Dr Paul Allen

Inside American evangelicalism is a paradox: many of the most respected leaders use their influence to steer denominations and institutions in a direction that is significantly more liberal than the people those leaders ostensibly represent. There is no shortage of examples of this. Congregations who would reject critical race theory have CRT spoon-fed to them by their leaders. While those in the pew eschew the LGBTQ+ movement, some of the most influential evangelical pastors in the country are exposing their congregations to “affirming” curricula.  The ERLC provides a great illustration of this paradox. While the government closed churches and banned singing during COVID, the “religious liberty commission” of the Southern Baptist Convention commended court rulings siding with the government, which directly opposed the ERLC’s supposed mission and the will of many Southern Baptists. The Daily Wire’s Megan Basham wants us to know that it is not a coincidence that church leaders use their

Ryan Ross In Revelation, John writes about “seven stars” in Jesus’s right hand (Rev. 1:16). These, he explains, “are the angels of the seven churches” (v. 20). The churches themselves are described as “seven lampstands” (vv. 12, 20). But who are the “angels of the seven churches?” At first blush, it may seem that “angels” are supernatural guardian angels in this context. Writebol, following Peter Leithart and a long history in Reformed teaching, argues that John isn’t talking about a church’s specially assigned angel but rather a messenger of the church: a pastor. This means “the letters are personal addresses from Jesus to these pastors about who he is and who they are” (6). This interpretative approach acts like a lens correcting astigmatism. It snaps pastoral implications into focus, like putting on brand-new glasses. It showed me things about myself and my ministry that were distorted before. These are letters from Jesus to pastors. This directness adds to their weight as they poin

Triage for Embattled Pastors or leaders I suppose you could say that what I’m suggesting here is a kind of triage for an embattled pastor. In other words, What are the questions that we should ask when there is short-term or long-term criticism of our ministry? And it really could apply to others as well, besides pastors, who are in various kinds of callings and feel themselves barraged with critical responses to their efforts. What are the questions that will help us know how to respond and whether the criticisms are an indication that we should not be serving in this place, or in this way, anymore? 1. Are the criticisms true? Or what parts of them are true, and what parts are untrue or exaggerated? And here we’re going to need not only biblically informed self-knowledge, humble self-knowledge, which is really important in the ministry, but the wisdom of those who know us best, which would include our spouse (hopefully), wise colleagues that we trust — people who can help us sort thro

Godly Leaders and Fallen Leaders In today's episode, David Mathis discusses the topic of spiritual authority—what it is, who has it, and how we should respond when that authority is abused. Matt Tully You open your book by noting something that I’m sure many of our listeners have noticed themselves—maybe they even feel it themselves—and it’s that we live in an age that is increasingly cynical and sceptical about the idea of leadership. You say that some of that cynicism is for good reasons, and some of it has maybe more to do with just the mood of our times. So I’d love for you to unpack both of those things for us, maybe starting with the good reasons. What are some of the good reasons for our ambivalence about leadership today? David Mathis Matt, you know we got access to a lot of stories these days through social media, through our various media, and the tide has changed on if there’s a bad leader story, whether the social pressure is to suppress it or whether the social pressur

 The Bible is clear that women followed Jesus—Joanna, wife of Chuza, Mary Magdalene, and Jesus’ mother are just a few. But did he have female apostles? Dr. Mike Heiser explores the answer in this article excerpted from his book I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible. *** Paul’s final greetings to the Roman Church seem typical. We might just skim over the list of names without a second thought. But one name within that list has become the focus of controversy and heated debate: Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. (Rom 16:7) Junia is most likely the name of a woman. When you read the phrase “among the apostles,” you understand how a simple salutation has become a prooftext in the debate over the role of women in ministry. The evidence that Junia is a woman is compelling . It's Greek spelling (Iounian) could point to either a man or a woman. However, the addition of an accent mark

In a time of tumult and crisis, a bishop writes to encourage his friends and colleagues in ministry. There is much to discourage them: their perceived lack of ability; biblical and theological illiteracy in their congregations; interruptions to their busy schedules; and scandals rocking the church. As he writes, he looks for a golden thread that will tie together his advice and will call them back to faithfulness in their task. That bishop was Augustine of Hippo. Though he wrote a millennium and a half ago, his words ring true today. In a remarkable section of Instructing Beginners in Faith, “How to Avoid Discouragement,” Augustine addresses a number of challenges pastors face. He binds his encouragements together under one theme: the call to follow Christ in the simple and humble work of love. His advice is timeless, and we would do well to listen to it. Communication It worries us what was imbibed by the mind in one swift draught takes long and convoluted by-ways as it comes to expre

How do your pastors handle their power? That’s right, their power. Does that make you cringe to think about pastors having power? If so, it’s understandable. When we talk about power today, we do so in a particular social climate. Even ordinary folks, unfamiliar with foreign names like Nietzsche and Foucault, have caught the drift, and the negative connotations of power. This is why it might sound jarring in many ears to hear about pastoral power. Power, however, rightly defined, is first a gift and blessing from God, not an evil to be avoided. Power, writes, Andy Crouch, is “our ability to make something of the world” in fulfillment of the charge God gave our race to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion (Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power, 17). To be human is to have power. With brains and hands, minds and muscles — and a voice — God enables us to fulfill his call, and increases our power as we exercise it effectively, especially as we con

Regulations For Chinese Ministry New government measures, which will include a database of church leaders, look set to introduce even more state control over Christian ministry in China. It was confirmed this week that the Measures for the Administration of Religious Personnel issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), first announced in November 2020, will come into effect on 1 May 2021. New government measures require all church leaders to “support the leadership of the Communist Party of China … [and] practice the core values of socialism” Key among the new measures, according to Article 33 of the document, is the creation by SARA of “a database of religious personnel” listing all those authorised by the state to perform religious ministry. Church leaders not registered in this database will not be permitted to undertake ministry. In order to be registered church leaders must, according to Article 3, be those who  “love the motherland, support the leadership of

Constantly Turn from Sin It’s a very simple thing to go down the path of sanctification. Through prayer, cry out to the Lord, confess your sins, repent of your sins, and turn from your sins so that you’re constantly cleansing your heart in an honest way. That goes back to what Paul said to Timothy, If A man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel fit for the master’s use. (2 Tim. 2) God doesn't bless great - God blesses holiness That says it all. If you’re not cleansed from the things that corrupt your life, you’re not a vessel fit for the Master’s use. You may be able to get a crowd, you may be able to entertain some people and keep their attention, but it’s not great talent God blesses; it’s great holiness. Be Filled with the Word A clean sword is an awesome weapon in the hand of God. So, first of all, it’s a matter of constantly coming before the Lord to have your heart cleansed in repentance. And then you need to be in the word of God. You ne

Not a brawler. The 400-year-old King James Version (KJV) translates 1 Timothy 3:2–3 with surprising timelessness. Of the full list of fifteen, this qualification for pastor-elder in the church is one of just five negative traits. Modern translations say “not quarrelsome” (ESV and NIV) or “not . . . pugnacious” (NASB), but here the language of the KJV has endured. Indeed, we know who the brawlers are today, and it doesn’t take much foresight to recognize what a problem it could be to have one as a pastor. However, a nuance that “not a brawler” may lack is distinguishing between the physical or verbal nature of combat. This is the upside of “not quarrelsome.” In 1 Timothy 3, the physical already has been covered: “not violent but gentle.” What’s left is the temperamental, and especially verbal. We all know too well, by the war within us, how the flesh itself relentlessly at odds with the Spirit of God. We want to quarrel when we should make peace, and not ruffle feathers when we shou