A Defense of Bitcoin
Gary North wrote up an article today titled Bitcoins: The Second Biggest Ponzi Scheme in History . Having bought into the bitcoin "craze" about a year ago, I…
Content tagged with #church
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Articles (50)
Better Than "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", That's For Sure
Many people who know me know that one of my pet peeves is when people try to pass The Battle Hymn of the Republic off as a Christian hymn. My blood pressure…
Standing in a Suit, Repeating Vows
I found a post by a guy I hadn't read before, linked from Mark Hornes' blog. It's comments on the recent PCA General Assembly, but I really loved his quote at…
A Fundamental Flaw
I'm writing this article in the midst of a lot of turmoil going on in our church right now. Many people who grow up in a certain lifestyle have difficulty…
12 Rules for Promoting Harmony...
From PCA News Time Capsule : Twelve Rules for Promoting Harmony Among Church Members by Thomas Smyth To remember that we are all subject to failings and…
A New Commission Forms
We received a package today from Grant McCabe, the Stated Clerk for the new Philadelphia Metro West Presbytery. The package contained a cover letter describing…
Advice When Facing Spiritual Abuse
Almost a year ago, Tom highlighted an excellent blog post from the Wittenberg Gat e called "Controlling Personalities in the Church". This month, WG featured…
Awkward Motions
I was recently made aware of a recent motion by the Evangel Presbytery (PCA) regarding this whole Federal Vision thing going on in Reformed Churches right now…
Seeker (In)Sensitive
Look... I understand all the critiques that a lot of Reformed folk have with the "seeker sensitive" churches . Sure, we can all tell those churches by their…
Punting Once Again
The Session of Olive Street Presbyterian Church (we changed our name) has once again decided that they are unable to try Sarah and me, and have referred the…
Called on Account of Rain
So, last night's trial session was cancelled due to rain. We had some strong rain come through the area, and it knocked out the power at our prosecuter's…
The Trial Resumes... Again.
After sending in our last complaint to the Session regarding their having delayed the trial for 10 months, we received a letter from them saying that the trial…
Delay of Game
I received an email the other day from someone who has been following the issues that have been going on in our church , and wondering whether anything has…
The Trial Begins
Well, it seems that the prosecution in our case intends to use our blog as evidence in the trial, and we've received selected posts in our packet of evidence…
Trial Starts Tuesday
Our trial is now scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 27. There really isn't too much more information that I'm aware of, except for one major issue. Despite…
Controlling Personalities in the Church
An anonymous source sent me an excellent series on the Wittenberg Gate on spiritual abuse, and the techniques that abusive leaders will use to control the…
He Never Ever Sinned?
Tonight at bedtime, both Thomas and Tabitha expressed fear about dying as I was tucking them in. Although we often talk about Jesus, this evening was different…
Professional Do-gooders
Dr. Neill H. Payne posted this quote on the Reformed Theology Discussion List . It's appropriate in many contexts. Most of the major ills of the world have…
Christian as Palace Guards
A question for God: If Christians have the same spirit, why do they disagree so much? I am really struggling with having patience with legalistic christians…
A Plea
Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers…
Why I'm on Trial
Sorry for this being protected for a little while. After I posted it without comment, I thought that perhaps it could get me into trouble. I put the password…
Strife
Main Entry: strife Pronunciation: 'strIf Function: noun 1 a : bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension "A *wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is…
First Meeting
Last nights meeting was a bit anticlimactic . After everything leading up to this point, the meeting lasted about a half-hour, with the crux being that Sarah…
Louisiana Presbytery on the Federal Vision
After the premature decisions by Mississippi Valley and Central Carolina Presbyteries, Louisiana Presbytery has actually adopted a lucid position, and…
1 Thessalonians 2:7
misc/nursing 1 Thessalonians 2:7 "But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children." This metaphor has much…
Indictment Served
Jim Sauer and Dale Van Ness stopped by tonight to deliver the indictments and list of witnesses as required in BCO 32-3 . The packet included the revised…
Trial Postponed
It looks as though the Session has sought the wisdom of the moderator of the Heritage Presbytery, and thankfully, he has concurred with the interpretation of…
Kindling Strife
"Where there is no wood, the fire goes out and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a…
Vague Generalities
In my last post , I quoted from Dr. Morton Smith's commentaries on the Book of Church Order. Sarah was reading through other areas of the commentary, and found…
Charges Filed
Heck of a way to start a vacation . Jim Sauer came by yesterday afternoon with a letter summoning me and Sarah to appear before the Session to "hear charges…
Ah, Brotherhood
I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said "Stop! Don't do it!" "Why…
Quote 0f the Day
"Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God." - J. Oswald Sanders
I Think He's Got It
Rev. Andy Webb has written a " brief thought " up on the Warfield List , in which I think he means to score some points in the FV debate, but really just shows…
Premature Departure
I received a press release in my mailbox last night from the Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church . "Who," you may ask? Well, the ERPC is the newest…
How do you answer a fool?
Life's full of fools. Some verses for reflection: Pro 26:4-5 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Answer a fool according…
Avoiding the Argument Party
Christianity Today ("Take the best and leave the rest", as my mother in law would say) has a number of newsletters available via email. One that I subscribe to…
More Catholic Than Baptist
Some people had commented to me about the relatively high score that Roman Catholic had scored on my recent denomination survey I had taken. Should it be…
Washing Their Hands
Well, it's done ( again? ). The Session has handed over their jurisdiction to the Presbytery . The gist of what they're asking the Presbytery is contained the…
Ruling Elders Who Cannot Teach
I submit that the practice of ordaining people as "ruling" elders who are not able to teach is an evil curse on the Church.
Afternoon Worship
We can't do it. Our family just cannot do this early afternoon worship service thing. Two of our four kids are physically used to napping at that time, and I…
April Status
I guess I should probably give an update as to where our family is in regards to our ongoing conflict with the IPC Session. We had received a letter from the…
One Complaint Upheld by Presbytery
Just got back from the information meeting with the Heritage Presbytery Judicial Committee Commission over our recent complaints . The summary is that they…
New Church Members?
A week ago Sunday, we had a couple guys in our church stand before the congregation and answer the "membership questions" that our pastor asks all new church…
Federal Vision Repository Online
Grace Fellowship Church is now posting and editing a repository of documents dealing with the Federal Vision and the New Perspective on Paul, and it's "…
Central Carolina Also Speaks
Following close on the heels of the actions of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery , Central Carolina Presbytery has passed the following motion: Whereas on…
More from Mississippi
More quality discernment from our Mississippi brethren : Additionally, leading pastor-theologians in the Reformed and evangelical world have raised concerns…
Lines Being Drawn
Mississippi Valley Presbytery has unanimously adopted this study ( WARNING: PDF ) of the Ad Hoc Committee on the "New Perspective on Paul", "Federal Vision"…
Gifts and Ministries in the Church
This is a post that I made to our church's "unofficial" Yahoo! listserv . In reality, we are all part of the same body, and there is no such thing as…
Commission Meeting
Yesterday, Sarah and I met with the Judicial Commission from Heritage Presbytery over our recent complaints . It was difficult for me to imagine it possible…
Locus Ab Auctoritate Est Infirmissimus
Well, our complaints about recent actions by the IPC Session have finally been received, and Sarah and I are meeting with a committee from Heritage Presbytery…