Albert Mohler has responded to a recent statement issued by a group of Southern Baptists about the doctrine of salvation. Mohler’s essay is direct and generous. It takes the drafters’ concerns seriously and answers substantively. It’s a clarion call to unity around the BF&M. In short, it’s statesmanlike, which is exactly what we need right now. He writes,
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Steel in My Spine and Fire in My Belly
The sermons you are about to hear put steel in my spine and fire in my belly almost 20 years ago when I was in college. At the time, I was still cutting my teeth theologically and was wrestling mightily with the studied claims of theological liberalism. The sermons were like an oasis of truth, and they proved to be epoch-making for me. Here I heard for the first time about the bankruptcy of liberalism, the inerrancy of the Bible, the job-description of the pastor, and the necessity of perseverance. The messages meant the world to me then, and they still do now. The preacher is Tommy Nelson, pastor of…
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President Obama’s Scriptural Defense of Gay Marriage
Earlier today, President Obama became the first sitting president to endorse gay marriage. In his remarks to ABC News, the president cited his Christian faith as the basis for his decision. In particular, he cited Jesus’ words in the “Golden Rule” as a key factor in his thinking. He says, [Michelle and I] we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat…
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The Relevant Queries for Andy Stanley
Andy Stanley’s recent comments concerning homosexuality were ambiguous at best and a complete capitulation to the spirit of the age at worst. In any case, even ambiguity is unacceptable for a Christian pastor—much less one with the influence of Stanley. Stanley is not an outlier in the wider evangelical movement. He was raised a Southern Baptist. He received his formal theological training at an evangelical seminary. He is a leader of leaders, a well-known author, and a highly sought-after speaker. As evangelical pastors go, he is near the top of the proverbial heap. For these reasons, some kind of clarification would be in order concerning his recent remarks about homosexuality.…
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Andy Stanley, the Megachurch, and Homosexuality
Albert Mohler has a must-read article today that I can only describe as shocking. It’s a long one, but at the heart of it is a sermon recently delivered by megachurch pastor Andy Stanley. You can listen to the sermon below or download it here. The relevant portion begins at the 23:00 minute mark. In the video version, it starts at 24:30. [audio:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WeeklyPodcastNorthPoint/~5/j5kqFUxRu3k/christian_part5.mp3] In the sermon, Stanley told the story of a husband who left his wife for another man. At the end of the story, the wife, her new boyfriend, their children, and the new homosexual couple all end up attending a Christmas service together. Stanley looks at them…
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Trusting in God Who Raises the Dead
Yesterday, I preached the following message at my church, Kenwood Baptist in Louisville, Kentucky. My text was 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, and the topic was suffering. In the opening of the sermon, I called for prayer for a friend who was battling cancer. I did not know at the time that this dear brother would pass away only hours later. He was 33 years old. Our hearts are heavy as we pray for the wife he leaves behind, but we are held fast by the God who raises the dead. “With Paul in the School of Suffering” [download][audio:http://kenwoodbaptistchurch.com/podcast/media/2012-04-29_denny_burk_2_cor_1_311_apr_29.mp3]
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All the Audio and Video from T4G Main Sessions
John Piper – Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Authority Keep Us Safe for Everlasting Joy [download] [audio:http://media.t4g.org/t4g2012/audio/t4g2012-gen9-piper.mp3]
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Will you still be a Christian tomorrow?
In the final message of T4G 2012, John Piper ruminated on the fact that this will be the last time he preaches at T4G as a pastor. He also marveled at the fact that he’s still a Christian after 60 years. He then turned his amazement on the congregation, “I love to ask people, and I’ll ask you: What makes you think you’re gonna wake up a Christian tomorrow?” Here’s the clip with his answer:
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David Platt’s Gospel Bomb at T4G
In his message earlier today, Kevin DeYoung identified two underemphasized elements of the “young, restless, and reformed” movement: (1) preaching on personal holiness and (2) radical exhortation to take up the call to global missions. DeYoung addressed the first issue in his message this morning, and Platt took up the second issue in his message this evening. Timmy Brister aptly described Platt’s message this way: “That reverberating sound in Louisville is the pulsating heartbeat of God echoing from that gospel bomb delivered by [David Platt].” Listen or download below. Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-Defying Missions [download] [audio:http://media.t4g.org/t4g2012/audio/t4g2012-gen6-platt.mp3]
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Sanctification Is Not By Faith
In his message at T4G this morning, Kevin DeYoung took on the evangelical cliché that says sanctification is by faith. He argues in fact that sanctification is not by faith—at least not in the same sense that justification is by faith. Rather, he contends that holiness in the believer’s life requires effort. It is a fantastic message, and I commend it to you. You’ll also want to bask in the afterglow of his overly hyphenated Piperian sermon title. Also, don’t miss Thabiti Anyabwile’s excellent message, which was also delivered this morning at T4G. He asks and answers the question, “Will your gospel transform a terrorist?” You can download or listen…
