You Elitist, You
Since this series has dealt with “mangled” words such as tolerance, freedom, and authority, I was tempted to include elitism among them. Elitism, though, is… Read More »You Elitist, You
David de Bruyn
David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.
Identifying Authorities
Within the avalanche of information coming at us, how do we identify true authorities in any domain of knowledge? How do we judge the anonymous… Read More »Identifying Authorities
Who Made You the Authority?
The explosion of information on the web has made the idea of authoritative information almost a thing of the past. A CGI-Enhanced Youtube video about the… Read More »Who Made You the Authority?
Authority and Authoritarianism
When authority is usually discussed, about three sentences later, the word authoritarian will make its entrance. In fact, for some, authority is authoritarian – there is… Read More »Authority and Authoritarianism
Pastors – Become Literate in Christian Culture
When the topic of music and worship comes up, a favorite slap-down argument against thoughtful discrimination of music is that pastors need not study music… Read More »Pastors – Become Literate in Christian Culture
Authority – Its Origin
The English words authority and author come from the same Latin root, auctor – an originator. Strange how far we’ve come from older ideas, where… Read More »Authority – Its Origin
Authority
The popular consciousness has knee-jerk reflexes when it comes to authority. Play the word-association game with the average person, show him the flash-card “Authority” and… Read More »Authority
Judging Matters of Freedom
Modern Christians are in the habit of labelling all sorts of things as ‘matters of Christian liberty’ or ‘areas of preference’. We do not doubt… Read More »Judging Matters of Freedom
Matters of Conscience and Freedom
Scripture devotes two sections of the New Testament to explain how certain choices in the Christian life are not explicitly or implicitly forbidden or prescribed:… Read More »Matters of Conscience and Freedom
Freedom and Churches
A church is a voluntary society. Baptists believe that people join churches not by birth but by choice. People freely associate, and can freely disassociate.… Read More »Freedom and Churches
Freedom – Societal and Individual
Liberty is the absence of unwarranted coercion, leaving the human open to persuasion and his own agency to choose what he ought. Freedom does not,… Read More »Freedom – Societal and Individual
Freedom
Freedom is another word that the disingenuous enjoy. Just as the Tolerazis cry ‘intolerance’ and pose as victims even while they terrorize and bully others,… Read More »Freedom
Rehabilitating “Tolerance”
How do we rehabilitate this word? First, we must insist that tolerance does not mean agreement, nor does disagreement mean intolerance. Tolerance actually suggests disagreement,… Read More »Rehabilitating “Tolerance”
Tolerance (2) – We Oppressed Left-Handers
It is becoming abundantly clear to many that the call for tolerance has in fact not been a call to tolerate all opinions everywhere, but… Read More »Tolerance (2) – We Oppressed Left-Handers
Tolerance (1)
Words are more than names. Words are things that either correspond to something in reality, or fail to. When words fail to correspond to something… Read More »Tolerance (1)
A Worship Catechism (15)
97. What is our ultimate hope? Our ultimate hope is to see God’s glory in His realized presence (Rev 21:2-3, 22:4; Joh 17:21-26), where we… Read More »A Worship Catechism (15)
A Worship Catechism (14)
91. What are the disciplines of perpetual worship? The disciplines of perpetual worship are gratitude, discernment, fasting , and stewardship, which seek to behold, reflect,… Read More »A Worship Catechism (14)
A Worship Catechism (13)
84. What are the disciplines of public worship? The disciplines of public worship are recognition, service, discipleship, and corporate worship, which seek to behold, reflect… Read More »A Worship Catechism (13)
A Worship Catechism (12)
76. What disciplines will nurture faith and maintain abiding in God’s presence? We must embrace disciplines of private worship, public worship, and perpetual worship. 77.… Read More »A Worship Catechism (12)
A Worship Catechism (11)
67. How is faith nurtured? Faith is nurtured through the grace-enabled practice of the spiritual disciplines (2 Pet 1:5-7). 68. What is spiritual discipline? Spiritual… Read More »A Worship Catechism (11)