Saturday Lagniappe: Total Depravity and More

What’s So Great About Total Depravity?

The doctrine of total depravity is not just something we learn so as to score high marks on some theology exam. Instead, total depravity is a doctrine to live by. Read More

The Anglican formularies--the Thirty-Nine Articles of 1572, the Book of Common Prayer of 1662, and the two Books of Homilies--while they do not use the term "total depravity" nonetheless affirm that doctrine. A self-identified Anglican clergyman who maintains that our souls are only wounded by sin, that we retain a residue of original goodness, and that we can perform good works of our own apart from God's grace working in us and thereby earn God's goodwill and favor towards us does not stand in the tradition of historic Anglicanism and his Anglican credentials are open to question.

Help Your Friends Escape False Teaching

Maybe you’ve got family and friends who believe things taught by preachers that aren’t quite biblical. I haven’t got anything profound to say. No six-steps sure-fire way for getting them into their nearest reformed-conservative-evangelical church. But having come from ‘the other side’, perhaps I can bring a perspective that may be of some use. Read More

Don’t Assume That Your Assumptions Are True

Never assume assumptions are safe. If you spend most of your time building your positions and beliefs based on assumptions, you will be a very shallow and misguided person. If you’re a preacher, well, you will be a very shallow and misguided preacher. Consider how easily it is for the devil to get into the details of assumptions. Read More

How Ignorance Works FOR You and AGAINST You as a Young Leader

Is ignorance ever a good thing in leadership? Strangely, sometimes it’s amazing. And other times it’s deadly. Read More

Are Our Pastors Being Discipled

Discipleship is much easier to preach about than it is to practice. Pastors, like myself, are often more enthusiastic about making disciples than we are about being discipled. So, pastor, who is discipling you? Dr. Dan Garland is spot-on when he reminds pastors, “To make disciples, we must first be a disciple.” Read More

Let Your Church Hear You Sing

Do you love the members of your church enough to minister to them through song? Read More

10 Reasons Every Christian Should Share the Message of Jesus

At Saddleback, we’ve learned that explaining why evangelism is so important helps people understand the necessity and value of sharing their faith. Here are 10 reasons from the Bible why God wants us to share our faith. Read More