Bible Answer Man Duped by Wrong Orthodoxy

I was personally shocked and alarmed on the day after Palm Sunday when I heard Hank Hanegraaff pronounce on his radio program that he had been chrismated (prayed over for the anointing of the Spirit) into the Greek Orthodox Church. Better known by his programs on an array of radio…

Questions & Answers with Rev. Mark Fineout

Rev. Mark Fineout is a New Yorker now living in the American mid-west. He is well known in our denomination for his musical abilities and is frequently called upon at our presbytery weeks of prayer to lead our ministers and elders in singing. He is the minister of Lee’s Summit…

From Atheism to Christ

Do you know how to become a Christian? People aren’t born into Christianity, nor are they all saved in the same way. Some become Christians when they are young, others when they are older; some when things are going well in life, others when things are not. But in another…

Luther on Justification by Faith Alone

Historians often equivocate the beginning of the Reformation with Martin Luther’s nailing of his ninety-five theses to the door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. While that is considered a historic moment, Luther had no comprehension of the impact that his words would have on the world. In fact, when…

Luther’s Second Major Debate

The Place: Leipzig, Germany The Date: June 24 – July 16, 1519 Luther’s Opponent: Dr. John Eck of Ingolstadt, a scholastic Roman Catholic prelate The Main Issue: The supremacy of the pope over the Catholic Church Dr. Eck’s Contention: “There is in the church of God a primacy that comes…

The Ostrich: Not Just a Big Dumb Bird

“Gavest thou . . . wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her…

Let’s Learn About Martin Luther

Every time we think of the Protestant Reformation, we think of the name Martin Luther. He has fascinated students of history for generations. Though the ideas of the Reformation did not start with him, he did so much to move it forward, and we could call him the “cornerstone.” Fortunately,…

I Have a Shepherd

As I sit down with the challenge to write about my favorite hymn from among the many I love so well, I am immediately settled in my mind because today is our twelfth wedding anniversary. There is such an abundance of rich, precious hymns in our hymnal to choose from, but for…