A universalist preacher, a gifted speaker, was holding meetings in a certain town and many came to hear him. At the close of the last meeting he asked if they wished him to come back every week to hold services. No one responded. Finally he asked if anyone objected to him coming back. Again there … Continue reading Beware of empty religion
faith
Home
We had a wonderful weekend, except for the last 80 km. Saturday was sunny and mild. We arrived at the home of my cousin in time for supper and spent the night there. Kara and her husband have four children, aged 9 to 18. Their oldest son is an enthusiastic lad of 16, almost six … Continue reading Home
Ghosts and goblins
Today is Hallowe'en, when little children will be decked out in scary costumes and sent to collect candy from kindly folks in the neighbourhood. Many people consider this innocent fun and the children truly are innocent of any real understanding of the symbolism. However, there are elements in our society who revel in celebrating the … Continue reading Ghosts and goblins
What do we have inside?
Ravi Zacharias, in one of his books, quotes an African proverb which says: "A man shows what he has inside by what spills out when he is bumped." Much as we might wish to avoid it, we are going to be bumped, by circumstances that we did not foresee and by people who do not … Continue reading What do we have inside?
Where have all the doctrines gone?
There were three churches in the town where I grew up. The doctrinal position of each was well understood and inflexible; none of them would have been considered evangelical. About the time I began high school, an itinerant evangelist held meetings in a rented hall and people’s hearts were sufficiently stirred that a Baptist congregation … Continue reading Where have all the doctrines gone?
Marriage
We have invitations to three weddings posted on our fridge. We would like to be at all of them, but the only one we will for sure attend is the one that takes place tomorrow in our home congregation. This one involves a young man from Mississippi who is marrying a sister of our son-in-law. … Continue reading Marriage
God’s way is still best
“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). Progress and family have never been very compatible. The economic development of the U.S. south depended on capturing large numbers of African people, who knew more about raising cotton than the plantation owners, bringing them to America and treating them as … Continue reading God’s way is still best
True Christianity is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic
"And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). Well, they had to call them something, didn't they? Some of them had once been Jews, but that label didn't really fit anymore. Others had been pagans, probably worshippers of Apollo and others of the Greek gods. That label didn't work for them anymore. … Continue reading True Christianity is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic
Catholicism or catholicity?
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. This is the final clause of the ancient confession of faith which is commonly known as the Apostles’ Creed. It is the earliest complete confession of the Christian … Continue reading Catholicism or catholicity?
Contagious holiness
“True evangelism is the result of a contagious holiness. Untrue evangelism is simply marketing or recruiting.” -Doug Wilson, from Blog & Mablog, http://www.dougwils.com Doug Wilson writes from a Calvinist / Reformed point of view, therefore we differ on some very fundamental issues of the Christian faith. Yet a lot of what he writes about the … Continue reading Contagious holiness
Flatlander Faith 