BJ Newman

Church Planter. Hunter. Fisherman. Baseball Fan. Lover of Old Books. Soli Deo Gloria.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Preach the gospel, glorify God, win the world.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

@scottTwhitacre @PerfInjust I'm dealing with three men in this very predicament now.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

I am presently involved with three young men in this very predicament.

Called to ministry and pressured to drop their convictions in order to satisfy the compromisers charged with enforcing liberal orthodoxy.

[Matt Marino @RefClassicalist]

My 23 years as a pastor and past 10 years around seminarians has confirmed again and again that there is no short of right-wingers who feel called to pastoral ministry. First steps are almost always taken. Most are fatally fired upon before ever reaching the Wicket Gate, after which the Gatekeepers will have ten more years of traps laid for them to either recant, become appropriately effeminized, or be cancelled. Most who survive either go independent or develop the art of prudential and targeted influencing, trying to build locally (which is a good thing in and of itself).

[End Abortion Ohio @EndAbortionOH]

A year ago today, the Ohio Prenatal Equal Protection Act was filed in the Ohio House (HB 370).

Ohio’s first ever bill of equal protection.

No more gradualism. No more regulation. Complete and total abolition.

Since September, the bill has sat in the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Thomas.

No hearings. No votes. Held up by House Republican leadership.

Silence or opposition by groups like @CCVPolicy and @ohiolife

How many dead babies since June 18th, 2025?

Estimated over 25,000.

Whose hands are full of blood?

Meanwhile, over 150 ministers have signed a petition in support of HB 370, with fifteen organizations signing a similar petition.

The movement continues to build.

What are you doing?

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

It should surprise nobody that this is the outcome.

The target has always been sidelining Christians through lawfare.

[Jonathan Parnell @jonathanparnell]

The city of Saint Paul has officially determined the January 18 invasion of our church and the desecration of our worship to be a “peaceful protest.”

Here’s my question for Mayor Her:

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Pastor Clary: "You're speaking like a lawyer, not a shepherd."

When pastors want to justify that which the Bible forbids, this is the primary go-to tactic.

[Michael Clary @dmichaelclary]

Derek, I have nothing to retract.

It's wild that you're doubling and tripling down on this. You treat "gay affirming" as though the phrase has a strict definition before it can be used.

Nonsense. Greg Johnson is gay affirming. That's his whole identity as a pastor. Do you not see this?

While you're busy nuancing Greg Johnson's position, people who follow his teaching are being emboldened to embrace sexual sin. Does that not trouble your conscience?

You're speaking like a lawyer, not a shepherd.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Gnosticism is a big problem today.

[The Jolly Brawler @TheJollyBrawler]

Gentlemen,

Not every besetting sin in your life is purely a spiritual problem.

The sin is real. Repentance is necessary. But sometimes your body is making the battle harder than it has to be.

Do you battle with anger?
It may be sin.
It may also be sleep apnea.

Do you battle with lethargy?
It may be slothfulness.
It may also be low testosterone.

Do you battle with anxiety?
It may be sinful fear.
It may also be poor sleep, a bad diet, too much caffeine or nicotine, or a nervous system that has been running on fumes for years.

The point is not to excuse sin.

The point is to stop pretending that men are disembodied souls.

You are body and soul. And sometimes the body is dragging the soul into a fight it is too exhausted to win.

Over the last eight years, I have spoken with countless men who were fighting difficult besetting sins they could not seem to overcome.

I have seen men who regularly flew into rages so intense they seemed ready to give themselves a stroke.
The issue was solved with a CPAP machine.

I have seen men who wanted to be hard workers, but could barely drag themselves out of bed.
This was solved when they found that they had low testosterone.

I have seen men with severe brain fog that made them poor fathers, husbands, and businessmen.
This was solved when they discovered that the issue was mitochondrial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, or other underlying health problems.

Many of these men were able to identify the issue with something as simple as a blood panel or a sleep study.

Many were able to improve dramatically with a CPAP, a few peptides, dietary changes, better sleep discipline, or other targeted interventions.

Again, this does not excuse sin.

It simply means that some men are trying to fight spiritual battles while their bodies are collapsing underneath them.

Repent of your sin.

But also get your bloodwork done. Fix your sleep. Clean up your diet. Take your body seriously.

You are not a ghost.

You are a man made of body and soul.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Murdering children is the most important distinction between ancient and Christian cultures.

Christ says bring the children unto me. All other cultures assume children can be thrown out with the evening garbage.

May we repent of our willingness to murder our future.

[Michael Clary @dmichaelclary]

Seven thoughts about the Rio Grande Presbytery's suspension of @ZacharyGarris.

1. Pastors are in the word-speaking business. It's literally in our job description. We are called to speak what is true and correct error (2 Tim 4:1-5). Garris' job is to speak words to uphold the truth and correct error.

2. Garris was not convicted for being wrong. He was convicted for sarcasm. That's a standard the Old Testament prophets, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus Christ himself wouldn't meet. Sarcasm is a legitimate rhetorical tool in the pastor's toolkit. The Presbyters who voted to convict him obviously had a personal vendetta against Garris and used the courts to lawfare a good man.

3. The idol of decorum is a problem with modern evangelicalism. The PCA will tolerate gay affirming pastors like Greg Johnson (of Revoice infamy), but will not tolerate truth tellers like Garris whose only crime is hurting someone's feelings.

4. Decorum is an idol because it gives power to the weak bureaucrats of the institutional class. Strong men like Garris speak truth plainly and directly. Weak men weaponize subjective standards of decorum to punish any speech that offends them. No doubt, the Rio Grande presbyters who voted against Garris feel justified in their decision. They probably see themselves as righteous martyrs after the overwhelming backlash they've received since their ruling. But their standard is a highly subject rule of decorum, not the word of God.

5. The Rio Grande presbytery's attack on Garris is also an attack on every faithful pastor in the PCA (and beyond). Scripture tells us to not charge pastors with wrong without clear evidence of serious sin (1 Tim 5:19-20). This is not favoritism for pastors, but a recognition that every pastor is in a spiritual battle.

6. The Rio Grande presbytery's attack on Garris is also an attack on the sheep of his church. This decision harms the souls of God's people by wearying their shepherd and distracting him from the work he's called to do. The RGP is trying to deprive God's people of their shepherd. Their attack on Garris is the same as an attack on Garris' entire church.

7. Finally, the Rio Grande presbytery was doing the devil's bidding by attacking Garris. Their ruling would undermine the authority of the word of God in the church and sow seeds of doubt in the hearts of God's people.

Calvin addressed this. Calvin said pastors need to be protected from frivolous charges like this as a "remedy against the malice of men" because "none are more liable to slanders and calumnies than godly teachers."

He goes on to say, "this is the craftiness of Satan, to draw away the hearts of men from ministers, that instruction may gradually fall into contempt. Thus not only is wrong done to innocent persons, in having their reputation unjustly wounded, (which is exceedingly base in regard to those who hold so honourable a rank,) but the authority of the sacred doctrine of God is diminished" (Calvin's commentary on 1 Tim 5:19).

The Rio Grande Presbytery's actions were shameful, and I pray the PCA's higher courts do the right thing by overturning RGP's ruling and vindicating Garris.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

These men didn't bring charges against @ZacharyGarris because they actually thought these words were sinful. They would happily use much harsher language against their opponents.

It was nothing less than ecclesiastical lawfare.

[Sean McGowan @irishpresby]

At trial, the Rio Grande Presbytery (PCA) found Rev. Zachary Garris NOT GUILTY of Charge 1 regarding his comments on slavery from June 2024.

However, Garris was found GUILTY of Charge 2 for “unwholesome speech” per Ephesians 4:29, based on a 2023 interaction on X with Anthony Bradley.

The Presbytery has indefinitely suspended him.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

The fact that it has been over a year since charges were filed and it has taken this long to get to trial is proof enough that this is about using the process as a punishment.

This is a great discredit to the court.

[Sean McGowan @irishpresby]

Praying for my brother and friend @ZacharyGarris this week as his trial before Rio Grande Presbytery is Wednesday.

Psalm 135:14

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

@MrsPiousPatrol I have never heard anyone in their old age or on their deathbed ever regret having too many kids.

I have heard the opposite numerous times.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

It is wholly appropriate for American churches to acknowledge and thank God for our blessings this July 4th.

The deeply gnostic tendencies so many Americans exhibit needs to die.

It is good and godly for men and women to love their people, place, and nation.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Unbelievable. 41 years old.

This man was an incredible racer.

[NASCAR @NASCAR]

We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport's greatest and fiercest drivers. He was 41 years old.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

If you get Genesis wrong, you get the whole Bible wrong.

You even get human nature wrong.

It all starts in Genesis.

[M.L. Nowlin @mnbookman]

@ShawnGrahamTN @merelyjwright @Newman_BJ Every problem we talked about last night has its answers in Genesis.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

As Little Miami Fellowship continues it's consideration of a denominational home, I will be attending this year's PCA General Assembly in Louisville, KY.

For anyone else going, I would love to connect and hear about your experience in the PCA.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

Ohio Republicans are fanatically obsessed with proving they aren't racist.

That's all they care about.

Ramaswamy was selected for no other other reason than for Ohio Republicans to prove to Ohio Democrats that they aren't racist.

[Will Hinman @WorkforceWill]

Democrats claimed rural Ohio Republicans were too racist to back Vivek for governor.

But Ramaswamy won 82.5% of the primary vote and every county.

Their delusion will end up biting them. Ohioans care about issues over identity politics.

Here's my op-ed in today's Dispatch:

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

@WorkforceWill Call me whatever you like, not voting for Ramasmarmy.

[M.L. Nowlin @mnbookman]

Next week is our talk on the sin of indue delay of marriage with @Newman_BJ and (hopefully) @merelyjwright which is ironically our greatest clickbait ever on Facebook. Over 3700 mock reactions and over 3000 angry comments. I thought that one would get glossed over, but after realizing most of America gets its theology of marriage from Handmaidens Tale instead of the Bible… yeah. We had to do this one. So we are.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

@shr_eax @SpringWtrRanch @BonifaceOption I'll need some evidence to believe this.

[BJ Newman @Newman_BJ]

@KootenaiDad @Brian_Sauve An army that laughs well together after training, fights well together in combat.