Cotton Mather, who died in 1728, wrote this in the Preface of his book Student and Preacher, a declaration he termed "Directions for a Candidate of the Ministry:" The great design and intention of the office of a Christian preacher are to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men; to display in the most lively colours, and proclaim in the clearest language, the wonderful perfections, offices and graces of the Son of God; and to attract the souls of men into a state of everlasting friendship with Him. (As quoted in Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John … [Read more...] about Cotton Mather on Preaching
Archives for 2006
The Feminization of the Church
Holly Pivec in the Spring 2006 issue of the Biola Connections magazine pens an outstanding article entitled The Feminization of the Church: Why Its Music, Messages and Ministries Are Driving Men Away. She cites numerous Christian leaders, like Patrick Johnstone (Operation World) and David Murrow (author of Why Men Hate Going to Church). Nancy Pearcey is another who touches on these themes in Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. Some excerpts: "93 percent of senior pastors in America are men, according to evangelical pollster George Barna. But, the majority of … [Read more...] about The Feminization of the Church
Harvey Mansfield – Manliness
Harvey C. Mansfield, a Professor of Government at Harvard University, has written a provocative book -- particularly given his Ivy League status -- called Manliness. Manliness, says Mansfield, causes men to need to feel important. Mansfield is concerned that in a gender-neutral society, neither men nor women will be well served because manliness will have no legitimate place. Mansfield observes that innate sexual differences persist in our society and are generally enjoyed. He calls manliness, "the remaining obstacle to gender-neutrality, which does not seem easily removed." Here is a … [Read more...] about Harvey Mansfield – Manliness
Mainline Denominations like the PC(USA)
Mark D. Roberts has been an articulately expressing concern at the direction of the PC(USA) with respect to their understanding of the Trinity and the ordination of homosexuals. Mark noticed this analysis by Steve Levin of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on mainline denominations losing impact on the nation. Excerpt: "Today...secular culture defines mainline churches' dialogue on everything from social issues to politics and morality, tellingly shown this summer at the emotional and acrimonious national gatherings of the Presbyterian Church USA and the Episcopal Church." Levin observes these … [Read more...] about Mainline Denominations like the PC(USA)
Stem Cell Research – U.S. Senate Legislation
President Bush is threatening to use his veto power for the first time in his presidency if the Senate (as anticipated) passes legislation this week to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Joe Carter (Director of Communications at The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity) provides an articulate (Bush-supportive) response to the typical reporting on this issue by the MSM. On a related story, see this Justin Taylor post on in-vitro fertilization and test-tube babies. I'd like to learn more about both sides of these issues, so would be particularly grateful for any … [Read more...] about Stem Cell Research – U.S. Senate Legislation
Calvinism vs. Arminianism Debate — available on DVD
The controversy among evangelicals surrounding the issue of who does what in salvation is among one of the most long-standing, sometimes heated debates in all of church history. Books and monographs related to this topic have been proliferating in recent years as a result of a widely noted resurgence in Calvinistic thinking, particularly on the part of younger scholars. Certainly there is evidence for this in the Southern Baptist Convention, for example. Given the strong interest on this issue, Appleseed Ministries hosted a debate between Tom Schreiner and Bruce Ware (representing the … [Read more...] about Calvinism vs. Arminianism Debate — available on DVD