Narnia was C.S. Lewis’s Literary Petri Dish

It provided a controlled environment where he could develop, observe, and test his ideas about life and faith. Though C. S. Lewis died many decades before the rise of the New Atheists, he taught and wrote in an academic world where naturalism, scientism, and secular humanism were ascendant and the Christian worldview was either dismissed or relegated to the personal, emotional realm. In the refined Oxbridge atmosphere in which Lewis lived and moved and had his being, most professors took... Read More

First Study of Chinese Churches in Britain Examines Boom and Possible Bust

Pastors and theologians respond to opportunities and challenges in new study on explosive growth from Hong Kong immigration. For many Hong Kong immigrants to Britain, a church is their first point of connection. Chinese pastors in the UK report their congregations have doubled or tripled in size. One church in Manchester has multiplied from less than 200 attendees to 1,200 due to the recent influx of immigrants from Hong Kong. The impact of all these worshipers is shown in a new report on... Read More

What Can Kids Draw from the Chess Cheating Controversy?

As chess champion Magnus Carlsen accuses an American grandmaster, coaches are trying to develop a virtuous love of the game in young players. A couple of weeks ago, my pastor’s nine-year-old son, who plays chess for fun, asked me what I thought about “Hans.” He was referring to Hans Niemann, the American 19-year-old chess grandmaster facing cheating allegations. World chess champion Magnus Carlsen, one of the best players ever, abruptly withdrew last month from a big... Read More

Should Hispanic Churches in the US Preserve Spanish in Their Services?

Worship flows in the language of your heart. When Job González was 21, he felt God’s calling to dedicate his life to worship ministry. Raised in a Spanish-speaking family and church in Texas, he thought he would always sing the praises of the Lord in Spanish. Since 1980, more Christians have spoken Spanish than any other language. Thanks to the growth of the church in Latin America, over 413 million believers have Spanish as their mother tongue today, compared to 250 million... Read More

Self-Proclaimed Messiahs and Other Southeast Asian Heresies

Misconceptions about the Trinity and the exclusivity of Christ prevail. American evangelicals are moving away from orthodox understandings of God and Scripture. This year’s State of Theology survey revealed the top five misconceptions that US evangelicals hold: Jesus isn’t the only way to God. Jesus was created by God. Jesus is not God. The Holy Spirit is not a personal being. Humans aren’t sinful by nature. CT polled three Christian leaders in the Philippines,... Read More

Loretta Lynn: A Coal Miner’s Daughter in the #MeToo Age

The late country music star modeled what church leaders need: A bold willingness to stand up for women. This past week saw the death of country music legend Loretta Lynn at the age of 90. One need not have been a country music fan (as I am) to find this woman’s life important. Her story is especially significant at a time when, five years into the mainstreamed #MeToo movement, we still face serious questions about the treatment of women in both the church and the world. When I think... Read More

No Doctrine of the Trinity Is an Island

As a new introduction emphasizes, the deep mysteries of Father, Son, and Spirit can’t be grasped in isolation. Historically speaking, theological debates over the Trinity have been a major factor in the denominational breakdown of the church. Moreover, the extent to which these debates have influenced—and continue to influence—our individual conceptions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cannot be overstated. Take, for instance, the Filioque—the notion that the Spirit... Read More

Five Years After Church Shooting, Sutherland Springs Pastor Retires

Now at a new location, the rural Texas church continues on in memory of the 26 members killed, including the pastor’s teenage daughter. Frank Pomeroy was hunting in the wet and cold Alaskan bush when the Lord gave him his final sermon as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. Considering the grizzlies, black bear, wolves, and rain, Pomeroy suspected the message would somehow encompass creation. “But God kept bringing me back to, this was an opportunity for me... Read More

‘Two Taels of Bread’ and Other East Asian Heresies

Misconceptions about Jesus, Scripture, and salvation prevail. American evangelicals are moving away from orthodox understandings of God and Scripture. This year’s State of Theology survey revealed the top five misconceptions that US evangelicals hold, as follows: Jesus isn’t the only way to God. Jesus was created by God. Jesus is not God. The Holy Spirit is not a personal being. Humans aren’t sinful by nature. CT polled five Christian leaders in China, Hong Kong, Japan,... Read More

Evangelical School Strikes Deal with Chick-fil-A Franchises

And other news briefs from Christians around the world. An evangelical school in Georgia has seen a dramatic increase in online enrollment from a cooperative agreement with Chick-fil-A franchises. The owners of the fast-food chicken resturaunts pay a flat fee that allows all their employees to attend online classes for college credit at Point University. Chick-fil-A then uses that as an incentive to recruit and retain workers. Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy is on Point’s board, but the... Read More