Charles Stolfus is the Executive Pastor of Denton Bible Church. He just sent me a letter addressed to members and friends of DBC and has given permission for me to reproduce it here. This is the latest update on Pastor Nelson’s progress, released just about 30 minutes ago.
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Pray for Pastor Tommy Nelson
The Denton Bible Church website reports that Pastor Tommy Nelson had a heart attack this morning. “As many of you have already heard, at about 10:15 this morning our pastor Tom Nelson was in the church office and developed a severe pain in his chest. Dennis Boots (a fireman and ER guy) was close by and was able to assess the situation very quickly. His wife Teresa was called and she was able to get here very quickly. “We called 911 immediately and the Fire Dept. responded very quickly. Tom was taken to the hospital and is there now getting care. As the ambulance left Tom was awake and responsive…
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Spiritual Profile of Homosexual Adults
The Barna Group has released a new survey that explores the spiritual life of gay and lesbian adults. The study examines “20 faith-oriented attributes” and how homosexuals and heterosexuals differ from one another on these attributes. Here are some of the findings of the survey. Heterosexuals are more likely than homosexuals to hold an orthodox view of God, to attend church, to read the Bible, and to pray regularly. Homosexuals are more likely than heterosexuals to be unchurched, to have an unorthodox view of God, and to identify themselves as “liberal” on social issues.
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SI Cover Story on Tim Tebow
Don’t miss SI’s cover story on Tim Tebow. Tebow is the genuine article, and SI reporter Austin Murphy knows it (even though he pokes fun at him a little bit, calling him a “nerd for Jesus”). Murphy writes: “Watching Tebow zip passes into the seams of opposing defenses, lower his shoulder in short yardage and exhort his teammates like King Henry V on St. Crispin’s Day, one might think that he was put on this earth just to run coach Urban Meyer’s spread offense. Watching him pace the floor of a gymnasium packed with 660 wayward men hanging on his every syllable is to realize that regardless of what position…
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Is the Gay Marriage Debate Over?
Mark Galli has a fascinating article in Christianity Today titled “Is the Gay Marriage Debate Over?” He says that the culture’s shifting views on marriage are due in part to radical individualism. He argues that, unfortunately, this individualism has already caused some slippage among evangelicals on the marriage question.
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Concerns about New Hate Crimes Bill
The Baptist Press reports some disturbing news: ‘The U.S. Senate passed legislation July 16 to expand hate crimes protections to include homosexuals and transgendered people.’ Here’s how the Baptist Press explains the significance of the measure: ‘The measure, combined with existing law, could expose to prosecution Christians and others who proclaim the Bible’s teaching that homosexual behavior and other sexual relations outside marriage are sinful. For example, if a person commits a violent act based on a victim’s “sexual orientation” after hearing biblical teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual behavior, the preacher or teacher could be open to a charge of inducing the person to commit the crime, some foes…
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Tom Wright on ECUSA Declaration of Independence
The Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) has effectively declared its independence from the worldwide Anglican Communion. Yesterday, the House of Bishops of ECUSA voted overwhelmingly to allow practicing homosexuals to be consecrated and ordained. In taking this step, they knowingly defied the rest of the communion. Read about it here. Bishop Tom Wright has written forcefully denouncing the move in the Times online, and his remarks are worth noting. He writes:
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Healthy Economies Rely on Healthy Marriages
Pope Benedict XVI has some fascinating things to say in his latest encyclical titled Caritas in veritate “Charity in Truth.” A papal encyclical is a general letter to Roman Catholic Christians, and Popes use such letters to teach the church the Christian viewpoint on key issues. The document is 30,472 words, which translates to about 54 pages of single-spaced text. For a good summary, see Francis Beckwith’s piece at the Christianity Today website. Among other things, I found it interesting that the Pope attempted some “public access” arguments in favor of marriage. Much of this letter is taken up with economic issues, and the Pope insists that healthy economic policies…
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Derek Webb: Clean or Explicit?
Derek Webb has a new album out, and it comes with a bit of controversy. BeliefNet.com reports the following: ‘Derek Webb’s new album, Stockholm Syndrome, will be released in September in two versions: a clean and explicit version. ‘The controversy surrounds the lyrics to one of the songs, “What Matters More,” in which Webb says apparently the word “sh*t”. In typical Derek Webb fashion, he’s used a bit of shock value to make a point and in the process made his label a little nervous. (And used it all to promote the album.)‘
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Feel My Pain
Carl Trueman writes with poignancy and verve. His essays on Reformation21 are always must-reads. His latest one on whining is no exception. You’ll need to read the whole thing, but here’s the conclusion: ‘Expressions of hurt are too often really something else: cowardly attempts by representatives of a cosseted and self-obsessed culture to make themselves uniquely important or, worse still, to bully and cajole somebody they dislike to stop saying things they don’t want to hear or which they find distasteful.  My advice to such is akin to that of the counselor in the Bob Newhart sketch: Stop it! If somebody’s writing or speaking hurts you, ask yourself “Why?”, don’t…