Billy Graham endorses Mitt Romney
BGEA website no longer includes LDS on list of cults
Below are two extracts from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assocation website. The first is up and running as of the posting of this story. The second is from a source showing a webcache from June of 2010, but that page is currently not available on the site, apparently removed just after the meeting.
Gospel, Culture, and Mission: An Interview with Tim Keller
The job of the institutional church is not to change social structures/culture, but to create disciples who will change social structures and the culture.
"I think that the word “missional” is useful because it means something more (though not less) than being very evangelistic. It means recognizing the post-Christian character of our western society, and revamping everything we do in accord with that." --T. Keller
Rachel Held Evans’ ‘A Year of Biblical Womanhood’: A Review
Evans works to prove that the Bible is not without error and therefore cannot be applied literally
This book is not ultimately about manhood and womanhood, headship and submission, or the complementarian and egalitarian debate. At its root this book questions the validity of the Bible. And denying the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture is a denial that will ultimately erode the gospel of our Savior.
Toward a Theology of Church Unity
Ephesians 4:1-16 is the classic text on church unity (along with John 17) and the most practical for day to day church life
What is the role for denominations? What is the role for broad parachurch ministries or organizations? How should we understand confessional identity? If we are to have unity in essentials, what are those essentials? Where should Christians agree to disagree? Where should churches agree to disagree? What are the right doctrinal boundaries for churches, for denominations, for movements, for institutions, for friends?
The Surprising Truth about Mental Illness
Royce White is one of the NBA's hottest rookies. He also has crippling anxiety disorder. What we can learn from him about mental health.
It’s a terrible thing to do to someone: to suggest that hope for abundant life in Christ goes only so far, and they’re permanently on the other side of the fence. Many people with mental illness may not seamlessly fit into church life the way most of us experience it on Sunday morning. But let’s be honest—how many of us really do?
The Moral Case for Debt
Why borrowing money is crucial to pursuing the common good
Human flourishing is a fundamental component of the plan of God. As a result, using economic and business tools, including, yes, borrowing money, to pursue such flourishing is consistent with the themes of Christian service. It is in this light that the recourse to debt must be examined. So the question of taking on debt becomes different. It is not a case of what you are borrowing, but for what are you borrowing.
Boundaries, Mere Entertainment, and a More Joyful Way
Christians either live by a set of boundaries or they virtually eliminate boundaries altogether.
If you set up subjective boundaries or eliminate boundaries altogether, your life will appear easier. You won’t need to think through the numerous arguments media is making against God or the various nuggets of truth presented by these creators of media who silently admit they live in our God’s world
Defining Moments
There is no substitute for the real-life relationships we form, through circumstances that force us to connect with people.
Now I can type my column on my mobile phone, correct it, email it, post it to my blog and draw attention to it throughout the world in the blink of an eye. The internet revolution has had massive implications for the way we go about our daily business, as well as the way in which we relate to others. Facebook emboldens the most reluctant communicator to publish the trivial details of his or her life; twitter constrains the dissemination of thoughts and aphorisms; email demands instant responses and attention.
On the self-image of ministers
It’s time for pastors to think of themselves as coaches and teachers, people trained not only to do certain tasks well but also to help others do them for themselves
In response to this drastically changed situation, pastoral leaders also need to change. In particular, we need to stop executing religious skills for our people and train them to perform them for themselves. Otherwise, they will continue to be spectators, appreciating the faith but never really learning how to do it for themselves.
The Best-Kept Secret Behind “50 Shades”
Today, women are the fastest growing consumers of pornography.
We used to blush about it. It was the kind of thing that women kept quiet about. It was personal – too personal – and not at all “ladylike.” Perhaps we’d joke about it or laugh at a reference to it on shows like Sex in the City. But for the most part, it stayed tucked away in the recesses of our inner world – or at least in a dresser drawer away from view. Last summer, however, all of that changed. The 50 Shades of Grey trilogy became an international phenomenon, selling more than 40 million copies and surpassing the last Harry Potter book in the U.K.