Author: Armstrong, John H.
Genre: Theology - General
Tags: Church, Ministry / Leadership, Third Wave / Signs & Wonders / Cessationism, Worship / Music
Series:
Rick Shrader‘s Review:
The sub-title to this timely volume is, “current challenges to the authority of scripture and the gospel.” Like other Moody books of this kind, this 1996 book is a compilation of articles by men of a Reformed or conservative Evangelical persuasion. They include R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Michael Horton and others. This reads much like Power Religion (Moody, 1992) with the notable exceptions of Colson and Packer. It addresses the issues of the name “Evangelical,” the problem of “continued revelation,” the crisis of gospel authority and a section called “Flash Points” where the conservative side of Evangelicalism is applied to worship, music, counseling and spiritual warfare. To me, the most interesting and relevant chapters were in this “Flash Points” section. Leonard Payton’s expose on where church music has come from and where it is going is so needed. For example, in commenting on certain words in music not “feeling” worshipful, he writes, “It seldom occurs to the style adherents that perhaps there is actually something wrong with the style, not the words.”
David Powlison’s article on counseling also addresses a biblical model of counseling which, sadly, you seldom see in most “biblical” counselors It struck a common cord with me in encouraging my Christian walk. John Armstrong’s article on spiritual warfare is so badly needed also. The over-abundance of demon scare-books on bookstore shelves reminds us of the ignorance of God’s people regarding angels, demons and Satan. Frank Peretti needs to read this chapter.