Two Institutions Two Institutions Returning the Two Institutions of the Family and the Church back to a Biblical model. Articles
The Wonderful Cross
2008-03-21 21:02:00 When I Survey The Wondrous Cross Written by: Isaac Watts (1707) When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The Wonderful Cross", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=274" });
Stealing The Gospel
2008-03-20 14:23:00 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.”- Matthew 13:19a Satan is a thief. The Scriptures reveal his occupations to us in many places. The ultimate jewel that he seeks to plunder is the Gospel . Unfortunately, many ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Stealing The Gospel", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=273" }); More About: Church , Families
Kingdom Diplomacy
2008-03-19 13:00:00 I count myself indeed fortunate that my pastors teach the whole counsel of God. In preparation for the celebration of the holy week, my head pastor taught a sermon from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. It was a beautiful exposition of how we are to be God’s diplomats seeking to teach sinners to be reconciled to God ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Kingdom Diplomacy ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=272" }); More About: Jesus , Gospel
Raising A Restless Generation
2008-03-18 13:35:00 One of the perks of being a new student minister at a church are the numerous invites by the parents of my students requesting us to come over for dinner (hint, hint!). If you have seen me, you know I am happy to oblige. Invariably, we will get into one those conversations regarding ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Raising A Restless Generation ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=271" }); More About: Church , Culture , Families
In The Footsteps Of St. Patrick
2008-03-17 21:00:00 On March 17th, it seems that everyone claims to be Irish. Well, I make that claim also but with the knowledge that my claim is 100% true. My mothers family came to America from around County Meath many generations ago and eventually found their way to North Carolina. Its hard to describe, but if you ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "In The Footsteps Of St. Patrick ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=269" }); More About: History , St Patrick
Quality Time
2008-03-17 14:55:00 As I type this I am home alone with my three boys. My wife has gone to Georgia for a couple of days to be with her best friend, as her best friend and her husband welcome their third child into the world. Congrats Papa T and family! Perspective is a good ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Quality Time ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=268" }); More About: Family , Gospel
A Really Tough Lesson
2008-03-14 18:34:00 I was given a copy of a letter that came to our Children?s Pastor on Wednesday that really ticked me off. I was furious. I wanted to stand on a rooftop and shout out expletives to let everyone know about how furious I was. Then I had a great idea. I ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A Really Tough Lesson ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=267" }); More About: Family , Bible , Gospel
Evidences of God?s Grace
2008-03-13 13:55:00 I had the opportunity to attend the Resurgence Conference a few weeks ago. It was a great experience, but one of the messages still challenges me as I write this. In the first session C.J. Mahaney unpacked 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 in a way that I had never heard it. He contrasted these ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Evidences of God’s Grace ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=266" }); More About: Faith
Southern Baptists And Global Warming
2008-03-12 15:15:00 If there is an issue to be debated you can rest assured that if there are any Southern Baptists within earshot they will jump in and likely be on opposite sides. I can say this because I am a Southern Baptist. Despite the attempt by many in the mainstream media to brand Southern Baptists as ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Southern Baptists And Global Warming ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=264" });
reThink Conference 08
2008-03-11 14:20:00 Two Institutions has reached several milestones of late. Just yesterday, we reached our highest one day visit total and the highest amount of subscribers. I can speak for our team in saying that we are grateful and humbled by God’s favor and your enthusiasm. We are also happy to announce our first ever conference sponsorship. Steve ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "reThink Conference 08", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=263" });
Missing The Eternal Snapshot
2008-03-10 19:42:00 Last year, Gene Weingarten chronicled one of the most provocative articles I have ever read: “Pearls Before Breakfast: Can one of the nation’s greatest musicians cut through the fog of a DC rush hour?” The Washington Post hired Joshua Bell, a world renowned violin virtuoso, to play in the DC Metro train station during rush ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Missing The Eternal Snapshot", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=262" });
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
2008-03-07 14:00:00 I have always been a fan of Ben Stein. His dry humor and witty banter have always been fascinating to me. What I appreciate even more than Mr. Stein’s humor is his willingness to challenge the religion of Darwinism. Mr Stein stars in a new film due out on April 18th entitled, Expelled : No Intelligence ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=261" });
A Good, Swift Kick in the Pants
2008-03-06 15:54:00 I listened to something quite interesting the other day; interesting and convicting. There is a gentleman named Nick Kennicott who has a blog that is spot on. Nick had linked a message that John Piper had delivered to youth workers in 2003. The thrust of the message dealt with making sure that ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A Good , Swift Kick in the Pants ", url: "http://www.twoinstitutions.org/?p=260" });
A Special Request From Dr. Wes Black
2008-03-03 15:15:00 One of the great benefits of being in ministry is that occasionally the Lord brings some of his choice servants across your path. Recently, I was contacted by just such a man named Dr. Wes Black . Dr. Black is professor of student ministry and associate dean for PhD studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has spent years teaching, researching, and writing in the area of student ministry. I am very pleased to name him as a co-laborer in the charge of equipping parents to be the primary disciplers of their children. Dr. Black’s research has led him to formulate a tool for gauging the likelihood of a student dropping out of church upon graduation from high school. He has named this instrument The Lasting Faith Scale. He has asked me to use this blog to make all student ministers aware of this resource. I urge you if you are a youth leader, student pastor, parent, or student to visit this site. When you take this brief survey, you will be helping Dr. Black complete... More About: Special , Request
Somethings Different Here
2008-03-01 00:13:00 In case you haven’t noticed, something is different here. The authors and contributors of Two Institutions.Org are pleased as punch to welcome you to our new and improved site. In addition to our content rich posts, we now make available to you several pages of content including bio’s, downloadable articles, podcasts, and publications. Have a look around the place and familiarize yourself with all the new features. Whatever you do, be sure to come back Monday morning for a special post and announcement from a very well-known professor, author, and new friend to Two Institutions. Oh while you are here, leave us a site-warming gift of a comment to let us know you have stopped by. See ya bright and early Monday morning. ShareThis
Thom Rainer Answers My Question (Part Two)
2008-02-28 14:01:00 In so many words my questions was: “Dr. Rainer would you not say that the main reason why these students are dropping out is because the church is not lovingly holding parents accountable to disciple their children and then equipping them to do so?” Dr. Rainer’s answer was astute and timely… He quickly responded with (and I am paraphrasing), “You have hit the nail on the head.” He also stated, “Our research shows that the students who do remain in church are the ones whose parents have played a significant role in their discipleship.” This obviously came as no shock to me. This is the message that I have had the privilege of proclaiming along with others like Steve Wright, Blake Hickman, Chris Swann, Dr. Wes Black, Dr. Richard Ross, Dr. Randy Stinson, etc. There was a real reason, however, that I wanted Dr. Rainer to share that answer from the floor of the conference in front of many pastors and student pastors. That reason is that th... More About: Question , Answers , Part , Thom
Thom Rainer Answers My Question (Part One)
2008-02-27 16:00:00 I had the privilege of attending the 2008 Evangelism Conference of Southern Baptists in North Carolina this week. It was a singular experience in many ways. I hope that in the coming days that I can unpack my experiences for you here. For right now, however, let me give you a little teaser for what I want to talk about at length in tomorrows post. One of the main plenary sessions of this conference was a presentation by Dr. Thom Rainer . Dr. Rainer is the president of Lifeway Christian Resources. He is a gifted speaker and teacher and we are blessed to have a man of his insight and wisdom at the helm of such an influential organization like Lifeway. In his session, Dr. Rainer presented 12 trends of modern churches and those who attend them. One of the trends that he presented was: 70% of young people between the ages of 18-22 drop out of church and many never return. At the end of his presentation, Dr. Rainer took questions from the floor. As I sat there listening. I knew that this... More About: Question , Answers , Part
Thom Rainer Answers My Question (Part One)
2008-02-27 15:05:00 I had the privilege of attending the 2008 Evangelism Conference of Southern Baptists in North Carolina this week. It was a singular experience in many ways. I hope that in the coming days that I can unpack my experiences for you here. For right now, however, let me give you a little teaser for what I want to talk about at length in tomorrows post. One of the main plenary sessions of this conference was a presentation by Dr. Thom Rainer . Dr. Rainer is the president of Lifeway Christian Resources. He is a gifted speaker and teacher and we are blessed to have a man of his insight and wisdom at the helm of such an influential organization like Lifeway. In his session, Dr. Rainer presented 12 trends of modern churches and those who attend them. One of the trends that he presented was:70% of young people between the ages of 18-22 drop out of church and many never return.At the end of his presentation, Dr. Rainer took questions from the floor. As I sat there listening. I knew that this o... More About: Question , Trends , Answers , Part
Crazy Thoughts
2008-02-25 17:03:00 Something that Mike posted last week got me thinking. Mike commented on a conversation that he was made aware of between a student and a former professor that had left him alarmed. It got me to thinking, "What would my college and seminary professors think of me if they knew where I stood theologically and philosophically in regards to the church and to student ministry?" I dare say they would be shocked.Honestly, some would be shocked that I was thinking at all. That statement is as genuine as I can say it. I was not known in my academic pursuits for being one to take academic pursuits seriously. I was the guy who never participated in theological or philosophical "discussions" because I thought they were just stupid. If things starting getting tense in a class, I was likely to begin climbing under my desk to curl up in the fetal position. It wasn't that I thought these issues weren't worth dialoguing about, it was more that I knew that each time these issues came up, no real dia... More About: Thoughts , Crazy
Redrawing The Lines
2008-02-23 18:42:00 If you haven't figured it out by now, I am an idealist. I believe that culture of family and church in most evangelical circles is not what it should be. I believe that we have allowed satan to erase the lines that help direct us to what God desires for our churches and families. What is very humbling is that in times past, I have been used by satan to do this work of erasing. I suppose that is why I am so passionate about making sure that the lines get redrawn. The days ahead are way too precious to waste wondering where to go for lack of direction.So what are these lines? Well, Let me suggest 4 that we would do well to redraw in our churches and families:1. Line One: Daily Spiritual Warfare - Ask any of my brothers in ministry and they will tell you that I am a broken record when it comes to this one. It's hard to re-draw a line that you don't realize has been erased. Doing spiritual warfare daily helps you to see what the enemy is doing and to find the help that the Lord is s... More About: Lines
Redrawing The Lines
2008-02-23 18:42:00 If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am an idealist. I believe that culture of family and church in most evangelical circles is not what it should be. I believe that we have allowed satan to erase the lines that help direct us to what God desires for our churches and families. What is very humbling is that in times past, I have been used by satan to do this work of erasing. I suppose that is why I am so passionate about making sure that the lines get redrawn. The days ahead are way too precious to waste wondering where to go for lack of direction. So what are these lines? Well, Let me suggest 4 that we would do well to redraw in our churches and families: 1. Line One: Daily Spiritual Warfare - Ask any of my brothers in ministry and they will tell you that I am a broken record when it comes to this one. It’s hard to re-draw a line that you don’t realize has been erased. Doing spiritual warfare daily helps you to see what the enemy is doing and to find the help t... More About: Lines
The Greatest Barrier To Church Reform
2008-02-21 22:54:00 As our families go, so go our churches. I am convinced of this more than ever. To deny this fact is not only silly, it’s irresponsible. Yet, even this week, I was confronted by the thoughts of a youth ministry educator who patently denied that equipping parents is the corrective for students dropping out of churches. When I hear such sentiments it really clarifies why so many of our young student ministry leaders are poorly informed. I, however, will save that discussion for a later time. I think I have come up with a theory why its is so difficult for churches to change the way they approach student ministry, and ministry in general for that matter. The reason is not Biblical per se, it is cultural. We have allowed the culture to shape how we do family and church so much that things that were expected in previous generations are foreign and novel to us today. For instance, consider the practice of family worship. There was a time when it would have been an embarras... More About: Church , Reform , Barrier , Greatest
The Greatest Barrier To Church Reform
2008-02-21 22:54:00 As our families go, so go our churches. I am convinced of this more than ever. To deny this fact is not only silly, it's irresponsible. Yet, even this week, I was confronted by the thoughts of a youth ministry educator who patently denied that equipping parents is the corrective for students dropping out of churches. When I hear such sentiments it really clarifies why so many of our young student ministry leaders are poorly informed. I, however, will save that discussion for a later time. I think I have come up with a theory why its is so difficult for churches to change the way they approach student ministry, and ministry in general for that matter. The reason is not Biblical per se, it is cultural. We have allowed the culture to shape how we do family and church so much that things that were expected in previous generations are foreign and novel to us today. For instance, consider the practice of family worship. There was a time when it would have been an embarrassment f... More About: Church , Reform , Barrier , Greatest
Simplicity Addendum
2008-02-19 16:48:00 I was reading in The Bruised Reed this morning, and this quote from Sibbes summarizes perfectly what I was trying to say yesterday: “Preachers should take heed likewise that they hide not their meaning in dark speeches, speaking in the clouds. Truth fears nothing so much as concealment, and desires nothing so much as to be laid open to the view of all. When it is most unadorned, it is most lovely and powerful.”- p. 25 ShareThis More About: Simplicity , Addendum
Simplicity Addendum
2008-02-19 16:48:00 I was reading in The Bruised Reed this morning, and this quote from Sibbes summarizes perfectly what I was trying to say yesterday:"Preachers should take heed likewise that they hide not their meaning in dark speeches, speaking in the clouds. Truth fears nothing so much as concealment, and desires nothing so much as to be laid open to the view of all. When it is most unadorned, it is most lovely and powerful."- p. 25 More About: Simplicity , Addendum
The Simplicity of the Gospel
2008-02-18 18:56:00 One of the worst moments of my life came the day of my ordination council. That sentence is one of those insert joke here lines, but seriously, the moment that I am about to share with you is both funny and serious at the same time. My ordination council was incredibly uplifting and awesome until my final question. The one man in the room whose question I was afraid of, was about to ask his question. After a brief pause he sighed and looking almost defeated asked me a question far too easy for a man of his intellect. He asked me to tell what the atonement meant. Now some reading here will gasp and say that is no easy question. However as a believer there is no question that should be answered as easily as that one. Basically I was asked to define the Gospel , and I froze. After what seemed like an hour, but really was only about 30 seconds, the questioner told me that he would give me the answer if I needed help. He did this in a very sincere, genuine and loving way I might add. I sa... More About: Simplicity
The Simplicity of the Gospel
2008-02-18 18:56:00 One of the worst moments of my life came the day of my ordination council. That sentence is one of those insert joke here lines, but seriously, the moment that I am about to share with you is both funny and serious at the same time.My ordination council was incredibly uplifting and awesome until my final question. The one man in the room whose question I was afraid of, was about to ask his question. After a brief pause he sighed and looking almost defeated asked me a question far too easy for a man of his intellect. He asked me to tell what the atonement meant.Now some reading here will gasp and say that is no easy question. However as a believer there is no question that should be answered as easily as that one. Basically I was asked to define the Gospel , and I froze. After what seemed like an hour, but really was only about 30 seconds, the questioner told me that he would give me the answer if I needed help. He did this in a very sincere, genuine and loving way I might add. I said... More About: Simplicity
The Legacy Of Modern Christian Fundamentalism
2008-02-15 00:50:00 The word fundamentalism conjures up all kinds of images in the 21st century mind. Many equate fundamentalism with religious extremists who use violence to suppress or eradicate dissenting views. There was a day, however, when fundamentalism, in the Christian sense, simply meant to believe in the basics of the faith. In an effort to stem the growing liberal theological tolerance of some of its leaders, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1910 adopted a list of 5 core beliefs that were "necessary and essential" to the Christian faith:The inerrancy of Scripture.The virgin birth of Christ.The belief that Christ's death was an atonement for sin.The bodily resurrection of Christ.The historical reality of Christ's miracles. If the fundamentalist movement had remained bound to these ideals and had not gotten swept away by other issues, there is no doubt that most if not all orthodox Christians would proudly wear the label fundamentalist today. Fundamentalism , like any ... More About: Christian fundamentalism , Modern , Legacy
The Legacy Of Modern Christian Fundamentalism
2008-02-15 00:50:00 The word fundamentalism conjures up all kinds of images in the 21st century mind. Many equate fundamentalism with religious extremists who use violence to suppress or eradicate dissenting views. There was a day, however, when fundamentalism, in the Christian sense, simply meant to believe in the basics of the faith. In an effort to stem the growing liberal theological tolerance of some of its leaders, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1910 adopted a list of 5 core beliefs that were “necessary and essential” to the Christian faith: The inerrancy of Scripture.The virgin birth of Christ.The belief that Christ’s death was an atonement for sin.The bodily resurrection of Christ.The historical reality of Christ’s miracles. If the fundamentalist movement had remained bound to these ideals and had not gotten swept away by other issues, there is no doubt that most if not all orthodox Christians would proudly wear the label fundamentalist today. ... More About: Fundamentalism , Christian fundamentalism , Modern , Legacy
I’m a hypocrite…
More articles from this author:2008-02-11 20:31:00 And I’m judgmental too. Last Monday and Tuesday I was away in Asheville, NC for a pre-site visit for a conference this fall. I was there with 3 fellow student pastor’s and we got to talking politics. In very short time our talk to turned to our mutual dislike of Mitt Romney. One of the guys asked if it was okay that the only reason he didn’t like Romney was because he was mormon. I said of course, because that was one of the myriad reasons I didn’t like the guy, along with the fact that he smiles too much and he has a scary laugh. But if I’m honest one of the real reason I didn’t and don’t like Mitt Romney is because he is mormon. That covers judgmentalism. Now onto hypocrisy. Friday morning I woke up and watched The Today Show for a little bit, as is my custom in the morning. Matt Lauer was doing an interview with Anne Coulter. Ms. Coulter was whining about how she would rather vote for Hillary Clinton than for John McCain because Sen. McCa... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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