Christian Marriage, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Reader's Prose

Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, or Mystery

*     *     * The other day when we were discussing the terms Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, and Patriarchy to describe how Christian couples view their gender roles within the marriage (What is Difference Between Complementarianism and Patriarchy?), Pastor Ken Garrett must have gotten a bee in his bonnet and wanted to dig a… Continue reading Complementarianism, Egalitarianism, or Mystery

Divorce, Domestic Violence and Churches, John Piper, Russell Moore, Voddie Baucham

Divorce Dilemmas in the Church

*     *     * I read this excerpt by Dr. Russell Moore recently.  He was asked what to do if someone is in a miserable marriage: Does God want you to be miserable? Long-term, no. And that’s why God has designed marriage as a life-long covenant signaling the gospel of Jesus Christ.… Continue reading Divorce Dilemmas in the Church

Council for Bibl. Manhood & Womanhood, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Doug Phillips & Vision Forum, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, John Piper, Parenting, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Vision Forum

Christian Parenting: Training Your Child’s Gender Identity

*     *     * Twenty-four years ago, when I was pregnant with our second baby, we found out we were having a boy.  When my mom heard the news, she found a doll to purchase for our first child, Hannah. She thought it would be good for Hannah to have her own… Continue reading Christian Parenting: Training Your Child’s Gender Identity

Christian Marriage, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Women and the Church

Is it Proper for Christian Wives to Initiate Sex?

*     *     * Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Ecc 9:9 *    *    … Continue reading Is it Proper for Christian Wives to Initiate Sex?

Doug Phillips & Vision Forum, Dr. Wayne Grudem, Ken Ham, Parenting, Safe Churches, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY, Young Earth Creation

Ken Ham, Young Earth Creationism, Young People AbandoningTheir Faith: My Daughter’s Story

* * * This next story pains me. It's a personal one. Parenting is very challenging. Homeschooling children has also been a challenge. When we began homeschooling our children, we chose to do so for a number of reasons. We wanted to have better oversight over the curricula our children were taught because we wanted… Continue reading Ken Ham, Young Earth Creationism, Young People AbandoningTheir Faith: My Daughter’s Story

Ken Ham, Young Earth Creation

Young Earth Creationism, Ken Ham, The Creation Museum . . . and Dragons?

*     *     * There are some topics that can really get Christians all worked up and young earth creationism (YEC) is one of them.  At a church we attended years ago (not the church that sued me), it was discovered that an elder who had been voted in by church members… Continue reading Young Earth Creationism, Ken Ham, The Creation Museum . . . and Dragons?

Small Groups

Tim Keller Doesn’t Want to Hear about it if You are Hospitalized, but not in a Small Group

*     *     * *     *     * In March 2013, Dr. Timothy Keller spoke at the Faith Angle Forum.  I tried to find info on this event, but could only find cached websites.   Here is an excerpt from the cached site describing Ethics and Public Policy Center's… Continue reading Tim Keller Doesn’t Want to Hear about it if You are Hospitalized, but not in a Small Group

Legalism, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Parenting

Enough Already with the Modesty & Purity Hype

* * * The other day 18-yr old daughter posted this picture on my Facebook with the comment, "What I tell you every time." * * * * * * It cracked me up. But what was interesting to me was noticing the large amount of Facebook friends, also former homeschool kids, who were clicking… Continue reading Enough Already with the Modesty & Purity Hype

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, CHURCH GOVERNANCE & POLICIES, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Homeschool Legal Defense Association, Homeschool Movement, Learn to Discern, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies

Learn and Discern: Government is Evil

*     *     * Yesterday, GRACE published an excellent article by Victor Vieth and linked to the Paul Washer video that I posted in yesterday's article (video is posted below in this article). GRACE  is a non-profit organization made up of highly trained and experienced multi-disciplinary professionals who seek to educate and… Continue reading Learn and Discern: Government is Evil

Church Lingo, Disturbing Trends, Grace Community Church

Church Job Description: Vision Casting?

*     *     * Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. Jeremiah 23:16 *     *     * Covenant Life Church (CLC) in… Continue reading Church Job Description: Vision Casting?

Courtship, Family Integrated Churches, Full-Quiver, Homeschool Movement, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Parenting, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Voddie Baucham

Voddie Baucham: Prescription for Spanking and the Shy Child

*     *     * One of the traps that we got ourselves caught in was looking to religious leaders for guidance on how to raise our children.  It's ok to seek guidance, but we didn't always check what we learned with scripture.  We read a lot of books and went to parenting… Continue reading Voddie Baucham: Prescription for Spanking and the Shy Child

Courtship, Homeschool Movement, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Shunning, SURVIVOR STORIES

Adult Children Shunned by Homeschool Parents: Selah’s Story

*     *     * We recently discussed the challenges that some former homeschool students face when they leave their home.  This story is quite different from the last story, but it, too, deals with painful and strained relationships with fundamental Christian parents who were influenced by the subculture of the Homeschool Movement.… Continue reading Adult Children Shunned by Homeschool Parents: Selah’s Story

Christian Love, Homeschool Movement, Homeschoolers Anonymous, Spiritual Bullies

Christian Homeschool Dad Takes on LGBT Former Homeschooler

*     *     * It's not always easy growing up in a Christian fundamentalist homeschool environment.  I have been seeing an increasing number of homeschool graduates "coming out" in more ways than one.  As a Christian homeschooling mom of over 20 years, we didn't think about our own kids coming out sexually.… Continue reading Christian Homeschool Dad Takes on LGBT Former Homeschooler

Christian Love, Stories of Hope

Effective Street Evangelism with Changed Lives? Yes! Right here!

*     *     * Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27 I think this is true street evangelism right here.  It is being done on a busy street,… Continue reading Effective Street Evangelism with Changed Lives? Yes! Right here!

Homeschool Movement, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit, The Gospel Coalition, Women and the Church

Discernment: You, Some Woman, or Phil Johnson?

* * * I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. Abraham Lincoln Today I read a comment on a blog that absolutely floored me. Early on in my lawsuit case, I contacted a couple of pastors from a well-known church. As I tried… Continue reading Discernment: You, Some Woman, or Phil Johnson?

Christian Love, John Piper, SURVIVOR STORIES

What Do Victims of Natural Disasters Need? A Survivor Shares

*     *     * Jesus wept.  John 11:35  Yesterday, I got ten times mores hits on my blog than usual  -  all because of someone's tweet - - someone who should know better - but who said something so shocking that people came to see the tweet for themselves  (the tweet had… Continue reading What Do Victims of Natural Disasters Need? A Survivor Shares

Domestic Violence and Churches, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Single and Christian, Women and the Church

Motherhood and Failure

*     *     * I read a really good article this morning and it is timely for Mother's Day tomorrow. Are Women Really Saved through Childbearing?   During the anguished time when a woman from my church was trying to conceive, she asked for prayer from a Christian coworker. "She flat out… Continue reading Motherhood and Failure

Christian Love, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit

Who gets to decide what is “real” love?

*     *     * We've had great ongoing discussion on Doctrine as “God”: C.J. Mahaney and Apathy of Celebrity Peers.  I'm right in the middle of a new post, but it's taking a bit more time. When I just saw Wesley post this comment, he asks such an important question because this seems to… Continue reading Who gets to decide what is “real” love?

Feminist Agenda

What is the Big Deal about Feminism and Christianity?

*     *     * Feminism seems to be a naughty word to a lot of Christians.   To me, feminism has to do with equal rights - voting rights, equal pay for equal work, that kind of thing.  But to many conservative Christians, feminism seems to mean something much worse.  I keep hearing… Continue reading What is the Big Deal about Feminism and Christianity?

Authoritative Preaching, Extra-Biblical Nonsense

Evangelical Church is Weak and Womanly

"*     *     * Pulpit Highlights - Phil Johnson from Grace Community Church on Vimeo. In an earlier discussion on street evangelists (Is it Love or Not? Street Evangelists Defend Their Method), reader David  posted the above video in the comments section.  It's just over two minutes long.  Phil is a great speaker… Continue reading Evangelical Church is Weak and Womanly