Vanishing Christianity — A Lesson from the Presbyterians

The liberalism of the Presbyterian Church of the USA is not new, but a recent survey highlights the issues. In writing about the survey, Albert Mohler concludes,

“This is a church that has lost its confidence in the Gospel in terms of the clear biblical claim that salvation comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. … The crisis has migrated from the pulpits to the pews, and recovery is only a dim and distant hope…”

– The report to which Dr Mohler refers in his article is available here.

(The older, now liberal, PCUSA, about which he writes, should not be confused with the PCA, of which Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, is a member.)

Matt Kennedy on ‘Leaving home’ (part 2)

A year ago, Matt Kennedy and his congregation at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, New York, lost their property to the Diocese of Central New York. Matt continues the story of what happened next — at Stand Firm. (Missed Part 1?)

Photo: Ten News, Syracuse.

The English General Synod: The Centre Cannot Hold

“If Lorna Ashworth’s Private Member’s Motion ‘That this Synod express the desire that the Church of England be in communion with the Anglican Church in North America’  is passed by the Church of England’s General Synod tomorrow,  she will have done  a great service to English Anglicans as well as the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) because it is as much about the English Church as the Church in North America.

She poses precisely the sort of question that the Church of England’s leadership wants to avoid because the ACNA represents a choice which must be made between two incompatible forms of religion – historic biblical Anglicanism and that pseudo- Anglicanism being promoted by TEC and its allies which derives its energy from the spirit of the age rather than the Spirit of Christ.…”

– Charles Raven writes about the choice facing the Church of England General Synod.

Taking Sovereignty Seriously

Mark Thompson recommends John Woodhouse’s article in the issue of Southern Cross to be distributed in churches from this Sunday … He quotes John as writing —

“I am astonished at how glibly we sometimes speak of gospel work — as though leadership skills, ministry strategies or entrepreneurial flair is what is needed to make the gospel effective. Leadership is not what makes the blind see. Strategies do not make the deaf hear. Entrepreneurs do not make the dead walk!

It is God who calls out his elect, chosen by him before the foundation of the world. They could not have saved themselves and nor could we have saved them no matter how clever we are. And he hardens the heart of others in their chosen state of lostness.”

Find the article on pages 18 and 19 (‘Serving a Sovereign God’) of the February 2010 Southern Cross.

Christianity Explored

Kevin DeYoung at the Gospel Coalition is enthusiastic about Christianity Explored.

‘But I saw it on TV’

Here’s a disturbing report on how the mainstream US media reported a large anti-abortion demonstration in Washington two weeks ago.

From LifeSiteNews. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)

Connecting the Mind and the Tongue

“I want to go on record at this point as saying that I understand the attraction of Rome: the sheer mass of the organization (if you’ll pardon the pun); the overwhelming aesthetics; the desirability of belonging to such an august and ancient institution which knows what it is, where it comes from, and where it is going; and the cornucopia of brilliant intellects that have debated, refined, and articulated its confession over the centuries.  All that I understand; all that I find attractive; all that I find superior to what evangelical Protestantism has to offer, particularly in its crassest megachurch and emergent varieties.”

– Carl Trueman contributes “Reflections on Rome Part 1: Connecting the Mind and the Tongue” at Reformation 21. As always, provocative and worth reading.

Al Mohler on The Shack (again)

Albert Mohler has again written about The Shack, with good reason. Here’s the punchline –

“The popularity of this book among evangelicals can only be explained by a lack of basic theological knowledge among us — a failure even to understand the Gospel of Christ. The tragedy that evangelicals have lost the art of biblical discernment must be traced to a disastrous loss of biblical knowledge. Discernment cannot survive without doctrine.”

Read it all here.

Related: More Catechesis, please.

Matt Kennedy on ‘Leaving home’ (part 1)

This time last year, Matt Kennedy and his congregation at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, New York, lost their property to the Diocese of Central New York. Matt tells the story of what happened next — at Stand Firm.

(Screenshot from WBNG News, NY.)

Bishop John Harrower on ‘anger at happy clappers’

“A front page article in our State’s major newspaper today illustrates some of the challenges of following Jesus in today’s Tasmania. Newspaper article here, Anger at ‘happy clappers’.”

– Bishop of Tasmania John Harrower on the challenge of making Christ known in Tassie.

(This is a good reminder to uphold in prayer Bishop Harrower, and all who belong to Christ in Tasmania.)

Church statistics: not many dead

“Still, it is worth remembering, as one looks at these dull graphs, that there are on any Sunday at least 100 people in an Anglican church for every member of the National Secular Society.”

– At The Guardian, Andrew Brown tries to put in perspective the latest figures form the Church of England.

Ignorance or historical censorship?

“In teaching about William Cowper to groups of people under the age of 30, I have tried to place him in his historical context.

To my amazement, I have discovered an almost complete lack of knowledge of colonial history.

The names and events of governors Arthur, Bligh or Macquarie, or issues like emancipation, or the exploration of the continent – the crossing of the Blue Mountains, the inland explorers or the journeys of Matthew Flinders – or even the gold rushes, were basically unknown…”

– Phillip Jensen writes about the importance of history. (Also at SydneyAnglicans.net)

How will they hear without a preacher?

“Preaching has fallen on hard times. So suggests a report out of Durham University’s College of Preachers. The British university’s CODEC research center, which aims to explore ‘the interfaces between the Bible, the digital environment and contemporary culture,’ conducted the study to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the College of Preachers. The report is not very encouraging…”

– from Al Mohler’s latest column.

What’s happening to InterVarsity?

Take the time to read this important piece by J. Mack Stiles. It’s a strong reminder for churches and parachurch organisations to remain crystal clear on the gospel —

“For the better part of 30 years I have been a ‘company man.’ My life has been devoted to student ministry through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a campus staff worker. All four of my books are published by IVP. The eleven Urbana missions conferences I attended shaped my life as a student and as a staff worker. … I love IV, and I long for its success. …

But, as Phillip Jensen says, the generation that assumes the gospel is the generation most responsible for the loss of the gospel.”

Read it here – from the current 9Marks eJournal.

Preaching without notes

“I’m a convert to preaching without any notes.

I know it’s not for everyone, but I reckon more preachers could do it if they wanted to.

I’ve preached evangelistically without notes for years, by memorising certain talks that I knew I would get to repeat many times. But I’ve not thought it ‘worth it’ to preach all the time without notes. Until now. …”

– At Read Better, Preach Better, Moore College’s Con Campbell shares his experience in preaching without notes.

← Previous Page — Next Page →