Resources, Resources, Resources!
October 27, 2009
Recently the Gospel Coalition has upgraded their website – and it is quickly becoming a repository for all kinds of resources for Christians.
Of particular help is their compilation of 1800+ classes from Reformed Theological Seminary, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Covenant Theological Seminary.
A Refreshing Ministry in the Political Arena
October 27, 2009
Every once in a long while, something worth paying attention to arrives amidst the mounds of unsolicited mail I receive at church. Last week I was glad to come across a ministry I was previously unaware of called Capitol Ministries. Capitol Ministries is an evangelistic ministry focused on the lawmakers in our national capitol and in numerous state capitols. The ministry is refreshing (to me, at least) because they appear to be singularly focused on gospel proclamation. Their first concern is for the hearts, lives, and salvation of politicians, and their means are thoroughly biblical. A portion of the letter I received from their president, Ralph Drollinger, is below, and as you read it you will see what makes this ministry stand out as unique among evangelical works in the political arena. The answer they offer is not combative rhetoric, new legislation, or quests for more political power. Instead they offer the gospel, plain and simple, in all it’s foolishness and God-given glory.
Earlier this year one of the most prominent evangelical leaders in the political arena stated that the battle is lost. After enlisting the church as an arm of political activism, he has concluded that little has been accomplished in three decades. I believe this realization is excellent news.
Capitol Ministries represents the biblical alternative to the Religious Right movement. Rather than moralizing the culture via legislation, we provide the church with an evangelistic method of reaching the hearts of our political leaders.
Evangelism is the mission of the church as it relates to the world (Matt. 28:18-20). When churches move from this theological mooring, the culture war shifts from transforming hearts to enforcing morals. The foundation of biblical theology moves to political pragmatism, the gospel suffers, and Christ’s kingdom fails to be advanced….
Rather than the superficial pursuit of changing morality, Scripture mandates the church to aim for the heart – preach the gospel. What was the fruit of this focus? Acts 17:6 states that the church of the first century “turned the world upside down.” In a few years and on a meager budget, the early church accomplished what modern evangelicals have not. What is strking is that they did it by employing biblical methodology – one many churches today have sidelined.
What will fill the void of a defeated Religious Right movement? Hopefully the Lord will use this realization to lead the church towards the mandate of evangelizing political leaders.
Their website (www.capmin.org) is presently being renovated, but I hope you will join me in praying for their success.
Ongoing Studies at Calvin
October 2, 2009
Just a reminder to our members – and anyone else who may be interested – we are currently offering a wide variety of study opportunities throughout the week!
- Women’s Monday Bible Study (7:15 PM) – Gospel of Mark
- Women’s Wednesday Bible Study (9:45 AM) – What Jesus Demands from the World (book by John Piper)
- Men’s Monday Bible Study (7:15 PM) – Galatians: Living in Line with the Truths of the Gospel
- Covenant Life, Wednesdays (6:00 PM) – The Ten Commandments study and dinner.
- Adult Sunday School (9:00 AM) – Studies on Creation
- And (yes Carol, thanks!), lest we forget, our small group ministries, third Friday of every month, 7:00 PM – Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges.
A Book on Parenting
October 1, 2009
Admittedly, I have never been too excited about the over-abundance of parenting books on the market. Perhaps simply because there are so many – perhaps because so few of them address my personal parenting concerns and challenges – I don’t know. However, after reading the review of Gospel-Powered Parenting, by William Farley (published by P & R Publishing Co.), at challies.com, I am finally persuaded to pick up and read.
I’ve not read the book yet, only the review, but to read the review is to catch a glimpse of a book that grounds our parenting in the power of the gospel. And, in a world in which moralistic therapeutic deism dominates the religious minds of our children, isn’t the gospel really what we need?
As a follow-up to his review, Tim Challies interviewed the author and that interview can be found here.