JesusSaidFollowMe Blog

By Greg Gibson

Time Magazine’s 10 Ideas Changing the World: The New Calvinism
“Neo-Calvinist ministers and authors don’t operate quite on a Rick Warren scale. But, notes Ted Olsen, a managing editor at Christianity Today, “Everyone knows where the energy and the passion are in the Evangelical world” — with the pioneering new-Calvinist John Piper of Minneapolis, Seattle’s pugnacious Mark Driscoll, and Albert Mohler, head of the Southern Seminary of the huge Southern Baptist Convention. The Calvinist-flavored ESV Study Bible sold out its first printing, and Reformed blogs like Between Two Worlds are among cyber-Christendom’s hottest links.” The New Calvinism by Time Magazine

What Issues a Pastor Can and Can’t Live With
“…what things can I and can’t I live with as a pastor? Let me throw out a bunch of different examples that are relevant to my particular situation: organs, female elders, universalism, altar calls, humor, multi-site campuses, drums, the KJV, stained glass, racism, infant baptism, no formal membership, sermons limited to 10 minutes, large and high pulpits, TV studio-like acoustics. My goal in what follows is not to give you a sacrosanct playbook, but to illustrate how I go about thinking through practical matters. Let’s take each one in order.” What I Can and Cannot Live With as a Pastor by Mark Dever

Don’t Waste Your Suffering
When God enrolls you in His School of Suffering, listen well, learn the lessons, and pass the course, lest He make you repeat it. How to Pray for Joni Eareckson Tada

Six Personalities Deaf to God’s Word
The #1 reason that we don’t hear God’s Word is unrepentant sin. Sometimes that sin manifests itself in different personalities. Six Personalities That Deflect God’s Word by James Adams

How to Evangelize Your Children
I heard part of this series on the radio, and it was excellent:

“1. Genuine Salvation: More Than a Prayer
2. How Children Come to Faith in Christ
3. Taking Our Children to Church: Is That Enough?
4. How to Deal With Doubt
5. Observing Salvation in Your Child: What Does It Look Like?
6. The Family: No Better Place to Come to Know Christ!”

“I cannot recommend these talks enough to any parent wanting to be thoughtful, careful, and prayerful in the salvation of their children.” Audio and transcripts: How Children Come to Faith in Christ by Jim Eliff

Did the Holy Spirit Replace the Law?
This is a previous article that I edited and expanded. No, the Spirit (alone) didn’t replace the law. But, Jesus Christ’s Person, works (including His Spirit), and words fulfill the Law. Did the Holy Spirit Replace the Law? by Greg Gibson

Jesus Is Better Than Whatever You Were Saved From
“Jesus is better than whatever you were saved from. Don’t go back.” Jesus is Better: Hebrews for Modern-day Christians by Dave Marriott

The Gospel Is the Cure
“Two Americans. One is a practicing homosexual and proud of it. The other is a practicing Baptist and proud of it. One trusts his feelings, the other trusts his actions. Both are in desperate need of Jesus for pretty much the same reason. This is how wonderful the gospel of Jesus is. It’s the skeleton key for all of humanity…We all exhibit a multitude of symptoms for our conditions, running the gamut from self-indulgent immorality to self-satisfying morality. Opposite ends of the spectrum and everywhere in between. Whatever your symptoms, the gospel is the answer.” The Gospel Is the Antidote for Everything by Jared Wilson

God’s Attributes Revealed in the Gospel
Want to know what God is like? Understand the gospel. The Attributes of God and the Glory of the Gospel by J. I. Packer

The Neo-Reformed Controversy
Scot McKnight charges some Calvinists with being “Neo-Reformed.” Trevin Wax gave the most balanced response. Thoughts on the Neo-Reformed by Trevin Wax

Is Your Church an Institution?
The difference between institutions vs. institutionalism. “Your church is an institution. Don’t be embarrassed by that. But guard and improve your institution, so that its gospel purpose — that people would meet with Christ, go deep, and never stop growing in him — so that that larger purpose is served.” Is Your Church an Institution by Ray Ortlund

Roman Catholic Indulgences Resurrected
Roman Catholic churches have resurrected the practice of indulgences. (At least they’re no longer selling them.) “At the core of indulgences is sin, which can either lead to eternal punishment — i.e., hell — or time spent in purgatory, a place of suffering where imperfections are scrubbed away in preparation for entering heaven. Confession erases eternal punishment, but temporal punishment remains. Plenary, or full, indulgences are the equivalent of a get-out-of-purgatory-free card. Partial indulgences simply shorten your stay…The essence of plenary indulgences is tricky to nail down. They’re granted if you meet specific criteria: go to confession, receive communion, pray for the Pope, visit a particular shrine.” Praise God, Jesus is enough! Why Catholic Indulgences Are Making a Comeback by Time Magazine

The Top 10 Religious States in the U.S.
See the top 10 and bottom 10 most religious states. (Hint: The Bible belt wins, and the Northeast loses.) State of the States: Importance of Religion by the Gallup Poll

The Top 10 Countries for Christian Persecution
1. North Korea, 2. Saudi Arabia, 3… WWL: Focus on the Top Ten by Open Doors

Pray for Our Persecuted Brothers
Receive prayer requests for persecuted Christians by subscribing at the bottom of the page Barnabus Fund

30 Christian Marriage Books Reviewed
“Which book do you use for pre-marital counseling? Which for married couples with problems? What’s the best all around book on marriage? Questions like these prompted us to devise the Marriage Book Comparison Chart, which includes both a rating comparison chart and a brief review for thirty books on marriage.” Marriage Book Reviews Marriage Books Comparison Chart by 9Marks Ministries.

8 Children’s Bibles Reviewed
“Let me remind you of the four criteria I judged the Bibles on: 1) faithfulness to the biblical text; 2) applicability to toddlers; 3) illustrations; 4) ability to convey redemptive history.” Toddler Bibles Reviewed Part I and Part II by John Beeson at the Council on Christian Manhood and Womanhood.

Understand the Bible’s Story: Read the OT Books in the Jews’ Order
“…does the reorganization of the books of the OT make it harder for people to understand the over-arching message of the OT?…The order we use today seems to have arisen with the printing press. There is no ancient precedent for the order of the Old Testament books we find in our English translations…To summarize: We should accept the tripartite division of the OT into Law, Prophets, and Writings, and we should order English translations of the books of the OT accordingly because (1) the order in use by English translations now does not match the orders of the books in lists drawn up by early church fathers; (2) Protestants have agreed with Hebrew tradition rather than Septuagint tradition on which books should be included between the covers of the Bible, so Protestants should also agree with Hebrew tradition on how those books should be arranged; and (3) this is the order that Jesus endorsed and that Matthew and Luke apparently expected their audiences to recognize…everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. This statement indicates that when Jesus thought of the Old Testament, he thought of three sections. Those three sections broadly match the order of the Old Testament books in Hebrew Bibles today” How Should the Books of the OT Be Ordered? by Jim Hamilton

Perhaps you’ll understand the Bible’s message more clearly if you try reading it in the order that the Jews arranged it here.

Does Denying the Covenant of Works Undermine Justification by Faith?
“…the early covenant theologians did not construe this Adamic administration as a covenant, far less as a covenant of works. Reformed creeds of the 16th century such as the French Confession (1559), the Scottish Confession (1560), the Belgic Confession (1561), the Thirty-Nine Articles (1562), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and the Second Helvetic (1566) do not exhibit any such construction of the Edenic institution…The most famous example of a Reformed theologian denying the covenant of works is that of John Murray…Neither Luther nor his followers ever connected the doctrine of justification by faith with the notion of a Covenant of Works.” The Covenant of Works: A Litmus Test for Reformed Theology? by Ralph Allan Smith

What % of Your Charitable Donation Really Goes to Ministry?
Ever wonder how much of your donations really reach the needy, instead of CEO’s and support staff? Would you like to know the salary of your favorite charity’s CEO? Find it here…
Charity Navigator
Economic Research Institute
Guidestar
Ministry Watch

Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral Cracking?
A family disagreement and the economy threaten to collapse Robert Schuller’s empire. Family Spat Divides Televangelism Empire

Top 10 Theology Stories of 2008
Study Bibles, the Shack, Anglicanism, and more: Theology News by Collin Hansen

The Emerging Church’s False Dichotomies and False Synonyms
Is the gospel about a person only, but not a message? If you’ve wondered what all the controversy is about the Emerging Church, here’s a brief explanation: The Emerging Church by Timothy Stoner

Baptistic, Calvinistic, and Non-Confessional
“Therefore, let’s rejoice that Christ is being preached and souls are being drawn to a Big God. Instead of a stooge-like ‘Bah humbug,’ let’s offer up a ‘Hip, hip, hurrah’ that John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon are becoming the ‘homeboys’ of a younger generation.” Young, Restless, and Reformed by Bob Gonzales

John MacArthur’s Bible Study Guides
Read the written transcripts from John MacArthur’s sermons: Bible Studies by John MacArthur

Bible Commentary Ratings
Before you buy Bible commentaries, find out which ones reviewers rate highest. The top commentaries are ranked with reviews by Don Carson, Tremper Longman, John Glynn, John Piper, Denver Seminary, and readers like you. BestCommentaries.com

Free, Online Encylopedia of Christianity and Theology
Find answers to theology questions from 1615+ articles. Theopedia.com

Free, Online Bible Atlas
Select a Bible book and chapter (like Eph. 1), then see the location on Google map or satellite. BibleMap.org

“Predestined to What?” by Russell Moore
“Why do so many people who say they believe in the doctrine of election spend their lives with such anxiety?..If you are not more evangelistic now than you were when you came to understand the doctrine of election, you never understood the doctrine of election.” An edifying, big picture view of election in the context of God’s eternal plan. Predestined to What? (Rom. 8:26-9:6) by Russell Moore

“Power in Preaching” by Ray Ortlund, Jr.
Learn how to preach. Power in Preaching: Desire (1 Thes. 1:2-5).
“Our greatest breakthrough to spiritual power will come through the worst experience of our lives…when Paul broke through to new power in his ministry. That happened, the real breakthrough when God took him to another level, that happened in the worst experience of his life, getting that thorn in the flesh, and then learning to live with it.” Power in Preaching: Delight (2 Cor. 12:1-10).
“A crucified Savior can be preached in Divine power only by crucified preachers…Have you decided yet to be uncool?…Have you decided who all this about? Have you decided who all this is for?” Power in Preaching: Decide (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

John MacArthur’s Sermons, Free
Bold, faithful preaching. Just the Word, nothing fancy. John MacArthur sermons

John Stott’s Sermons, Free
Very edifying preaching, clear and easy to understand. John Stott sermons

God’s Law Defined and Defended in Redemptive History
“Thesis: The purpose of this paper is to determine the present relevance of the law of God. In brief, it is designed to show that the law of God is presently (and in every age) binding upon the believer and that while this law formed the basis of the Mosaic legislation, the two are not to be confused. Moreover, in the outworking of His plan God may choose to give His law under various codifications, but God’s law reflects eternal principles of righteousness which always constitute a rule of life…It would seem evident that the only laws relevant to the believer’s standard of conduct today are those of the New Testament. If the Old Covenant is abolished it would be wrong to impose it as the rule for life today. If today’s believer is now under the terms of the New Covenant, he must look to see what the terms of this New Covenant are; indeed, it would be illegitimate to look elsewhere. The Continuing Relevance of Divine Law by Fred Zaspel

One-Page Overview of the Bible
God’s People, God’s Place, and God’s Rule by Chad Knudson

Why Some Reformed Preachers YELL!
“If I am preaching to New Covenant converted believers as though they were Old Covenant unconverted Jews, then I am not being faithful.” Perhaps this problem grows out of Covenant Theology’s one Covenant of Grace doctrine, where the New Covenant is merely a newer administration of the Old Covenant. Old Testament Prophets in New Covenant Pulpits by James Sevastio

Seeker Sensitive Pastor Repents
A seeker-sensitive church member complained to his pastor, “I’m not being fed.” And, instead of shifting the blame to the member, this pastor repented. Confessions of a “Not Being Fed” Pastor

An Example of a Godly Wife
Rejoice in the Wife of Your Youth by Ray Ortlund

What’s Your Excuse for Not Serving the Lord More?
“Spurgeon, so it happens, was a lot sicker than me for most of his life. He was seriously and often crippingly and painfully ill, both mentally (with depression) and physically, from his mid-30s until his death from illnesses at age 57…Most weeks, and as just a sample of some of his regular duties, Spurgeon wrote, delivered and published a weekly sermon; looked after an orphanage, a pastor’s college and an almshouse; read and responded personally to 500 letters; and preached up to 10 times in churches that he had started.” And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. See his additional work for the Lord here: Spurgeon for the Sick and Afflicted

Tour the Land of Israel From Your Computer
“BiblePlaces.com features photographs and descriptions of sites in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Greece with an emphasis on biblical archaeology, geography and history.” See BiblePlaces.com, and especially this Slide Show.

Here’s a digest of some favorite resources I’ve discovered recently around the Web…

Does Your Calvinism Build Relationships With Arminians?
“…Theologically, I am Reformed. Sociologically, I am simply a Christian…when our theological distinctives make us aloof from other Christians…Even if a biblical argument can be made for a certain position…the proof of what’s really happening is not in the theological argumentation but in the sociological integration…(Paul) was a free man setting others free…What unifies the church is the gospel…My reformed friend, can you move among other Christian groups and really enjoy them?…Relationships reveal what we really believe, as opposed to what we think we believe.” Truly Reformed by Ray Ortlund at Christ Is Deeper Still

Several, Helpful Articles on God’s Law
God’s Law by Doug Moo

Starved for Mature Meat
“A prominent radio preacher frequently makes the statement that 85% of the people never darken a church door. Just could be that they’ve been starved out.

Tell me now, how long is it since you preached a sermon on the Sovereignty of God, the Majesty of God, the Holiness of God, the Justice of God, the Immutability of God, and the eternal, electing Love of God? Most of the preaching of our day in evangelical, as well as in liberal churches, is man-centered, not God-centered. Christian people have been entertained and whipped and broken and crucified and psychoanalyzed and sensitivity-trainingized, etc., etc., until they hardly know who God is or who they are…” Hey Preacher by G.E. MacLean at Banner of Truth

Joel Osteen’s Negative Message
“…The ‘positive’ message he proclaims is this: Do better. Try harder. Believe you can succeed. In other words, you can change! Just do it! God will help you, of course, but you have to make it happen.

Though Osteen claims he has positive sermons, I believe he is proclaiming the most negative, unmerciful message possible! Like telling a clinically depressed person to “just snap out of it!,” Osteen is giving people burdened by sin, guilt and despair more reason to despair.

Do we really think that more willpower will solve our problems? What is this message but the Law on steroids? There is no gospel in Osteen’s message, regardless of his rare references to Jesus Christ. Osteen’s idea of “good news” is telling self-centered people to look for salvation in more narcissism!…” Joel Osteen’s Negative Message by Trevin Wax at Kingdom People

Follow Me
“…Yet, Jesus didn’t say, “Follow them”; he said quite clearly, “Follow me.” The true disciple puts his loyalty, not with a group or another human or a new idea, however good those things may be, but only with his master who has called him by name…” Following Christ by Trevin Wax at Kingdom People

One Man Committed to Christ
“…(William) Borden’s small morning prayer group gave birth to a movement that spread across the campus. By the end of his first year, 150 freshman were meeting for weekly Bible study and prayer. By the time Bill Borden was a senior, one thousand of Yale’s 1,300 students were meeting in such groups. Borden made it his habit to seek out the most “incorrigible” students and try to bring them to salvation…” No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets by Brian Hedges at Light and Heat

8 Dangers of Exclusive, Redemptive-Historical Preaching
I lo-o-ove redemptive-historical preaching. But, like all styles of preaching, it has its strengths and weaknesses. Ethics, Preaching, and Biblical Theology by John Frame

Minimizing the Bible?
Have seeker-sensitive preachers and over-contextualizing missionaries lost faith in the power of God’s Word to change people? Preach the whole counsel of God!

“…It seems to me that a growing number of pastors and missionaries have lost confidence in this truth. They have concluded that the gap between the glory of Christ and the felt needs of their neighbors, or between the glory of Christ and the religion of the nationals, is simply too great for the fullness of God’s word to overcome. The upshot seems to be the minimization of the Word of God in its robust and glorious fullness.

This is on my front burner just now because in recent weeks I have received a steady stream of testimonies from aching saints who say in so many words, “Our pastor doesn’t proclaim to us what the Bible says and means. The messages are not revelations of the glory of Christ. They are advice-talks with a religious twist…” Minimizing the Bible by John Piper

The Guilt of Giving Part of God’s Counsel
Preach the whole Bible, nothing less! The Guilt of Giving Part of God’s Counsel by John Piper

Seminary Training vs. Church Training?
Who can better train future church pastors than current church pastors? Where better to learn to pastor a church than in a church? Long before pastors’ training became academicized and institutionalized, local churches trained pastors. Proposal for a New Seminary by John Frame