Monthly Archives: July 2015

Back to the Basics: Apologetics

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Apologetics ShieldContrary to a popular opinion apologetics has nothing to do with saying, “I am sorry.” In other words apologetics is not concerned with apologizing, at least not in the manner folks from a Western cultural background might think. If apologetics is not about apologizing, then the next logical question is, “What exactly is apologetics?”

The English term apologetics is derived from the Greek word apologia which can be translated as ‘defense’ or ‘vindication.’ In the time period contemporary to the writing of the New Testament an apologia was a formally presented courtroom style defense of something, whether it be an idea or an action.… Continue reading

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DIY: Discussing a Book You’ve Never Read — And Don’t Need To

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Recently the PS23 men discussed the books our flock recommends to us. All of us are encouraged to hear our peoples’ desire to study and know Christ better. Yet each of us lives with one simple reality: lack of time. Now, one book recommendation from you may not be much. In fact, it may be only 100 pages and a 30 minute read while eating Oreos dunked in milk . . . Oreos . . . eat them . . . back to blog. images100 pages is not very much. But what if your book recommendation accompanies three other people? Now, at minimum, we’re talking 400 pages.… Continue reading

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Homeschooling: That’s in the Bible, Right?

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empty school deskIn response to observing an ever-increasing movement within the church, the contributors here on PS23 thought it opportune to evaluate the FIC (Family Integrated Church) from a biblical perspective. As John Chester noted in his post earlier this week, while we would contend that the FIC has done well in identifying many problems in today’s church and family, it only offers narrow-minded solutions to those problems, “rather than exclusively on biblical answers.”1 Consequentially, the line between strongly held personal preferences are muddied with clear biblical commands. That has damaged the church:

Parents don’t often see the difference between strongly held personal preferences and explicit biblical principles, and therefore their consciences often become the “rule” of what defines a “godly” home life. 

… Continue reading
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Is The Family Integrated Church Right About The Family Or The Church?

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FIC1The family integrated movement has much to commend it. They have rightly decried the disaster that is most youth ministry in the evangelical world, they have rightly decried the mass abdication by Christian parents of their responsibility to evangelize their children, and they have called fathers and husbands to be leaders in the home, and these are all good things. But rather than issue a call for reform or correction in the church, the family integrated movement has sought to redefine the church, and so we have to ask is the family integrated church right about the family or the church?… Continue reading

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The Need for Revival in New England

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The church in New England is hurting, and unreached New Englanders are dying. In New Hampshire—my home state—it is estimated that less than 2% of the population are professing believers; a number which the International Missions Board considers to be “an unreached people group”. With a total population of 1.3 million, that means there are only 26,000 Christians in the Granite State. The other states are not in much better shape. However, it was not always this way.

Two hundred years ago, New England was the center for Christian ministry and learning, as well as the launch point for global missions.… Continue reading

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