by Mark Farnham | Feb 18, 2011 | Christian Thinkers, Church History, History, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Theology
One of the clearest lessons we learn from church history is that strong biblical preaching is absolutely vital to the health and vitality of the church. From the birth of the New Testament until today, every significant phase of authentic revival, reformation,...
by Mark Farnham | Feb 16, 2011 | Christian Thinkers, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, The Church
The idea that depth of learning and theological concern should be relegated to the classroom while the “practical” aspects of Christianity should be reserved for the church is deadly. It was perverse when liberals espoused it in the first half of the...
by Mark Farnham | Feb 15, 2011 | Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, The Church, Theology
Preaching has fallen on hard times. I don’t mean in liberal churches. I mean in conservative, Bible-believing churches. With godly pastors. Who have seminary education. Who have simply stopped studying. Because it’s easier to coast. This trend is not...
by Mark Farnham | Feb 14, 2011 | Christian Thinkers, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching
Inasmuch as the pastoral vocation is no longer seen as a theological vocation, pastors no longer bring a strong theological presence to their local parishes. The net effect (particularly in the evangelical tradition in which I reside) is a truncated understanding of...
by Mark Farnham | Feb 9, 2011 | Christian Living, Suffering, Theology
The third and final answer to the question of whether God is responsible for my troubles is one many believers don’t like to consider—that God providentially ordains trials, troubles, suffering, sickness, and even death according to his divine decrees for my life. In...
