John Piper: Why You Shouldn’t Take Nude Selfies
John Piper has condemned the practice of taking 'nude selfies' in a recent episode of 'Ask Pastor John', comparing the practice to incest, and calling it 'a deformed sense of sexuality'.
Pastor
Dear Mr. Franklin Graham
By Northern Seminary student, Nate Ray, a Minnesota, a sensitive and solid pastor, and also a splendid student in our classes. I like the tone of Nate Ray in this letter.
Dear Mr. Graham,
I’ve recently read some of your comments on the role of government with admitting refugees, and I think you’ve oversimplified a complex issue. You were quoted as saying “it’s not a Bible issue.”[1] That is:
“It’s not a biblical command for the country to let everyone in who wants to come, that’s not a Bible iss..
What Came First? The Desire to Sin or the Opportunity?
The critical lesson is that if we crucify the desire, God will almost always shield us from the opportunity. And even if God may permit the devil to throw a spark of opportunity our way, there’s nothing in the heart that will easily catch fire. However, if we entertain and enjoy the desire to sin, God may permit the opportunity to sin to coincide.
When a Christian falls into gross immorality, the question arises: What came first: the desire to sin or the opportunity?
From what I’ve seen and he..
When the Pastor Has an Affair
Be forthright with the congregation. The rumors are often worse than reality. You don’t have to give the sordid details. But the church needs to know the pastor was terminated because of moral failure. Speak to the congregation succinctly, honestly, and compassionately.
It happens too frequently.
It can be the lead pastor or any church staff member.
And too many churches do not handle such tragedy well.
But many churches do. Allow me to share some of the best responses I have heard from chur..
The FAQs: The Johnson Amendment and Political Speech in Churches
Why is political speech in churches back in the news?
Last week, at the National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump vowed to repeal the law that restricts political speech from the pulpit. “I will get rid of, totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear,” Trump told the audience.
The day before, Republican members of Congress introduced the Free Speech Fairness Act, which would allow pastors, churches, and other tax-exempt entitie..
The Greatest Hurdle Most Missionaries Face
In my experience, Christians parents are the greatest hurdle most missionaries face.
When we think of letting kindred go or forsaking family for the gospel, we typically think of how this demand applies to us personally. Our thoughts center on our own commitments. But what about those affected who never asked for such a burden? There’s a hidden cost to those who release their children to the Lord’s global service. It’s one reason so many pastors live within 90 miles of their mother-in-law. The ..
The Headache and Hope of Multi-Ethnic Ministry
Recently my denomination of churches, Every Nation, gathered for our global get-together in Cape Town, South Africa. There was a tangible buzz in the air among the 5,000 or so delegates. Most striking was the diversity of the room. As the conference opened, a funny story was told.
A young American man was introducing himself to the woman who would later become his wife. In meeting her, he broke almost every rule of polite Japanese society. As she began to bow, he went in for the handshake. Thei..
American Pastor Andrew Brunson Has Been Held Captive In Turkey For Four Months. The President Must Act.
Brunson’s saga started on Oct. 7, when he and his wife, Norine, were summoned to court in Izmir, a coastal city where they reside and preach. The couple, who has raised three children in Turkey, expected to be informed that day that they were being granted permanent resident status. Instead, the Brunsons were detained and held for deportation.
Tomorrow will mark the four month anniversary of a grim event. On October 7th of last year, American Christian Pastor Andrew Brunson was arrested in Turk..
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn).
It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version.
Bu..
Pastor Says Church Leaders Should be Free to Counsel Women to Have Abortions
Abortion advocates have been spouting dozens of reasons why the abortion business Planned Parenthood should keep getting taxpayer funding. But Pastor Derek L. Penwell’s is a new one.
In a column for The Courier-Journal this week, the Kentucky pastor claimed the defunding effort would amount to a gag rule for clergy.
Penwell is the senior pastor at Douglass Boulevard Christian Church in Kentucky. He also is the co-founder The Ally Network, a group of Kentucky organizations dedicated to “progres..