Reformation21

A few things coming up . . . First, today and tomorrow is the Grace Baptist Assembly , meeting in the wilds of Derbyshire, on the theme of "Building Healthy Churches." I am a reasonably last minute replacement for Alun McNabb, kept away by illness, and my topics in two sermons will be the nature...

As a church planter, numbers can often be a consuming topic. Without numbers, or "butts in the seats" as some say, you cannot launch a church plant. Therefore it is a constant prayer of mine, as well as those in our church plant Bible study, that God would bring those into our midst who need to be...

Looking for an outstanding introduction on how to defend your faith? Regular ref21 contributor Dr. Scott Oliphint's introductory apologetics lectures are now available on iTunes U. Also, be sure to stop by ref21 frequently, as Dr. Oliphint continues his series on apologetics right here. Enjoy!

The last week or so has seen renewed calls for reflection and responsibility on the part of Tullian Tchividjian in responding to critiques in the debate on sanctification. His most recent post on the Gospel Coalition website indicates that he is instead digging in his heels, employing his law-...

How do you witness to homosexuals? The answer is, "Like anyone else," but perhaps for some that is an over simplification. Regardless, we can at least agree on two things. 1) The use of the law in witnessing does not change, and 2) The gospel does not change. As an aside, regardless of the person...

I could not help sadly oscillating the Walker bean when I read Carl's offer to ride shotgun to Mark Jones on the proposed debate between Jones and Tchividjian on the matter of the law and grace, and - specifically - the contributions of Luther on the topic, with regard to which Carl was rather...

I have had a change of heart. I wonder if and how it will work. Days ago, Ed Stetzer wrote a piece at Christianity Today, titled, " More Thoughts on Multicultural Church: 3 Things to Consider About Multiculturalism ." It is a great article and worth your time. Here are several quotations from the...

Emily Letts, who apparently has received death threats since the release of her video , got pregnant and immediately decided she was going to have an abortion. In order to help others understand that abortion is safe and perhaps even painless, she filmed the procedure. According to Cosmopolitan ,...

S.M. (Bod Alwyn) God set before me love To draw my soul to him, But I was bound in Satan's chains And revelled in my sin. I saw the mercy seat, Was taught the way to go; I saw that Christ had died for sin, But did not want to know. I would not follow him, I fought against his call, But God would...

Several weeks ago a dear friend sent a lecture to me, titled, " Theology of Presence in Missions ." While I do not recall all of the details of the lecture, I was especially struck by the way in which the lecturer is going about planting a church. He is using all of the standard tactics (e.g.,...