Posts by Todd Pruitt

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Cormac McCarthy

Todd Pruitt
Nov 17, 2009
There are few writers I enjoy reading as much as Cormac McCarthy. I began reading McCarthy when I picked up a copy of Blood Meridian a year or so after I graduated from University. I was hooked. McCarthy was interviewed recently by the Wall Street Journal about his writing, God, movies, and the end...

Who Made God?

Todd Pruitt
Nov 17, 2009
Tim Challies has given an enthusiastic recommendation to Who Made God? by scholar Edgar Andrews. Why should the Devil get all the good scientists? It sometimes seems that way, doesn’t it? We hear of scientists like Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins and others who are acclaimed as being at the top...

Scott Oliphint on Apologetics and Scripture

Todd Pruitt
Nov 17, 2009

Great Gift Idea

Todd Pruitt
Nov 16, 2009
It is my wife's birthday. To celebrate the day, a friend from church took her out to eat and do a little shopping. What struck me as a particularly good gift was the prayer journal that she presented to my wife. It was the prayer journal this lady began keeping in the days prior to the church's...

Why the church is vitally important...

Todd Pruitt
Nov 16, 2009
Good stuff from Carl Trueman... It is all too easy for the theological student to end up remembering God as an object of knowledge; it is quite another thing to remember him as the all-surpassing subject of existence. This is why church is vitally important. OK, long-standing readers of Themelios...

Grudem on Scripture's Clarity

Todd Pruitt
Nov 16, 2009
The Bible is not locked away in esoteric mystery as theological liberals or postmoderns would have us believe. God gave us His Word (yes, I believe it is HIS Word) not to confuse or confound us but to reveal Himself to us. Belief in the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture is often miscast by the...

New Issue of Themelios

Todd Pruitt
Nov 16, 2009
The latest issue of Themelios has been released. 1.D.A. Carson Editorial 2.Carl Trueman Minority Report: Lest We Forget 3.Wayne Grudem The Perspicuity of Scripture 4.Dane C. Ortlund Christocentrism: An Asymmetrical Trinitarianism? 5.David VanDrunen Bearing Sword in the State, Turning Cheek in the...

Sunday's Sermon

Todd Pruitt
Nov 16, 2009
Today's sermon was part 22 in our series through Hebrews. It is entitled "Shadows and Substance" and covers Hebrews 8:1-13. You can listen to or download the sermon HERE .

A Gospel Manifesto

Todd Pruitt
Nov 14, 2009
From An Earnest Call For Evangelical Leaders To Recover The Gospel From Its Present Humiliation by Ray Ortlund, Jr. Pastors and church leaders, in particular, are under enormous pressure today to satisfy the immediate demands of the marketplace at the cost of the gospel. People want what they want...

Contending for the Truth

Todd Pruitt
Nov 14, 2009
"An interloper who steals property must be caught and charged. Thinly disguised atheism and neopaganism are interlopers in liberated church circles. They have engaged in the theft of church property. The stolen property must be reclaimed and the thieves brought to justice. "To point this out means...

Rude Dogmatism

Todd Pruitt
Nov 13, 2009
"Religious tolerance is not always a sign of good will. It can be a sign of careless, perhaps hypocritical religious indifference of the most high-handed philosophic relativism. It can also be a mask behind which to hide down right malice. During the Nazi era, for example, arguments for Christian...

Reading Up on the Church

Todd Pruitt
Nov 12, 2009
The following are some books that are helpful toward developing a better understanding of the church: Nine Marks of the Healthy Church by Mark Dever Twelve Challenges Churches Face by Mark Dever The Church by Edmund Clowney Life in the Father's House by Mack & Swavely Priorities for the Church...

Do Evangelicals believe in the church? or What ever happened to ecclesiology?

Todd Pruitt
Nov 12, 2009
Periodically I am reminded of the fact that those of us who were raised in evangelical churches often have a woefully undeveloped ecclesiology (theology of the church). The vast majority of what I know about the church has been learned outside of the ecclesiastical milieu in which I was raised...

Why do we struggle?

Todd Pruitt
Nov 12, 2009
Portrait of a Struggle ( DVD / CD )

Military Service and Religious Liberty

Todd Pruitt
Nov 12, 2009
Al Mohler addresses a very timely and surely controversial subject in his latest article. In the days since the shootings, the question of Muslims serving in the U.S. military has been unavoidable. In one sense, the question is hardly new. It arose in the first Gulf War when Muslims asked if it...

Sam Storms on Church Discipline

Todd Pruitt
Nov 11, 2009
Perhaps the best way to approach this topic, if only briefly, is to ask and answer a series of five questions. First, why is church discipline so neglected, if not ignored altogether, in our day? Among the many reasons that could be cited, here are a few. Perhaps the principal cause is a pervasive...

Sunday's Sermon

Todd Pruitt
Nov 10, 2009
Last Sunday Church of the Saviour observed National Adoption Sunday. I chose to preach from Galatians 4 on the doctrine of adoption. You can listen to or download the sermon, "Adopted by the Father" HERE .

Islamic Violence and the Deadly Foolishness of Political Correctness

Todd Pruitt
Nov 10, 2009
It is remarkable to see all the handwringing in the press over what could possibly have been the motive behind the murders at Fort Hood perpetrated by a fundamentalist Muslim. Do we truly have to wonder at the motive? Truly? Have we learned nothing? Apparently not. Our political leaders were quick...

Cautiously Missional

Todd Pruitt
Nov 9, 2009
"Missional" is a word that has come along in recent years with great excitement in many cases. Pastors, churches, and even seminaries have been bold to proclaim themselves "missional." The problem is that it is a frustratingly slippery word. Brian MacLaren defines it one way and Mark Driscoll...

Collision

Todd Pruitt
Nov 9, 2009
Collision is now available for purchase at Westminster Bookstore. You can also watch the Hitchens/Wilson debate that took place at Westminster Seminary HERE .

Church Discipline: Mark of a True Church

Todd Pruitt
Nov 8, 2009
From Al Mohler: The decline of church discipline is perhaps the most visible failure of the contemporary church. No longer concerned with maintaining purity of confession or lifestyle, the contemporary church sees itself as a voluntary association of autonomous members, with minimal moral...

Stephen Nichols at Southern Seminary

Todd Pruitt
Nov 6, 2009
Readers of this blog know that I am a fan of Dr. Stephen Nichols' work. He is an outstanding church historian, writer, and lecturer. He is a Professor at Lancaster Bible College. Lord willing Steve and Carl Trueman will be joining us at Church of the Saviour next year for a special event. The...

One year on...

Todd Pruitt
Nov 6, 2009
So, I moved to Pennsylvania with my family exactly one year ago yesterday to be the Lead Pastor/Teacher of Church of the Saviour. It so happens that this week has been very long and very taxing so I have not had nearly enough time to reflect on the last year. However, as I sit here to finally give...

What you win them with you win them to...

Todd Pruitt
Nov 5, 2009
I can identify with the title of Jared Wilson's latest post over at First Things : "Six Flags Over Jesus." As a born and bred Texan I am well familiar with that statement. In Texas, your church is big or it ain't nothin! Okay, so I may be exagerating a little; but only a little. If you think you've...

The Lion Still Roars...

Todd Pruitt
Nov 5, 2009
Today is B.B. Warfield's birthday. Warfield, known as "the Lion of Princeton" represented the best of robust, reformed theological thinking. Thanks to Justin Taylor for asking Fred Zaspel to write an essay in honor of Warfield. "...Warfield’s heart beat hot for Christ. His passion for Christ and...

WTS on Scripture

Todd Pruitt
Nov 5, 2009
In 2008 Westminster Seminary crafted an excellent statement of "Affirmations and Denials" regarding the Scriptures. I encourage you to take time to read it. Denominations, Presbyteries, and individual congregations would do well to consider adopting WTS's "Affirmations and Denials" for their own...

Spurgeon on Adoption

Todd Pruitt
Nov 5, 2009
This Sunday I am preaching on the doctrine of adoption from Romans 8. With that in mind I thought I would post some thoughts from the good Reverend Spurgeon on adoption from Galatians 4:6. Now, also, saith the apostle, we are heirs—"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son,...

"With preaching Christianity stands or falls."

Todd Pruitt
Nov 4, 2009
"Where your object is to secure your audience, rather than your Gospel, preaching is sure to suffer... "The orator, speaking generally, has for his business to make real and urgent the present world and its crises, the preacher a world unseen, and the whole crisis of the two worlds...The only...

Mohler on Franke

Todd Pruitt
Nov 4, 2009
Al Mohler has posted a review of John Franke's new book "Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth." Dr. Fanke is a professor at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA (outside Philadelphia). Franke is a post-modern theologian well known for his connection to the emergent church movement. Mohler writes:...

More on America's Worst Export

Todd Pruitt
Nov 4, 2009
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7196941&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1 The Prosperity Gospel from The Global Conversation on Vimeo ...

Hell is Real

Todd Pruitt
Nov 4, 2009
For too long evangelicals have seemed to be embarrassed of hell. It has even been fashionable among some otherwise solid evangelical leaders to deny what the Bible clearly teaches about Hell. Don't misunderstand. I'm not giddy about Hell. It is an unpleasant topic. But it is something for which...

Loving the church you're in, not the one you wish for

Todd Pruitt
Nov 2, 2009
Carl Trueman has written another great article for Ref21 . I was reminded about our tendency to love the church that does not actually exist more than we love the church in which the Lord has placed us. Trueman writes: Thus it is that my wife and I are now members of the OPC. It is where the Lord...

Changing Sides on Abortion

Todd Pruitt
Nov 2, 2009
From First Things Blog: There have been interesting polling, occasionally reported here, about how the country seems to be moving in a pro life direction, with the Gallup Poll now showing a majority opposing abortion . One reason seems to be that improved imaging techniques have verified the...

Keller on White Horse Inn

Todd Pruitt
Nov 2, 2009
In this week's edition of The White Horse Inn Tim Keller discusses, among other things, his book "The Reason for God." Check it out HERE . The Reason for God The Prodigal God Counterfeit Gods

Above All Earthly Powers

Todd Pruitt
Nov 1, 2009
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving...

Reformation Reading - History

Todd Pruitt
Oct 31, 2009
Here are some great titles if you are interested in reading more about the history of the Protestant Reformation: The Reformation by Chadwick The Reformation: A History by MacCulloch The European Reformation by Cameron The Reformation by Stephen Nichols Reformation Heroes by Beeke & Kleyn Five...

"A Theologian of the Cross..."

Todd Pruitt
Oct 31, 2009
From Luther's Heidelberg Disputation wherein he begins to give shape to his Theology of the Cross: 19. That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who looks upon the invisible things of God as though they were clearly perceptible in those things which have actually happened [Rom. 1:20]...

The Luther Rose

Todd Pruitt
Oct 30, 2009
“There is first to be a cross, black [and placed] in a heart, which should be of its natural color, so that I myself would be reminded that faith in the Crucified saves us.… Even though it is a black cross, [which] mortifies and [which] also should hurt us, yet it leaves the heart in its [natural]...

A Brief Biography of Martin Luther

Todd Pruitt
Oct 30, 2009
In July of 1505, a young law student named Martin Luther found himself in a horrific thunderstorm. Having closely avoided being struck by lightening and fearing he was going to die, he made an impulsive vow, “Save me, St. Anna, and I shall become a monk.” St. Anna was, according to church tradition...

"And everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

Todd Pruitt
Oct 30, 2009
From Al Mohler: As Sen. John McCain recently remarked, "elections have consequences." President Barack Obama signed the "Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act" into law on Thursday, fulfilling a campaign promise and handing the gay rights community one of its most sought-...

Interview with Michael Horton on "Christless Christianity"

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
Recently, Richard Doster interviewed Michael Horton concerning the premise of his book Christless Christianity. For people who are in churches where Christ is faithfully preached, what’s the take-away? What do you want them to do with the information you present? First of all, to fall down on their...

Affirming the truth often involves identifying error

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
"It consist in the rise and progress of a spirit of indifference to all doctrines and opinions in religion. A wave of colour-blindness about theology appears to be passing over the land. The minds of many seem utterly incapable of discerning any difference between faith and faith, creed and creed,...

Carl Trueman on Facebook

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
I'm on Facebook. I like Facebook (some days) as a way of keeping track of friends new and old. But I have also seen Facebook degenerate into ugliness. It also seems to hold the danger of replacing deep, personal involvment in the lives of others with something shallow and superficial. Carl Trueman...

Collision

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4126086&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1 "Collision: Hitchens vs. Wilson" - EXCLUSIVE 13 minute preview from LEVEL4 on Vimeo . Order Collision HERE ...

Arts and the Church

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
From Kevin DeYoung: The Church and the arts have had an on-again off-again relationship for a couple millennia. At times, the Church has been a patron of the arts, supporting and encouraging sculptors, painters, and musicians out of its largesse. At other times, the church has been standoffish...

"This Is That"

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
Derek Thomas preaching from Acts 2:14-41.

G.K. Beale on Revelation

Todd Pruitt
Oct 29, 2009
Check out Dr. Beale's lectures from the Clarus Conference - "From Symbolism to Significance: The Book of Revelation."

Bryan Chapell on Christ-Centered Worship

Todd Pruitt
Oct 28, 2009
"Christ-centered worship is not just talking or singing about Jesus a lot. Christ-centered worship reflects the contours of the gospel. In the individual life of a believer, the gospel progresses through recognition of the greatness and goodness of God, the acknowledgment of our sin and need of...

Lessons from an Atheist

Todd Pruitt
Oct 27, 2009
Christopher Hitchens has some very interesting things to say about conservative Christians based upon his experiences debating Douglas Wilson. I haven't yet run into an argument that has made me want to change my mind. After all, a believing religious person, however brilliant or however good in...

It's good to be Benny

Todd Pruitt
Oct 27, 2009
Some items from Benny's expense report: •cost of his 7,000 sq-ft house: $10-million •amount spent per month for his private jet: $112,000 •price of his two cars: $80,000 each •cost per night for staying at 5,400 sq ft luxury hotel room during a “layover”: $10,800 per night paid •tips for a 3-day...