Blog
Use the search bar below to browse our ever-expanding library of blogs and articles for specific topics.
Does Baptism Save You?
I have been baptized 6 times. If that sounds crazy to you, you are right; it is crazy. This blog aims to answer my questions which remained unanswered for so long; it might even help some of you avoid being baptized for a second, third, or seventh time…
Should Christians Take Medication for Anxiety and Depression?
This question is at the center of a big debate going on in Evangelicalism; much ink has been spilled over whether or not Christians could/should use medication to help battle anxiety and depression. On one end of the spectrum...
Let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector?
What does Jesus mean when he tells the church to treat an unrepentant brother as if they were “a Gentile and a tax collector” in Matthew 18? Does this mean that we should treat them like Christ treated Gentiles and tax collectors? If so, how did Jesus treat them? Or does it mean we should shun or excommunicate them? If so, how and why?
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Imagine this scenario in your local church: A 70-year-old Christian man (who has never been married) and an 18-year-old Christian woman (who has never been married) want to marry each other. You immediately assume that...
Christian Responsibility and Mosaic Law
What are Christians to do with the Old Testament law? Some think we should be living more intentionally according to the tenets of the Torah (the Hebrew word for law, commandment, or statute); most are simply ignorant as to why their food, clothes, and lives should not more closely approximate the forms of the Old Testament. So, what are we to do?
Does Physical Abuse Constitute Grounds for Divorce?
Over the past several months, domestic abuse has been on the front burner of evangelical thought. All condemn abuse as sinful and wicked. All desire to help. But beyond a shared sense of sympathy and compassion, it seems that pastors and churches cannot agree on how exactly to answer this particular question: Does the physically abused spouse have biblical grounds for…
Is Emotional or Spiritual Abandonment Grounds For Divorce?
In 1 Corinthians 7:15, Paul writes that abandonment provides biblical grounds for divorce. But what exactly constitutes abandonment in Paul's context? Is it solely physical desertion, or could it also refer to things like emotional, spiritual, or mental abandonment?
Is Viewing Pornography Grounds for Divorce?
Jesus says that looking at a woman with lustful intent is adultery. Elsewhere, Jesus permits individuals to divorce their spouse if their spouse has committed (you guessed it) adultery. So then, does this mean that you can divorce your spouse if they look at (or have an addiction to) pornography?
Romans and the New Perspective on Paul
Right now, The Parkway Church is going through the grand-daddy, Jedi Master, SEAL Team Six of New Testament theological epistles—the book of Romans. But are there places where we might be misreading Romans because we are reading our presuppositions back onto the text…?
Thoughts on Depression, Anxiety, and Condemnation
For most of my adult life I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and the constant, nagging feeling of condemnation. This is not uncommon for Christians...
Tying the Table to the Text: How the Sermon Serves the Supper
Every text of Scripture that you preach should lead to the gospel…
8 Things the Bible Says About How We Should Dress in Church
What you believe about hats, or capris, or sandals is not as important as what you believe about the Trinity, the resurrection, or the hypostatic union. And yet, if all of the Bible is equally inspired, it is important to consider how the Bible addresses what we wear in worship…
The Kingdom Gospel Story
Once upon a time, there was a good King with an expansive kingdom. Because the King was a good ruler, everything functioned well in his kingdom. There was no sickness, no death, no injustice, no dishonesty...
Should Christians Tithe?
To tithe or not to tithe? That is the question…or at least a good question. And how we answer leads to other questions: Gross or net? What if in debt? Should we give 10% of everything, including Christmas presents, birthday gifts, and tax refunds? Do we have to give to a local church or can we just give to whomever we choose?...
Calvin Killed a Man
Tomorrow, October 27, marks the 464th anniversary of the execution of Michael Servetus for the crime of heresy. Given that this occurred within Geneva, the home of the Reformer, John Calvin, with his knowledge and consent, many have perceived this incident as a mark against his life and ministry…
Can Christians Celebrate Halloween?
For many, Halloween is just about friends, fun, and candy. For others, Halloween is about something darker. Every October, someone asks me whether or not Christians can celebrate Halloween due to the pagan elements in the holiday. I think that is a fair question...
Making Sense of Slavery in the Scriptures
There is a popular argument that goes something like this: The Bible allows for slavery. Slavery is intrinsically immoral. Therefore, Scripture allows for something intrinsically immoral. Such syllogisms sting a bit. So, what are we to do with the fact that no definitive disapproval of slavery is explicitly expressed…
How Do I Actually Disciple My Wife?
“Pursue your wife.” “Men are called to shepherd their home.” “Lead your wife spiritually.” These, and phrases like them, get thrown around in evangelicalism so much that they begin to lose their meaning. But what does it actually mean to “lead your wife”…
Should I Take Communion Before Being Baptized?
The question of taking communion before partaking in baptism might sound silly to some. While it doesn't arise much in Presbyterian, Methodist or other paedobaptist traditions, it certainly comes up within churches that practice believer's baptism. So, how might we think through a proper response...
Going To The Source
What does Scripture say you are to do when you have a criticism or complaint against another in the church? When you have been offended or insulted or slandered or otherwise possess any semblance of cause for concern?...