I am borrowing my title from Dr. Gavin Ortlund who presents a very informative YouTube video on the differences and similarities between Protestants and Catholics on the doctrine of justification. He notes some important differences such as Protestants hold to imputed righteousness which is forensic. Imputed righteousness transpires at the moment of faith in Christ and is a completed judicial act. Catholics advocate infused righteousness which is based on observing the sacraments throughout his/her life.
Read moreHow To Handle Criticism and Conflict
Here is a list of criticism and conflicts that churches have experienced. It will be good for us to read of the criticisms and conflicts other churches have endured. In this post we learn how to handle criticisms and conflicts:
Read moreThe Six Marks of Leadership, Mark Three, “The Leader Follows His Leaders” (Nehemiah 2:1-8)
We all have seen Canada Geese fly in their V formation with one leg of the V formation longer than the other leg. Why do they fly in the V formation? The lead goose is making it easier for the other geese who are following his lead. He is moving the wind resistance of the other geese following him. The rest are cruising. But after awhile the lead goose gets tired and the next goose moves up. Engineers in the wind tunnel experiments have discovered that geese flying in the V formation can fly 72% further than by themselves flying alone. Geese flying in the V formation illustrate the necessity and advantages of practicing both leadership and followship.
Read moreYou Can Be Mentored by Spurgeon!
Since Spurgeon was not televised and Mclaren did not pod cast, does this mean I must leave their beautifully leather bond sermons just to decorate my library shelves? Being personally familiar with a preacher is helpful to benefit from his preaching. Andrew W. Blackwood in his book Preaching from the Bible aids us in getting to know preachers from the past. Blackwood encourages preachers to read at least one good biography of a well known and greatly used preacher before getting into his printed sermons. Next, read any books he has written on preaching and pasturing (Andrew W. Blackwood. Preaching from the Bible. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1941, pages 235 ff.).
Read moreGod is Incomprehensible and at the same time Knowable!
When Muhammad Ali was the current reigning world heavy-weight champion boxer and at the height of his fame, he was on an airplane that was preparing to take off. The flight attendant came by and reminded him to fasten his seat belt. Ali said, “Superman don’t need a seat belt.” To which the quick-thinking flight attendant replied, “Superman don’t need an airplane, either.” Ali buckled his seat belt. Ali, you may remember, was famous for obnoxiously boasting, perhaps to intimidate his opponents, “I am the Greatest, I am the Greatest” (Charles Swindoll, Shedding Light on our Dark Side. Insight for Living, 1993, 85).
Read moreImpeccability of Christians
C. H. Spurgeon was preaching in a conference in which another preacher was teaching that Christians could attain sinless perfection in this life and that he had humbly attained this sinlessness. The next morning at breakfast, Spurgeon snuck up behind the sinless preacher and dumped an entire pitcher of milk on his head. Guess what happened? He sinned.
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