Author: Peter Larson
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The Cult of Self-Care
Perhaps never in church history has there been a time when so many pastors have experienced burnout. A recent survey by Barna Research revealed an alarming statistic: 42 percent of pastors have considered quitting the ministry. According to Barna, the leading cause of burnout was stress, followed by loneliness and political division.
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Searching for Unicorns
In ancient times people searched for the unicorn, a mythical creature with the body of a horse and a spiraling horn on its forehead. Of course, no unicorn was ever found because unicorns don’t exist in real life. In recent years, evangelicals have searched for a different kind of unicorn. With great zeal and determination,…
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Giving Up on the Gospel
During a recent meeting of Midwest Presbytery, a teaching elder stood up to speak against a proposed overture that would forbid the ordination of homosexuals who claim to be celibate. He argued that since many of us in the EPC are addicted to pornography, it would be wrong and hypocritical to deny ordination to those…
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Clarity is Charity:
Report on Same-Sex Attraction Draws CriticismWhen God speaks, he doesn’t mumble. His Word is clear. His commands are not vague, ambivalent, or impossible to understand. As Jesus said, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:27).
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Fatal Attraction: Lot’s Wife and Side B Christianity
One of the most sobering stories in the Bible is the judgment of Lot’s wife. While fleeing from Sodom, she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. To modern readers, this seems extremely harsh. Did Lot’s wife deserve such a terrible punishment? Was her sin really so bad? As Lot’s wife, you…
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Rebranding the EPC
Not far from my home is a church that once had thousands of members. It was a vibrant center of worship and Biblical teaching. Then, they hired a new pastor who decided the church needed rebranding. He ended the traditional worship service. He gutted the church building to give it an industrial look. He eliminated…