Secularization and the Problem of Passing Faith on to the Next Generation

A recurring topic of conversation among Christians is the loss of young people who grew up in church. Some want to cast this as a particularly “fundamentalist” or “evangelical” or “[insert-name-of-denomination-here]” problem. A recent headline, for example: “Why some younger evangelicals are leaving the faith.” The article is unsurprising as far as it goes, but…

Read More

Can We Really Trust what We Have Been Taught?

“Pastor, I need to ask you a question.” Can we talk privately, please? The next few steps from the public to the privacy of my office are the most agonizing ever. Thoughts flood my mind. “What did I do? I wonder what they are upset about? I know I didn’t do anything.” Questions tend to…

Read More

Discipling for Ministry

FrontLine: January/February 2021 | VOLUME 31 | NUMBER 1 This edition of FrontLine addresses essential issues in “Discipling for Ministry.” Our writers have a strong history of pouring their lives into the next generation. Many of their sons and daughters have followed them into ministry. You will find fresh ideas and much help for your…

Read More

Becoming All Things to GenZ

1 Co 9.22b “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” A recent lecture led to some reading on the sociological phenomenon called GenZ (Generation Z), that is, those born between 1997 and 2014. (The dates are somewhat arbitrary.) Several articles track characteristics of “GenZers,” with the…

Read More

My Son, Hear the Instruction of Thy Father

The Long War On July 10, 2007, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway, gave a speech at the Marines’ Memorial Association and World Affairs Council in San Francisco, California. In General Conway’s opening remarks, he made the following statement: “Many in our country routinely characterize what is taking place in the…

Read More

Closing the Generation Gap

FrontLine March/April 2018 | VOLUME 28 | NUMBER 2 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Is this verse just…

Read More

Virtue

Don Johnson An article at The American Conservative explores virtue in our modern culture. Virtue no longer is a matter of character, where the individual controls his passions while pursuing an ideal higher than he is. Virtue is instead now found in the measure of empathy for victims, whether they be individuals, groups, cute animals,…

Read More

How Special are the Millennials?

Travis Smith The following post, though tongue-in-cheek in tone, is meant to magnify what I believe to be an aberrant teaching of “experts” (authors, preachers, evangelists, professors) who have lectured us for years that Millennials are different and, if we are going to be successful in reaching them (regardless of what the goal might be)…

Read More

Dear Young Brother

Note from P&D – the following article is a letter from a concerned family member to a younger relative who has followed reformed theology well away from Baptist circles. The author has requested anonymity to protect family relationships, but we feel the concerns expressed are worth your attention, even if you disagree on some points…

Read More

The Eclectic Web–Feb 21, 2013

This time The Eclectic Web offers links on a wide variety of stories: Church and the next generation Abuse charges from an unexpected source Interesting questions for Catholics The drama of log-splitting (from Norway)

Read More