The Unconverted Calvin – The Reformed confessions have very little to say about conversion per se. And when they do, they mean something very different from contemporary evangelical usage which regards conversion as synonymous with an instantaneous new birth or ‘born again’ experience.
Tragic Worship – Carl Trueman: “The problem with much Christian worship in the contemporary world, is not that it is too entertaining but that it is not entertaining enough. Worship characterized by upbeat rock music, stand-up comedy, beautiful people taking center stage, and a certain amount of Hallmark Channel sentimentality neglects one classic form of entertainment, the one that tells us, to quote the Book of Common Prayer , that ‘in the midst of life we are in death.’ It neglects tragedy. “
Credo Magazine: Churchy Gimmicks: Has the Church Sold Its Soul to Consumerism? (PDF) – The Evangelical church in the twenty-first century has in many ways absorbed the consumeristic mentality that is so prevalent in the culture. Churches approach worship as if they were selling a product and the attendee were the consumer. Since the product is up for sale, churches must show that their product is more entertaining than anything else the world has to offer. Therefore, churchy gimmicks are the name of the game. Whatever keeps people coming back for more takes first priority and becomes the controlling principle for all things church-related. The preaching must be relevant, the music must entertain, and church events must keep people on the edge of their seat. If the church doesn’t sell itself, then it will be out of business.
The Donkey Driven Church – “The Kingdom of God advanced, in the days of Christ, with our Lord’s riding on the back of a donkey. The Kingdom advanced in lowliness and by unassuming means.”
Predestination: Don’t Say a Word About It Until… – Christians need to talk about and pastors need to preach predestination. But as you may know, there’s no more surefire way to create awkward silence among family and friends than to say, “Hey everyone, let’s talk about predestination.”