In the Blogosphere
By Trevin Wax on Jun 12, 2009 in In the Blogosphere | 
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Dave Zimmerman turns the tables on all the Twitter naysayers… says that the critics can be just as narcissistic.
The Attractional versus Affectional Church
Spurgeon’s former church sees the rise of the new Calvinism as a new version of worldliness.
John Piper on the difference between hero worship and hero emulation.
Michael Spencer reflects on Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
A 4-D ultrasound, a potential diagnosis of Down Syndrome, a recommended abortion.
Kevin DeYoung writes about the “Jesuses” in our culture today.
Al Mohler on the need for silence
Top Posts this Week at Kingdom People: My 4-Part Interview with Dr. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary
On Akin’s Vision for Missionary Theologians
On Turning Around the SBC
On the Great Commission Resurgence
On SBC Calvinism and Evangelical Cooperation
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Wow, that article by the Spurgeon pastor is BIZARRE!!
Nick | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
Yea, I cannot believe the article by Dr Peter masters (Now Pastor of Spurgeon’s former church). What do you think Trevin?
Dave | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
There’s something we need to listen to in the article. We should never casually dismiss someone who points out worldliness.
That said, I think his definition of worldliness is lacking.
Trevin Wax | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
Yea, I agree, there is something in there. His definitions do seem different regarding worldliness and holiness and his view of the redemptive work of the Gospel on culture seems limited (i.e. his views on music)
Maybe I am being harsh but I find his objection to all this cultural engagement and contextualization very humorous in light of the fact that he published his objections on a website hosted on the interent. Though, from the sounds of it I’d also bet he doesn’t smoke cigars while reading Calvin like his old predecessor Spurge.
Joking aside, I agree that we shouldn’t casually dismiss all his points and we should never assume that we are the generation that has ‘got it’ as perhaps future generations may look back critically like we have on previous generations. Hopefully not, but time will tell.
Dave | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
Also, there is a foolishness to what we believe as Christians and how we live as Christians. If we contextualize the Gospel so much so to the point that it doesn’t offend then we have probably abandoned the Gospel. If we live lives that are no different to the world and simply blend in then we probably haven’t been transformed by the Gospel. I recently listened to Mark Driscoll say between being cool and being faithful it’s always better to be faithful. Of the people Dr. Peter Masters mentions, my perception is that in contextualizing the Gospel and engaging with culture they are trying to be most faithful in spreading the Gospel. Dr. Peter Masters raises age old concerns about how we as Christians should be ‘in’ the world but not ‘of’ the world. This is a tension that all Christians have to live.
Any more thoughts anyone?
Dave | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
At first I was infuriated with Dr Masters. I do think he is tarnishing people with the same brush and I do think he has some big errors in his thinking. Most of all, as I always wish in these “watch-blog” esque articles, I wish he’d proclaimed his own log as loudly as his neighbour’s speck.
Nevertheless, I’ve got to admit that for me personal holiness has become not as important as downloading the latest conference message. Though he has tarnished a lot of men who don’t deserve tarnish, he brought up some things I need challenging on.
I don’t think raising your hands or “sabbath-breaking” are unbiblical, far from it (Romans 14 says you don’t need a holy day and the Psalms are all over raising hands in worship). Nor do I think “heavy metal” music is sinful. But it would be wrong for the new calvinism to be more about the big events than the consecration. This is a worry JC Ryle expressed in Holiness and a worthwhile one.
In short, I think Master’s criticisms are lacking but there is always some truth to gain from critics. Searching for that log in my eye is better than searching for the speck in his.
Tim Wilson | Jun 13, 2009 | Reply