Category: culture
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WHY UNIVERSALISM?
A Biblical Examination Universalism teaches that all people will ultimately be saved. Some versions say judgment is temporary.Some say hell is corrective.Some say love inevitably triumphs in every individual life. In modern progressive Christianity, universalism is often presented as morally necessary: “How could a loving God send anyone to eternal punishment?” That question is not…
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WHY NON-DENOMINATIONAL?
A Biblical Examination “Non-denominational” is not technically a denomination. It is often a statement of distance from denominational identity. In many cases, it signals: Non-denominational churches range from deeply doctrinal to broadly pragmatic. Some are essentially Baptist in theology but avoid the label.Some are loosely evangelical with minimal confessional structure.Some are pastor-led networks without formal…
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WHY ANGLICAN / EPISCOPALIAN?
A Biblical Examination Anglicanism began in the English Reformation. Episcopalianism is its American expression. Historically, Anglican theology sought to chart a middle path — a via media — between Roman Catholicism and continental Reformed Protestantism. It retained: While rejecting: Anglicanism has often described itself not as a radical reform movement, but as a church reformed…
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WHY LUTHERANISM?
A Biblical Examination Lutheranism traces directly to the Protestant Reformation. It begins with Martin Luther in 1517, when he challenged the sale of indulgences and the theological system behind them. Unlike later Reformed traditions, Lutheranism did not seek to reconstruct the Church from the ground up. It sought to reform it around one central conviction:…
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WHY BAPTIST?
A Biblical Examination Baptists are one of the largest Protestant traditions in the world. In America especially, Baptist churches are everywhere — from small rural congregations to massive urban churches. But “Baptist” does not describe one theological flavor. There are: Some are deeply confessional.Some are revivalistic.Some are highly structured.Some are fiercely independent. So the question…
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WHY PRESBYTERIANISM?
A Biblical Examination Presbyterianism stands within the historic Reformed tradition. It traces its theological roots to the Protestant Reformation, particularly through figures like John Calvin and later the Scottish reformer John Knox. It is confessional, structured, and theologically serious. Unlike movements built around revival or experience, Presbyterianism is built around covenant theology, elder-led governance, and…
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WHY PENTECOSTALISM?
A Biblical Examination Pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing Christian movements in the world. It emphasizes the active work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, healing, prophecy, and powerful worship experiences. For many, Pentecostal churches feel alive. There is passion. Expectation. Emotion. Urgency. But as with every tradition in this series, the question is not…
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WHY EASTERN ORTHODOXY?
A Biblical Examination Eastern Orthodoxy is often called “the ancient Church.” It traces its roots back to the earliest centuries of Christianity. Its worship is formal and reverent. Its churches are filled with icons and incense. Its theology speaks often of mystery and transformation. To many Protestants who are tired of shallow modern church culture,…
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WHY…?
A Biblical Examination of Christian Traditions There are thousands of Christian denominations worldwide. Some of that number is inflated by technical distinctions and global variations, but the reality remains: Christianity is not a monolith. We have Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. Lutherans and Anglicans. Baptists and Presbyterians. Pentecostals and non-denominational churches. All claiming Christ.All holding…
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My Journey to Ordination
A calling pursued through mercy, failure, and faithfulness I was saved at fifteen years old. I grew up around the church. I knew the language. I knew the stories. I knew how to behave. And by God’s grace, I came to know Christ—not just as an idea, but as Savior. The foundation of faith was…
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China Doll
No student ever called Bob Paremore “China Doll.” That nickname belonged to another world entirely—one he earned long before he ever stepped into a high-school gym as a coach. But the irony of it always stayed with me. Of all the men who could carry a name like that, Paremore was the least likely candidate.…
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Let’s Talk About Martin Luther King, Jr.
Every January, Martin Luther King, Jr. is either canonized beyond criticism or condemned beyond usefulness. Neither approach is honest.Neither approach helps us learn. If we are going to talk about Dr. King—and we should—then we need to do so with both gratitude and discernment. Christians, of all people, ought to be able to walk that…
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Cassius Marcellus Clay: The Abolitionist Who Would Not Back Down
When Americans picture abolitionists, we tend to imagine ink-stained fingers, polite speeches, and moral appeals made from safe distances. Cassius Marcellus Clay did not operate at a safe distance. He published abolitionist newspapers in slave territory. He carried Bowie knives into political meetings. He survived assassination attempts. He killed attackers in self-defense. And he never…
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From Narco-States to Neighborhoods: How Corruption, Open Borders, and Fentanyl Built a Pipeline of Death
Fentanyl did not become America’s deadliest drug by chance. It arrived here through a pipeline—constructed deliberately, protected politically, and tolerated culturally. That pipeline begins in corrupt, cartel-entangled regimes in South America, runs through open corridors created by failed border policy, and ends in American homes, hospitals, and cemeteries. This is not conjecture. It is consequence.…
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The Gospel — Clear, Simple, and True
Most people believe they are “good enough” for God. They compare themselves to others and conclude that, surely, they’ll be fine in the end. But the question is not whether we are better than others.The question is whether we are right before God. And God has given us a standard. God Is Holy — and…
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It’s Christmas, Y’all!
Not the sanitized, soft-focus, background-noise version that plays in the mall while you’re standing in line holding a $7 cup of coffee and wondering how it got this expensive. I’m talking about the real thing. The kind of Christmas that smells like pine and coffee, sounds like laughter in the other room, and somehow manages…
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Dear Brother: When the Weight of Faithfulness Makes Ancient Roads Look Appealing
Dear Brother, I want to write to you not as an opponent, not as a watchdog, and certainly not as a man standing at a distance—but as a fellow pilgrim who knows the weight you carry. I see your faithfulness.I see the long obedience when no one is applauding.I see the way you have stood…
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What Christmas Demands of Us
Christmas is not a mood.It is not a memory.It is not a moment on the calendar. It is a confrontation. If everything the church has confessed about the incarnation is true—if God truly took on flesh, entered history, bore sin, and rose in victory—then Christmas does not leave us unchanged. It demands a response. Neutrality…
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The Baby in the Manger and the Man on the Cross
There is no such thing as an isolated manger. The child laid in straw cannot be understood apart from the man lifted on wood. To separate Bethlehem from Golgotha is not only a theological mistake—it is a deliberate softening of the gospel. The manger makes no sense without the cross.And the cross cannot be understood…
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The Incarnation Is Not Sentimental
Modern Christmas has trained us to see the incarnation as gentle, warm, and safe. Soft lighting. Muted colors. Calm animals. A quiet baby. A serene mother. A stoic father. It is peaceful.It is comforting.It is sentimental. And it is deeply misleading. The incarnation was not designed to make us feel cozy. It was an act…
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Why Christmas Can’t Be Neutral
There is a popular myth in modern culture that Christmas can be celebrated “neutrally.” That it can simply be a cultural holiday—warm, inclusive, and meaningful—without making any claims about truth, authority, or God. That myth collapses the moment we ask a single question: Why does Christmas exist at all? The Illusion of Neutrality Neutrality is…
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Secular Christmas
Every December, something strange happens. Lights go up. Trees go up. Playlists get dusted off. Office parties appear on calendars. Cups turn red. Commercials grow sentimental. Everyone starts talking about Christmas—but almost no one is talking about Christ. This isn’t accidental. It’s intentional. What we now call “Christmas” in the public square is largely a…
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Christianizing the Culture and the Good It Brings to the World
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10 For many believers, the idea of “Christianizing the culture” can sound aggressive, political, or triumphalist. In reality, the biblical vision of Christianity shaping society is simply the natural result of people redeemed by Christ living faithfully in the…
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Why I Don’t Make a Big Deal About My Birthday
Introduction Every year when December 5th shows up on the calendar, people ask the same question:“So, what are you doing for your birthday?” This Friday, I turn 47—and just like every other year, the plan is pretty simple: not much. It’s not because I dislike celebrating. It’s not because I’m moody or trying to be…
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