Our culture is changing rapidly, and many Christians aren’t keeping up. The old formulas that have worked for decades won’t work with the emerging generation. If there’s one lesson that the modern, successful evangelical church needs to learn it is this. We need a fresh perspective on what our world is like today from someone who has escaped the Christian subculture and ventured into the heart and hearts of non-Christians.

Enter Dan Kimball. His book, They Like Jesus, but not the Church, gives the perspective that is badly needed. Continue Reading »

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The Credo House of Theology is well on the way. Get the latest updates here.

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First Things is brought to you live on Connection Gate

Join us as we discuss five related mistakes that we can make when we are defending the faith. We are joined toward the end of this blogcast by the IMONK, Michael Spencer. (Sorry about the poor sound quality for the IMONK.)

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[audio:http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5a.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5b.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5c.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5d.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5e.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session5/IT5f.mp3]
Note: there are multiple sessions that will play back to back. Total time is just over 1 hour.

(what is this all about?)

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I live with the fear that Chuck Swindoll will call me into his office. Wait, I am getting ahead of myself . . . 

January 2000. I have just been hired as an intern at Stonebriar Community Church. I still have a year left at Dallas Theological Seminary, but my excitement is far beyond I could have ever imagined six years ago when I began to think about ministry. My life had not been one of a minister in preparation by any means. At least not what I would think. The constant adrenaline that the idea of full-time service for the Lord was enough to keep my mind off my past failures. Watching Braveheart in 1995 seventeen times at the theater fueled my motivation. I thought to myself If I could just give my life for something bigger than myself like William Wallace did then contentment would be found in sacrifice. This was the road I was on. Excited, motivated, hopeful, and ready to change lives, I was now working for Chuck Swindoll, my hero. Continue Reading »

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Plugs and prayers:

• Check out the Conservative Reformed Mafia. Looks like a promising new blog.
• Bob Pratico, a friend of the ministry and elder at Sojourn Church, will be having heart surgry next month. Please pray for him. 

Ministry Announcements:

• Online courses start soon. Enroll in The Theology Program today. Continue Reading »

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Defining Inerrancy
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Provided by
 
D.A. LaGue

On August 7th, 1768, a ship from Glasgow, Scotland sailed up the Delaware River bound for Philadelphia. On board was a 46 year old Scotsman who would be one of the leading figures tying a strong Christian conviction with political freedom. Continue Reading »

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To REFLECT: “To think, ponder, or meditate; to think seriously.”

You are either 100% correct in doctrine or you are not correct at all. (I believed this for a long time. A pastor I loved and admired once told me this. But if this is the case, we are all up creek skubalon –pardon my French . . . I mean Greek) 

If you smoke, you must not be a good Christian. (Really? Is it the addiction or health problems that cause us to say this? If it is the addiction, are we ready to give up coffee? If it is the health, are we ready to exercise daily and stop eating fast food? Otherwise, I think we need to calm down.)  Continue Reading »

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First Things is brought to you live on Connection Gate

Join us today as week seek to understand why Paul and James seem to be at odds concerning justification.

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All Christians have a credo. That is, all Christians believe something. Some think theology is bad, without realizing that that position is a theological statement. Others say, “The Bible is my creed” without grasping that the Bible needs to be interpreted; after all, not all interpretations are created equal. Those who have more training recognize that a number of beliefs need to be articulated for one’s credo. It’s this last group that I wish to address in this blog. Continue Reading »

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First Things is brought to you live on Connection Gate

Join us as we talk about the recent discussions concerning Roman Catholic and Evangelical relations. Here we will discuss why Catholics believe in justification by faith and works. (Or at least we will try to get to it!)

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We need your help! As you know online and onsite classes are beginning September 9, 10, 11. We need you to be the official Reclaiming the Mind Representative at your church. This can be done in many ways. Here is a list from the most simple to the most involved:

• Place TTP brochures in your church’s brochure rack or on a display table.
• Set up a TTP booth at your church on the coming Sundays before online classes begin, encouraging them to get involved online and enroll. Continue Reading »

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[audio:http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session4/IT4a.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session4/IT4b.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session4/IT4c.mp3,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session4/IT4d.mp3,,http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/TTP/IT/session4/IT4e.mp3]
Note: there are multiple sessions that will play back to back. Total time is just over 1 hour.

(what is this all about?)

Continue Reading »

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Fred Sanders and Klaus Issler have recently edited an important book on the relationship of Jesus to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective: An Introductory Christology will be an outstanding follow-up volume for those of you who study the evidence for the deity of Christ that Rob Bowman and I have amassed in Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. Once you’ve got a solid grasp on the fact of Jesus’ divine identity, you’ll want to spend some time wrestling with how that fact fits into a larger Trinitarian framework. Continue Reading »

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Plugs/Endorsements/Notables:

• Don’t forget to visit our new sister blog, Euangelion. It is your blog where you can post.
• The Evangelical outpost lists the top 100 Christian blogs. Notice Parchment and Pen is not listed. Dude, your breaking my heart!
• The best theological articles on the web.

Ministry Announcements:

• Become official. You can represent The Theology Program at your church. Email us to find out how.
• Online courses start soon. Enroll in The Theology Program today. The best theological distance education on the web!
• First Things will be broadcast live on Tuesday and Thursday at 10am EST next week.

Recantations, Restatements, News, and Review:

• I am an unapologetic Evangelical, 5-point Calvinist, progressive dispensationalist (really a “progressive covenentalist“), complementarian, inerrantist (qualified by a hermeneutic of reason), soft-continuationist, traducianist, republican. Just thought you would like to know what the correct view on everything is to save you some time.
• Dan Wallace’s organization, The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM), desperately needs a new 16.7 megapixel camera to do its work in Albania this summer. The camera (and lenses) costs about $9000. If you’d like to help underwrite the costs of this camera for the preservation of the New Testament, you can do so on-line at www.csntm.org, or by sending a check to the following address: CSNTM | 5729 Lebanon Road | Suite 144, #403 | Frisco, TX 75034.

Personal:

• Thanks for all your prayers. Katelynn, my 8-year-old daughter, is in pain but doing well.
• This Sunday I will be teaching on Texual Critisism again and on Evangelicalism.
• While we are still living in Frisco TX, our house is back on the market as we are trying to move to Edmond OK to help take care of my mother.
• FYI: Greatest cartoon ever made: Justice League

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Defining Inerrancy

Note: This comes from the archive. New shows will be available in August

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If you live in the Dallas area or you can be in the Dallas area in late October, you won’t want to miss the Jesus in Prime Time conference. The subject couldn’t be more timely and the lineup of speakers couldn’t be better.

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Hello everyone,

Michael just called me and informed me that his daughter Katelynn has been injured.

She was on a ride at an amusement park in Oklahoma and some how hot tar spilt on her leg. She is being rushed to the hospital as we speak this very moment. So for all of you who see this please pray.

Michael will be calling me with updates and I will add to this blog accordingly.

Again please keep this sweet little girl in your prayers and all the Patton family.

Blessings,

Carrie

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First Things is brought to you live on Connection Gate

Join us as we talk about the recent discussions concerning Roman Catholic and Evangelical relations. Focus is made on change in the Catholic church and how Evangelicals should view this change. Be sure to read the suggested reading below.

[audio:http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/content/files/FirstThings/FirstThings_3.mp3]

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The tension is heating up; the rancor is getting louder. Evangelicals are fighting each other again—this time over postmodernism. There are some churches that have embraced elements of postmodernism, while others are holding the modernist line against this evil intrusion. I want to quickly take stock of some of the basic issues.

Years ago, I attended a regional Evangelical Theological Society conference where postmodernism was the topic of a panel discussion. Those discussing it were philosophers and theologians. For the most part, they were extremely nervous about it, arguing that we needed to first ‘convert’ someone to Aristotelian logic before we could convert them to Christ. I was shocked. There seemed to be a sense of desperation on the part of these scholars that their jobs were in jeopardy because all they knew was how to argue! Continue Reading »

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