Pastor Ray McCauley to divorce... again!

I reported back in January 2008 that Ray McCauley and his trophy wife headed for a divorce. Although it did not happen then, it certainly seems like it is going to happen now. Before continuing this post, it would be good to read my January 2008 post first. I still stand by what I said there, so I am not going to say it again.

In my previous post on this issue with McCauley I dealt with the divorce issue. This time I would like to deal with the qualifications of an elder and how they apply to McCauley. I will probably get flack for this, but it needs to be said. It is time for Ray McCauley to resign as pastor!

1 Tim 3:1-7 spell out the qualifications of an elder (pastor) in the church. Verse 2 says: "Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach." Zelda McCauley is Ray's second wife, having sent his first wife, Lyndie, packing through divorce. Ray McCauley is clearly in violation of the qualifications for a pastor spelt out in 1 Tim 3.

In my previous post on the matter I dealt with divorce and what I believe is a Biblical divorce. Which means..., having divorced from Lyndie and marrying Zelda he was no longer a "one-woman man!" He therefore is in violation of Biblical principles on divorce and pastor's qualifications, and if he is a man of integrity, he should resign as pastor of Rhema Biblie Church in Randburg.

Is this what Jesus meant when He said to love one another?

This little stick drawing was drawn by my niece, Talisa, on her grandmother's kitchen notice board.

Liberal theology: the lie

Phil Johnson has written a short series on The Lie of "Liberal" Theology. There is nothing new about liberal theology. It was around in Jesus' time and so is it now.

Read Phil's posts here:
Part 1
Part 2

Latest books I acquired

It isn't always that easy to keep up the reading pace, in fact, my reading  pace is really taking a knock! At the moment I am reading Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" and "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson.

Then I have 5 books listed below that are lined up, in order that they were purchased, not necessarily the order in which I will read them, that I got as recent as today (last 2):

• God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades by Rodney Stark (the crusades interest me somewhat)
• Busted: Exposing Popular Myths about Christianity by Fred von Kamecke (I won this book via a competition from Zondervan)
• Christianity in South Africa: A Political, Social & Cultural History edited and compiled by Richard Elphick and Rodney Davenport (my church history lecturer from Bible school in the mid-80's, Allan Anderson, recommended this book on South African church history. Should perhaps read this one in conjunction with one of my other books, A History of South Africa by Frank Welsh)
• Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent & Barbara Hughes (got this book at 30% off today)
• A Visual History of the English Bible by Donald L. Brake (picked this one up today at 50% off)

I just hope I can get to them soon enough. One of the reasons I take so long to read these days is because I am studying at night, and that takes up a lot of time.

Anyway, if you have actually read any of these books, feel free to leave a short review in the comments section.

"Preach the gospel, when necessary use words." Odd isn't it?

J.D. Greear: Gospel is announcement OF WORDS. "Preach Gospel; when necessary use words" like saying "Tell me your phone #; if necessary, use digits."

HT: Justin Taylor

The New Year and its Resolutions

Every year millions of people make New Year's Resolutions in the hope of improving themselves.

Intentions are good, hopes are high and off they go. They plan to follow a daily Bible reading programme, or promise to do less of this and be better at that. Yet, by the time the second month, or in some cases even the second week comes around, those resolutions are all but forgotten!

Diet programmes normally fall by the wayside first. Others follow soon.

However, have you ever thought about those pesky resolutions? Many or perhaps most of those resolutions can be classified under "The Idiots Guide to Self-Help Programs." Many resolutions are selfish resolutions. Resolutions that merely work as self-help programs. Those are perhaps good, since we get an improvement to ourselves, and I am not saying that we should not make those resolutions at all!

How many times do we make resolutions that will make an impact for the kingdom of God? How many resolutions will bring glory to God? Many of the self-help resolutions tend to make us look good thereby heaping praise on ourselves! "Wow! You have lost so much weight! You must have a will of steel!" "You're going to read how many books this year! I wish I could read as fast as you do!"

I am sure many of you have heard of The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards! Here was a man that wanted to bring glory to God and wanted to further the kingdom of God! Consider his resolutions and see if there aren't any that you would perhaps like to follow. I have to warn you, many of them aren't easy! On paper it may look easy, but in practice it isn't! Don't try to follow all his resolutions in one year. Edwards built this list over his life span.

So, may this be a challenge to make God-honouring resolutions. Resolutions that point to God and not to self!