Some gay activists protested at Southern Seminary a couple of days ago (HT: Challies). Check it out here:

• The Christian Post: Gay Rights Activists Arrested Outside Mohler’s Office
• Washington Post: Gays Arrested at Ky. Seminary Sit-In
• Photos avail. from Courier Journal

This all happened since President Mohler suggesting that a biological basis for homosexuality may be proven, and that prenatal treatment to reverse gay orientation would be biblically justified. Dr. Mohler also recently responded to the uproar from the misinterpretation of his words.

Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory [2] and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

(1 Peter 4:12-19)

A female reader on Boundless writes,

“I am currently in a fairly new relationship, and am for the most part enjoying it for what it is. I’m not stressed about whether or not he’s going to propose and hoping to be planning a wedding by next year, but I am anxious about the immediate future.

I’ve been hurt in a previous relationship and find that I have a general distrust towards men. My problem is that I often analyze every little thing and eventually drive myself crazy with worry and anxiety over his motives, if the relationship is godly enough, if he saw me in bad lighting, if I looked too fat today, and that he’ll suddenly change his mind about being with me.

How do I guard my heart and let him in at the same time? How do I trust another man with my heart? How do I do it without scaring him off? I would really like to know a male perspective on this and any other comments you have would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!”

Check out the God-centered response by Boundless’ John Thomas here.

This is Part 3 of my personal testimony and my spiritual autobiography.

Spiritual Pilgrimage & Ministerial Experience, continued…

Near the end of my first year at Ryerson, the Worship Coordinator began talking to me about whether or not I was interested in taking over his responsibilities as “Worship Coordinator” the following year. He said it was a logical step considering I was a inviting worship leader and seemed like a very caring servant to CCF. I was humbled by his remarks, and soon enough, I was nominated to be on the following year’s CCF Planning Committee as Worship Coordinator and voted into the position on election day. It truly was a gift of God to be given such an opportunity to serve my brothers and sisters at Ryerson CCF, and yet at the same time, a great responsibility had been put on my shoulders to be a mentor and leader of a people whom I considered to be my equals.
Read the rest of this entry »

Mark Dever blogs about his least favorite sentence in the T4G Affirmations and Denials, in his post titled “White Presumptive“.

Since Rob Bell’s newest book, Sex God, has been released and CT even has an excerpt of it, I thought it’d be helpful to have an archive of this controversial book’s reviews. I’ll update this post as more reviews are published. Please use biblical discernment, as these reviews are not necessarily my opinions on the topic.

• SoMA Review: Hip Puritan Sex
• Ben Witherington: Rob Bells’ ‘Sex.God’ Book– a First Rate Read
• Scot McKnight: Rob Bell and his Sex God 1, and part 2 criticisms.

If you’re looking for a good, biblical book about God’s view of sex and sexuality, I would rather suggest Sex and the Supremacy of Christ by John Piper (Editor), reviews here and here.

Christianity Today has an interesting new article on the Passion movement.

Passion has not just shaped evangelical worship music, but a generation of American evangelicals. In the last few years, Christianity Today has reported on various trends among younger evangelicals—from new monastics to hip emergents to throwback Calvinists. Passion incorporates elements from each. None has yet marked the broader evangelical movement like Passion.

After 10 years of large crowds and larger influence (a few hundred more students attended Passion ‘07 than InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s famed triennial Urbana conference), the leaders of Passion have decided to suspend the conferences—and take their message on a world tour. CT talked to Passion leaders and followers to discern what makes Passion so influential, and why it is suddenly changing direction.

Now that I have your attention, I’d like to get some feedback from you all about the greatest concerns in today’s worship ministry.

This is the simple question I asked my church’s worship ministry leadership:
From your experience, what issues of utmost concern do you face today in terms of (musical) worship (leading)?

Unless we are completely complacent, without care about how our ministry is going–we will have an opinion, a response to this question. My heart yearns that we are continually improving in what we are doing, and also in how we do what we do–namely, leading people in proclaiming the worth of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
Read the rest of this entry »