God. Real. Right.

While much of the reaction to Sarah Palin’s Christianity since her place on the Republican ticket was announced has been negative, it is important to remember that neither presidential candidate has been bashful about announcing bluntly his own commitment to Christ. Whether those professions are feigned or sincere, there is something more complicated about whether people want a Christian in office or not than simply the difference between red and blue states. Here is one small portion of what is at issue.
For good or bad, what people want in a leader is unfaltering direction. Stupid people who act without hesitation have no problem gathering a following. People who send signals either that they lack confidence or that there is uncertainty about where they will go do not have the same appeal. If someone is going to lead them, followers want to know where they are going to be led.
If a person claims to be a Christian, it is reasonable to assume that he believes in Read the rest of this entry »

I have done a few brief interviews (here is an example about 12 minutes long) on Jerry Johnson Live to address whether sign-gifts such as healing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, and the Word of knowledge are valid gifts for the church today. I do not believe they are. The Criswell Theological Review published my explanation of the cessationist position (the view that the sign-gifts have ceased) in the Fall 2006 issue. That article is available in its entirety here. That argument, however, is too long and a bit cumbersome for most people who might want to understand my view. So here is a very brief overview of what I try to defend more fully in that explanation: Read the rest of this entry »