Jonathan Brooks

Jesus follower. Sinner being sanctified. Husband of an incredible wife; father of 5. Lead Pastor at Christ Fellowship in Raleigh NC. Also, Gamecock for life!

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

Wisdom from Lord of the Rings:

“in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him … we live now upon an island amid many perils, and our hands are more often upon the bowstring than upon the harp.”

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

A small, though significant, portion of these declines could also be related to churches not participating in reporting. Many SBC churches, including the one I pastor, don't report our numbers to the SBC. I think there are a lot more churches like us (not reporting numbers) than there were 20-30 years ago.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

The article still says “This being the case, he still speaks as though “same sex attraction” is not sinful in itself.”

I don’t believe that’s an accurate description of Allberry’s view. He acknowledges he has the capacity to be attracted to a man. Is an acknowledgment of that capacity sinful? Or, is it an honest assessment that allows someone to be aware of their particular potential temptations?

[Luke Stamps @lukestamps]

Give me Piper's decades of faithful biblical exegesis and exposition over whatever is motivating this pile on.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

I listened to @gavinortlund's podcast on the question of the Sons of God in Gen. 6. But, two questions never seem to be dealt with in relation to the Sons of God being spiritual, angelic beings:
1. If spiritual beings, did they take on flesh (become incarnate) in order to procreate with the daughters of man? If so, is that not problematic to the uniqueness of the incarnation of Christ?
2. If spiritual beings, not incarnate, caused the daughters of man to become pregnant, is that a virgin conception? If so, is that not problematic for the uniqueness of the virgin birth of Christ?

[Andrew T. Walker @AndrewTWalker]

The video grotesquely depicting the Obamas deserves condemnation. It is vile, and the fact that it emerged from within the White House—out of an abundance of incompetence, I believe—only compounds the disgrace. If you can't bring yourself to see that or say that, something is broken in your moral calculus.

At the same time, what deserves equal scrutiny is the moral asymmetry on display. Many who are properly outraged here have no problem indulging or excusing the normalization of anti-white racism (see the heinous video circulating from a sitting Congressman to understand how this sentiment is not an exception on the Left).

And here is the deeper point: Christianity offers a better moral grammar than our tribal outrage cycles. The image of God inheres in every human being without addition or subtraction. That metaphysical reality—not partisan convenience—grounds why impartiality must govern our concept of justice and moral critique.

[Paul Chitwood @DrPaulChitwood]

I ordered mine!

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

My daughter created these Lottie Moon stickers to raise money for the @IMB_SBC Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. She’s trying to raise $300. You can donate here to get yours!

https://t.co/v7WDvO73bh

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

@DanielRitchie Thankful for your faithfulness, brother!

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

If this is true then it will always leads to errant theology. They would be picking a religion that makes room for their politics. That means their political convictions hold authority over their interpretation of Scripture instead of Scripture holding authority over their development of political convictions.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

@williamwolfe @between2worlds @alisa_childers He never said that.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

It doesn’t require boldness to preach on cultural issues to a crowd who will amen and agree with everything you say. Boldness is faithfully preaching God’s Word expositionally, pointing people to the glory of God and addressing whatever sins the text puts in front of you - come what may.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t address cultural issues that people in our church will amen and agree with - I just don’t think we should call it boldness.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

Josh - it also could be because they’re too busy preaching expositionally through a book of the Bible and the text didn’t address culture wars on a given week. Why suggest people question their pastor’s faithfulness because he’s not meeting an arbitrary standard for addressing culture wars often enough?

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

@AgainKmisc32112 My concern is that he said this: “in order to accomplish the Great Commission we need to advocate for it (conservatism) at the political level.” It's the "in order to" that's a significant problem. While one can argue it may be helpful, "in order to" claims that it's necessary.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

I’m all for conservative policies for the sake of justice and human flourishing, but the gospel is the power to save in any climate or culture. It matters not if a county is blue or an unreached tribe is demonic - the gospel saves. The Holy Spirit awakens. God rescues. It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but with God all things are possible. (Matt. 19:23-26)

[Josh Howerton @howertonjosh]

The new explosive reality that needs to detonate in the heart of EVERY pastor in America...

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

@JoelWBerry Joel - he literally says “in order to accomplish the Great Commission we need to advocate for it (conservatism) at the political level.” By definition he’s putting politics first.

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

I read your article to mainly be arguing that theism must precede and is necessary to substantial and meaningful conservatism. I agree. I don’t understand that to be what Josh is arguing. He’s arguing that conservatism leads to Christ; that conservatism is an evangelistic tool. My difficulty with this is the centuries of mission work that did not see that as a necessity. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. It doesn’t require the tracks to be greased by conservatism. I agree that conservatism is the natural outcome of faith in Christ, but I have trouble arguing it’s the genesis of faith in Christ (“pre-evangelism”).

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

I’m all for conservative policies for the sake of justice and human flourishing, but the gospel is the power to save in any climate or culture. It matters not if a county is blue or an unreached tribe is demonic - the gospel saves. The Holy Spirit awakens. God rescues. It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but with God all things are possible. (Matt. 19:23-26)

[Jonathan Brooks @JonathanRBrooks]

@PastorMark “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18