The fifth column that would destroy us.

I spend a fair amount of time researching interventions about workplace violence. I know the epidemiology.[1] And I despise the Duluth Model. It is not science. It is not therapy. It is ideology. And unlike the Bass and Davis polemic of child sexual abuse, it has not been abandoned. Both cause damage. I can recall, … Continue reading The fifth column that would destroy us.

Act with discipline [I Tim 4].

I don't use the revised common lectionary, but the Book of Common Prayer. So the sermon today was from James: we talked about being doers of the word, and not hearers only, and about the plans of osme of our congregation to go and with Habitat for Humanity in Nepal (Earthquakes resonate in NZ. We … Continue reading Act with discipline [I Tim 4].

The prosperity (heresy) trap.

In the service today the Minister did some speculation -- that as Christ was told at his baptism that this was his son and he was well pleased with him as he identified with the fallen and let himself be so identified by entering baptism for repentance -- at the end of his ministry, on … Continue reading The prosperity (heresy) trap.

The (Laodecean) Reformed.

I have always considered this applies to my church. The Reformed have toe or three flaws: we tend to intellectualize; we tend to distrust emotions, and we manage to acquire wealth. One of the signs people consider to see if you are of the elect -- incorrectly, as the passage indicates -- is that you … Continue reading The (Laodecean) Reformed.

Sabaoth and Return.

Yesterday was an odd day. One half of the day was hot to the point that it was physically painful to go outside and I hunkered in the bedroom, curtains drawn, doors open (I have a door to an outside porch in my room) and doing wordpress administration. Or arguing. Then the rain came, and … Continue reading Sabaoth and Return.

Riot girlzzz and Churchianity will perish.

This mornings introduction comes courtesy of a jf12, a commentator at Dalrock's place: if fits into a complaint around the ladysphere that men have lost their mojo and are checking out. And it fits nicely into the passage today and the theme -- that women run religion is a direct attack on your soul. Women … Continue reading Riot girlzzz and Churchianity will perish.

Godly shame is of great value.

I got distracted this morning by an example in death. A couple died while in Kenya doing short term missionary work -- they were part of a party of mostly high school students who were repairing mission buildings. Sent from their church in New Zealand, they died in Kenya. In thinking about this, it is … Continue reading Godly shame is of great value.

Confronting sinners? Yep, just like Jesus.

I am considering a thread that continued overnight -- which I alluded to yesterday -- about the inability to confront. Karly shared a painful story that illustrates this quite well I did rebuke a close friend for her sexual sin. She had cheated on her husband (whom she married young just to get out of … Continue reading Confronting sinners? Yep, just like Jesus.

Fools mock.

There has been an increase in foolishness and refusal to see correction among people over the last 20 years. You are not supposed to damn. Anything. But intolerance. If you say the obvious truth -- such as  continually raising more debt to pay for transfer payments is a way to become bankrupt, or if you … Continue reading Fools mock.

The theology of the remnant.

There is a meme of collapse within the west. The sisterhood are seen as powerful, invasive, and destructive. They are now causing havoc within the church. But a branch or three of the church will remain faithful. It has always been like this. Hosea 11:12-12:1 12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of … Continue reading The theology of the remnant.