The Gospel Coalition just released the latest issue of Themelios.
As usual, it has some good essays and book reviews.
Archives for May 2011
Waiting for Superman
My wife and I recently watched the award-winning documentary Waiting for Superman, and we were stunned when it opened with this clip:
One of the saddest days of my life was when my mother told me Superman did not exist. . . . Even in the depths of the ghetto, you just thought, “He’s coming! I just don’t know when because he always shows up, and he saves all the good people.” . . . [My mother] thought I was crying because it’s like Santa Claus is not real. I was crying because there was no one coming with enough power to save us.
That’s why this documentary about America’s broken public education system is entitled Waiting for Superman.
A documentary about broken humanity could be entitled the same thing—or maybe Waiting for a Deliverer or Waiting for a Savior.
Explaining the EFCA Doctrinal Statement
This new book robustly explains the EFCA’s statement of faith:
Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America. Minneapolis: Free Church, 2011. 276 pp.
Who wrote it? The foreword by the EFCA’s president thanks especially two people for “their tireless labor” (p. 17):
- Greg Strand, EFCA’s Director of Biblical Theology and Credentialing
- Bill Kynes
This book was drafted by members of the Spiritual Heritage Committee [i.e., Mike Andrus, Bill Jones, Bill Kynes, David V. Martin, Ruben Martinez, Greg Strand (Chair), and Greg Waybright], but its content was vetted by numerous EFCA pastors and others in various areas of EFCA leadership and ministry, including President William J. Hamel, members of the Board of Ministerial Standing (which includes District Superintendents and the Chair of the Ministerial Association), representatives of ReachGlobal and faculty from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. (p. 19n1)
I especially like how the book connects the gospel with each of the ten articles:
- God: God’s gospel originates in and expresses the wondrous perfections of the eternal, triune God.
- The Bible: God’s gospel is authoritatively revealed in the Scriptures.
- The Human Condition: God’s gospel alone addresses our deepest need.
- Jesus Christ: God’s gospel is made known supremely in the Person of Jesus Christ.
- The Work of Christ: God’s gospel is accomplished through the work of Christ.
- The Holy Spirit: God’s gospel is applied by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- The Church: God’s gospel is now embodied in the new community called the church
- Christian Living: God’s gospel compels us to Christ-like living and witness to the world.
- Christ’s Return: God’s gospel will be brought to fulfillment by the Lord Himself at the end of this age.
- Response and Eternal Destiny: God’s gospel requires a response that has eternal consequences.
Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America