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The Spirit empowered Church for the sake of God's Mission

Uniquely Vineyard: Avoiding Theological Ditches

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Locating the Vineyard’s history is much easier than predicting our future, depending on who you speak to. The influence of the Quakers, Evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism is well known amongst students of Vineyard history but how other traditions will shape our future is less known, though quite important.

Bill Jackson famously noted that the Vineyard was the radical middle between Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism, an example of the alleged “Third Wave.”[1] As I consider our past and the present theological landscape of the Vineyard, I believe that part of being “Vineyard” is working hard to avoid what becomes for us theological ditches. [Read more…]

Only Men Can Adequately Represent the Incarnate Son of God?

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Commenting on the concept of a “diaconate of women,” some suggest that:

“The same patristic sources that attest to the existence of women deacons emphatically state that women could never be priests. For Jesus Christ chose only men for this ministry and the Church has always honored this tradition. The Church has consistently excluded women from teaching or from any position of authority in spiritual matters. The deeper ground for all this… lies in God’s decision to become incarnate as a man, so that only men can adequately represent the incarnate Son of God.” (John Wijngaards, Women Deacons in the Early Church, 7). [Read more…]

Do Paul & James Contradict Themselves on the Doctrine of Justification?

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If you’ve ever read Romans or James, you’ve encountered the apparent theological “debate” between James and Paul. On the surface, there appears to be a contradiction between these two biblical authors, as seen below:

“a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24)
“a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” (Rom 3:28)

What are we to make of these verses and how are we to understand the biblical doctrine of Justification? Douglas J. Moo’s commentary on James (Pillar) is helpful, which I’ve taken the liberty to express into the following two points:
[Read more…]

The Best Response to Roman Catholicism I Have Ever Read

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Dr. Keith Mathison has written a detailed response to the claims of Rome in what I’d consider to be perhaps one of the best responses ever (article here). I know that’s saying a lot, but the biblical, theological, and historical detail is simply incredible. It’s an essay, so it’s not as detailed as some of the books that have been released, yet it’s a detailed and yet concise exposure to why Protestants have significant issues with the claims of Rome. More than anything, Mathison provides solid apologetics for Protestants to better understand and grasp why so many have either left or stayed out of Rome. Mathison clarifies that,

“I do not harbor any illusions that any Roman Catholics will find what I have to say below persuasive. They have heard many of these arguments before. The point I wish them to understand is that I (and many others) see the evidence as more than sufficient to raise reasonable doubt about the claims of Rome.”

Roman Catholicism makes significant claims that Mathison provides considerable response to. For example: [Read more…]