Archive for March, 2010


Mar 21

Rome’s Sex Abuses – What to Do?

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Quote,Recommended Link

Carl Trueman points us to Hans Kung (a Roman Catholic theologian) and his recent critique of the Catholic church (critique from within, mind you):

Hans Kung has fired a fine salvo in the discussion of the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.  As usual, his take on his own church is far more astute and perceptive than the many rose-tinted interpretations that are the stock-in-trade of prominent American evangelicals.  You can read it here.   For those with stronger stomachs (you have been warned) Christopher Hitchens has also something to say on the matter here.   Is the Reformation over?  Let’s hope not.   American evangelicalism may be, to use Frank Schaeffer’s phrase, addicted to mediocrity; there is no evidence as yet that it is addicted to child rape and cover ups of the same.

Checking my own legal responsibilities at Westminster [Theological Seminary], it would appear that, if child abuse was taking place on campus with my knowledge, and I did not immediately inform the police, I would be in serious legal difficulties — and that’s just the legal situation, before we even get to what my moral responsibilities might be.   At this point, to use the British terminology, one has to ask why the Pope isn’t down at the local constabulary, helping the police with their inquiries?

Mar 20

Jesus is Coming this Sunday

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: This Sunday

No, that’s not a prediction; it’s just a note on the topic for this Sunday’s message in Luke. We’ll look at two different passages, because, though they’re separated by a few chapters, they talk about the same thing: When will the kingdom come? When is the end? When will Jesus return?

Especially because this is a thorny issue, and because the passages are a bit longer than most week’s, please take time to read through, maybe even pray through, the two passages for this Sunday: Luke 17:20-37 and 21:15-36.

Looking forward to praying, singing, studying, and communing with the body at Desert Springs. May God do his work and get his glory!

Mar 18

Funeral for Shannon Ash

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: The Church

It’s with sadness that we tell you that, yesterday, one of our own, Shannon Ash (daughter-in-law of Terry Ash), was unexpectedly and suddenly taken home to glory. Although she went into the ER yesterday morning, having been unable to keep food down for several days, it was an unknown blood clot that, only hours later, caused her death.

The funeral service for Shannon will be at Desert Springs Church, this Saturday, at 11:00AM.

Of course, please pray for the Ashes — for Terry and Marcia, for Jeff (husband), and for their two little girls. Pray for God’s strength, comfort, peace, nearness, and joy; pray that God would show himself strong and good, and his Word sufficient; pray that we, as a body, would be able to wisely and lovingly begin to bear this burden with them.

And let’s fix our minds on God’s truth at a time like this. Oh how we need passages like this from 2 Cor. 4-5.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you … because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Mar 16

Should Christians Fill Out the Census?

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Quote,Recommended Link

R.C. Sproul Jr. answers this question, and, in turn, provides us with a good explanation and application of Romans 13.

Here’s his conclusion:

My conviction, informed by the collective wisdom of almost every Reformed Bible commentator, is that Romans 13 calls us to submit not just to government as it ought to be, but as it is. That means governments whose authority is on shaky grounds, as well as governments whose activity is on shaky grounds, if they are the ones in power, are to be submitted to, unless or until they command us to do what God clearly forbids, or forbid us to do what God clearly commands. The census is a nuisance. It is not authorized by the Constitution. It is one more fruit of the state’s self-aggrandizement, one more affectation to demonstrate that it is God. And I will be filling mine out. I’ve read the whole Bible and no where does God tell us, “Whatever else you do, be sure not to tell the state how many toilets you have.”

You can read the rest of it here.

Mar 11

Don’t Forget the Time Change!

2010 | by Parker Landis | Category: Administrative

Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 14. Remember to set your clock ahead one hour on Saturday night.