I was going to post this review on the weekend, but then John Piper messed everything up. He posted an article at the Desiring God web site that fit very well with it, so I thought I’d link to his article and then post the review. This is, without a doubt, one of the best…
Yesterday I began answering an email sent to me by a reader who struggles with assurance of salvation. In the first part of this two-part article I listed three important affirmations regarding assurance of salvation: it is possible and even normal for the Christian to experience assurance of salvation, it is possible and even normal…
Wednesday March 21, 2007 Weird: Animal rights activists in Germany want to kill a baby bear rather than have him “brought up suffering the humiliation of being treated as a domestic pet.” Church: Trevin Wax asks some good and interesting questions about multi-site churches. Humor: Cute. And funny. Debate: Al Gore has been challenged to…
Last week I received a moving email from a reader of this site. She revealed that she has wrestled with the issue of doubt and assurance and often wonders if she is truly saved. “I have prayed the salvation prayer numerous times because I thought that maybe I was not saved. I just prayed today…
Tuesday March 20, 2007 Music: Here’s one for the American Idol fan. Politics: As the war in Iraq enters its fifth year, Joe Carter posts ten things we’ve forgotten about the war. Debate: Has anyone watched this debate between Alister McGrath and Peter Atkins? Weird: A Catholic Church in Germany is collecting money to support…
I’m finally back in my office. It was just about two weeks ago that I set out for the Shepherds’ Conference and since then I’ve been on the road pretty well the whole time (I did spend one night here after returning from the conference and before heading out to Atlanta, but my actual time…
Monday March 19, 2007 Interview: There is an interview with Bob Kauflin at the New Attitude blog. (HT: JT. People: An interesting article by and about Mark Driscoll. Science: A new study shows that a lack of sleep may hinder moral judgment. “It’s possible, they speculate, that sleeplessness slows the brain’s ability to integrate cognitive…
Steven Lawson’s series called A Long Line of Godly Men has made me awfully excited. I love Reformed theology and am thrilled to see the effort Lawson is expending in proving that this theology, seen as so new and so radical by such a large number of Christians, has been consistently taught by courageous and…
Sproul began the conference’s final session by describing what may well be the oldest question of theology. It is the one asked by Job: “If a man dies, shall he live again?” He turned to Emmanuel Kant an explained why he was one of the most important figures of the 18th century. Specifically, he turned…
Seemingly unaware that today is Saturday (and not Friday as he mentioned at the beginning of his address), Dr. Mohler took the pulpit to discuss “The Holy Spirit and Apologetics” and answer the always-difficult question of Why are there some who believe and some who do not? He began and ended with Matthew 13:1-17. The…
Sooner or later they had to give Al Mohler an opportunity to take the stage and he did so in the day’s final session. He spoke on “The Authority of Scripture” using 2 Timothy 3:14 and the verses following as his text (though this was certainly not an expository message as much as a lecture).…
Until today I had never attended a conference featuring Ravi Zacharias. I know a fair bit about the man as his reputation precedes him, but had never sat under his teaching. Now that I’ve done so I can affirm that I have never been and will never be a philosopher. I am a simple guy…
After Dr. Piper’s speech, John MacArthur spoke no the always-difficult subject of “The Problem of Evil.” this is an important issue because one of the favorite justifications for those who reject the God of the Bible is the issue of evil in the world. Skeptics and theological liberals cannot accept the God of the Bible.…
Friday’s second session featured John Piper and he spoken on “The Challenge of Relativism.” This is a topic that interests me a lot and is a topic that I have read into quite a bit. Piper’s take on it was definitely unique and I enjoyed it a great deal. Desiring God, in a clear bid…
The first session on Friday was handled by John MacArthur who spoke on “The Bible and Science.” He chose to narrow in on specifics rather than theory. He began with several assumptions: whoever created the universe and everything that exists within it necessarily understands its nature and operation perfectly. Whoever created it does not have…
After the “pre-conference” ended and we had packed down some dinner, the conference proper was set to begin. Steve Lawson took the stage to honor Dr. Sproul as he will be honored later this year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. He spoke of Dr. Sproul’s ministry and shared some personal perspectives based on studying…
From L.A. to Toronto to Atlanta to Orlando. I’ve had a busy five days! It is beautiful and sunny and warm down here in Orlando. I thought it was hot in Atlanta but it’s definitely far warmer here. It has been a long time since I’ve been in Florida and I have to say, as…
Thursday March 15, 2007 Issues: Christian Post reports on an uproar caused by Al Mohler. Church: Irish Calvinist discusses his annual pilgrimage to Saddleback Church. Politics: Hugh Hewitt has announced the Michael Yon Project. Humor: This picture makes me laugh. It looks to me like the devil rising over the church. But maybe it’s just…
Statistics Canada (Canada’s national governmental statistical agency) has just released the results of the 2006 census. The statistics that have caused the most discussion are those related to Canada’s population growth. The news is alarming and just happened to coincide with some reading I’ve been doing on this very topic. Canada is now a nation…
Wednesday March 14, 2007 Interview: WORLD has an interview with Stanley Hauerwas, who has been declared America’s best theologian. If you can even begin to figure out what this guy believes, you’re a better man than me! Web: Sovereign Grace Ministries recently redesigned their web site. Conference: Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts will…