"The enemy had a grip on my will and so made a chain for me to hold me a prisoner. The consequence of a distorted will is passion. By servitude to passion, habit is formed, and habit to which there is no resistance becomes necessity." Augustine, Confessions VIII.v.10...
Racism is a symptom; racism is not the sickness. Let me explain what I mean by way of an illustration.
"And to sum up, the successes of the Savior, brought about by His Incarnation, are of such a kind and magnitude that, if one wished to go through them all, it would be like those who gaze at the expanse of the sea and try to count its waves." Chapter 54 Athanasius and...
But when the proconsul persisted and said, “Take the oath and I will release you. Revile Christ.” Polycarp responded, “Eighty-six years 10 I have served him and he has done me no wrong. How could I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp: In Context Polycarp was an...
Sylvania Family and Friends, The elders met last night and discussed what things need to look like for the next several weeks. Per the CDC recommendation, there is a suggested 8-week break from social gatherings larger than 50 people (one recommendation moved that...
COVID-19 created the need to start streaming our church services online—with less than 24 hours notice As our elders monitored the coronavirus situation last week, we informed our congregation last Friday that all services would be canceled except our corporate...
New updates will be posted here as they are available. The updates are recorded in chronological order (most recent at the top). Update from April 29, 2020 Sylvania Family & Friends, I know with Governor Abbott's recent announcement, you are all curious about when...
"How blessed and marvelous are the gifts of God, dear friends! Life in immortality, splendor in righteousness, truth with boldness, faith with confidence, self-control with holiness! And all these things fall within our comprehension." 35.1-2 The Background of First...
Recently, I was in attendance at a social gathering with several church members. As is often the case, people began to break off into smaller groups for conversation and fellowship. A man there asked me this question: "If you could pick just ten books that you think...
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.” (Psalm 119:18, NASB95) New Year's Resolution Season... It is that time of year again. We slide into Thanksgiving, we make a mad dash across Christmas, and we find ourselves smashing into another year on...
Colossians 3:15 (NASB): "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Women's Roles In The Church - The Background I want to give a little bit of background to this wonderful event held by and for the...
Kayne is a Christian now! So, what does that mean for the rest of us…
Recently, some members of our church walked through Donald Whitney’s Praying the Bible. Today, I am including a short prayer based out of Psalm 10:1: (NAS): Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? God, often I cannot feel your...
Hi Lauren, You don't know me. We have never met and probably never will. My name is Phillip. I am a husband (of almost 18 years), a father of 3 boys, and have been in pastoral ministry for more than 20 years. I have two advanced degrees in Church History and Theology....
Acts 17:10-13 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining...
Disclaimer: I Am A "Bad Southern Baptist" I have technically been a Southern Baptist my whole life, though, that statement needs some clarity. When I say I have been a Southern Baptist my whole life, I mean the only churches I have ever had membership with are...
The perspectives given here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sylvania Church. I would like to thank Allen Phillips for the general question about infant versus believer's baptism. I would also like to thank Grant Conaway...
Disclaimer: This post is the theological perspective of the author and does not necessarily reflect the formal position of Sylvania Church. This particular issue, concerning eschatology and the interpretation of such events, is not meant to be divisive, but...
*Warning - sensitive material included below. Reader discretion is advised. Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 Some Disclaimers No one knows for sure what has...
Charlottesville is on everyone's mind. And rightly so. Words have meanings, ideas have consequences, and people should stand up and fight the good fight wherever they see it. Plenty has been written and said about racism, the "alt-right," Christian responsibility, and...
Christian Criticism and Bill Nye A recent "article" was released on the Christian comedy site The Babylonian Bee calling into question Bill Nye's credibility as a scientist. This is the second such article from The Bee, the first playing on a Halloween theme. While...
Corporate worship will happen at 10:20am, but there will be no Sunday school, children's church, childcare during corporate worship, or Wednesday night activities for the next two weeks.