Month: January 2006

[Philthreeten](http://philthreeten.blogspot.com/2006/01/family-portrait.html) (who was kind enough to point out that I couldn’t possibly be actually reading his site, since my link to him was wrong) has a nice article up on what too look for in a new church. He paints an excellent picture of the key features in a properly functioning thriving church ought to look like. However, I don’t know that I agree with him that finding a “good” church is the same thing as finding the “right” church to join. Continue reading “Finding a Church”

I’m almost done reading Jon Ruthven’s wonderful book on cessationism.  It’s a fabulous book, even if it is a little too academic for most readers.  Hopefully I’ll be able to do something of a review later, but for now I wanted to share this quote:

Much divisiveness over the gifts of the Spirit today derives from a premise common to both sides to the debate: evidentialism.  If spiritual gifts are adduced as proofs of spiritual status or attainment, rather than used as tools for humble service for others, then conflict naturally follows.  The core temptation to the first and Last Adam (Christ), and by extension to all of us, was to use spiritual knowledge and power to accredit one’s independent and exalted religious status, instead of through them rendering glory, obedience and service to God.  Spiritual gifts are powerful weapons against the kingdom of darkness; but misapplied in evidentialist polemics they can wound and destroy the people of God.