Reformation21

I've been doing a little reading in Origen's On First Principles today (written sometime before 225). It's a scandalous work on several counts, but is likely the first attempt at a systematic exposition of the faith in the post-apostolic era and not without its benefits. So, continuing my theme on...

This month's edition of Tabletalk magazine features an impressive lineup of church historians (namely, Bob Godfrey, Carl Trueman, and Scott Clark) discussing the historical origins -- as well as popular uses and abuses -- of the slogan "reformed, [and] always reforming according to the Word of God...

A recent post on Reformation21 was removed by the author. But thanks be to the Aquila "Report" (quotes mine), republication is truly well and alive . The author on the Aquila "Report" takes issue with a certain Ref21 blogger for undermining good works in the Christian life. This Ref21 blogger...

In my mind, the only person fully equipped to be a mega-church pastor is Christ, who knows all of his sheep by name. He alone, by his Spirit, can minister to each of his sheep. He alone, by his Spirit, can meet the spiritual needs of all his flock (Jn. 14:16-17). In connection with that, Jesus has...

And so it begins - websites with their books of the year. I expect Ref 21 will get on the bandwagon soon enough, however it seems Monergism are first out of the traps with their top 50 and you'll be pleased to know that The Bible comes in at number 17.

It seems that every generation of the church sees a struggle to rightly define Christian sanctification. This happens in part because of the importance of the subject. Sanctification is the present tense of salvation for those who have believed; it is the salvific address to which our mail is sent...

Which ministry-related programs are available at your church? Generally, whether reformed or not, many churches have Sunday school, a men's and women's group, perhaps a mid-week Bible study or small group, VBS during the summer, nursery, youth group, music ministry, and a homeless outreach. If you...

It seems as though some version of speech act theory--the rather simple but significant observation that we use words to do things--pokes out from under every stone in evangelical discussions of Scripture these days. This has been the case at least since Nicholas Wolterstorff's 1993 Wilde Lectures...

"I can drive no man to heaven or beat him into it with a club." So observed Luther on March 11th, 1522, in a sermon to Wittenberg parishioners. Though his point was rather obvious, Luther felt compelled to make it because in his absence from Wittenberg during the preceding ten months, certain...

Understanding the distinction between God's absolute power and his ordained power might solve a lot of theological problems among many evangelical Christians, especially among the (unwittingly) hyper-Calvinistic sort. God's absolute power is that power to do that which he will not effect. He could...