Pastors' Blog
The Real Issue for the SBC: Eisegesis, Legalism, and a Fear of Risky Grace
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...
Baptism, Infant or Believer’s? – Ask The Pastor
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...
Ask The Pastor: The Future Resurrection and The Millennium
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...
A Christian Response To The “Sex Scandals” in Recent Pop-Culture
*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...
I Am Charlottesville. And So Are You.
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...
Bill Nye, Criticism, and The Church Community
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...
Stop Going To Church For Your Kids
Children. Fewer topics can stir up more emotion than that of children. How do you raise them? How do you educate them? How do you discipline them? And nothing, I mean nothing, gets people more fired up than if someone tells what they should or shouldn't do with their...
The Gracious Gift of Choosing Joy
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of...
Welcome To Wonderland
I love the story of Alice in Wonderland. Animals that speak. Food and drink that make you grow and shrink. Playing cards, odd courtroom drama, and a pig-baby. What's not to love?! The thing I love most about the story is the larger moral it teaches: eventually you...
Revelation – A Quick Guide To End Times Views
Getting Started In this post, I want to provide a quick and concise reference guide to the major "end-times" views. There won't be any criticisms given of any of these views at this time. This list will consist of brief definitions with some helpful links for further...
New Sylvania U Course Is Going Live!
After a significant time of development, the Sylvania U "Monster Course" - Bible Survey is ready for launch. How It Works This course is designed to be done in conjunction with the "Chapter-A-Day" Bible Reading Plan. If you follow the plan and the course lectures, you...
Some People Were Asking – Bible Reading Plan
I had some folks recently who wanted a link to the Bible reading plan for the upcoming (still in development) Sylvania U courses that will carry them through the entire Bible. I am including the link to that original post here, which should contain the reading plan....
Treatment Starts When You Enter
Is there any sin, however despicable, that cannot be cleansed and washed away by the blood of Christ? No, there is not one. Is there any sin, however trivial in the eyes of the world, that will not damn a man to Hell if he makes his peace with it? No, not one. The...
Nature and Characteristics of Sanctification
Sanctification may be defined as that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit by which He purifies the sinner, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works...While it is very decidedly a supernatural work of God, the...
The Supreme Demonstration of the Love of God
"The Cross of Christ is the supreme demonstration of the love of God (cf. Rom 5:8; 1Jo 4:9-10). But would it be a supreme demonstration of love if the end secured by it could have been achieved without it? Would it be love to secure the end by such expenditure as the...