As we have gone through this series of articles together, I am sure anyone with a child in worship looked in anticipation to this one more than any other. There is a desire in us that says, “tell me what to do”— but we must learn why first. We need to be driven by our convictions so when things get tough, we will not abandon the course. May I say, if you are embarking on this journey with your kids, the road is clear, but it is not easy....
In the last article, we looked at what the Bible says about children being present in corporate worship. Here we address the unintended consequences, along with a brief history of how children’s church was developed. Again, I want to reiterate, I am not seeking to insult people who serve in children’s church, and I do not think this is a tier one issue. However, there are unintended consequences in an approach to children’s church....
While the topic of children’s church is not forbidden in Scripture, we certainly cannot take a cavalier attitude to the topic. It is most certain that the Israel’s worship in the Old Testament and churches of the New Testament knew nothing of an age-segregated worship or “children’s church.”...
I must confess it has been some time since I went to the barbershop. About four years ago, I began shaving my head completely because my forehead kept growing and my bald spot was about to meet my forehead. But about 10 years ago when I was still visiting stylists, I sat down in the chair of a barber who was cutting my then-remaining hair for the first time, and the subject of my job as a pastor came up. The man told me he listened to Joel Osteen and wanted to know my thoughts. ...
The teenage years are ones that, if honest, most parents will admit they dread. Why? We all know about the vulnerabilities of teen life and remember our own struggles during those formative years. Many people have told me that they would not go back and relive their teen years for “all the money in the world,” a sentiment with which I heartily concur (and we’re only slightly exaggeratingTry and remember those days for a moment. If you were like me, in your teen years you would think things like,...
I must confess that although I love the Lord of the Rings series, I have not completed the books! It remains on my unending list of things to do and read. This well-loved classic from J.R.R. Tolkien is not only a great story, but for believers, a delight in seeing Christian themes embedded throughout the series. For example: the bearing of sin in Frodo carrying the ring. Or the resurrection of Jesus in Gandalf’s plummeting to certain death and coming back as Gandalf the White. ...
Christians in most American churches are encouraged to evangelize – which means sharing the gospel with unbelievers and calling them to faith and repentance in Jesus Christ. This highly appropriate activity is rooted in the words of the New Testament and obedience to our Lord who commands us to make disciples. Yet while we see many circles and pockets of Christendom “doing evangelism,” many approaches to evangelism are far from appropriate, and in fact are unhealthy and rooted in bad theology....
I want to share just a few things a church and its members should consider in relating to a pastor’s wife, because honestly few people know what it is like to be in a pastor’s home. Unless you hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, how could you know? So here goes....
The other day my son asked me why people who used to go to church stop going, presenting a “teachable moment” on the importance of church in the Christian life. My son was observing a behavior that was already a tendency in the first-century church, as seen when the writer of Hebrews instructed his readers to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” (Hebrews 10:25)...
Last week we sought to define legalism, with an emphasis on the particular form of legalism that I have experienced in my former life as an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist: elevating one’s personal preferences to the level of doctrine, or insisting on them to bind the conscience of another believer. ...
“Legalism” is a term thrown out a lot in Evangelical circles – and an especially dreaded one because it implies you are a stick-in-the-mud, out-of-touch, intolerant, and way too hard on people. However, legalism involves a much bigger, deeper, and more devastating error. ...
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Last week we reviewed two lessons for Christians from the life of Founder, patriot, president and prodigy Thomas Jefferson, as drawn from the biography Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. Let’s move right into lesson 3!...
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My most recently completed presidential biography is Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by John Meacham. My conclusion: the only things he and I have in common is being proud Virginians and sinners. (And I wasn’t born in Virginia, so I guess even that one does not fully count.) ...
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An old saying holds that the two topics that are off-limits in conversation are politics and religion. But as Christians, we can hardly avoid or minimize the second topic: it’s in fact a conversation we’re commanded to have with unbelievers (to witness) and believers (to exhort and edify) alike! One especially unavoidable conversation – and one that is nearly certa...
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The importance of a Christian’s relationship to a local church cannot be overstated. As a matter of fact, 1 John 2:19 states that permanent separation from the church and the Gospel demonstrates one is not actually a Christian. The church is so important for us because it gives us a sense of identity. No matter what type of family we have, what job we work, what other s...
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At Flat Run, we are about to start a new Adult Bible Fellowship series entitled “Christian Worldview in Gender and Sexuality.” In so doing, we’re responding to the speed with which the LGBTQ+ agenda has overrun our nation, for example, overtaking entire corporations like Disney. The “House of Mouse” once produced wholesome family films, but is now driven by the a...
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Last week we dove into the realm of American presidential history and looked at some life lessons from Chester A. Arthur – a corrupt politician who, in the providential will of God, became president and helped change the course of the nation....
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After going through Scott Greenberger’s excellent volume The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur, five principles emerged that I wanted to address from a Christian worldview....
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I want to share a few practical suggestions as to when your child might be ready to take part in this ordinance/sacrament. I confess this is a delicate dance because Baptists adhere to believer’s baptism, which occurs only upon a profession of faith in Christ....
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Music can be a really touchy topic, if not a proverbial “third rail.” At times I am asked whether Christians can listen to “secular” music. After wrestling with the question, I’ve come to a firm, unshakeable conclusion: it depends. ...
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