The Parrhesians
faith
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Whither the Church
In 2020, Carl Trueman wrote his insightful and timely book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. The book was not only celebrated by scholars, it was a commercial success. When…
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Membership in Negative World
You can’t claim to be a Christian if you don’t go to church. Likewise, you can’t claim to be a member of Christ’s Body if you don’t read your Bible. Just call…
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Slaying the EPC Leviathan
The title of my report last month was, “Slaying the federal Leviathan.” And, as promised, this month I am tackling the sequel in my Leviathan series, this one on our protracted dispute…
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The Finale
In August of 2023, the Presbytery of the Alleghenies formed an Administrative Commission to “help” our church. According to the presbytery, we were a church in crisis and the AC’s goal was…
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…Then Vote for Independence
Below are comments made by Clerk of Session, Andy Lucas, on behalf of the entire Session, prior to Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church’s vote to leave the Evangelical Presbyterian Church on January 26,…
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Thou Shalt Not Lie to Appease the Bureaucrats
Below is an excerpt of an email I sent to a woman in the congregation. Regarding the issue of authority, it is a valid question. Our position has always been that the…
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The Color of Compromise is Cornflower Blue
“Anti-Racism” and the EPC I am a white, heterosexual man who has always been conservative and traditional (culturally, politically and theologically). I’ve also been an EPC pastor since 2008 and have been…
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A Brief Thought on Children in Worship
I’ve stated many times from the pulpit and in other communications to my congregation, that the church must place a high value on children and having children in the worship service. In…
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The Theopolis Report
Last fall the Presbytery of the Alleghenies’ Administrative Commission ordered Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church to “…immediately suspend association or communication with the Theopolis Institute and Peter Leithart while Ministerial Committee inquires into their theological alignment…
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Church Conflict
Can you talk about the elephant in the room? Or is the pressure subtle, always masked, always out of direct view? In your discussions, are you seeking to persuade each other about…