Posts by Carl Trueman

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A Poker Tell

Carl Trueman
Jan 15, 2012
I see Mark Driscoll has had a go at my old country. Well, not really. Only foreigners really talk of 'Brits.' Those of us from the UK never think of ourselves in those terms: we are English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish, especially during the Six Nations. To have a go at the old country, you have to be...

A Poker Tell

Carl Trueman
Jan 15, 2012
I see Mark Driscoll has had a go at my old country. Well, not really. Only foreigners really talk of 'Brits.' Those of us from the UK never think of ourselves in those terms: we are English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish, especially during the Six Nations. To have a go at the old country, you have to be...

Congratulations to Ligon Duncan

Carl Trueman
Jan 13, 2012
Congratulations to Ligon Duncan who was obviously convicted and convinced by my post on bivocational pastorates. He is now the John E. Richards Chair at R.T.S. The man who would be Derek Thomas.......

Congratulations to Ligon Duncan

Carl Trueman
Jan 13, 2012
Congratulations to Ligon Duncan who was obviously convicted and convinced by my post on bivocational pastorates. He is now the John E. Richards Chair at R.T.S. The man who would be Derek Thomas.......

Another Thing We Do Badly

Carl Trueman
Jan 12, 2012
It is something of a truism that seminaries are not great at teaching preaching. Thinking does vary on this: some believe that preachers cannot be taught, simply improved; others that you can take someone who cannot preach and make him a preacher. What is certain is that any student who simply...

Another Thing We Do Badly

Carl Trueman
Jan 12, 2012
It is something of a truism that seminaries are not great at teaching preaching. Thinking does vary on this: some believe that preachers cannot be taught, simply improved; others that you can take someone who cannot preach and make him a preacher. What is certain is that any student who simply...

Real Marriage Advice

Carl Trueman
Jan 11, 2012
I notice Frank Turk at Pyromaniacs linked to this piece by America's favourite fount of all wisdom. So you can forget Mark Driscoll and even Tim Keller: the way to a happy marriage is to imagine that you have invited me or Del Thomas or Paul 'I'm really not an avatar' Levy to stay as houseguests...

Real Marriage Advice

Carl Trueman
Jan 11, 2012
I notice Frank Turk at Pyromaniacs linked to this piece by America's favourite fount of all wisdom. So you can forget Mark Driscoll and even Tim Keller: the way to a happy marriage is to imagine that you have invited me or Del Thomas or Paul 'I'm really not an avatar' Levy to stay as houseguests...

On Ministry

Carl Trueman
Jan 11, 2012
At the weekend, I had the truly great pleasure of leading the congregation in prayer at the installation of a former student, Hunter Powell, as one of the pastors at Guilford Baptist Church just outside Washington, D.C. The charge was given by Phil Ryken and the sermon, on 1 Corinthians 4, on the...

On Ministry

Carl Trueman
Jan 11, 2012
At the weekend, I had the truly great pleasure of leading the congregation in prayer at the installation of a former student, Hunter Powell, as one of the pastors at Guilford Baptist Church just outside Washington, D.C. The charge was given by Phil Ryken and the sermon, on 1 Corinthians 4, on the...

Another Kane Moment

Carl Trueman
Jan 9, 2012
Phil Johnson has a great post on the trend in evangelical exhibitionism here . The last paragraphs are particularly pertinent: It's yet another sign of evangelicalism's growing conformity to worldly values and worldly behavior. The various evangelical coalitions and young Reformed movements that...

Another Kane Moment

Carl Trueman
Jan 9, 2012
Phil Johnson has a great post on the trend in evangelical exhibitionism here . The last paragraphs are particularly pertinent: It's yet another sign of evangelicalism's growing conformity to worldly values and worldly behavior. The various evangelical coalitions and young Reformed movements that...

J I Packer on the Doctor

Carl Trueman
Jan 6, 2012
From JIP's Collected Shorter Writings 4, pp. 84 and 87: "In some way there was in the Doctor's preaching thunder and lightning that no tape or transcription ever did or could capture -- power, I mean, to mediate a realisation of God's presence.... Nearly forty years on, it still seems to me that...

J I Packer on the Doctor

Carl Trueman
Jan 6, 2012
From JIP's Collected Shorter Writings 4, pp. 84 and 87: "In some way there was in the Doctor's preaching thunder and lightning that no tape or transcription ever did or could capture -- power, I mean, to mediate a realisation of God's presence.... Nearly forty years on, it still seems to me that...

It's a funny old world

Carl Trueman
Jan 6, 2012
I notice that the Met Tab not only stocks no Trueman tosh but also lacks the `Je ne sais quoi' which a volume or two by Derek Thomas always provides: surely one of his many, many books on Job would be a nice addition? Still, on the positive side, the sole volume by Lloyd-Jones is his one on why God...

It's a funny old world

Carl Trueman
Jan 6, 2012
I notice that the Met Tab not only stocks no Trueman tosh but also lacks the `Je ne sais quoi' which a volume or two by Derek Thomas always provides: surely one of his many, many books on Job would be a nice addition? Still, on the positive side, the sole volume by Lloyd-Jones is his one on why God...

Cracking Article

Carl Trueman
Jan 5, 2012
Thanks to a well-wisher for bringing this article to my attention. Well worth a read and I assume the follow-ups will be too. Multi-site represents yet another aspect of the undoing of the Reformation -- perhaps one of the most dangerous because one of the most subtle. To me it looks like a strange...

Cracking Article

Carl Trueman
Jan 5, 2012
Thanks to a well-wisher for bringing this article to my attention. Well worth a read and I assume the follow-ups will be too. Multi-site represents yet another aspect of the undoing of the Reformation -- perhaps one of the most dangerous because one of the most subtle. To me it looks like a strange...

Charlie Kane and the Blue Remembered Hills

Carl Trueman
Jan 4, 2012
For a couple of reasons I have been revisiting some of the formative influences on my thinking as a Christian. Writing an article on atonement, I have been re-reading essays by James I. Packer; and preparing to review the recent collection of essays on the life and work of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, I...

Charlie Kane and the Blue Remembered Hills

Carl Trueman
Jan 4, 2012
For a couple of reasons I have been revisiting some of the formative influences on my thinking as a Christian. Writing an article on atonement, I have been re-reading essays by James I. Packer; and preparing to review the recent collection of essays on the life and work of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, I...

A Forgotten Text? Why is that, I wonder?

Carl Trueman
Jan 3, 2012
I wonder if there is a more neglected text in the New Testament in the current revival of interest in reformed theology than Eph. 5:12? In the reaction to the taboos of old-style fundamentalism, there is surely a danger that we have lost all sense of what is biblically appropriate when it comes to...

A Forgotten Text? Why is that, I wonder?

Carl Trueman
Jan 3, 2012
I wonder if there is a more neglected text in the New Testament in the current revival of interest in reformed theology than Eph. 5:12? In the reaction to the taboos of old-style fundamentalism, there is surely a danger that we have lost all sense of what is biblically appropriate when it comes to...

Bringing the Reformation to Italy

Carl Trueman
Jan 2, 2012
A group of Italian Presbyterians and Baptists have united to see if they can sponsor a translation of Machen's great little book, Christianity and Liberalism , into Italian. To those who have never read the book, it is a succinct and precise expose the basic issues at stake between orthodox...

Bringing the Reformation to Italy

Carl Trueman
Jan 2, 2012
A group of Italian Presbyterians and Baptists have united to see if they can sponsor a translation of Machen's great little book, Christianity and Liberalism , into Italian. To those who have never read the book, it is a succinct and precise expose the basic issues at stake between orthodox...

Top Story of the Year

Carl Trueman
Dec 31, 2011
The Aquila Report, source of all world knowledge for confessional Presbyterians, has published its list of the top fifty stories which it ran this year. At the head of the list is an entry from Anthony Bradley. It is nearly a year old and I missed it first time around but, for any who do not yet...

Top Story of the Year

Carl Trueman
Dec 31, 2011
The Aquila Report, source of all world knowledge for confessional Presbyterians, has published its list of the top fifty stories which it ran this year. At the head of the list is an entry from Anthony Bradley. It is nearly a year old and I missed it first time around but, for any who do not yet...

Good News for the Black Country

Carl Trueman
Dec 22, 2011
Has anything good come out of the Black Country? Ok, it did provide us with Slade and some of the great heavy metal bands of the 70s, and Tolkien with the original for Mordor. But has anything happened since then? Well, the Rev. Mike Smith, who recently picked up some Black Country in my own accent...

Good News for the Black Country

Carl Trueman
Dec 22, 2011
Has anything good come out of the Black Country? Ok, it did provide us with Slade and some of the great heavy metal bands of the 70s, and Tolkien with the original for Mordor. But has anything happened since then? Well, the Rev. Mike Smith, who recently picked up some Black Country in my own accent...

No Sex Please, I'm British

Carl Trueman
Dec 22, 2011
In light of my recent post on Ed Young's risible `sexperiment', a friend asked me this week about the current trend among some pastors for referring to sexual matters in graphic detail in books and sermons. Having been rightly rebuked by my wife once for using the phrase `pole dancer' when...

No Sex Please, I'm British

Carl Trueman
Dec 22, 2011
In light of my recent post on Ed Young's risible `sexperiment', a friend asked me this week about the current trend among some pastors for referring to sexual matters in graphic detail in books and sermons. Having been rightly rebuked by my wife once for using the phrase `pole dancer' when...

Class, Simeon and Suffering

Carl Trueman
Dec 20, 2011
Two new books have come out in the UK which do not seem as yet to be available in the USA. One is edited by my old Aberdeen colleague, Brian Rosner, and is a collection of essays on the cross in 1 Corinthians. The other is Serving God's Words: Windows on Preaching and Ministry , a Festschrift for...

Class, Simeon and Suffering

Carl Trueman
Dec 20, 2011
Two new books have come out in the UK which do not seem as yet to be available in the USA. One is edited by my old Aberdeen colleague, Brian Rosner, and is a collection of essays on the cross in 1 Corinthians. The other is Serving God's Words: Windows on Preaching and Ministry , a Festschrift for...

How Many Hats??

Carl Trueman
Dec 19, 2011
In trying to write a brief summary of the Refusenik21 writing experience this year, especially as it relates to commentary on events out there in Christian la la land, I have found myself reminded of the fact that some things can be said while other things can only be shown. This year, I fear, can...

How Many Hats??

Carl Trueman
Dec 19, 2011
In trying to write a brief summary of the Refusenik21 writing experience this year, especially as it relates to commentary on events out there in Christian la la land, I have found myself reminded of the fact that some things can be said while other things can only be shown. This year, I fear, can...

Revitalising Your Pastoral Life!

Carl Trueman
Dec 16, 2011
Congregational life getting just a bit so-so and routine? Has that electricity that marked your call when you were first installed at your current charge gone flat? Worried that the eyes of your congregation may be starting to wander flirtatiously to ogle younger, better looking pastors? Then you...

Revitalising Your Pastoral Life!

Carl Trueman
Dec 16, 2011
Congregational life getting just a bit so-so and routine? Has that electricity that marked your call when you were first installed at your current charge gone flat? Worried that the eyes of your congregation may be starting to wander flirtatiously to ogle younger, better looking pastors? Then you...

Living in Interesting Times

Carl Trueman
Dec 10, 2011
For those who have not seen it, friend John Starke has an interesting and important article over at the Gospel Coalition about a legal situation facing his church and others in the New York area. This is a matter worthy of prayer. John has only been pastor at his church for two weeks. No honeymoon...

Living in Interesting Times

Carl Trueman
Dec 10, 2011
For those who have not seen it, friend John Starke has an interesting and important article over at the Gospel Coalition about a legal situation facing his church and others in the New York area. This is a matter worthy of prayer. John has only been pastor at his church for two weeks. No honeymoon...

Christmas and the faith and courage to live -- or die

Carl Trueman
Dec 9, 2011
One of the most intriguing passages in the New Testament in terms of Christ's advent is the song of Simeon. When this old man meets the Christ child in the Temple, he reacts by telling God that he is now ready to die. `Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.' The words are very...

Christmas and the faith and courage to live -- or die

Carl Trueman
Dec 9, 2011
One of the most intriguing passages in the New Testament in terms of Christ's advent is the song of Simeon. When this old man meets the Christ child in the Temple, he reacts by telling God that he is now ready to die. `Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.' The words are very...

Christmas, Creeds, and Preaching

Carl Trueman
Dec 8, 2011
Yesterday, I raised the issue of preaching the Incarnation and underscored the fact that the mystery of the Incarnation really means that it must be proclaimed rather than defended or accommodated. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God in the flesh. The infinite clothes himself in the finite;...

Christmas, Creeds, and Preaching

Carl Trueman
Dec 8, 2011
Yesterday, I raised the issue of preaching the Incarnation and underscored the fact that the mystery of the Incarnation really means that it must be proclaimed rather than defended or accommodated. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God in the flesh. The infinite clothes himself in the finite;...

Oxgoads no more

Carl Trueman
Dec 7, 2011
Two years ago, in good Puritan style, I preached at my local church the Sunday before Christmas and took as my text Judges 3:31. It was simply where I had arrived in my exposition of Judges and I saw no reason to deviate from my plan; and, as it happens, I did manage to extract the Christmas...

Oxgoads no more

Carl Trueman
Dec 7, 2011
Two years ago, in good Puritan style, I preached at my local church the Sunday before Christmas and took as my text Judges 3:31. It was simply where I had arrived in my exposition of Judges and I saw no reason to deviate from my plan; and, as it happens, I did manage to extract the Christmas...

Monopoly, conference style

Carl Trueman
Dec 6, 2011
Reading Paul's last post whilst working my way through the MLJ volume for review, I too was struck by the Macleod comments. Monopolising of influence remains a problem today. It was pointed out to me recently that an increasing proportion of women at women's conferences seem to have the same...

Monopoly, conference style

Carl Trueman
Dec 6, 2011
Reading Paul's last post whilst working my way through the MLJ volume for review, I too was struck by the Macleod comments. Monopolising of influence remains a problem today. It was pointed out to me recently that an increasing proportion of women at women's conferences seem to have the same...

Christmas books

Carl Trueman
Dec 6, 2011
Five books for Christmas: Gregory K. Beale, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament (Baker). Monumental work. My students know I have a thing about people who use `eschatological' every other sentence (the Reformed equivalent of quoting Bono among trendies) but in Greg's case, I'll forgive him...

Christmas books

Carl Trueman
Dec 6, 2011
Five books for Christmas: Gregory K. Beale, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament (Baker). Monumental work. My students know I have a thing about people who use `eschatological' every other sentence (the Reformed equivalent of quoting Bono among trendies) but in Greg's case, I'll forgive him...

Evangelical Celebs: Too Big to Fail?

Carl Trueman
Dec 2, 2011
There is an interesting article over at Gospel Coalition on celebrity pastors. I think the writer fails to make the important distinction between being a well-known public figure and being a celebrity but the points are well-made. Nevertheless, one matter that needs further discussion but which...

Evangelical Celebs: Too Big to Fail?

Carl Trueman
Dec 2, 2011
There is an interesting article over at Gospel Coalition on celebrity pastors. I think the writer fails to make the important distinction between being a well-known public figure and being a celebrity but the points are well-made. Nevertheless, one matter that needs further discussion but which...