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I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. C S Lewis
A British chap named Dan, who is a blogging friend of TWW, commented early this morning. He, too, has a blog, and occasionally I check in as I did this morning. His current post alerted me to a thought-provoking article at Desiring God entitled: “What cautions do you have for the New Reformed Movement?”
It seems that one of the highlights of Resolved 2010 was Jonathan Rourke’s impersonation of C.J. Mahaney.
I am mad, really mad! There used to be sacrifice involved when serving in Christian organizations. Sometimes, far too much sacrifice. However, that is changing – BIG TIME!
If you have attended any of the Together for the Gospel conferences, you likely know about the “band of bloggers”. But for those who are unfamiliar with them, we thought it might be helpful to share a little information obtained from the arena in which they (and we) operate – the World Wide Web.
No doubt there’s been a lot of camaraderie at T4G 2010, which wraps up today. Oh well, now it’s time to go back to the real world and “shepherd” the flock… What a let down! If only the attendees could experience this “togetherness” more often…
Hear ye hear ye, the Calvinista court is now in session to seek out and convict all "witches" (heretics) who would deviate from the path of the one true and living playbook, Five Point Calvinism++++ in all of its glorious, 100%, blessed assurance of theological correctness!! (Hope you have read our series on the Puritans.)
At long last T4G 2010 is almost here! Looks like around 7,000 attendees will be heading to Louisville next week for what will certainly be dubbed as the “best ever Christian pastors’ conference…”
By now you’ve likely heard the news … John Piper plans to take an eight-month leave of absence to “reexamine his soul”. The story hit the blogosphere following Piper’s announcement at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Sunday.
The George Burroughs incident proves that the Salem Witch Trials were not just about superstition.
“Ignorance of God and of ourselves is the great principle and cause of all our disquietments; and, this ariseth mostly not from want of light and instruction, but for want of consideration and application.”
I ( Dee) have been surprised by the interest that has been generated by our look at the Puritans. I grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, and thanks to the Puritans, my hometown is known as “The Witch City”. Imagine your high school football team being known as “The Salem High School Witches”… Incredibly, when I was growing up the little black emblem of a witch riding on a broom was ubiquitous from gas stations to fabric stores. This emblem was “tongue in cheek” because if the truth be told, the supposed “witches” of Salem’s history were not purveyors of that black trade — not even close! Grievously, they were, as Curly of the Three Stooges might say, “victims of circumstance (which he pronounced soy kum stance).”
THEY’RE BACK! The 21st Century Puritans are taking over the blogosphere in case you haven’t noticed. Puritanism is the lastest and greatest craze among those who label themselves as New Calvinists. Take a look…
No investigation of the Puritans would be complete without focusing on J.I. Packer, who is fondly referred to as “The Last Puritan”. Even though he is advanced in age, Dr. Packer is a Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He earned the nickname because of his Puritan-focused scholarship, teaching, and writing over many decades. Packer’s influence has been important in Reformed circles, and he has inspired a new generation of Puritan-minded Christians.
It should come as no surprise that the “New Calvinists”, who are attempting to build their 21st century “City Upon a Hill”, have been greatly inspired by another group of Christians who attempted such a feat in a new land around 400 years ago – the Puritans. Of course, the Puritans were inspired by their hero John Calvin, whose goal was to build a city upon a hill (inspired by St. Augustine’s City of God) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Synopsis: This was first posted on December 7, 2009. It continues with TT’s interview with Christianity Today and ends with our assessment on how TT could have handled this situation differently, and perhaps, more thoughtfully.
Synopsis: We first posted this on December 3, 2009. It describes the rapid development of serious conflicts between Tullian Tchvidjian and the congregation and the staff at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church.
“This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people.” CS Lewis
A commenter who goes by the moniker “info” graced us with her presence at TWW this morning. Here’s what she wrote on Dee’s Hank Hanegraaff post:
Since Dee and I began our investigation of the “New Calvinists”, we have become increasingly concerned that this hot new theological movement may have a very serious downside, namely, hero worship. We are becoming extremely familiar with the leaders of this movement because their names and faces seem to be everywhere on the internet, among other places. You likely know them, too. Let’s begin with the Fab Four of “Together for the Gospel” aka T4G – Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, and C.J. Mahaney, not to be confused with those whom we call the Fab Five (the Fort Lauderdale Five of the 1970s Shepherding Movement who were Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson, Don Basham, and Ern Baxter).
Joshua Harris, C.J. Mahaney’s successor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, has risen almost as fast in reformed circles as his mentor. Josh has learned how to play the SGM game well as he follows in C.J.’s footsteps. The first endorsement in Mahaney’s masterpiece Living the Cross Centered Life is written by Josh.
As I mentioned in the post “How I Discovered Mahaney Mania”, I purchased C.J. Mahaney’s so-called masterpiece when it first came out in 2006. Had I read it back then, I probably would have concluded: well, at least the author focuses on the cross, which has been shunned by so many mainline churches. Then I would have put it away — out of sight, out of mind. However, that’s not what happened… Having acquired considerable knowledge about C.J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries, and their connections to the “Reformed Big Dogs” over the past year and a half, I have a much different perspective on Mahaney’s book.