Applied Theology
I once saw a Facebook status which confused me: "I'm sooooo bored," it read. I wondered--with so many great books and so much to explore--how could anyone be bored? Below is my service to any who might be tempted to boredom. Here is a list of some helpful and Biblically sound literature. I compiled this... Continue Reading →
It is a curious thing that the New Testament does not command us to pray for the persecuted church. Before asking for food, shelter, safety, deliverance, or even a copy of the Scriptures, most persecuted believers ask first for prayer. Praying for those suffering persecution is as natural to the Christian as praying for loved... Continue Reading →
Time magazine provoked evangelical paroxysms back in 2009 when the publication unveiled its list of “10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now.” According to Time, New Calvinism was the number three idea at work reshaping America. (Don’t know what New Calvinism is? See here) Five years on, New Calvinism is still going strong, so strong,... Continue Reading →
Shortly after Thanksgiving a few years ago, my wife and I were in the yard with a dear, dear brother. His name before he was converted was simply “Mad Dog.” As he says, “when I was a pagan, I meant it with all my heart.” (He is just as sincere now that he is a... Continue Reading →
In my prior blog post, I noted that there are at least 5 reasons all Christians should identify with persecution. First, the New Testament says that all Christians will be persecuted, and the persecution could take several different forms, from the mild mocking and name-calling to the more severe imprisonment and execution. Second, Christians are united... Continue Reading →
I seem to have a recurring disagreement with fellow Christians. I don’t like disagreements. I try to avoid them, but, when it comes to the persecuted church, I keep having them. The conversation typically goes something like this: We are engaged in talking about some current event related to Christian persecution. The brother or sister... Continue Reading →
Two articles recently published get to the heart of the matter of Christian persecution in Egypt. The first, published by Paul Marshall of the Hudson Institute, offers a firsthand account of a visit he made to a Jewish synagogue in Egypt. What does a visit to a Jewish synagogue have to do with Christianity in... Continue Reading →
People often ask me how they can stay informed about the persecuted church. I am glad to offer the following resources for those interested in staying up to date about the persecution of Christians around the world. First, there are ministries dedicated to serving the persecuted church. Three of the more popular ministries are Voice... Continue Reading →
What could be more obvious than the fact that Christians must take care of the outcast, the poor, and the prisoners? Ministries of mercy like feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and clothing the scantily clad are services expected by Christ of His followers. As Matthew 25 makes plain, the righteous will engage in... Continue Reading →
D. A. Carson is a great blessing to the Christian church! He recently published another very important book titled The Intolerance of Tolerance.[1] In this significant work, Carson details the shift in meaning the word tolerance has undergone over the last century. Building from the work of S. D. Gaede, Carson distinguishes between the “Old... Continue Reading →
Muslim gunmen raid three Christian villages in Kaduna state. *Story from Morning Star News March 16, 2014 By Our Nigeria Correspondent - MANCHOK, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Muslim herdsmen armed with guns and machetes on Friday night (March 14) launched attacks on three villages in Kaduna state, killing more than 100 Christians and destroying homes, sources said. Scores of... Continue Reading →
Psalm 2 famously states, “Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way” (2:12, NKJV). But there is more than one way to kiss the son. Luke 22 tells the story of Jesus’s arrest. Jesus was handed over to his captors by a kiss from Judas Iscariot: “Jesus said to him,... Continue Reading →
Since my friend Don Whitney posted a Tweet about this incident in Somalia, I have been unable to stop thinking about the sober reality of Christian faith. The world hated Jesus Christ when He ministered among men. And the world hates him still. There is a robust theological heritage in Christianity which asserts that humans... Continue Reading →
Working from Matthew 28:18-20, I would say that anyone who is baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and who is obeying everything that Jesus taught—that person is a disciple of Jesus Christ. No doubt, there is room for dispute. But the bottom line is that we must be able to... Continue Reading →
Back in 2011, Mark Galli announced the end of the worship wars (though he admits Christian churches are still maintaining a "tense truce" on music matters). Much of the last 20 years have seen churches grapple with the "elements" of worship. Should churches use drums? Are pianos and organs more "worshipful" than guitars? How about... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 