This is just a note on something that is coming in the November issue of Touchstone magazine. The editor has put together a forum on the state of evangelicalism today, and the contributors include Russell Moore, John Franke, Darryl Hart, Michael Horton, David Lyle Jeffrey, and yours truly. Here are the questions that we all answered:
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‘Confessions of a Pastor’ in Defense of Mohler
When I was a candidate for the Ph.D. at Southern Seminary, I spent the vast majority of my time with faculty who were specialists in the New Testament. As a result, I missed out on getting to know some of the faculty representing other disciplines. One of the men that I didn’t get to know very well was Dr. Hershael York, Professor of Preaching. I think we have met a couple of times, but in reality I hardly know Dr. York personally. But let me say that I love him nevertheless. He keeps a blog called “Confessions of a Pastor” that is one of the most enjoyable blogs that I…
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A Good Word from Tony Snow
I’m thankful for public servants like Tony Snow—so much so that I have written about him more than once on this blog (see here). Last week, he announced that he would resign as President Bush’s press secretary. Many people will remember that he is a cancer survivor. Unfortunately his cancer has returned. Snow wrote a short piece for Christianity Today describing his decision to step down, and he also shared some of his reflections on having cancer. You should read the whole essay, but one line stuck out to me: “We want lives of simple, predictable ease—smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see—but God likes to go…
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John Piper on Tattoos and Body-Piercing
I get asked from time to time about the Bible’s teaching on tattoos and body-piercing. Typically, the questions center on the interpretation of Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD.” I am in basic agreement with John Piper on this question. I suspect that the prohibition of Leviticus 19:28 is rooted in a concern about pagan religious practices. Thus the tattoos and cutting of the body in Leviticus 19:28 were evil relative to their association with paganism. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any reasons to think twice about getting a…
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Al Mohler’s Comments on Mother Teresa
We discussed Mother Teresa’s “dark night of the soul” earlier this week. It’s also the topic of conversation at the Washington Post‘s “On Faith” blog. Dr. Albert Mohler has weighed in on the matter, and here is what he concludes:
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The Testimony of a Suffering Saint
It was a blessing to me to listen to this dear brother testify to the sovereign grace of God in his life. I think you would do well to hear it too. (HT: Justin Taylor)
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What Evangelicals Can Learn from Flannery O’Connor
I just received the latest issue of Touchstone magazine in the mail yesterday. You won’t want to miss Donald T. Williams’ article, “Writers Cramped,” in which he outlines three things that evangelical authors can learn from Flannery O’Connor. The opening of the article sets up and asks a penetrating question: My fellow Evangelicals publish reams upon reams of prose. What we have not tended to write is anything recognized as having literary value by the literary world. What makes this failure remarkable is that our Protestant forebears include a number of people who did: Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, George Herbert, John Milton, and John Bunyan, to mention a few. Equally…
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The Fun Factor and Ministry
According to an article in the Associated Baptist Press, college students aspiring to ministry not only have an aversion to the local church, but they also have a preference against pastoral ministry in particular. For this reason, many aspiring ministers opt for positions with less leadership responsibility within the church:
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Mother Theresa and the Dark Night of the Soul
A new book sheds an unexpected light on the iconic Mother Teresa. The description in TIME magazine has shocked many, and when you read the following excerpt you will see why.
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D. James Kennedy Retires
Evangelicals know him as the author of Evangelism Explosion. Reformed believers know him as a driving force behind the resurgence of reformed theology in America. The people of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida know him as their pastor of 48 years. I am of course referring to Dr. D. James Kennedy who announced today that he is retiring from the church that he founded in 1949. What a blessing Dr. Kennedy has been to the church. Godspeed to him. “Dr. D. James Kennedy Retires” – ALR News Release