Category Archives: Index

Real Restoration: Abraham’s Covenant with God, Part 1

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Jay F Guin

God’s mission to repair us as broken eikons, that is, flawed images of God, begins with Abraham. You know the story, I’m sure. Abraham was hardly the holiest man we can imagine. He treated his wife badly at times. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Restoration, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Buried Talents: An Email About Girls Who Pray in the Presence of Boys

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Jay F Guin

I get emails — Without going into long-winded details, is it appropriate for a teenaged, baptized girl to lead a prayer in the presence of a baptized teenaged male? (This seems even more ridiculous now that I have typed this.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Role of Women, Uncategorized | 219 Comments

Real Worship: Part 4: “Sacrifice” and “offering”

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Jay F Guin

Just as was true of proskuneo, there’s an obvious contrast between ritualized, specified, rules-based worship of the Old Testament and a radically different kind of worship in the New Testament. The words used of Old Testament ritual are never applied … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Worship, Uncategorized | 19 Comments

Thought Question: 10 Things Evangelicals Should Stop

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Jay F Guin

From Efrem Smith — Ten Things I Wish Evangelicals Would Stop Doing — 10.) Act as if justice is simply a social issue and not a biblical one. 9.) Reduce the Christian life to individualism. 8.) Major in the minors … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought Questions, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Real Restoration: The Story Thus Far

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Jay F Guin

Story The conflicts that will define the Story — the story of God’s activity among men — are now laid out for the reader — * Satan vs. God by means of mankind. Satan seeks to drive a wedge between … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Restoration, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Thought Question: Brad Wright on Christian Divorce Rates

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Jay F Guin

I thought the readers might profit from this USA Today article that quotes sociologist Bradly Wright, author of Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You’ve Been Told: A Sociologist Shatters Myths From the Secular and Christian Media. When Wright examined … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought Questions, Uncategorized | 17 Comments

Real Worship: Part 3: Latreuo and Latreia

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Jay F Guin

Latreuo in the Old Testament Latreuo is sometimes translated “service” and sometimes “worship.” It has its own interesting story. We first see the word when God calls Moses — (Exo 3:12 ESV) 12 He said, “But I will be with … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Worship, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Thought Question: Is It Okay to Leave a Church Because You’re Not Being Fed?

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Jay F Guin

At the Baptist Standard, Marv Knox responds to this question, saying, I tend to tilt away from agreeing that “not being fed” is sufficient reason for leaving a church. … A church cannot be all things to all people. So, … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought Questions, Uncategorized | 63 Comments

Real Restoration: Cain, The Flood, and Babel

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Jay F Guin

Cain (Gen 4:8-15 NIV) 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Restoration, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Thought Questions: How Does the Size of a Church Affect How It Operates?

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Jay F Guin

We in the Churches of Christ tend to assume that all congregations must operate pretty much the same way. There’s this “pattern” that all churches must follow. Of course, there are exceptions, but not many. For example, we teach that … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought Questions, Uncategorized | 10 Comments