The November/December 2009 issue of the Nine Marks eJournal is out. The articles deal with the issue of church discipline, and there are a series of book reviews on ecclesiastical matters. One article in particular caught my attention: The Preemptive Resignation—A Get Out of Jail Free Card? Can church members resign their membership to avoid discipline? By Jonathan Leeman In my small amount of experience, this has happened several times: a church member does something egregious (e.g., suddenly leaves their spouse, or displays gross financial impropriety), other Christians lovingly confront … [Read more...] about Nov/Dec Nine Marks eJournal: On Church Discipline
Archives for November 2009
Understanding The Book of Ecclesiastes
Years ago, Dr. Ardel Canaday wrote an outstanding, lengthy article on the book of Ecclesiastes (arguable one of the least understood biblical books among Christians). In the article, entitled QOHELETH: ENIGMATIC PESSIMIST OR GODLY SAGE?, Canaday cogently refutes the view that Ecclesiastes is an expression of existentialism or a soulless, secular hedonism. On the contrary, in Ecclesiastes we see a nuanced, realistic view of life in a fallen world. Quoheleth (the narrative voice in the book of Ecclesiastes) is a wise sage, instructing believers on how to exercise godly enjoyment in one's work, … [Read more...] about Understanding The Book of Ecclesiastes
Free Audio Book: Desiring God (John Piper)
For the month of November, Christian Audio is making available a free audio download of John Piper's book Desiring God. Just use the coupon code DG2009. … [Read more...] about Free Audio Book: Desiring God (John Piper)
Nancy Gibbs on Public Modesty and Arrogance
Nancy Gibbs, writing for Time magazine on public modesty and arrogance: Humility and modesty need not be weakness or servility; they can be marks of strength, the courage to confront a challenge knowing that the outcome is in doubt. Ronald Reagan, for all his cold-warrior confidence, projected a personal modesty that served his political agenda well. I still don't know what President Obama's core principles are, but the fact that he even pays lip service to humility as one of them could give him the upper hand in the war for the souls of independents — a group that's larger now than at any … [Read more...] about Nancy Gibbs on Public Modesty and Arrogance
James Dobson To Leave His Radio Show
Dr. James Dobson, 73, will stop hosting his internationally syndicated radio program Feb. 28, according to an announcement from Focus on the Family officials this past Friday. Health was not an issue, Dobson's spokesman Gary Schneeberger affirmed. Rather: Dr. Dobson's departure from the radio program and from official affiliation with the organization he founded in 1977 is just the "third chapter in a transition that began in 2003," when Dr. Dobson stepped down as Focus president, said Jim Daly, the ministry's president and CEO. It was a mutual decision between Dr. Dobson and the ministry's … [Read more...] about James Dobson To Leave His Radio Show