“The Cross? Like, Whatever…”
when old coots should be in bed
That’s apparently the attitude of 83% of “mainline Protestants”–over 4 in 5 believe that there’s nothing all that special about the Jesus Whom they claim to love and serve. “Christopher Scott, a member of (St. John’s Episcopal Church, New York City): “I don’t think there’s any doubt that that’s possible. … Anyone can find their way…I picture the universe — speeding through the galaxies…If I’m imaging God, that’s what I imagine. It’s an all-powerful force.” Thanks, Chris, we’ll let you know when it’s your turn to teach Sunday School.
But that’s the mainline Protestants (like Obama’s United Church of Christ, by the way, which helps explain why there are many of us who have little confidence in Obama’s “profession of faith”); certainly no evangelical would throw Jesus under the bus, would he? 57% of “evangelicals” take the same stance–which means that 57% of evangelicals are categorically not “evangelical”. Here’s the (depressing) story:
Pew Survey Finds Surprising Flexibility in American Religious Tolerance
Note the subtle way that the ABC News folks equate doctrinal surrender with “tolerance”; I suppose that to believe Jesus is the exclusive way to Heaven is “intolerant”?
Then put my name at the top of the “Intolerant” list. That’s me, buddy, “intolerant”.
The Scandal of the Evangelical MindTen Reasons Not to Do an Altar Call
when old coots should be in bed
Interesting thoughts. I think that there are times when an altar call might be an effective device to use–and thus I’m not as pessimistic about them as the author of this post–but most of us know that there are many, many churches where all manner of heresy might be taught as long as the altar call remains intact.
Official Playing Rules of the NFL 2008 (Official Rules of the NFL)
The Birth of the New NFL: How the 1966 NFL/AFL Merger Transformed Pro FootballIt Ain’t Free Speech, Preach…
when old coots should be in bed
Fuzzy thinking has once again invaded the pulpits of America, this time thanks to an initiative by the Alliance Defense Fund.
Wrongly, the Alliance Defense Fund claims to be “Reclaiming pastors’ constitutional right to speak Truth from the pulpit”. Sorry, guys, I have that freedom already, thank you very much. The main reason I don’t endorse a candidate from the pulpit of my church is that I understand what the pulpit is for, and it’s not engaging in partisan politics. When I step out of that pulpit, and have private conversations with my parishioners, and I’m asked for whom I’m voting, I have no problem answering the question (it’s already happened twice this election season, and I’ve answered straightforwardly and unapologetically). But the threat of losing a tax exemption has nothing to do with why I’m not telling people, from the pulpit, to vote for John McCain; it’s because I understand my calling to preach the Word of God from the pulpit, and not to allow politics to encroach upon that, that I refuse to endorse any candidate in that forum.
Though I’m no defender of the U.S. government typically, it’s only reasonable that if the government is going to exempt churches from paying taxes (as it should, I believe), then there are some very minimum standards to which churches ought to be held. This is an appropriate one. Pastors can say what they want–they have the freedom to say anything from the pulpit–but they should also understand that with freedom comes responsibility.
The Evangelical Universalist
NFL Head Coach 09: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)
Essential Evangelical Parallel BibleOn Church Membership
when old coots should be in bed
Internet Monk is beginning a series on church membership; here’s
Jonathan Leeman’s words are a refreshing counter to the low-commitment, who-needs-the-church approach that is apparently in vogue in certain “evangelical” circles these days. Absent a serious commitment to an evangelical church of some sort (and I can muster a great deal of leeway on what that might look like), I’m not sure how a person can take seriously the demands of New Testament discipleship.
Adventures of Marco PoloFrom the “eBay Pastor” to This:
when old coots should be in bed
Kids, Come Get Your Semi-Automatic!!!
I’m a Second Amendment supporter all the way, but that’s just about as dumb an idea as I think I’ve ever heard of. The youth pastor should be fired, or at least given a heavy injection of common sense. What on earth are they thinking?
Tip o’ the Wahoos hat to Paul for this one.
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo: A Companion to the Public Television Film
The NFL Family CookbookNot the Way to Find a Pastor…
when old coots should be in bed
Play Football The NFL Way: Position-by-Position Techniques and Drills for Offense, Defense, and Special Teams
The Adventures of PoloA Great Post on the Church
when old coots should be in bed
Succinctly, Jared Wilson tells it like it is.
“…if you think a lost world would like Jesus more if only his followers looked more emo, you’re an idiot.” Thanks, Jared.
The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever
This phrase comes from the 1978 "Jonestown massacre" in which most members of the Peoples Temple cult, blindly following their leader Jim Jones, committed suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.
Osborne: A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God
Schlossberg: Idols For Destruction
