Expelled Movie: Science's War Over Human Origin

It will not be my normal practice on Old Truth to offer commentary on films but recent comments on some of our posts here and the release of Ben Stein's "Expelled" have prompted me to compose my thoughts on the issues raised in this film. The movie is a documentary about the blacklisting of scientists who wish to raise the topic of Intelligent Design (I.D.) in the world of academia. For even mentioning the subject many scientists have been fired and black listed. The fact that this sort of thing was going on really came as no surprise to me, and in fact I was already familiar with much of what was reported by Stein in his documentary. Ben Stein is an incredibly intelligent and capable man. I would say that the documentary accurately reported the state of the main stream scientific community and it's utter disdain for any idea that even remotely relates to I.D. Their greatest fear is that, in the words of one of the scientists interviewed, religion and prayer will find their way back into the schools. The purpose of scientists at places like the Smithsonian is to rid the world of all knowledge of God by the means of science. ... [Read More!]

'Self-Deceit' Sermons & Heart vs Head Knowledge   Joel Beeke

Self-esteem messages that do not center upon a triune God would have been viewed by the Puritans as "self-deceit" messages. We have nothing to esteem in ourselves apart from God, the Puritans said. Apart from His grace, we are fallen, wretched, unworthy, and hell-bound. The Puritans were very aware of the deceitfulness of the human heart. Consequently, Puritan evangelists took great pains to identify the marks of grace that distinguish the church from the world, true believers from imposters and merely professing believers, and saving faith from temporary faith. This kind of discriminatory preaching is extremely rare today. ... [Read More!]

The Commandment That Time Made 'Optional'

Here's one of those surprising things you learn when you study church history. You read the words of Charles Spurgeon talking about "profane Sabbath-breakers", and the Puritans talking about Sabbath-breaking in the same sentence as lying, lusting, and other moral failings. You read many of the greatest theologians and seminary professors essentially saying: "of course we believe in the Sabbath, it is one of the 10 commandments". Now fast forward a hundred years or two, and you find modern Christians, usually with a fraction as much bible knowledge, who are so sure of themselves that the Sabbath is no longer for today. So who's right, the new Christians, or the old ones? ... [Read More!]

News, Notes, and The Worst Church Ever?

"The old gospel was about an offended God; the new gospel is about a wounded us. The old gospel was about sin; the new gospel is about needs. The old gospel was about our need for righteousness; the new gospel is about our need for fulfillment. The old gospel is offensive to those who are perishing; the new gospel is attractive." In this post I'll tell you who said that, and I'll also share with you my nominee for "worst church ever". Some changes are coming up Old Truth which I'll address as well. ... [Read More!]

New/Old Top 10 Book Lists Speak Volumes

If you have been an Old Truth reader for a while,
you know that I often compare the things of new Christianity with the things of the old. I don't do this because I simply love old stuff; I do it as a way of demonstrating how the emphasis of Christianity has changed over the years. So when I recently found this top ten recommended booklist from a 'relevant' Christianity site, I thought it would make an interesting comparison to another such list that I found from an 'old' Christianity site. Despite the constant reminders from church innovators that 'we are all on the same team', these two lists almost seem like they derive from two different religions. ... [Read More!]

But My Heart Is So Cold! (The Role of Emotions)    Link

I used to belong to a denomination in which emotional experience was king. Still to this day, I will have a friend over from an old church of mine and will listen to them describe a really great church service in a way similar to this: "You should have been there Sunday night; everybody was up at the altar and the Spirit just fell on all of us as we kept singing [a 7/11 song] over and over. Everyone was sobbing, the Lord gave us three prophetic 'words', and pastor so-and-so prayed with unction and anointing". That's how you knew church was 'good', and likewise there was emotional criteria for determining whether your Christianity was running on all cylinders or not. But in this post, Tom Chantry explains why it's unwise to seek to generate strong emotion in the Christian life, just as it's wrong to work at an emotional experience in order to prove one's conversion (that's a subject which Tom talked about in a previous post). Are you feeling saved today? Either way, don't miss what Tom has to say about your feelings in these two posts. ... [Read Link]

Women Active in Evangelism, Not The Pulpit   John Murray

A disquieting departure from the New Testament at the present time is the opening of the office of the ministry to women. In this there is failure to recognize and maintain the line of distinction between the general office of believers and the special office of the ministry of the Word. There is not only ample scope, but an indispensable place for the activity of women in witness to the faith. It is here that women properly and necessarily perform the most effective service in the propagation of the Gospel. ... [Read More!]

Pulpit Ghost Stories, Bug Eating, Repent & Believe

Here's a grab bag of stories too small for their own post and too big for the news ticker. Meet the seeker church that testified of a ghost encounter with a dead civil war chaplain. Is error in doctrine always sin? What is required for salvation, and a reader's email asking what to say when evangelizing. Also a book recommendation and a look at the fearless eating escapades of one popular blogger. ... [Read More!]

Where Have All The Good Books Gone?   Joseph M. Bianchi

A walk through your local Christian book store will reveal a vast array of titles whose themes range from self-help to identifying which demon you are afflicted by. In this sorry state of affairs, one has to ask: "Where have all the sound, doctrinal books gone?". ... [Read More!]

All I Want For Christmas is My Own Air Force

When gift-giving time comes around, what do you get a man who has everything, including his own luxury jet? The answer is simple - you get him some accessories for his new jet! With a few more key items, you might even help him to build his very own air force. For a man with rich tastes however, you should be willing to spend some money. Remember though, it's all going for a good c. . . what I mean to say is that it's going for a good cau . . . I know this post is just satire, but I can't even get myself to type the words . . . "good cause". There! I said it. ... [Read More!]

Now Showing: The Hollywood Jesus

Now playing at a theater near you "The Nativity Story", a PG rated retelling of the birth of Jesus. Evangelicals will undoubtedly rush to praise Hollywood again as they did with Mel Gibson's Passion movie, and the film promises to be a family blockbuster. We will again hear that the "voice" of the church has been heard and that Hollywood is listening. Really? Has the moral content of movies improved since 2004? Biblical Christians should know better than to patronize this movie, and here are some reasons why. ... [Read More!]

The Contemporary Church's Toll on Today's Youth   a parent's letter

My husband grew up a Catholic and I, a Lutheran. Before we married we each came to salvation in different evangelical churches in the early 1980's. After many years of bringing our children up in these types of churches, my husband and I began to question various practices. I wasn't comfortable with my children in the youth groups being "taught [exclusively] by others" and where there was a tendency to focus more on "fun", than on the Bible. I also didn't understand why the basic biblical truths I learned as a child were not being taught. So, eventually, I began to teach these things to my younger children at home during our homeschool time. But, all the while, my husband and I struggled with the fact that there was no real doctrine or theology being taught in these churches, only a lot of hype and emotion. ... [Read More!]

Some Important Posts From a Year of Blogging

Why Old Truth?: "For some reason 'progress' makes people, more often than not, despise the past. (As though it no longer offers anything of any value). This is especially true in our own day (amongst this present generation. . . who live in the lonely age of iPods, CD-Roms, the Internet, and cellular technology). Even among today's professing Christians there is a subtle rejection of historic Christianity at the cost of presently remaining restless, in the shallow fads of a modern 'Christianity'; a Christianity that has taken on the attributes of a shallow culture, and not knowing why." ... [Read More!]

Do Churches Get Carried Away With Nationalism?

The 4th of July holiday is upon us, and it brings to mind some of the most troubling church services that I had ever attended. I'm not anti-patriotic, but some of what will go on in churches this weekend is going to be so out of place for a house of worship. A service at my old church included a flag-draped Harley wheeling up the center aisle of the sanctuary, while soldiers sang patriotic songs up on the stage. How much is too much?... [Read More!]