Tag: church
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.
Will the SBC Discipline a California Church for Supporting Homosexuality?
Posted on June 13, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
A motion was made from the floor of the SBC annual meeting this year to discipline a Southern California church.
This might sound like an odd motion, but upon understanding the reason for the motion the action might be warranted.
This particular church, The New Heart Community Church, in La Mirada, CA, based on the leadership of their pastor has decided to affirm homosexual behavior.
The move came after the pastors’ son revealed in a video that he was gay. The pastor then told the church that he had decided to support his sons behavior and lifestyle. The church decided to support their pastor and change church policy rather than adhering to biblical truth.
This is important because this is the first instance of a southern baptist church endorsing homosexuality.
How the Church is Failing Millennials on the Homosexual Issue
Posted on June 9, 2014 in Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
I was just talking Sunday night with some folks in my church about how the church is failing our younger generations on the issue of homosexuality. To my surprise, they agreed with me. We all agreed that the popular church strategies of either ignoring the issue or of being soft and not fully addressing the issue is not helping; and is doing more harm than any intended good.
There is a number of ways that I believe the church is failing on this issue. As I told my friends I was discussing with after church Sunday night, the world believes Christians are in one of two camps: the Westboro Baptist camp, or the we’re-all-God’s-children camp.
In other words, people think Christians either hate all homosexuals and want to see harm come to them; a la Westboro Baptist. Or that we believe we’re all God’s children (a heretical lie) and that God made people gay.
Either of these two positions is false and problematic. But there is one particular reason why I believe the church is failing millennials on this very critical issue.
I Don’t Think President Obama Prays Like I Pray
Posted on May 12, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Prayer has been in the news a lot lately. The recent Supreme Court ruling that public prayer before town council meetings is indeed constitutional has a lot to do with that. Opponents of pubic prayer, like American United for Separation of Church and State, American Atheists, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, believe that any prayer offered in public is inherently a government attempt to coerce people into a specific religion. Apparently they don’t believe people are smart enough to think for themselves.
Before the Supreme Court ruled on this case prayer was in the news as a result of a tragic shooting that took place during the Easter season.
A former Klu Klux Klan member killed three people at Jewish center in Overland Park, Kansas over Easter weekend in a display of racial bigotry that shocked many. President Obama took the opportunity to encourage religious tolerance during his Easter address from the White House.
“Nobody should have to worry about their security when gathering with their fellow believers,” Obama said. “No one should ever have to fear for their safety when they go to pray.”
Can Evangelicalism Win America?
Posted on April 30, 2014 in Theology by Derick Dickens
Original article posted here.
When John Ockenga* noted in 1947 that fundamentalism was found wanting because, “fragmentation, segregation, separation, criticism, sensoriousness, suspicion, solecism is the order of the day for fundamentalism” he was spot-on.
However, the solution that Ockenga supplied, called evangelicalism, is also found wanting because through unity they have destroyed distinctions of the church–making her ineffective.
Evangelicalism was, after all, a response against fundamentalism’s hard line stances on non-essential doctrine, moralism and harsh condemnations. In some regards, Evangelicalism was a welcomed response that was both conservative and respectful.
What came about, though, was a watering down of theology to the lowest common denominator. In some ways, they avoided fragmentation, segregation, separation, criticism, sensoriousness, suspicion and solecism, but they did not avoid other vital issues which caused them to be susceptible to error.
Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Not Just Younger Generations That Are “Embarrassingly Ignorant” of Their Faith
Posted on April 18, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
In recent years I’ve often said that one of the most challenging dynamics for churches to overcome is biblical illiteracy. Presently it seems to me that there is an abundance of biblical illiteracy in the church among both lay-people and leaders alike. That being the case it is easy to see how the church has lost much of its power, influence, and cultural relevance.
The church has experienced loss in a broad range of areas – numbers, giving, baptisms – over the last decade and a half as it simultaneously faces unprecedented persecution from government. Prominent pastors have publicly endorsed and embraced heretical doctrines (think Rob Bell’s “no hell” doctrine), while others have publicly endorsed sin (such as homosexuality). Constant in-fighting over non-essentials (alcohol, tribulation, carpet color) has also served to disillusion younger generations that see a lack of authenticity.
For me, personally, nothing is as pressing and critical as the issue of biblical literacy. This is far more than the ability to read the Bible and understand it; this is about being able to rightly govern one’s life through the filter of grace, redemption, and sanctification. What’s missing currently is a biblical worldview that shapes and informs every aspect of life to the place that sanctification becomes evident.
Video: Did You Know This Week is a Holy Week for Jews…and Christians?
Posted on April 16, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
As Christians we often hear about Palm Sunday, and Easter Sunday. Both are important historical dates in the life of Jesus that we remember and celebrate in the life of the church. But the week between those two Sunday’s is equally important should be remembered and celebrated as well. This “holy week” is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life and conveys much about his passion to redeem mankind.
Watch the short video below featuring Justin Taylor, Dr. Douglas Moo, and Dr. Andreas Köstenberger as they explain a little about this final week between two of the greatest dates in history.
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