the Savior.
Here’s a headline I wish didn’t exist: “Peeping Pastor Pleads Guilty to Very Creepy Crime.” The article reports: