(Tim, w/thanks to a bunch of people) "Such artfully crafted ambiguity" isn't a summary statement describing the caviling of Tim Keller concerning what distinction his church makes between her male and female officers. Rather, it's a quote from the The New York Times which recently [...]
(Tim) While cruising through Hot Springs, Montana, several weeks ago, Mary Lee and I caught sight of Stephen and Sebra Baker posing in front of their legendary teepee for a marriage portrait. We stopped and caught this pic. It was good finally to be able to [...]
(Tim) Came across this today and thought it interesting. As you'll see, I've pulled the specifics of the apology. I did this because it's not the specifics, but the wording of the apology itself I find interesting. And by the way, Moe is a woman and Stan Gundry is a [...]
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
(Tim, w/thanks to Carole, Clint, and Ginger) [...]
(Tim) Over at I, Cringely, the buildup to the tablet Apple's rumored to be coming out with soon is the occasion for an excellent series of articles on publishing's past and present. As Jobs prepares to unleash Apple's latest, where have we been and where are we headed?
When I [...]
(Tim) Taylor played varsity soccer this past year and this pic ran in the Bloomington paper. Am I proud of my son? Yes, I am. More for his heart than soccer, though. He submits to authority! Can you imagine that? No matter how normal it is [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Bob and Brian) At church the other day, I was talking with Bob Sands, a young father of ten or twenty (I've lost track), and he mentioned another man in our congregation, Brian Bailey, had sent him a link to a book on Google Book that he'd [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Kamilla) Christians who voted for Barack Obama and now support centralized government health care normally are great supporters of that Emergent businessman, Brian McLaren. You can warn them away from him, but they persevere in their adulation because he speaks their language as no one else. As [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to David L.) On the occasion of another thematic Bible, this one titled The American Patriot's Bible...
Recently, I've been explaining to younger believers that we must beware the idolatry of the state--particularly now when so many are crying out for Washington D.C. to heal them. We're well [...]
(Tim) With the release of Sarah Palin's book, Going Rogue, there is increasing talk of her presidential aspirations. As I have said before, I could vote for a woman for office. But it would be due to other considerations that, in my view, relegated her sex to a tertiary [...]
(Tim) A couple days ago, under the post "Why Same-Sex Intimacy Is Sin," a comment appeared written by Baylyblog's resident scoffer, Cliff Foreman. For twenty-five years, Professor Foreman's day job has been professing Reformed Christian faith as a member of the English Department at the Presbyterian Church in America's' [...]
(Tim) This is written by a convert to Eastern Orthodoxy. Thinking readers might have some responses, I post it here. I've received it second or third hand, so I don't know the writer or context.
While recognizing that some people have a calling from God to speak out specifically on these [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Brian) Below is a quote taken from a story about the recent attack and apparent attempted murder of Indiana State Representative Ed Delaney. Both Delaney and his attacker are attorneys.
[Attorney] DeLaney said, Mendenhall reached into a large zippered bag, ostensibly to get a retainer check DeLaney [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Kamilla) Early church fathers rebuked Christians for paying money to feed their dogs while leaving abandoned children to die on the slopes behind their homes. But today, no one calls Christians to consider the love and affection and wealth we shower on our precious pets while turning [...]
Lots of Berliners talked of Ronald Reagan’s speech, delivered in Berlin, almost two years earlier, when he demanded:”Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down this Wall!” Was President Reagan’s dramatic call about to happen? Some Berliners worried the soldiers would take charge. No one knew.
Ironically, the worst source of information was the media, perhaps because in 1987 [...]
(Tim) This evening I received the following e-mail from a reader of the post, "Christianity Left Behind." Although I sent an initial brief response to my correspondent covering several matters, I also told him I would post his e-mail here asking our other readers to assist with the work. [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to DC) Ted Haggard is welcomed into a pulpit. Tragically, note this view of Gospel ministry unbelievers are left with:
"You could make a career out of your reformed fallen Christian life," said David Edward Harrell, a retired Auburn University history professor who studies charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity. "What you can't'" [...](Tim: This from Rev. Andrew Webb) After two meetings of debate, yesterday (Oct. 27, 2009) Central Carolina Presbytery passed the following overture to the 38th General Assembly by a twenty-eight vote margin:
Overture to the 38th Presbyterian Church in America General Assembly
Amend Book of Church Order 9-7
1. Whereas the Presbyterian Church [...]
(Tim) This e-mail just went out to the members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City over the signature of the church's pastor, Tim Keller. The e-mail's purpose is to solicit nominations of men and women for church office. Nominations are to be sent to Jenny Chang, Redeemer's Director' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to several readers) A prominent evangelical magazine just did a piece on the complaint by Calvin College faculty reps that Calvin's board has issued policy barring members of their faculty from promoting sodomy. The article starts this way:
The homosexuality debate that has torn apart mainline denominations is fanning' [...](Tim) Please pray for David and Cathron Dodrill and their children as they mourn the loss of their oldest son, Stephen Dodrill, who died in an ATV accident late this afternoon.
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
From the Book of Common [...]
(Tim) Good readers, I apologize for two posts that were auto-posted this morning before they were complete. Andrew Henry's been in the trunk line for way too long and I was excited to see he had completed his post, only to see that, actually, he hadn't (as some of you' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to James) Thinking beyond the obvious, those who have trained themselves in discernment will see where the wickedness of our culture will lead us and our children in the coming years. Seeing the mile markers that have flashed by, the trajectory before us will be clear.
First, the church [...]
(Tim Bayly: This post is written by a craftsman of musical instruments in our church named Andrew Henry. I asked him to write about his beautiful musical instruments and to include some pics. He's kindly done so and you'll see why I'm tickled pink to own his' [...]
(Tim) What do you say when Calvin College's confessional Protestant and Reformed faculty members have a hissy fit over their trustees' adoption of a policy barring them from advocating sodomy? What about bestiality--would these magnificent minds object to a policy barring them from advocating sex with animals?' [...]
(Tim: This post by our dear sister, Kamilla Ludwig.)
So, here I am at something past 5 am with insomnia for the third night running. I never know what to do, but it seems the best solution is to get out of bed and out of my bedroom for a while. [...]
(Tim) Gospel rappers/preachers like shai linne have their roots in slam poetry. From the "Poetry Slam" Wikipedia entry:
In a poetry slam, members of the audience are chosen by an M.C. or host to act as judges for the event. After each poet performs, each judge awards a score to [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Lucas, Joseph, Michael...) Lucas and Hannah and Joseph and Heidi were together earlier this evening and sent me a link to this comedy club clip by Taylor Mali. Watching it brought on that sickness that always comes when I'm forced to face what men do in the' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Mike, Jake, Jody, and Phil) If you want to see one fulfillment in our own time of Jesus' promise that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church, listen to this proclamation of the Gospel. Makes my heart sing for joy.
' [...](Tim, w/thanks to Andy) Readers may have noted my mention of Grand Rapids in the post on False Shepherd Rob Bell. It was purposeful. When a community committed to confessing the most Biblical doctrine turns its back on God's Word in as flagrant a way as the Christian Reformed' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to David L.) What if a pastor were to take seriously the Apostle Paul's warning to the Ephesian elders:
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His [...]
(Tim) While we're on church signs, last night Mary Lee and I had dinner with our dear friends, Kent and Sue Scudder in Edmonds, Washington. Just a few blocks from their home we saw this sign out in front of the local PC(USA) congregation. Here's a' [...]
(Tim) Mary Lee and I were driving down the street when we saw this sign. I took a pic thinking it must be the world's only church so named, but come to find out there's a new denomination called the Institutional Missionary Baptist Conference of America. [...]
(Tim) Stephen and Sebra Baker and Mary Lee and I had an excellent time at the Christ Church Ministerial Conference last Thursday and Friday. The conference's subject was "Sexual Orthodoxy" and the MP3s should soon be available from Canon Press.
Make sure you listen to Doug on "The Politics of" [...]
(Tim) Earlier this afternoon as a member of Ohio Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America, I received the following letter from the stated clerk of our denomination, Dr. Roy Taylor. As background to the present controversy, readers should know that a number of PCA pastors and elders are [...]
(Tim) Well, followed a link and check out this screen shot of Derek Webb's home page. Bottom right corner, folks.
Snicker, snicker.
[...](Tim) By the way, yesterday Herr Professor Doctor Jürgen von Hagen brought us the Word of God at Church of the Good Shepherd. His text was the Rich Fool and it's context, Luke 12:16-34. Concerning the statements there, "he began reasoning to himself" and "I will say to my soul," Juergen [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Craig) So Derek's trying to say something about something, and he's feeling quite self-righteous about what it is, precisely, he's trying to say. Thing is, when Dylan had his Christian phase, you didn't need a degree in jive talk to get it. His words were [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to our Redeemer Manhattanite correspondent) Pastor Rick Phillips recently did a post critical of a review of Willow Creek written by the Rev. Dr. Tim Keller. Rick was apologetic as he got started:
Our poor friend Tim Keller suffers the fate of having his every word parsed over a thousand times... [...](Tim) Our brother Andy Webb who serves as pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Fayetteville, North Carolina, succeeded in getting the PCA's byFaith magazine to run an article he submitted titled, "Those Who Want to Revisit Women's Roles Have Been Heard and Some Are Concerned About What They're'" [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to David L.) For the sake of unborn generations, let the electrons permanently record here on Baylyblog that there were some citizens of these United States who, long before the the Peace Prize was awarded to President Obama, already knew the Nobel had become a joke. President Obama [...]
(David) I want to say something that will strike some as unfair and ad hominem. So be it. I accept the risk because I see the connection and perceive the logic. If others don't, blessings on them.
My thought and question is this: why do those who promote the idea of' [...]
(Tim) For the person who just arrived here from links provided the Google inquiry, "How can I tell if we are equally yolked," here's my suggestion. Eyeball the yellow parts and see if they look about the same. Simple as pie, actually.
PS: My wife, Mary Lee, thought this post was' [...]
(Tim) In two weeks, Mary Lee and I will be out in Moscow at the Christ Church Ministerial Conference this year titled "Sexual Orthodoxy," and the addresses are titled, "The Politics of Sodomy," "Why Women Make Better Ministers than Men Do," "Family Government in" [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Kevin) Well, friends, it's Franky Scheffer again. Some fool let him out of his cage. He's rabid and frothing at the mouth. Yes, I know it's a little long, but read to the very end...
[...](Tim) Get this. Mike Lockett's watching the WNBA finals because he WANTS to! No, I'm not making it up.
He wants to...
Dya hear about the contest where first prize was free tickets to one WNBA finals game and...
second prize was free tickets to three WNBA finals games?
[...](Tim) A few people have asked me for my impressions of Bryan Chapell's impressions of the wisdom of General Assembly last year in its decision not to have more talk about why Scripture's doctrine of sexuality is hopelessly outdated and wrong. Oh, alright; proponents of the talk did refer [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Taylor) If you've ever found yourself wondering what thought ran through Bengals wide receiver, Ochocinco's, head when he held one of his four sons (by three different women) in his arms as a newborn, his bio will tell you: "I'm holding a little me." And his' [...]
(Tim) Rarely does a writer get it right about both Apple and Microsoft, but the Guardian's Charlie Booker has done it. (Watch the language.) Whether you're Mac or Windows, you'll laugh. And when you're done, watch this video with the gray hair who, despite her ancientism, is surprisingly aware' [...]
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
(Tim) The results of Trinity College's 2008 American Religious' [...]
(Tim) Let it never be said Baylyblog had nothing good to say about President Bill Clinton. Just one question, though: if the President wouldn't make the trip to Japan because his daughter would be left home "alone," where was his daughter's mother? Off baking cookies?
' [...](Tim) Interesting information on patents Apple's been granted for what many think will be a new iPod video headset. Just what we need...
[...](Tim, w/thanks to Mark) Lest there be any doubt in the matter, I'm absolutely opposed to any expansion of the authority and power of our national government in the lives of citizens of our united states. And this is particularly true with regard to what is being referred to as national healthcare. The national' [...]
Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1)
(Tim) Under "Save your church money...," David Ker, a Bible translator and blogger of Mozambique, commented on the lockdown [...]
We bought our chairs from Save Your Church Money, a business started by Pastor George Kreger who serves New Hope Community Church in Bryan, Ohio. George' [...]
(Tim) At times, it's helpful for customers to tell each other the good and bad of customer service. This enables us to make better decisions knowing other customers' experience. I've told the good of Apple Computer. This post is the bad about U.S. Honda.
Mary Lee and I bought a [...]
by John DeWalt (here's an introduction to John DeWalt)
SOLO
The big milestone in flight school is the first solo flight. The instructor finally thinks the student can survive a few minutes without the instructor at his side to prevent fatal blunders. This generally occurs soon after the student grasps the input-out [...]
(David) Few translation errors are more egregious and, frankly, revolting than those done with the intent of rendering God prettier than He shows himself in the unvarnished Word.
The other day while my son was reading the story of the wedding at Cana from John 2 in family devotions I caught [...]
by John DeWalt (here's an introduction to John DeWalt)
U.S. Army helicopter flight school was an absolute blast―except for the first week or two.
I was fairly well coordinated and very highly motivated to learn to fly helicopters. But for the first couple of weeks, I began to think I’d wash [...]
(David) Our eldest, Nathan, left Monday to serve as an intern at an international church in Lausanne. Nate's taking a break from his studies at BGSU to work with Pastor Martin Slack of Westlake Church. Westlake is a growing four-year-old daughter church of Westlake Church, [...]
by John DeWalt (here's an introduction to John DeWalt)
Flight school was one of the very best times of my life. Besides the sheer fun and challenge of learning to fly choppers, flight school was wonderful by contrast with wretched experiences before and after.
I'd recently finished college, where I'd spent four years as a' [...]
(Tim) As an introduction to a three-part series of posts on Army helicopter school...
One of the graces of our life has been my cousin, John DeWalt. When I was in Junior High School, John started at nearby Wheaton College. John was from Pittsburgh so the Bayly house eleven miles [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to James) If you haven't seen the fun home page of the Dutch chain store HEMA yet, check it out.
' [...](David) On the way out of the office the other day I noticed a magazine on the front table. It was one of those freebie church business magazines that attach themselves to church addresses like lint to black sweaters. Entitled Church Productions, this particular magazine promotes audio visual equipment to [...]
(Tim: the text below is contributed by our NYC correspondent) A letter from PCA Stated Clerk Roy Taylor dated September 9, 2009 states that certain officers of the Standing Judicial Commission ("SJC") have ruled that the complaint filed with the SJC objecting to the [...]
(Tim) Our New York correspondent writes:
The current round of Sunday school classes at Redeemer Presbyterian Church features three different classes led by women. Attendance for these classes is not restricted to women. It seems that some explanation for Redeemer's practice is warranted given Scripture's prohibition of women teaching men:
(Tim: this is a rerun) The Apostle Paul prohibits the exercise of authority over man by woman, saying "I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, for Adam was created first, then Eve." (1 Timothy 2:12a)
With this simple statement, Paul explicitly affirms what is implicit throughout God's Word:' [...]
(Tim) The problem with Evangelicalism is illustrated by our local Contemporary Christian Music station. Every piece of music ends with a crescendo. Sopranos screech, brass blares, tenors hitch into falsetto, and every word's either 'grace' or 'blessing' or 'peace' or 'Heaven.' Can't stand the stuff. Ain't real.
It's like touring the [...]
(Tim) Everyone ready for a belly laugh?
In a post titled "Eloquent Whining Is Still Whining," Kevin Carroll quotes Bryan Chapell lamenting in the latest byFaith that the egalitarians pushing for woman officers in the PCA haven't been listened to enough. Complains Chapell:
Whether we are talking about a local' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to David T.) Sixty-three year old James Pouillon had long been active opposing the slaughter of unborn children. This morning he was martyred for his witness as he stood outside Owosso High School ninety miles northwest of Detroit. He frequently could be seen there holding [...]
(Tim) Under another post, a discussion started concerning the distinction between preaching and pulpiteering. When asked what the distinction is, I hinted at my thoughts on the matter with this short riff. Hope others of you can help develop the discussion further.
>>What is pulpiteering?
Iain Murray's latest book opens it [...]
(Tim) Reformed pastors and elders would do well to consider whether it isn't time to stop despising the musical vernacular in our leadership of the worship of God's people each Lord's Day.
There may be some congregations where the root of traditionalism goes so deep that it would be foolish--maybe even' [...]
(Tim: Under the post, What godly eldership looks like with a 30something single man..., PCA teaching elder and church planter in Taiwan, Joel Linton, made this comment. It's so good, I'm promoting it to the main page.)
* * *
If men pick godly, mature Christian young women, these women would' [...]
(Tim) Before everyone forgets about it, here are a couple thoughts about the announcement by Zondervan and Biblica that they're scrapping their TNIV product.
I've spent my life inside the world of Christian publishing, particularly the Bible publishing world. And the thing everyone must understand is that it's an exceedingly rare [...]
(Tim: This post contributed by Joshua Congrove) In our age of cloying, effeminate discourse, it's a rare thing to find a man valiantly defending a cause with the sword of rhetoric, let alone doing so for the sake of a godly cause. It was not always so.
A while ago while reading through the [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to David W. and others) The sex tests of South African runner, Caster Semenya, have come back questionable and the thorny matter has been turned over to a "panel of independent experts" for a final decision. Regardless of the conclusion, the gold medal will not be taken [...]
(Tim) Now that it's clear there are women officers in the PCA, I'm guessing their patrons will tell us their women officers are over the entire congregation (not just the women), but that these particular officers never, ever exercise authority over any man. Never.
Then, they'll issue a press release: "Our'" [...]
(Tim) To understand the current state of our confessional and connectional union, you must know only one thing: The Presbyterian Church in America now has women officers.
We had to jettison a lot of baggage on the way, but we got there.
As just one among many examples, this from the February [...]
(Tim) Priceless clip of Congressman Baron Hill telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This is what we've come to, folks--the arrogance of power devoid of accountability. It's close to impossible, given the rules they've adopted, to remove one of these incumbents from office. And they [...]
(Tim) When Joseph was at Vandy, we were talking on the phone one time and he said he was thinking of changing his major to philosophy. I discouraged it, although at the time I couldn't put my finger on just why I was negatively predisposed. But just now, I opened' [...]
(Tim) Presbyteries release draft minutes a few weeks after their meetings, but those minutes aren't official until approved at their next meeting. Here is the record of Metro NY's May 9, 2009 response to the Judicial Complaint filed against it. If you haven't yet read the complaint, you'll' [...]
(Tim) Responding to this ABC news blurb, one of our New York City correspondents writes:
ABC News says Charles Gibson is retiring and Diane Sawyer will replace him as the anchor of "World News." Ms. Sawyer's elevation means that, with Katie Couric, two of the three leading anchors for the broadcast' [...](Tim) Kevin Offner is a longtime friend who does grad student and faculty ministry in the Washington D.C. area under Inter-Varsity. Recently, a Christian magazine known for its love for heterodoxy and its dabbling in heresy shocked the world by publishing a piece that promoted early marriage. Flying in the [...]
(Tim) You may remember our Heavenly Father's kindness, giving us the safe delivery of Chris and Michelle Holmes' twins, Anne-Claire and Elise, I wrote about back on May 26th. Since then, the little girls have been doing very well, but today Elise went into Riley's Children's Hospital with breathing' [...]
"(Tim) This is a comment made by Josh Congrove which I'm promoting to the main page from its original placement under the post, "Gagging God." Josh is a doctoral candidate in Classics here at Indiana University and a member of Church of the Good Shepherd. Thank you, Josh.
* *'" [...]
A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, [...]
(Tim) Two things needing to be said in the discussion under the post, "Why pregnant doesn't cut it."
First, as a matter of fact, "with child" is a more accurate rendering of the Greek than "pregnant." Unless, of course, we are not seeking to bring the meaning of the words' [...]
(Tim, w/thanks to Dave C.) Doug Moo has done a good recent commentary on Romans and is a faculty member at evangelicalism's Harvard, Wheaton College. So why are my concerns unabated when he gives us assurances all will be well with the 2011 updated NIV his Biblica Committee on' [...]
(Tim) One day earlier, Bayly was enjoying shaving cream. We call her our little Geisha. Motherhood is so ...like... boring, ya know?
[...](Tim) Here's the manuscript for our final sermon on the Gospel of Matthew; and specifically, our final sermon on the Great Commission. Please forgive me for not cleaning it up prior to posting it, here. Lots of formatting and spelling mistakes will irritate you, I'm sure. And please keep [...]
(Tim) Yesterday while her father was inside cleaning up, thinking to himself, "how nice it is that Bayly is a year older and more trustworthy, and that I don't have to worry about her getting into anything," Bayly was having the time of her life with' [...]
(Tim) Also responding to Zondervan's and Biblica's announcement, yesterday, that they're putting the TNIV to rest, replacing it sometime in 2011 with a new Bible they hope will be more successful, CBMW's Executive Director, Randy Stinson, does a much better job:
"We're still probably going to differ on the way" [...](Tim) My own aesthetic is simple almost to the point of being boneheaded: that art is most beautiful that does the best job of recreating the beauty God Himself created. So, for instance, this:
[...](Tim) Yesterday, Zondervan and the International Bible Society (now renamed Biblica) did some damage control related to their politically correct abuse of the Word of God titled, Today's New International Version. Apparently, it's not selling nowhere nothing, but more on this later.
Meanwhile, note that Lig Duncan has issued a press [...]
