Floundering to Sodom

New York is the latest state to approve same-sex marriage. That makes the Empire State the sixth and largest state to approve of the practice.

Make no mistake, these are defining moments for the United States. As marriage goes, so goes the culture. Marriage has a very particular meaning. By its very nature marriage is between a man and woman. Procreation and the stabilizing of societal norms are fundamental to marriage. 

 

Certainly we ought to reject all notions of theocracy. God's kingdom will not be established in this dying era. The state cannot be the church. We can even debate the propriety of laws banning homosexual acts. However, the state must never put itself in the position of approving that which God has condemned.

The Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is an abomination. It is a sin that characterizes a people in the final death throes of moral and societal decay. It is a sin that is particularly degrading to our identity as those who are made in the image of God. It reeks havoc upon the offender physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Homosexuality is the evidence of a people who have been given over to a wicked mind (Romans 1:18ff). Keep Reading...

Teaching the Bible to Children

If you are not familiar with David Helm then you should be. He is one of my favorite preachers and has also written The Big Picture Story Bible.
"As someone who tries (and succeeds, most of the time) to establish a regular pattern of family worship at the dinner table, I am always on the lookout for good Bible story resources to use with children of all ages. David Helm's Big Picture Story Bible is an excellent book to read with the youngest members of the covenant community. The book is written in a simple way that little children can understand. The pictures reinforce the meaning of the biblical text and often contain details that generate conversation and lead to a deeper understanding of the gospel. Even better, Helm's redemptive-historical orientation helps even the youngest Christians see the fundamental unity of the Bible and its single gospel message of salvation in Christ. As the title implies, it is an ideal book for helping little people get "the big picture."
- Phillip Ryken, Tenth Presbyterian Church

“The Big Picture Story Bible . . . presents the Bible as a unified story -- and this is so important, even when children are quite young. Children have keen narrative minds and active imaginations. They need to have those capacities respected and developed through hearing the stories of the Bible over and over again. At the same time, parents who read and tell these stories should help children to connect the dots and to learn of God's love and saving purpose from one story to the next.

"Children taught to see the big picture and to know the big story are in a good position to see that knowledge matured through deeper Bible study in years ahead. . . . great gifts for children and young families."
- R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Check out the following message from David Helm about how to teach children the storyline of Scripture...

Posted by Todd Pruitt at 4:36 PM