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Top Blog Posts of the Week

Posted by Joshua Claycamp on

This is a list of recent blog posts which I found interesting. That I found them interesting doesn’t mean I necessarily agree with or endorse all of the ideas presented in the posts, but that I found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking. They may benefit you as you prayerfully consider your area of shepherding and stewardship, which has been given to you in trust by the Lord. (They are listed in no particular order of interest.) Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link and your reasons for nominating that post to .

You know what? All right already.

More individuals are starting to comment freely on the debacle within Sovereign Grace Ministries. This proves that secondary, and even tertiary (if there is such a thing), issues are still important contrary to those who think denominations, traditions, and basic church polity don't matter. As the car seat is to the baby so is the church's ecclesiology and polity to the Gospel and Great Commission. Is it the most important, eternally significant thing? No. But nobody would suggest leaving it at home. Frank Turk throws out this chunk of meat for the commentators to chew on, (which, in my mind, has nothing to do with the root issue of the "apostolic" -with-a-little-"a" polity of SGM) and then turns open the comments thread.

"I think this is what you're going to get with Charismatic theology: when conflict raises its ugly head, people lead with emotions and self-image and forget they have an objective Christ who overcomes my sin and your sin so that the two men can become one under Christ."

Read this post's comments from dozens of commentators. Church polity, and dare I say denomination, is important. Fathers, be selective and critical about the church tradition and polity you embrace when you decide where your family will worship and where you will invest yourself for the Kingdom of God.

What Is Church Membership?

Teaching your children about commitment means that you also need to understand the virtue of committing yourself. Johnathan Leeman is always brief and to the point:

Church membership, in other words, is not about “additional requirements.” It’s about a church taking specific responsibility for a Christian, and a Christian for a church.

A Christian Classical School Reading List: Grades 1-3

"There are hundreds of thousands of books written for children. The challenge is discerning what is best for them to read, given so many options."

Tired of your kids only having the choices of Harry Potter, the Twilight Saga, the Hunger Games, or the Left Behind series? Justin Taylor provides an excellent Classical Christian reading list for children grades 1-3. Fathers and Mothers, read this list with a view to reading to and educating your children with good reading choices! Regardless of whether you home-school or seek to supplement your child's public school education, remember that your children are given to you in trust. You have a Shepherd's Trust in your home, and God expects you to steward that trust to His glory and honor!

Counseling the Affections of the Heart

By Steve Clay. I've never heard of this guy, but I liked his post. He tends to use overly Reformed, 16th-century, King James-type, Puritan lingo, especially in the first couple of paragraphs. And his sentences are too long at times. LOL - like I'm one to talk? Okay, once you wade through that, the article is good.

"Discernment of the affections of the heart is critical in ascertaining an adequate understanding of stated problems and needed action in people’s lives."

I posted this because as parents (and as Pastors) we almost always tend to focus on outward behaviors in parenting our children. We never stop to consider the root cause or the inner heart-condition of what is driving the behavior. Your child is being driven by a love of something! Until you begin to address the emotional heart of your child, you will always be punishing that child's outward behavior. And, by implication, are you guarding your own heart?

Is it Biblical to Ask Jesus into Your Heart?

Speaking of guarding our heart, Malcolm Yarnell writes a very thoughtful piece on the most important thing needed in our hearts. He then links to a You Tube video of Steve Gaines, asserting the need for people to respond in faith by believing, and "receiving" Jesus into their life. Dr. Yarnell had a profound impact on me during my time in seminary, and I greatly respect Dr. Gaines. I highly recommend this article. Nevertheless, there is a danger in simply encouraging people to say the sinner's prayer. We never want to indicate that Christ's Salvation is by process of a magical incantation or simple "Invite Jesus into your heart" prayer, and "Abracadabra" or "Amen!" and I pronounce you saved! But we do need to receive Christ. As a result, there should always be an opportunity given to respond in faith to the Gospel!

The Main Reason Christians Grow So Slowly

Faith is the Spiritual Activity of the heart that spurs on growth. 'Nuff said. Don't believe, don't grow, don't mature. So trust Jesus and believe already!

"It is by faith, that the spiritual life is made to grow; and the doctrine of free grace, without any mixture of human merit, is the only true object of faith."

-Archibald Alexander (1772-1851)

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