Trevor Persaud of Christianity Today has the latest: Palm Beach Atlantic University President Lu Hardin resigned suddenly on Friday and pled guilty on Monday to wire fraud and money laundering charges rooted in his previous job as president of the University of Central Arkansas. Hardin had headed the Florida-based interdenominational Christian school for only two years. For much of that time, his name has been a recurring feature of investigations into questionable financial dealings that took place during his time at UCA. This particular case involves a $300,000 deferred-compensation … [Read more...] about President of Christian University Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Money Laundering
Archives for March 2011
Japan, Earthquakes, God’s Sovereignty, and Mercy
The massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan is eerily reminiscent of the one that hit the Indian Ocean in December 2004. In response to the latter, John Piper wrote a short reflection entitled Tsunami, Sovereignty, and Mercy. It made the following points: 1. Satan is not ultimate, God is. 2. Even if Satan caused the earthquake in Japan, he is not the decisive cause of the deaths, God is. 3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy. 4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith. 5. Christ calls us to … [Read more...] about Japan, Earthquakes, God’s Sovereignty, and Mercy
Scott Walker, Collective Bargaining, and Educational Effectiveness
I have largely avoided political issues of late, but today's WSJ op-ed piece by Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is simply excellent. What he is trying to do in Wisconsin simply makes good fiscal and educational sense. Read it for yourself and see why. A couple noteworthy points: 1. Federal workers don't have collective bargaining for wages and benefits. Yet that's one of the perks that the public employee union in Wisconsin is fighting to retain. 2. The changes Gov. Walker seeks are modest: "We ask government workers to make a 5.8% contribution to their pensions and a 12.6% … [Read more...] about Scott Walker, Collective Bargaining, and Educational Effectiveness
High Self-Esteem or High Test Scores?
That's the juxtaposition posed by Jay Mathews in this classic Washington Post article: "According to the Washington think tank's annual Brown Center report on education, 6 percent of Korean eighth-graders surveyed expressed confidence in their math skills, compared with 39 percent of U.S. eighth-graders. But a respected international math assessment showed Koreans scoring far ahead of their peers in the United States, raising questions about the importance of self-esteem." As I discuss in Thriving at College, it's better to have a sober estimation of one's skills (Rom. 12:1) - one … [Read more...] about High Self-Esteem or High Test Scores?
Definite Atonement and Evangelism
Many think that to share the gospel with non-Christians requires that we tell them, with confidence, that Jesus died for them. John Piper posts a great little conversation showing how a Christian who embraces definite atonement (the view that Jesus Christ died specifically for all those who would ever trust in him, love him, and obey him) might go about sharing his faith with a non-Christian - and why (in my opinion) it is actually more understandable and more compelling. An excerpt (U is an unbeliever, and E is an evangelist): U: Did he do that for me? E: If you will have … [Read more...] about Definite Atonement and Evangelism
Rob Bell Dust-Up on Good Morning America
Albert Mohler, Serene Jones (of Union Theological Seminary), and Josh Harris all make this short segment. I think Bell's book has the potential for really sifting out where Christians stand on this crucial issue on which so much is at stake -- not just who God is, but what the gospel message is, and whether the historic evangelistic motivation makes any sense. Should people be risking their lives to tell others about Jesus Christ? And what exactly (if anything) should they be told about Jesus Christ? With all the attention swirling, the publisher has moved up the release data of Love Wins … [Read more...] about Rob Bell Dust-Up on Good Morning America