In my last blog, I talked about the NYC Muslim terrorist attack with a pickup truck. Since then we've had yet another act of madness and evil, the church shooting in Texas. This is horror with an added twist - it was perpetrated against a church, against God's people. Even the poor pastor has lost his 14 year old daughter. I can just hear people asking, "Why did God allow this?" Skeptics or atheists might even say, "This proves there's no all-powerful and all-good God. If such a God existed, He would never allow this to happen to His people, would He?" Well-meaning Christians may even be trying to come up with explanations as to why God would have allowed this hateful act. Maybe there's some secret divine plan that we'll all understand someday in heaven? To that sort of thinking, I say one word - baloney! Don't blame God for this - He had nothing to do with it!
Answered prayer
What do Islamists hope to gain by these horrendous terror attacks?
The Positives of World Religions
Are You Sure?
As I’ve previously mentioned, I just completed a course in world religions, studying Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, indigenous religions, etc. Pretty interesting stuff for a guy like me. I visited a Hindu temple nearby and interviewed the young priest. Then I wrote a paper on Islam. But I’ve been studying Islam for years, and my studies continue. I’m presently reading Did Muhammad Exist, by Robert Spencer, a guy you frequently see on TV as an expert on Islam. What he says in this book agrees with what a lot of the scholars I cited in my Islam paper say. Turns out that Islamic history is really shaky, and there’s lots of information on this. There are no collaborating non-Muslim sources for most of it. The only information on Muhammad himself, the Qur’an, or the “history of Islam” most Muslims are taught is very, very vague, unsubstantiated, contradictory, and downright legendary! It’s possible Muhammad never existed! Continue reading “Are You Sure?”
Some thoughts on women in ministry
So a friend posted a link today on Facebook, telling how pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek church in Barrington, Illinois has raised up a replacement for himself when he retires in 2018. He has a teaching pastor to do the preaching and teaching, and an executive pastor, who presumably, will handle admin duties and may preach and teach too, I’m not sure. Well, there seems to be all sorts of protest over his allowing a woman to take his place as a pastor. First of all, I would point out that we don’t know the details. What if this woman is strictly doing admin duties? Is that a problem? But on the other hand, what if she preaches and teaches. What about that? Doesn’t the Bible say women can’t be pastors? I’m pretty amazed at all the responses this friend is getting. People are saying Paul was in error, we should listen to Jesus and not Paul, people are saying well, that teaching that women can’t speak in church is just man’s interpretation, etc., etc. I think Christians need more education! I’d like to share a section of a teaching I did on 1 Corinthians 14, because it deals with this subject. Please continue reading to see my teaching notes, cut and pasted into this blog. Continue reading “Some thoughts on women in ministry”
Fake News
October 2017 Update
Warren’s Resume
When I finish my master’s degree in December of 2018, I’ll need to move to my next ministry assignment. For those interested in Warren as a pastor, teacher, or to help in other forms of ministry, his resume is posted below.
World Religions
This school session I’m taking a course in world religions that covers Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Indigenous religions, and Buddhism. I am finding it fascinating! The truth is though, it’s too light for me. I wish I were taking a whole semester or more on each religion! Taking them all in just eight weeks is a very brief overview, that’s all. Continue reading “World Religions”