On Monday, Pastor Jeremiah Wright had the following exchange with the moderator at the National Press Club (transcript): MODERATOR: “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father but through me.’ Do you believe this? And do you think Islam is a way to salvation?” WRIGHT: “Jesus also said, ‘Other sheep have I who are not of this fold.'” Wright’s response clearly implies that Muslims are among the “other sheep” to which Jesus refers in John 10:16. Thus Wright affirms that people who do not have conscious faith in Christ can nevertheless have the hope of salvation — an inclusivist position that…

I listen regularly to Pastor John Piper’s sermon podcasts. Recently, he finished up a series on the new birth, and in the final sermon Piper gives ten encouragements to Christians to do evangelism. Not only does Piper give some great practical instruction, but he also shares about his own evangelistic habits. “I’m Sending You to Open Their Eyes” – by John Piper [audio:http://www.desiringgod.org/download.php?file=http://www.desiringgod.org/media/audio/2008/20080413.mp3] In the course of the sermon, he mentions two items that he has written as aids for evangelism. One is a tract, and the other is a book. Both of them are aimed specifically at the conversion of the lost. As you may know, not all gospel…

Dear friends, I’m experimenting with Greek fonts again. Sound off if your browser shows the following as the Greek text of 2 Corinthians 5:21. τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ

Last week, the Baptist Press ran a story about the address that Brian McLaren gave at a conference for youth ministers at Willow Creek Community Church. As you might expect, he said some things that grate against traditional evangelical priorities. Here’s an example: “Some of us came from a religious tradition or a religious background where our main role was to recruit kids to go to heaven. And that’s a good thing. Mortality rates are still pretty high, and we all have to face that decision. But I’m here to challenge you to think bigger and deeper and in more layers and dimensions about your role.”

Baptists in North America have a strong tradition of teetotaling piety. For Southern Baptists, however, the issue is a live one again as dissenters are making the case for Christian freedom to partake in moderation. In 2006, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution promoting total abstinence, but the measure only passed after a debate with a vocal minority. The fact that there was even a debate is significant for a denomination that has been fairly consistent on this issue. The SBC has passed over forty such resolutions since 1886.

Audio of Interview with John Eldredge [audio:https://www.dennyburk.com/JJL/2008_04_08-JJL-Interview_with_John_Eldridge.mp3] On Tuesday I participated in a radio interview with popular Christian author John Eldredge (widely known for his best-selling 2001 book Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul). Eldredge came on the program to talk about his new book Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really. In this book, Eldredge tells his readers that they should have a “conversational intimacy” with God that includes hearing Him speak just like people in the Bible heard God speak.

I listen to the chapel podcast from Dallas Theological Seminary from time to time, and I was very interested to hear a recent sermon delivered by Carolyn Custis James. Her message was titled “The Role of Women in Both Ministry and Life,” and she preached about the role of women in ministry (and in theological education) in light of Genesis 1 and 2 and the book of Ruth.