Tried With Fire

I've already linked to Rachael Denhollander's victim impact statement. Please watch it in its entirety or read the transcript . Don't just watch the last section as recommended in The Gospel Coalition post. Why? "It requires no effort for us to borrow and appropriate our favorite excerpts from her statement, but she paid for the ability to say what she said at the end with blood, sweat, tears, sacrifice, rejection, exposure, humiliation, profound loss, and more. The power of the final part of her address rests fully in a sober reckoning with everything that preceded it. If we listen, it’s obvious that it’s not just Larry Nassar who needs to repent; it’s not just Larry Nassar who requires forgiveness."  Rachael Denhollander's Victim Impact Statement: Why We Need to Read the Whole Thing - Judy Wu Dominick "What do both insiders and outsiders see when they examine us? Do they see growth? Purity? Love? Plenty of naïve Christians have committed sexual...

The elephant of the Eternal Subordination of the Son (ESS) is still in the room. Thankfully some folks are not letting this go quietly into the night without raising the alarm. If you are new to the debate, this latest round of podcasts provide good summaries of what is at stake when you turn the Trinity into a hierarchy. Theology Gals: Eternal Subordination of the Son with Rachel Miller Does ESV=ESS ? - A professor, pastor, and parishioner look at the ESV translation of a few passages. I dare you not to wince when some notes from the ESV Study Bible are read out loud. Eternal Functional Subordinatino is wack yo . - This podcast raises a number of good questions - Is a reformulation of the Trinity being used to shore up a particular view of men and women? Are seminary candidates being trained in questionable theology and not allowed to disagree with their teachers, which is then propagated to future congregations? Is the Son's subordination to the Father being used as th...

On July 19, 2017, the ABC network in Australia aired a program about domestic violence in the church. A few days later, 60 Minutes broadcasted two episodes ( part 1 & 2 ) interviewing a pastor's wife who was abused by her husband during their marriage. He is now serving time in prison. There has been a flurry of posts and articles supporting victims and further investigation into this issue. But sadly and not unexpectedly, there have also been those who would deny these claims, deny the statistics, and deflect attention from the specific problem of abused women in a Christian setting. A Cry for Justice has a post with links including a link to the original program.  They will be updating their post periodically as more stories are published. However, here are several posts worth considering: 'Submit to your husbands': Women told to endure domestic violence in the name of God  - This is the corresponding article to the ABC broadcast. It should be noted that the...

I care deeply about the issue of domestic violence and especially when it occurs within the homes of professing Christians. I've previously stated that the church-at-large has not always handled this well, so I'm thankful anytime there is a discussion about abuse on the Christian intraweb. Here are some recent links, some of which you may find controversial. However, I believe in order for domestic abuse to be addressed, this requires examining one's position on divorce, headship/submission, and gender. These are tightly interwoven threads making the issue very complex. Without a doubt, examination needs to be done in the light of God's Word, but at the same time, the question needs to be asked, "Are we wrong?" This won't be an easy task. The problem of domestic violence isn't going to be solved in a naive or simplistic manner, but saving a life is worth the effort. Fooled by False Leadership - A sermon on domestic abuse by Jason Meyer, April 25,...

Last week, there was quite a dust-up over A Christian Wife's Catechism . The intent of this document was for women in "difficult marriages," but I was one of many who were concerned that the wording could further domestic abuse . In reading the comments of the defenders and detractors, one thing became clear, at least to me. If you disagree on the diagnosis, you won't agree on the remedy. It was no wonder people were talking past one another because there was fundamental misunderstanding on the definition and nature of abuse. I wonder if the church-at-large is afraid of dealing with this issue? The fact that abuse occurs in homes of professing Christians pulls the rug out from under the idea that we have figured out how to save the family and thus save society. But the culture won't be saved by how pristine our marriages appear to the world. Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. Now please don't misunderstand me. I firmly believe in marriage between one m...

I have a few posts brewing in my head, but brain fog (mild bug? not enough sleep?) is not conducive to writing. I'm also trying to get my blog bearings this year, so when in doubt, link! Staci gives some good advice about recommending books . Also, there are a whole slew of posts at Out of the Ordinary this month on reading, so check them out. What to remember when you change your mind about a book  from Aaron Armstrong. Maybe you haven't, but I've changed my opinion about books I once recommended. It's been interesting to watch the debate over antinomianism in the reformed camp. Sometimes it reminds me of these lyrics from Shai Linne's song  Cosmic Powers : He’s [the devil] always standing on one side, ready to swing the pendulum For those who minimize truth, he’ll burden them with heresies For those who emphasize truth, he’ll turn them into Pharisees One generation, he’ll tempt them to be legalists The next generation, he’ll tempt them to be hedon...

We have two giveaways at Out of the Ordinary. Enter to win a package of six great theology books, and enter to win one of three copies of Housewife Theologian by Aimee Byrd. The winners will be announced on the 16th. Make sure you visit Theology for Girls  and follow the series on Women in Scripture. There's also a  giveaway for John MacArthur's book, Twelve Extraordinary Women . I think this applies to how-to books as well as sermons: How Your Preaching Might Increase Sin in Your Church : We are accustomed to thinking of legalistic preaching as that which is full of “thou shalt not”s, the kind of fundamentalist hellfire and brimstone judgmentalism we’ve nearly all rejected. But “do” is just the flipside to the same coin “don’t” is on. That coin is the law. And a list of “do”‘s divorced from the DONE of the gospel is just as legalistic... Speaking of "do this" divorced from the gospel: A Four Word Comment on Women's Ministry : We are praying for a fre...

I've had a couple of posts brewing in my brain but staying up late trying to unclog the bathroom sink (which is still clogged) hasn't led to clarity of mind.  So when you can't write, link! This is the  lesson I want my soon-to-be-adult daughter to learn. A very interesting look at the modesty issue - Do Men Necessarily Lust? I agree with much of what the author has to say. (ht: Aimee Byrd ) Are you a scoffer ? This is next on the reading list once my copy (hooray for used books!) comes in the mail. We can either make too much of ourselves or denigrate God's creation by thinking too meanly of ourselves. I'm also interested in this issue because I wonder if this is a missing piece in discussions about gender. Thanks to Pastor Ryan for the recommendation. I've been listening to Professor Jerram Barrs' lectures on 19th century women novelists.  He discusses Jane Eyre, two novels by George Eliot, and three by Elizabeth Gaskell. I'm not a big Jane...

Today is a busy day. Between work, homeschooling, and making two batches of rolls for our small group dinner tonight, I doubt I will have time to write. Real life comes first, which is a lesson I'm learning. So in lieu of a post, here are some links that may interest you: Free seminary-level courses at Gordon-Conwell Seminary.  Free! Can't get any better than that! History Matters according to Herman Bavinck The Gospel Centered Woman by Wendy Alsup, a new book that looks very interesting Pumpkin Oatmeal - looks yummy and healthy The Stormtrooper Shuffle  

When Anxiety is Not Sin, My Journey Through Panic Disorder : Diane's testimony which is well worth reading. Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name by Carl Trueman: "Frankly, in a couple of years it will not matter how much urban ink you sport, how much fair trade coffee you drink, how many craft brews you can name, how much urban gibberish you spout, how many art house movies you can find that redeemer figure in, and how much money you divert from gospel preaching to social justice: maintaining biblical sexual ethics will be the equivalent in our culture of being a white supremacist." Two views of Genesis 3:16 from Claire Smith and Wendy Alsup at The Gospel Coalition Blog. (I'm with Wendy on this one.) Why you don't want to parent in fear   from Kim. "Ultimately, we have to stop looking at raising a child as producing a product and understand that we are raising a soul."

It's been a busy week, so I will cheat and link to posts I liked: Misquoting Francis of Assisi , who never said "Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary." The Gospel Coalition Women's Conference media is available. I've listened to Nancy Guthrie 's workshop on word-based ministry for women and the panel discussion on training women to teach the word. Excellent so far. Parents and Children: Don't Drop the Baton by Chris Brauns. "Christian parents: it’s not enough to learn a lesson in life. We need to leave a legacy with our children." 50 Shades of the Curse by Wendy Alsup at Practical Theology for Women .  "After 3 waves of feminism, countless laws, and much education, there remain millions of women who'd run after the sulky vampire in their fantasies, choosing to suck blood for the rest of their lives rather than living in the light." A interesting look at why women gravitate towards books based on the lie...

Need a way to catalog your books? Check this out.  I'm investigating the software for our church library, thanks to a recommendation from Dr. Sills.  An added plus - it's available for Mac as well as PC. Although I am not a man and don't have a beard, those of you who are and do might find this amusing: Bearded Gospel Men . (ht: Craig via FB.) My friend, Christina , is giving away Brother Jon Cardwell 's book, Christ and Him Crucified . You don't want to miss out on this gem of a book which I highly recommend. Finally a quote from James Smith, C.H. Spurgeon's predecessor at New Park Street, on the gospel: The gospel is an everlasting monument of God's wisdom, grace, and love. O may I feel more of the power, receive more of the light, and manifest more of the spirit of the gospel! O may I find it as sweet as honey, yes sweeter than the honeycomb to my taste! May I be taught to despise everything in compare with it, and say —  Should all the forms ...

A simple gift is never  just   a simple gift.   Thoughts on thankfulness from Rebecca Starke. The  difference  between remorse and repentance. This  post  by Mike Riccardi at The Cripplegate is an excellent example of how to offer appropriate criticism with humility and respect. My friend, Becky, is  giving away a copy of Matthew Henry's Method of Prayer .  Her post includes suggestions on using this book to enrich our prayer lives by praying scripture. The giveaway ends Tuesday, September 13.

Check these out: What kind of theologian are you?  at  Nathan Bingham 's blog. Certainly, not mine   at the New Calvinist Gadfly . Theology does matter.   Rebecca  posts on 2 faulty views of the atonement  here  and  here . Through a glass darkly , a beautiful post by Whitestone  on living with cancer and yet anticipating heaven.

Be sure to read these before 6:00 PM. Seriously, here is a compassionate letter to Harold Camping's followers. May his folly be an opportunity to spread the gospel to unbelievers and restore those who have been prey to his false teaching. One More Time on Moral Equivalence - Kevin DeYoung takes on the partial truth that "all sins are equal" and its potential slippery slope. Can Romance Novels Hurt Your Heart? - Russell Moore nails this one. The Theologian's Alphabet - What's your favorite letter? Cooking with tea: ice cream - with links to assorted tea-flavored treats. The ultimate bizarre ice cream: candied bacon ice cream .  It boggles the mind and the taste buds. Finally as we prepare to meet with God's people tomorrow, here 's an excellent quote about the place of music in worship: "Or let’s say that I deeply love Jesus but I detest the music–it is not “my music.”  What am I then to do in the absence if a linkage between havi...

Bob Kauflin has a very interesting blog post on the top ten ways to write bad worship songs . (ht: Rebecca writes ) The discussion in the comments is worth reading. Reaching the next generation - a series of posts by Kevin DeYoung. This has implications for Christian parents as well as church leaders. Body and Soul (and Spirit?) - Pulpit blog