Last night I took the opportunity to watch Ray Comfort’s viral movie “180.” It is a 33-minute tour de force of pro-life argument and evangelism. In the movie, Ray Comfort quizzes people on the street about the Holocaust and about abortion. He sets his trap skillfully to convince people that if they oppose the Holocaust, they ought to oppose abortion as well. By the end of the movie, many of the interviewees make a 180 on their views about abortion. At the end of the movie, Comfort turns these conversations about abortion into conversations about the gospel. I don’t know that any of these folks actually became disciples of Jesus,…
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Does Romney’s Mormonism Matter?
Does Mitt Romney’s Mormonism matter in his quest for the GOP nomination? Michael Gerson says no: Romney’s faith should not matter. Presidents are elected for their policy views, leadership skills and character, not their soteriology. Such theological convictions about salvation may be infinitely important, but they are politically irrelevant. The whole “no religious test for office” idea remains a good one. I think there is a little bit of overstatement here. It is not difficult to imagine a scenario in which theological convictions might impact our evaluation of a person’s fitness for office. If a candidate’s religion teaches that killing infidels is a sure path to eternal life, then I…
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Would Augustine Invite Muhammad to Speak at His Conference?
Thabiti Anyabwile has written a hard-hitting piece titled, “Collateral Damage in the Invitation of T.D. Jakes to the Elephant Room.” You need to read the whole thing, but here’s a little taste: It’s difficult to see larger-than-life heretics given a platform in circles of pastors and leaders we respect and we regard as co-laborers in defense and confirmation of the truth…
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Full Video of John Piper’s “Bloodlines” Documentary
We have been waiting for this, and here it is. Previously I posted the teaser, but this is the full video. It’s a short documentary about John Piper’s growing up as a racist and about the power of the gospel to obliterate racism. (HT: Justin Taylor)
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Some Thoughts on The Elephant Room Flap
Tim Challies has weighed-in on The Elephant Room flap. He writes: As I think about round 2 of the Elephant Room, here is what I want to know: Will T.D. Jakes be challenged very specifically on what he believes about the Trinity? Will this be the elephant in the room when he sits there with MacDonald and whoever else? Will these men be willing to ask him very difficult, very nuanced, very penetrating questions? And if he finally says, “Yes, I am a modalist” will they then be willing to tell him, “You are a heretic; you are not a Christian”? If he proves himself to be a modalist, will…
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Rob Bell To Produce TV Show Based on His Own Life
When Rob Bell left Mars Hill Bible Church, he said that he was leaving because he felt a “calling to share God’s love” in new ways. Sarah Pulliam Bailey reports that one of those “new ways” is to produce a television drama about his own life. Bell has joined-up with Carlton Cuse—one of the creators of the TV series Lost—to produce a television pilot, and ABC has already bought the rights to it. New York Magazine has a brief report on how Cuse and Bell got together and what the show will be like:
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Pat Robertson Responds . . . Inadequately
Pat Robertson has been absent from “The 700 Club” since he advised a viewer to divorce his wife who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. He just returned to the program this week, and he offers his response to the subsequent reaction to his words. The video is below, and his remarks begin at 52:41.
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What is a gay Christian?
Yesterday, the Baptist Press ran a slightly revised version of an essay I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the term “gay Christian.” Since then, comments have been appearing under that older post. I’m going to repost the Baptist Press article here so that we can open a new thread of comments. The article is below, and the comments are below that. Thanks for reading!
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Are You a Scoffer?
Yesterday, we learned from Psalm 1:1-2 that “blessedness” is “happiness.” If you want to be a happy person, you have to avoid being like the wicked, the sinners, and the scoffers (v. 1). The root of blessedness—indeed of true happiness—is knowing God through His word (v. 2). There is one other item that we need to look at from verse one—the word translated as “scoffers.” Perhaps it is not too difficult to comprehend what David means by “the wicked” and “the sinners,” for in both cases he is talking about law-breakers. But what is a scoffer, and how do we avoid sitting in his seat? We can answer both questions…
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Where does happiness come from?
Sometimes the usual translation of Psalm 1:1-2 conceals the real point of the text. I have in mind the words that are commonly translated as “blessed” and “delight.” Take the NASB for example: 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. The NASB has not mistranslated these two terms. It in fact tracks right along with many other major English versions (e.g., ESV, NIV, RSV). The problem is…