"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Scripture Doesn't Actually Support Images When idolaters speak on the issue of worship, they make a…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.14–Second Council of Nicea Proves Nothing
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Second Council of Nicea Proves Nothing I would wrap my discussion of images if were not…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.13–No Good Reason for Images in Churches
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. No Good Reason for Images in Churches Let's consider for a minute the practicalities of having…
Don’t Do an Altar Call; Call for a Response Instead
Altar calls have had a controversial place in the history of the American church. Some churches may do them practically every week, while other churches do not believe that altar calls are biblical. Even those who would resist doing a stereotypical altar calls, or "hand raise" ("...every head bowed, every eye closed..."), still believe in calling…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.12–Works of Art, OK. But Not in Church
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Works of Art, Ok. But Not in Church I'm not so superstitious as to think that…
How to Disciple Busy Men
I interact regularly with young, ambitious, and busy men. They are regular attendees, members, and aspiring leaders in my church. They have young families with two, three, sometimes, four children. Many of them commute over two hours to New York City for work, leaving the house before 6am and getting home after 8pm. How do…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.11–Service to an Idol is Worship
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Service to an Idol is Worship I am not ignorant of common Roman Catholic arguments used…
Church as the Body of Christ
Baptism is the entry way into the church of Jesus Christ. It is the identifying marker that God has made good on His promises and has brought new life to someone. It is also a public statement to the world that new Christians are now "all-in" with Jesus. They left everything, picked up their crosses, and…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.10–Idolatry in the Church is Hypocrisy
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Idolatry in the Church is Hypocrisy You can't deny that the worship of idols still happens.…
Forget Your Birthday; Are You Alive?
Conversion [to Jesus Christ] may be a crisis; it may be a process. Even a crisis like birth is really a process...It would be stupid to argue whether birth or growth is the more important element in our experience. We are born to grow. And so it is in the Christian life. Some can remember…
Raising Lazarus 