Parchment & Pen Blog

Kristie and I are married. We have the certificate to prove it. The state says we are married and so I believe it. So does my church. So do my church friends. We even wear wedding rings. We also tell people we are married. We have it all. We made our vows thirteen years ago [...]

This post is a continuation of our Top Ten Biblical Discoveries in Archaeology series. To see the complete series please click here. Pilate’s Role Who is Jesus? You and I are sitting down in the Credo House, enjoying a delicious Luther Latte. We’re talking about the important questions of life and I lean forward asking [...]

There has been some recent discussion about this issue in my part of the woods. As with some other issues, I am open to amending my theology, especially when it is in an area of great controversy such as this. In fact, I have nuanced and refined my stand on this issue since I last [...]

Top Ten Reasons why the Evangelical did not cross the road 10. Because there was not a tea party on the other side of the road. 9. Because he was not sure WWJD in any given road crossing situation. 8. He wanted to avoid the man begging for money on the other side. He just [...]

1. Here is a nice new blog that I found that looks promising: “Evangelical Monk“ 2. The house church movement makes headlines in Denver. What do you think of house churches? 3. Here is a good post by Joe Carter on the different views concerning the End Times. Although he did not include Progressive Dispensationalism [...]

I know. They don’t go by the name emerger anymore. But the attitude is still out there and they need representation on this issue. 10. Because he did not want to be labeled. 9. Because he was not absolutely certain that he could cross since in order to get to the other side, you would [...]

11. He is the one who is in charge. No one is going to make him do anything. 10. We are not sure if he will cross or not. No one knows. Not even God. 9. He has felt the draw of the other side of the road and has resisted thus far. 8. He [...]

11. A woman already crossed. We don’t follow women. 10. We don’t believe the road is safe. It wasn’t built between 1500-1700 A.D. 9. We believe that “road crossing” ceased with the death of the last Apostle or the completion of the New Testament. 8. The crossing guard was only helping people cross from one side [...]

This post is a continuation of our Top Ten Biblical Discoveries in Archaeology series. To see the complete series please click here. A Tough Time to be Alive Our #7 biblically significant discovery in archaeology takes us back again to the time of the #10 discovery. If you haven’t read about the Assyrian Lachish Reliefs [...]

  When is civil disobedience something that we, as Christians, both approve of and participate in? Ever? In the end George and Colson tells us that we must be ready to draw a “line in the sand” as Christians. Obviously the “line” is the line of civil disobedience. This can come in many forms. Indeed, [...]

The conversation in Michael’s recent post on Life Church highlighted one crucial element of the church – the preaching of the gospel.  The gospel is the backbone of the church.  It is what Christ did so that lost people can be reconciled to God.  So the issue of whether there is a clear articulation of [...]

I don’t think that there is a more valuable phrase that I have learned than this: “The palatability of a doctrine does not determine its veracity.” While I have a love/hate relationship with the idea express, I, nonetheless, know it is true. There are two key words here: “palatability” and “determine.” Palatability refers to appeal, [...]