Parchment & Pen Blog

It is my job to make a biblical argument for cessationism. Though I have not necessarily identified myself as a cessationist, I think the label fits in most cases. However, I am not very comfortable saying something like “the Bible teaches cessationism.” I don’t think it does; however, just because the Bible does not teach something [...]

(Lisa Robinson) This post is really not about singleness.  Although, by way of getting to something that has me increasingly troubled, I will use singleness as the spring to launch into what I believe is the root of a problem, particularly in American evangelical Christianity.  In contending with my own issues related to singleness, I [...]

(Lisa Robinson) One of the essays in my application to DTS, was responding to how I knew I was called into ministry.  While I understood that question to be more related to affirming events that led me to apply to seminary, I find that the idea of being called into ministry has not only been [...]

In theology, I have learned what the three most controversial topics are: 1. Women in ministry 2. Creation/Evolution issues 3. Calvinism/Arminianism stuff I would put them in that order too. Talk about these topics, and be prepared for a divided crowed. Blog one of these issues and get ready for the comments section to explode. Take [...]

I have been thinking through some issues related to Ecclesiology lately, which in part is prompted by the fact that one of my courses this semester is Sanctification and Ecclesiology (although we recently started discussions on the Ecclesiology portion).  Specifically, I have been pondering what the church’s responsibility is towards educating its people with respect [...]

I like second service Christians. Wait. Let me rephrase. I like second service Christians better than first service Christians. There. I said it. I remember when a church I was attending switched from one service to two. It was not pretty. Most certainly the church needed it. It was packed. The general rule is when [...]

I’m confused. Just when I think I start to figure things out, God says, “Calm down Michael.” As many of you know, I often like to take a break from my church and explore what is going on in other places. Today was one of those days. Due to my confusion, I don’t have a pulpit [...]

Today, my ten year old girl Kylee asked, “Daddy, how much does it cost to be baptized?” What a cute question. It gave me the opportunity to sit down and talk to her and my six year old son Will about baptism. Flashback six months. My other daughter Katelynn (who is eleven), was desirous to [...]

I went to a church the other day and it was not much different than a rock concert. Might I say, it was a very well done rock concert. Electric guitars, drums in their own sound area, smoke, lights, and two or three people singing the latest in contemporary worship music. There was a part of [...]

Sam Storms has joined the Theology Unplugged cast! Here is our second installment of a three part series called “How Long Should Your Doctrinal Statement Be?”

How Long Should Your Doctrinal Statement Be 3 [ 36:51 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sorry, forgot to post this Friday. Part three will be posted this Friday. Sam Storms has joined the Theology Unplugged cast! Here is our second installment of a three part series called “How Long Should Your Doctrinal Statement Be?”

How Long Should Your Doctrinal Statement Be 2 [ 35:39 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sam Storms, myself, and Tim Kimberly have been discussing this question on Theology Unplugged. As it turns out, there are quit a few people who are going through doctrinal statement “revisions” at the respective churches. Some are making the statement longer due to all of the traditional theological issues out there that are being challenged [...]