On Gospel Informed Ecclesiology

What is the relationship between the Gospel of Christ and the salvation from God by the Spirit with how one should do ministry? Paul reminds Titus:

"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned."

- Titus 3:1-11

On God's Sovereignty Over Moral Evil

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know -this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to held in its power."

- Acts 2:22ff

On the Gift of God

"... And as I, [Peter], began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" When they, [the apostles and brethren who were circumcised], heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

- Acts 11:15-18

On the Toughest Critics

Dr. Russell Moore, the Dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, preached "Pharaoh vs. Embryo: Why Unborn Still Matter to Our Church" from Exodus 1 for Sanctity Human Life Sunday. The following is an insightful critique from his 7 year old son:

"You talked too much about Pharaoh, too much about babies and not enough about crocodiles."

On the Relationship Between Logic and Fire

What is preaching?

Answer: "[it is] logic on fire! eloquent reason! Are these contradictions? Of course they are not. Reason concerning truth ought to be mighty eloquent, as you see it in the case of the Apostle Paul and others. It is theology on fire. And a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a defective theology; or at least the man's understanding is defective. Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A true understanding and experience of the Truth must lead to this. I say again that a man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit and should never be allowed to enter one."

- Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).