Left Behind

If only I worked out enough to show these off:

Bunyan Preaching Story

From the January 2006 issue of Tabletalk (Ligonier), in an article by Frank E. Farrell (RTS, Orlando):

“Bunyan kept his common touch: Once, when told he had preached a grand sermon, he replied, ‘Aye, you have no need to tell me that, for the devil whispered it to me before I was well out of the pulpit.’”

Check yo-self

Long ago, a friend of mine suggested a good test for discovering our own Pharisaical tendencies. Turn on any daytime talk show: Dr. Phil, Montel, or Jerry Springer. Watch the ensuing conversations, life stories, and personalities for a good five minutes. Take an honest look at your initial emotional response. Mine usually involves a slow shake of the head, followed by the thought, “Thank you God that I’m not like these people”.

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18, ESV

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Namesake links

Here is a post by Kim Riddlebarger containing a few links to some BB Warfield material. My son recently received Dr. Warfield’s middle name.

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Technorati Tags: warfield, theologian, princeton, reformed, riddlebarger

Church Sign 1

Seen any signs like this in front of your local church near the “40 Days of Purpose” vinyl banner?

The quote is from John 15.

American Evangelicalism

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is also “about providing therapeutic benefits to its adherents.” As the researchers explained, “This is not a religion of repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of sovereign divinity, of steadfastly saying one’s prayers, of faithfully observing high holy days, of building character through suffering, of basking in God’s love and grace, of spending oneself in gratitude and love for the cause of social justice, et cetera. Rather, what appears to be the actual dominant religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally about feeling good, happy, secure, at peace. It is about attaining subjective well-being, being able to resolve problems, and getting along amiably with other people.”

In addition, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism presents a unique understanding of God. As Smith explains, this amorphous faith “is about belief in a particular kind of God: one who exists, created the world, and defines our general moral order, but not one who is particularly personally involved in one’s affairs–especially affairs in which one would prefer not to have God involved. Most of the time, the God of this faith keeps a safe distance.”

Smith and his colleagues recognize that the deity behind Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is very much like the deistic God of the 18th-century philosophers. This is not the God who thunders from the mountain, nor a God who will serve as judge. This undemanding deity is more interested in solving our problems and in making people happy. “In short, God is something like a combination Divine Butler and Cosmic Therapist: he is always on call, takes care of any problems that arise, professionally helps his people to feel better about themselves, and does not become too personally involved in the process.”

Taken from Albert Mohler’s site – a discussion of the results of a study of teenagers’ religious lives conducted by Christian Smith at UNC-Chapel Hill.