What’s in a church name? (Hint: A lot.)

What’s in a church name? A lot. Even when it’s a little. Because even a little says a lot…especially when what precious little is said centers on peripheral personal preferences rather than biblically sound distinctives. How should a local church name itself? How should a local church present itself to the world? Is what we’re […]

A simple, foolproof solution to the 501(c)(3) church problem.

For American churches experiencing some angst over what to do about preserving their precious State-sanctioned 501(c)(3) status, I respectfully offer for your consideration this simple, foolproof, and utterly biblical solution to the 501(c)(3) problem: Stop licensing/regulating church speech in accordance with standards imposed by the American State. Stop encouraging the ludicrous and dangerous notion that the State […]

Foundations are the beginning, not the end. (So can we please get on with building something already?)

Countless ministries, organizations, churches and Christian business are dedicated to laying (or restoring) a firm foundation in what Hebrews 5 describes as “the elementary doctrines of Christ”. The nature of God. The nature of man. The fact of sin and the necessity of repentance, submission, and salvation. The sovereignty of God. These “elementary doctrines” are obviously important. They’re […]

The Little gospel That Can’t

What happens to a people when their Gospel goes from great to small? What happens in a land where the Gospel retreats from actively engaging and defining every area of life and instead becomes a “private matter” restricted to prayer closets and church buildings? What happens to a culture where the Gospel shrinks from the loving confrontation and correction commanded in Scripture (see: […]

The Zombie Appeal of American Churchianity

(This is a continuation of Zombie Religion and McGospel Salvation: So easy a dead man can do it., which you can read by clicking here.) . Like any good network marketer or pyramid scheme advocate, the wise American Churchianity religionist knows that the last thing you want to do in the process of courting a […]

Zombie Religion and McGospel Salvation: So easy a dead man can do it.

The Sticky Sweet Poison of Easy Believism .  “If you love soft preaching, you love a hard heart.” ~ Doug Wilson . “Sermonettes make Christianettes.” ~ A.W. Tozer  . In November of 1970, George Harrison released the single My Sweet Lord, a folk rock tune that would rocket to the top of the international charts, all […]

The (Church Built) Zombie Apocalypse Is Upon Us

“I don’t read the Bible very much, and I really don’t want to.” She spoke calmly and clearly, sitting there as we talked over the kitchen table the way we had a hundred times before. Then, between sips from a favorite black coffee cup, she almost casually elaborated, “And I don’t feel bad about it […]