How will you use your economic stimulus money?

Clue: Nobody in the world will see you spend your money on yourself and conclude that Christ is your treasure. They will assume you are just like them, no matter how loudly you thank God for this boon. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend it on yourself (the way we do with most of what we earn). Not everything we do can look different from the world—eat, pay utilities, fill up the car, wear clothes (even thrift-store clothes). And yes, we hope (somehow) that spending on ourselves in some way contributes to our being more Christ-exalting people.

I think this principle applies not only to our economic stimulus, but our standard paychecks.  Do we simply fall into the mold of the “world”?  Or do we have hearts that yearn for the glory of God?

Calvinism vs Armenianism

No theological tradition has cornered the market on arrogance. I have been accused of it (sometimes, I fear, with very good reason). Yet there seems to be – though I’m sure that what I say here is highly fallible – an amazing quantity of it among the New Calvinists. I’ve been told that my resistance to “the doctrines of grace” (no hubris in that label?) is a sign of my probable reprobation. I’ve had the senior pastor of a fine evangelical church tell me that although we were welcome to attend, I could not expect to be involved in any way because I was not “Reformed” – even though this particular church was not confessionally Reformed at all (their official statement of faith was generically evangelical).

It’s such a shame when our gospel becomes calvinism or armenianism, losing the actual sight of the gospel that Jesus proclaimed and carried out.  Yes, these views affect, in very important ways, our view of God and our view of the gospel.  But no matter which side we land, we should not be judgemental or prideful in our actions.  Let the gospel offend, not the ideals of calvinism or armenianism.

Principles for architecting a church

The Bible says that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of every church—whether he’s given credit or not—and that he should be honored as such.

I have never thought of it that way, but it is very true.  Jesus is the senior pastor.  We need to look to him for leadership, for guidance.  There is no one else qualified for such position.  Only Jesus has full knowledge and control of the church and is the only one who can be trusted in prayer.