IMPROPER USE A “Pharisee,” according to many who misuse the term, is a “legalist” who believes in morality and/or being theologically correct. EXAMPLES A discerning Christian points out that maybe Hillsong Church’s youth pastor shouldn’t have got on stage and danced as a naked cowboy and she is called a “Pharisee” by one who thinks … Read more
DEFINITION Evangelical Feminism is a movement that claims to have a high view of Scripture, but simultaneously believes in egalitarian gender roles (that men and women do not have role distinctions based upon gender). Evangelical Feminism, as it is commonly called, distinguishes itself from regular feminism, which has an abysmally low view of Scripture. Evangelical … Read more
Orthdoxy. Sound doctrine. Authority and sufficiency of Scripture. The exaltation of Christ in His Word. These things may seem obvious expectations to be found in a church, for even the most casual reader of Scripture. Add the Biblically prescribed ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism and you could probably safely assume you have a … Read more
Several weeks ago, Andy Stanley seemed to drop a foul word in the middle of his anti-inerrancy sermon. We posted a short excerpt of that sermon video, but chose not to run this is a story on the website, because we weren’t 99.99% sure what Stanley was saying. However, we know that there’s been more than … Read more
Remember a few years ago when Matt Chandler rained on Steven Furtick’s parade? It was at Elevation Church’s 2012 Code Orange Revival. Chandler was invited as a guest speaker at, well, except for Chandler himself, this perfidious event adorned with scripture-twisting fabricators of false glory. Furtick, who is well known for reading himself into a biblical … Read more
Bearing a rhetorically inverse relationship, it seems, to the believer’s duty to discernment is the occasionally seen-on-a-meme quote by Joseph Heller, from his work Catch-22, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” To be sure, for the Christian, the enemy is always on the prowl. He is always after believing prey of … Read more
The weekend edition of the Polemics Report, as it airs on terrestrial radio in select markets on AM and FM. This week’s topic – ecclesiology, Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble.
Mark Driscoll, who resigned as pastor of a Seattle megachurch in a blitz to beat termination in 2014, will soon be hosting a conference on ‘building a healthy church.’ Mars Hill, Driscoll’s previous church in Seattle, imploded following a series of Driscoll-related scandals and now is defunct, no longer in existence. Driscoll’s conference speakers will … Read more
We’ve heard it all, folks. As polemicists, deflections avoiding substantive discussion typically come from either (1) misdirecting accolades of the good qualities of the person or institution questioned or (2) firing accusatory bullets toward the messenger. Examples of these common deflections… NewSpring plays Highway to Hell on Easter, but did you hear about their young singles … Read more
**Note, This is part 1 of our series, Seven Days of Gaines. “For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.” –2 Corinthians 2:17 “We have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in … Read more
“Theology is simply that part of religion that requires brains.” G.K. Chesterton I’m not much of a Chesterton fan, but he surely could whip out the incisive witticisms. Still, I’m even less of an Andy Stanley fan. Stanley, the (do I have to call him) “pastor” of North Point Church in Atlanta, just wrapped up … Read more
If You See Something, Say Something is a public service campaign started by the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority, now licensed by the Department of Homeland Security and has become popularized in use by police departments and transit officers across the country. It’s printed on posters and in radio PSAs, announced over loud speakers at … Read more
After thinking long and hard about our actions over the past few years, we here at the Pulpit & Pen would like to apologize to our readership and the subjects of our many articles and podcasts. In reflecting on all the digital ink we’ve spilled in our zeal to expose unfruitful deeds of darkness and … Read more
“I am the entertainer, the idol of my age; I make all kind of money, when I go on the stage.” Billy Joel, The Entertainer There is emerging and has emerged a new breed of pastor pushing a new brand of church. Though these emerging men call themselves pastors, they are anything but shepherds. Though … Read more
Sometimes, our articles write themselves. This is one of those times. Perry Noble’s NewSpring Church has issued a 90-Day Tithing Challenge to its congregation. According to the NewSpring website: Because we believe what the Bible says about tithing, we commit to you that if you tithe for three months and God doesn’t hold true to … Read more
