Dating the Early Church
Luke provides us with excellent historical information in the book of Acts regarding the history of the early church. Nevertheless, correlating the information in Acts with historical chronology, in general, is a difficult task. Only a few dates can be correlated with certainty; many events are described without reference to the duration of time. Therefore […]
A Blasphemous Abuse of Baptism
The Church of England, according to a report from the ChristianNews.Net will begin a baptism-style celebration for transgenders announcing their new sexual identity. “The apostatized Church of England,” wrote Heather Clark on CNN, “has released new guidance for “parishes planning services to help transgender people mark their transition,” a move that has raised concerns among […]
Can Creation and Evolution Coexist?
I grew up believing in the biblical account of creation: that God made the world and everything in it in six days (Genesis 1-2). When I was a junior in high school, I took a class that challenges the faith of many young people — Advanced Biology. This class included my first in-depth study of […]
Nuclear Destruction vs. Divine Destruction
Nuclear Destruction vs. Divine Destruction On December 8, 1987, at a summit meeting in Washington, D.C., President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sign the first treaty between the two superpowers to reduce their massive nuclear arsenals. Previous agreements had merely been attempts by the two Cold War adversaries to limit the growth of […]
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a distinct member of the “Godhead” (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4), and He is distinct from the Father and the Son (John 14:26; Acts 10:38). He was active in creation (Genesis 1:2, 26-27; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30). He was given to the apostles […]
What Does the Bible Say About “Pastors”?
One of the most misused terms in the denominational world is “pastor.” “Pastor” occurs one time in the King James New Testament in Ephesians 4:11, and it is translated elsewhere as “shepherd.” The word means “one who tends herds or flocks.” The word is used metaphorically in the New Testament of one who would “tend” […]
Sound Speech or Sound Silence?
Titus is a treatise on the subject of “sound doctrine.” Sound doctrine is to be employed in exhorting and convincing gainsayers (Titus 1:9). The word “sound” means “in good health” or “wholesome.” In reference to teaching,it means free from any admixture of error. The design of sound doctrine is that the taught maybe “sound in […]
Witchcraft in the United States
The population of self-identified witches has risen dramatically in the United States in recent decades, as interest in astrology and witchcraft practices has become increasingly mainstream. Pew Research Center studied the issue in 2014, discovering that 0.4 percent of Americans, approximately 1 to 1.5 million people, identify as Wicca or Pagan, meaning their ranks continue […]
Religion in Decline
Several years ago, after the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a very interesting poll from a pool of 2,002 adults. The poll found that the public’s belief that religion is playing an increasing role in American life grew sharply for a time after September 11th, but slipped […]
The Case of Christopher Young
The last person executed in Texas was Christopher Young, who was put to death after his appeals for clemency were exhausted on July 17, 2018. Young was sent to death row after he carjacked a woman at gunpoint in San Antonio in 2004, then headed to a mini-mart and dry cleaners. He walked in and […]