Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part Six

Pragmatism “How is your church doing?”  It is a common question asked among Christians.  I have found that what people usually want to know when asking this is, “How are the churches ABC’s (attendance, buildings, and cash flow)?”  Unfortunately, too often man will use these measures to gauge success.  But is attendance, or numbers, the [...]

Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part Five

Cultural Relevance There is a lot of talk about the cultural relevant church, but just what does this mean?  I have heard it said that we must be culturally relevant if we want to reach the world and I have heard others oppose the notion.  I believe our biggest problem is taking terminology that is [...]

Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part Four

Labels and Doctrines of Men My husband says that if he could only claim one “label” it would be that of a Biblicist.  He believes that God’s Word is pure, complete, and with the direction of the Holy Spirit able to be understood.   I have really tried to approach God’s Word in this way as well.  [...]

Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part Two

The Gospel Message without Repentance Last summer I heard a man preach on 4 separate nights.  Each night the gospel was reduced to “Believe and Receive.”  Not once was the notion of repenting proclaimed.  I was shocked and saddened.  Why would a man of God leave out such an important element to the gospel? Didn’t [...]

Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part One

“Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right.” Charles Spurgeon In this world there is certainly a lot of “almost right” out there.  But as I have said before, the most dangerous lie is the one closest [...]

The Fallacy and Reality of Submission

“We are leaving the church.”  The comment was made to my husband who is also the pastor of our church.  The reason given for this couple leaving was that his preaching and teaching regarding women was chauvinistic.  When my husband asked them if they would like to see in Scripture where his teaching came from [...]

Keeping up with the Joneses

It is easy to say that we are not striving to keep up with everyone around us, but a simple look at the average person’s lifestyle says otherwise.  While the saying might just be an idiom, to fail to “keep up with the Joneses” is perceived in our culture as demonstrating socioeconomic inferiority.  We are [...]

My Brother’s Keeper

As people were standing around visiting last night after church services a comment was made that people need to “mind their own business”.  We were joking around and the comment was made in a light-spirited way but it made me contemplate a serious topic that permeates the modern church.  There is a notion going around [...]

The Wrong Question

 Many times we go through life asking the wrong questions. I see this often in our culture. The liberals will get people to question whether a woman should have a right to choose an abortion (Pro-choice). That’s the wrong question. The correct question is whether our society should allow women to murder innocent babies (Pro-Death). [...]

Self-Esteem (Or is it Esteeming SELF)

The other day I was listening to the radio when the most beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace came on.  It was sung by a choir of children.  As their angelic voices rang, I paused from cleaning the kitchen.  I listened to them sing, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a child like me…”  [...]