Theology

Disclaimer: The fact that a site appears in this category simply means that I found helpful material there. It does not necessarily reflect agreement in every regard with every document you will find at these sites.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

A coalition of evangelicals who remain committed to evangelical principles as spelled out in the historic Protestant confessions of faith. This organization has roots that go back to Donald Grey Barnhouse, and today it is one of the more important groups that remains committed to evangelical truth while the bulk of the evangelical movement has gone off in pursuit of newer trends. In my assessment, ACE and other organizations and individuals like them represent some of the finest and most important champions of true, biblical ministry in the present generation.

Baptist Standard Bearer

Be wary of the hyper-Calvinistic slant you'll find here. Also some of the works on Baptist history represented here are tainted with Baptist successionism, which wrong-headedly attempts to claim several cults and heresies as Baptist forebears. Other than that, you can find some excellent resources here, including fine editions of John Gill's works.

Baptizo

A collection of articles and links showing why believers' baptism (credobaptism) is the biblical pattern rather than infant baptism (paedobaptism). This is an old site and some of the links may be outdated, but there are nevertheless many helpful links here.

Believers Chapel

Selected articles and other resources from Believers Chapel in Dallas—perhaps best known for the excellent teaching of the late Dr. S. Lewis Johnson. Downloadable here are sound files featuring a rich array of sermons from Johnson, current pastor Dan Duncan, and a few guest speakers. Johnson's classic messages, together with transcripts and other material, are also being made available at a new sister site, The SLJ Institute. So set your browser there, too. These are some of the finest, meatiest sermons ever preached, and they are all downloadable for free. Load your iPod.

The Berean Society International

Check the "Favorite Articles" link for several superb articles from Charles Spurgeon, Arthur Pink, Rolfe Barnard, and others.

Biblical Studies

Fred G. Zaspel's site. Fred is a proponent of "New Covenant Theology" (see comments below under "Sound of Grace"). He has assembled a collection of articles on the atonement, Baptism, the charismatic movement, and other issues. All of them are worth reading.

The Calvinist Corner

A collection of articles defending the doctrines of grace—but with a charismatic slant. (Be wary of the way some of the articles here seem to equate the term "experiential Calvinism" with charismatic mysticism. That's not what the term historically signifies.)

The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

An extremely well-designed site with some valuable resources to address a critical issue.

Darkness to Light

Some very helpful articles here on various subjects, from a Particular Baptist perspective, by Gary F. Zeolla. The front page says, "founded July 1991" and the look of the website is early-'90s "HTML-starter kit," but there's some helpful material here. I especially appreciated the material defending the doctrine of the Trinity from the perspective of the post-apostolic church.

Desiring God Ministries

John Piper's Media ministry. DG helped pioneer the practice of major media ministries making as many as possible of their resources free on-line, and you will find lots of valuable and useful resources here, with all the idiosyncrasies of John Piper's style and teaching. This is one of my favorite resources.

DrBarrick.org

This Web site is both wonderfully personal and rich with helpful resources. Dr. William D. Barrick teaches Hebrew exegesis at The Master's Seminary, and this is his contribution to theology on the Web.

The Founders Online

Here you'll find a potent collection of historical documents, insightful contemporary analyses, and other info about Calvinism in the SBC.

"Grace to You" Radio Broadcast

John MacArthur's daily radio broadcast—which happens to be the ministry I work for full time. This link goes to the daily radio program and weekly television broadcasts, which stream at OnePlace.com. For the Grace to You website (which is also loaded with great resources), click here.

Ligonier Ministries

R. C. Sproul's ministry online. Excellent resources, including several free audio files.

David Linden's Theological Papers

A brilliant collection of essays on justification, the atonement, and other vital issues. David Linden writes with uncanny clarity and insight. The lack of any design or aesthetic obscures the value of this site. Highly recommended.

Living Waters/The Way of the Master

This is the ministry of Ray Comfort, who is best-known for his sermon, "Hell's Best-Kept Secret"—which sets forth the main theme of this ministry. Comfort skillfully demonstrates how God's law is designed to make our sin appear exceedingly sinful (cf. Romans 7:13). He makes excellent use of the Ten Commandments for that purpose. Comfort is having an important ministry correcting one of the major imbalances of contemporary Christianity, and he has done a fine job reminding Christians of the importance of preaching the law to sinners.
A further reminder is strongly advisable here, however: While it's true that contemporary evangelicalism has often been guilty of omitting the work of the law and understressing the reality of sin, it's also vital to guard our evangelism against an imbalance the opposite direction. While "Hell's Best-Kept Secret" is a good tape with valuable insight, don't forget heaven's best-kept secret: the doctrine of justification by faith, and especially the imputation of Christ's perfect righteousness to the believing sinner. I appreciate the diligence with which Ray Comfort has sought to maintain the proper balance.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones Online

Sermons and articles by the Doctor, and selected biographical material, too. This site has morphed into a blog since I first linked it, but there are many valuable resources here.

The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust

This is a ministry I was privileged to be personally involved in for twenty years, featuring recorded sermons by one of the premier expositors of all time. The Lloyd-Jones recordings are a fabulous legacy, and I'm glad to see them freely available via the Web.

The Master's Seminary

A superior Web site with an abundance of important links—and it originates from the seminary located at my own home church's campus. (Several of the faculty here are friends of mine, but I'd be enthusiastic about this site no matter what.)

Monergism.com

This is the premier Reformed site on the Web. It's a great guide to all the best Reformed literature on the Internet, in bite-size portions, updated weekly. There's a good balance of historical theology and timely material here, with links to lots of must-read material. Monergism.com has always been a first-class site, but it just gets better all the time. Don't miss the insightful original articles by Greg Fields arguing against what Fields labels Neo-gnostic 'Calvinism'—a novel and extremely intolerant brand of hyper-Calvinism. The resources dealing with the "New Perspective on Paul" are excellent, too.

Mt. Zion Online

A wonderful collection of literature and sermons from Mt. Zion Bible Church in Pensacola, FL. This church's literature ministry has quietly, faithfully been sowing seed for years. Only heaven will reveal how bountiful the harvest has been. The Web site has an amazingly full collection of choice documents—including the complete works of John Bunyan. Mt. Zion supplied many Spurgeon sermons for when we were just starting out.

IX Marks

Excellent articles, reviews, audio resources and other material from Mark Dever and team. Mark is teaching pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D. C.

Piper's Notes

Sermon notes by John Piper. This is a superb resource.

A Place for Truth

These pages by Charles Biggs are full of insight and encouragement. The essays and sermons are all rich and thought-provoking, but the real gem of this site is the page of in-depth topical studies. Don't miss his excellent studies on the historic Christian creeds. I don't agree with everything here, of course (it's too covenantal and Presbyterian for a baptist and Spurgeon aficionado like me), but it's a superb resource.

A Puritan's Mind

This site features Puritan bios, Puritan writings, Puritan Creeds—plus articles on theological issues, T-shirts, and more. There's material from Turretin, Ames, and Christopher Love—nearly all quite good. This site was created by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon and is a portal to a sister site, the Puritan Board discussion forum, reputed to be one of the more interesting forums on the Web. (I've never had time to participate, but people send me items from there all the time.)

The Reformed Reader

A wonderful collection of historic Baptist Resources. Highly recommended.

Reformed Theology Resources

This site has long been near the top of my "favorites" list. It's well formatted and content-rich, offering a number of classic books and resources, many paginated as in the originals. When it comes to sacramentology and eschatology, I demur, of course. But it the main, the resources you will find here are meaty and valuable.

Scottish Preachers

A rich collection of sermons and articles from some of Scotland's finest preachers.

The Scripture Memory Connection

Scripture memory helps.

Sound of Grace

Calvinism with an emphasis on the discontinuity of the Old and New Covenants. In distinction from more covenantal Reformed and Reformed Baptist views, the "New Covenant Theology" featured at this site downplays the role of the Law in the Christian's sanctification. As noted above, I'm not a proponent of NCT, but I've found my interaction with these views stimulating and helpful. This is the on-line version of the periodical founded by John Reisinger, whom I love and respect, despite our occasionally different points of view. (I would have categorized this site under "Christian Periodicals," but there's much more here than the journal featured on the opening page.)

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

A number of helpful resources are linked here, including some interesting audio files and link to President Al Mohler's articles and his daily weblog.

www.SpiritualDisciplines.org

The Web site of Donald S. Whitney. Mr. Whitney is a superb author and speaker. His books and articles are all rich with insight and spiritual passion.

True Covenanter

Most of the documents and sermons posted here are fascinating to read and historically valuable. An honest word of caution is in order, though: The tone and flavor of some of the editorial comments you'll read at this site are too petty and censorious for my tastes. Many these days who talk obsessively about "covenanting" are simply hyper-fundamentalists in Reformed dress. Their movement suffers from the same kind of hyper-separatism and harsh infighting that characterizes some of the old-style southern fundamentalists. Still, the historical documents that make up the bulk of this site are too rich and too valuable to consign this site to any other category than "helpful."

21st Century Puritanism

Here's an interesting site with some great links and several provocative articles by Mitch Cervinka and others. While I would not be in agreement with Mitch's ecclesiology or his views on celebrating holidays like Christmas, he nonetheless has posted some good studies on issues related to Christian liberty, the Sabbath, head coverings, etc. The site is well-organized, the articles are well-written, and there's much here that is profitable.

Berean Bible Society

This Web site is home of the Berean Searchlight, the foremost ultradispensationalist journal since 1940. This group was founded by Cornelius Stam and J. C. O'Hair, two Chicago-area ultradispensationalists whose ministries peaked in the '40s and '50s respectively. Their distinctive teaching is that the apostle Paul inaugurated a new dispensation of grace, unveiling a brand-new gospel and (according to some) a whole new way of salvation. Paul's teaching is thus set against the rest of the New Testament and interpreted in a way that renders most of Jesus' teaching utterly irrelevant to the present age. Thus the Word of God is mangled in the name of Bereanism. Though no longer the force it was in the mid-20th century, this organization has stayed alive by adopting the cultish strategy of targeting untaught lay people to whom this bizarre hermeneutical approach (buttressed with selective proof-texting) appears deep and sophisticated.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

Steve Amato (who maintains this site) has always struggled with the doctrine of original sin. In the 1990s, he was peddling rank Pelagianism in various on-line theological forums. What he's teaching nowadays looks more like a do-it-yourself variety of semi-Pelagianism. It's not really clear whether Steve has finally nailed down a position he's going to stick with, but he clearly has no taste for the truth that Adam's sin left us all guilty and condemned (Romans 5:18). Steve has modified virtually every aspect of soteriology—original sin, grace, election, faith, sanctification, etc.—to fit his conviction that salvation ultimately hinges on human free will rather than divine grace. This is classic home-brew theology, making up its own definitions on the fly and devising novel explanations for vital points of theology as the situation demands. Along the way, Steve Amato takes a few humorous potshots at Calvinism in general and John Calvin in particular. Interesting stuff, but not to be taken seriously.

Berean Grace Church

A well-designed Web site, presented with a sense of humor—but watch out for the doctrinal poison. This church's doctrinal distinctives include King-James-Onlyism and "Pauline dispensationalism" (ultradispensationalism). See notes on the Berean Bible Society (above). Bad theology in a pleasing package.

The Bible Believers' Home Page

Some of the articles and arguments at this site have improved ever-so-slightly since I first linked to it, but it's still a fertile source of bad theology on almost every page. The site obsessively defends a strain of KJV-onlyism which insists that the King James Version of the Bible is as flawlessly inerrant as the Bible's original God-breathed manuscripts. For example, an article here states. "The original autographs were inspired. The King James Bible is those same autographs preserved up to today." That statement is laughable nonsense, because "original autographs" are by definition neither copies nor translations, but the original text on its original parchments. No reasonable or sensible person wishing to make an honest argument would claim that the autographs themselves are "preserved" in the KJV or any other translation. What the writer apparently wants to claim is that the KJV is a letter-perfect, inerrant translation—and yet he is backing away from the indefensible position of those who insist the KJV is inspired. This sort of twisted theology results from imbibing a steady diet of camels while obsessively straining out gnats. For a good antidote, see James White's page of KJV-only resources.

Bible Believer's Resource Page

An uneven collection of articles—some exposing errors, some actually attacking sound doctrine. Kelly Condron maintains the site, which takes a militantly separatistic, quasi-Arminian, shallowly-fundamentalist point of view. The tone and depth of several of the articles leave much to be desired. If you're looking for cross-eyed and severely myopic leaders of the blind, this is the place.

Blessed Quietness Journal

Steve Van Nattan's Web site—formerly "Balaam's Ass Speaks." The name change seems to have signalled a slight mellowing in the tone and content of this fundamentalist "journal." But don't expect too much. Steve has a hard time toning it down, it seems. Almost everything here will jar your sensibilities in one way or another—from the annoying flamenco music which (at this writing) plays in the background on the front page, to the endless variety of more or less lowbrow anecdotes and illustrations. (For a classic example of the kind of thing I'm talking about, don't miss "Donkey Dung.")
Incidentally, you might want to mute your sound before visiting, because background music comes up on most pages. You can turn off the noise one page at a time, but you have to look for the imbedded-player buttons, and if you return to any page you've already visited, you'll have to shoot the piano player again. Steve's musical tastes seem to run to fundamentalist piano tunes with a honkey-tonk rhythm and style. (He tunes and repairs pianos professionally, so you'll find links to some interesting DIY info on piano maintenance on the side.)
I've had this site listed in the "bad" category for nearly a decade with a two-sentence annotation that gave practically no rationale for classifying it as "bad." (In the earlier days of "Balaam's Ass Speaks," no explanation seemed necessary.) Aside from that notation, I don't think I have ever mentioned Steve or his website. Yet Steve lists me as one of his "adversaries," and has some characteristically colorful things to say about me. He's a rather eccentric fundamentalist who (ironically) has little appreciation for fundamentalist preachers. He dogmatically affirms KJV-onlyism, fiercely opposes Calvinism ("Did you notice that KJV haters seem to run with Calvinists?"), loves conspiracy theories, and was blessed with ten times more zeal than understanding. He's very clever with over-the-top sarcasm designed mainly to shock, and his rants and diatribes can be quite entertaining to read (in small doses, of course).

Doorway papers by Arthur Custance

Custance was a scientist, anthropologist, inventor, and eccentric intellectual. He defended the "gap theory" of creationism, and wrote some fascinating bits about science and the Scriptures. He also wrote a fairly competent book in defense of divine sovereignty, called The Sovereignty of Grace, but at the end of it, he denied the everlasting punishment of the wicked. There's a mixture of good and bad here. You'll profit from what is good, but be on guard against the bad.

Evangelical Outreach

Not as evangelical as the name suggests. This is sheer semi-Pelagianism, teaching that salvation is a cooperative effort between the sinner and God—with final salvation depending on the sinner's performance. The bulk of the articles here are written (by Dan Corner) to argue against the perseverance and security of the believer. A sample of what you'll find: "The real issue is not God's faithfulness to us, but our faithfulness to Him to the very end of our lives." Wow! On the other hand, there's actually some good here, but it's seriously tainted by so much semi-Pelagianism. (Moreover, they regard Charles Spurgeon as a complete rogue because he wrote "A Defence of Calvinism" and smoked cigars. No doubt Spurgeon would have borne the reproach of their disapproval gladly.) The site has a new, slick-looking but hard-to-decipher Flash intro, but the pages underneath are formatted in a fashion that matches the doctrine taught therein: slipshod and utterly unappealing.

Flashpoint

The ramblings of Texe Marrs, who never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like.

Grace Evangelical Society

Masters of voodoo exegesis. Look for the "Grace in Focus" link—a misnomer if ever there was one. It takes you to an on-line collection of mini-manifestos for GES's unique brand of antinomianism. Other resources here all tout the radical anti-Lordship doctrine this group exists to promote.

Grace Fellowship International

Charles Solomon's "Exchanged Life" approach to counseling and sanctification. It's a hodge-podge of deeper-life doctrine, armchair theology, pop psychology, and amateur exegesis. My major complaint about Solomon's approach is that while he insists that "the cross" is central to his message, he has subtly shifted focus, so that rather than being a message about what Christ has done to redeem sinners, "the cross" in Solomon's system signifies a quietistic method by which the believer can supposedly attain "victory." This has a lot in common with the classic Keswick approach to sanctification. B. B. Warfield's critique of Charles Trumbull's Victory in Christ in Warfield's classic Studies in Perfectionism will be helpful to anyone who wants to understand what is wrong with this kind of teaching.

House Church Central

For those who want to play "church" but despise authority. This branch of the house church movement embraces an unbiblical egalitarianism that subverts the role Scripture assigns to elders and overseers of the flock of God (cf. Hebrews 13:7, 17). From the Web site: "One of the main distinctions of house church vs. institutional church is the use of dialogue rather than lecture and sermon." Now there's an unbiblical recipe for shepherding the flock. But biblical shepherding is inherently out of sync with house-church populism. Predictably, this site is hostile to formal training and full-time pastors. The result is a theological home-brew that is both inconsistent and confusing. Don't waste too much time here. The pseudo-scholarly pontifications on doctrine and church history aren't worth the bandwidth it takes to download them. NOTE: I have nothing against churches that meet in houses, but I object to those who insist that's the only way a church should meet. As for their opposition to biblical eldership, see 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Corinthians 9:5-14. The approach to church government advocated here is a recipe for weak teaching and discord in the flock. It is also unbiblical. See Hebrews 13:7, 17.

Jesus-Is-Savior.Com

The first thing you'll notice about this site is how cluttered, disorderly, and tawdry it looks. The content is no different. It's as if the page was constructed with a deliberate effort to eliminate anything that might edify or encourage. This is a seriously ugly muddle of fundamentalist pet issues, 911 Truther propaganda, and various amateur analyses—all thrown in your face with high-decibel, high-velocity force. The webmaster here seems drawn to every repugnant trope that has ever been commandeered in the name of religion—unsightly images, distasteful themes, loathsome tales, sinister gossip, and sensationalized headlines ("Satanism In The Vatican!") He blends these themes with favorite points of fundamentalist controversy and presents them in a way that seems carefully calculated to maximize the shock value. This is not ministry; it is exploitation. It's a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing profitable.
Some people insist that the only way to reach our generation with the gospel is by laboring to seem as cool or as non-confrontational as possible. This guy seems to think the goal is the opposite: to be as cheesy and offensive as possible. Both strategies are equally misguided.

Living Way Ministries

Jack Hayford's media ministry. Hayford makes a false dichotomy between "head" and "heart"—constantly pitting subjective feelings against rational intellect and invariably championing "heart" over "head." (When Scripture uses the term "heart," it includes the intellect. The proper biblical meaning of the term has very little to do with subjective feelings.) In Hayford's FAQs, for example, he admits that there is no reference in the Bible to being "slain in the Spirit." He nonetheless lists biblical references about people who fell prostrate when they encountered the Lord, and he tells readers, "As you look up these passages, pray and ask the Lord to confirm to your heart the truth of this . . . [And] if you are ever in a situation where someone is 'slain in the spirit,' just ask the Lord to witness to your spirit if this was really from God or not. He will"—as if the Holy Spirit would confirm to our "hearts" something Scripture doesn't teach to our "heads." Taking this approach to "discernment" has naturally set Hayford against those who see that biblical discernment requires us to understand and defend sound doctrine. Hayford believes this is inherently hostile to "Christian unity."
Hayford himself has endorsed everyone from Fred Price to Benny Hinn—further undermining both true biblical discernment and true Christian unity. While Hayford is an articulate speaker, his teaching is too full of error (and personal whimsy) to be recommended.

Modern Jesus Army Streetpaper

. . . championing every wrong cause, it appears. Here's a quarterly digest of British evangelicalism's pathological inability to exercise biblical discernment. The "Jesus Army" is a charismatic ministry with a minimalist creed doing outreach work among homeless and poverty-stricken young people in the UK. But the "Streetpaper:" reveals an obsession with typical evangelical faddism and an uncanny knack for obscuring the actual facts of the gospel while trying to appear streetwise.

One 4 the Child

The owners of this site wish to defend the sanctity of marriage—a worthy goal, but they take a wrong approach. They insist (with selective biblical proof-texting) that an act of sexual intercourse establishes a permanent bond of marriage in God's eyes. So if someone has sexual relations even once as a teenager, then later marries a different partner, the later "marriage" is merely an adulterous relationship in God's eyes—and the former act is not simply fornication, but rather a permanently binding union. Try to reconcile that with Jesus' remark that the woman at the well had no husband, even though she was cohabiting with (at least) her sixth partner (John 4:16-18).
Biblically, what constitutes marriage is the covenant between husband and wife (Malachi 2:14), not the act of sex. The whole point of the marriage ceremony (in virtually every culture) is to solemnize and make public the covenant vows between husband and wife. To treat a covert act of fornication as equivalent to a valid marriage covenant is to subvert the sanctity of marriage, not defend it. What you'll find at this site is selective Bible-quoting with a topical, issue-driven agenda. And that almost always breeds bad theology.

People to People

Bob George's variety of "Classic Christianity" is a novel sort of antinomianism. In short, Bob teaches Christians that their position in Christ means they no longer need to ask God to forgive them for their sins (thus nullifying one of the main points of the Lord's Prayer).

Protestant Reformed Church

There are some helpful, even excellent, resources linked here. I deliberated long and hard about whether to put this in the "Helpful Resources" category. The problem is that the PRC holds to an extreme Calvinism that denies God's common grace and the free offer of the gospel. This is a form of hyper-Calvinism, and is fraught with many dangerous ramifications. I could not with good conscience give it a thumbs up. Not a few people have written to ask how I could class a denomination that adheres to the Three Forms of Unity in this category. But the PRC's most distinctive feature—its utter denial of the gospel's free offer—is, after all, bad theology.

Rapture Ready

More rapture hype. Don't miss the "rapture index," a ridiculous attempt to provide "a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity" and measure the nearness of the Rapture by tracking 45 leading indicators. The index is maintained by periodically assigning numerical quantifiers to categories such as "satanism," "unemployment," and "the mark of the beast" ("New advancements in microcircuit technology has [sic] upgraded this category"). Though this looks like it might be a joke or a parody, apparently it is for real.

Sound Doctrine

Not quite. Check the article titled "Another Gospel!"—which argues (in contradiction to Romans 4) that Old Testament saints were not justified by faith the same way Christians in this age are. The doctrine represented here is fraught with Scofieldian error, unfortunately.

Miles J. Stanford

Here you will find the musings of the late Miles Stanford, one of the last devoted guardians of "Pauline dispensationalism." Stanford held to several of the more arcane idiosyncrasies of early dispensationalism long after most dispensationalists had quietly disowned them as ill-advised novelties lacking any biblical support. Stanford insisted, for example, that there are two distinct gospels in the NT. He taught that Christ gave the apostle Paul a new and different gospel, not the same message that was theretofore being preached by the other apostles. In the mid-twentieth century, that same notion (which had percolated among Darbyites and Scofieldians for some time) gave rise to ultradispensationalism, and the folly of the two-gospels idea quickly became evident. Most leading dispensationalists, including Charles Ryrie and John Walvoord denied that Paul's gospel was different from Jesus' gospel. Stanford was piqued by modern dispensationalists who abandoned those and other bizarre features of old-line dispensationalism. He wrote and distributed papers challenging the views of those whom he believed were drifting. Those papers, and several of Stanford's other writings, are catalogued here. They contain numerous peculiarities on sanctification, the believer's relationship to the law, the covenants, etc. Also, Stanford's quaint jargon ("horizontal dispensationalism"; "the identification truths"; etc.) is often hard to decipher. A better glossary would help. The chief value of this site is the graphic proof it provides to show that dispensationalism is not, and never has been, a monolithic system.

Calvinism—Ten Little Caveats

Bob Moore reckons he knows what is wrong with the church. It's Calvinism. And Bob says unless Calvinists change their views, the world will not be able to believe, because "Calvinians" are disrupting the unity of the church. (Bob has an annoying tendency to refer to Calvinists as "Calvinians.") Although Bob seems to regard himself as neither Arminian nor Calvinist, what he proposes as an alternative to Calvinism is indistinguishable from historic Arminianism. Beginning with a rejection of unconditional election, Bob is forced to adopt a very Wesleyan view of prevenient grace in order to reconcile his presuppositions with the doctrine of human depravity. Then he argues that election is based on God's foresight of events He has forfeited His sovereign control of.

Theologia

This site is the work of Mark Horne. When I first discovered it in the mid-90s, it was one of most provocative and interesting theological sites on the Web, featuring an impressive collection of meaty articles.
But I noticed Mark seemed be writing more and more material that troubled me—championing sacramentalism (including paedocommunion) and nuancing the doctrine of justification in ways that seriously compromise the principle of sola fide. His unrelenting advocacy of N. T. Wright and the "New Perspective on Paul" finally persuaded me to move this link (with deep regret) to the "Bad Theology" category. Mark labels me "Romophobic"; and indeed, precisely what I fear in so much of what he writes is a not-so-subtle Romish tendency. There's still some good to be found here if you sift through all the chaff. Do it with extreme caution, though. Chaff often looks very much like grains of wheat.

Way of Life Literature

David Cloud's material is a blend of some helpful material and a lot of half-cocked pronouncements against various writers and teachers who are not "fundamentalist Baptists" sharing Cloud's precise convictions on a long list of secondary issues. His stance on most of those issues appears to mirror very closely that of The Sword of the Lord during its heyday under John R. Rice (Arminian, combatively separatistic, narrowly Baptistic, and somewhat more concerned with practical, rather than doctrinal, standards). There is one notable difference: unlike Rice, Cloud holds strongly to KJV-onlyism, and he has made that issue one of his favorite hobby-horses. Mr. Cloud is a better writer and somewhat more refined in his rhetoric than most publishers of the popular IFB rant-rags. But bad theology in dressed-up rhetoric is still bad theology.

The Wesley Center for Applied Theology

Everything you wanted to know about Wesleyan theology.

Whosoever Will

These are Herman Hoeksema's writings on grace and the gospel call. His perspective on these issues amounts to a kind of hyper-Calvinism. He denies that the gospel invitation includes a bona fide offer of salvation to anyone but the elect. Hoeksema was brilliant, and a good writer. In fact, there is enough of real value here that I originally placed it in the "helpful" category. But the more I see of the fruits of this kind of thinking, the more convinced I am that it deserves to be plainly labeled as bad theology.

Words of Righteousness

Here's a slick-looking site peddling a skewed view of the gospel. I was immediately troubled by the many articles at this site that downplay or denigrate the significance of Christ's righteousness imputed to believers—and stress instead the believer's own works of righteousness. More troubling still, the theology taught here suggests that heaven will be bifurcated between believers who will rule because their earthly works were sufficiently righteous, and believers who will be ruled over because they did not attain sufficient righteousness in their earthly lives. This not-so-subtly sneaks the issue of human merit back into the salvation formula, teaching, as do all the various cults and isms, that full redemption depends to some degree on the sinner's own righteousness. Although the writer of this material pretends merely to be remedying an imbalance while giving lip-service to justification by faith, this is patently bad theology.

Absolute Holiness

The gospel according to Pelagianism: "What must I do to be saved?" Easy; you just stop sinning. This Web site teaches that sinners cannot be justified solely by the imputed righteousness of Christ. Instead we must have a "perfect" righteousness of our own. Unfortunately, in order to explain how such "perfection" is attainable by sinners, the author of this Web site is forced to redefine sin, righteousness, perfection, justification, sanctification—and a host of other biblical terms. What need is there for grace in a system like this? (Hint: you won't find much about grace here.) The spirit of Pelagius and Finney is alive and well on the Web, nowhere more evident than at the "Stop Sinning" Web site. My advice is to skip this one, unless you want to read the pages of invective he aims my way.

Affirmation & Critique

This is the journal of "The Local Church" movement (aka Living Stream Ministry), whose guru was Witness Lee. They have some—um—rather unusual views on church polity, mysticism, and the Scriptures. The vagueness of the pseudo-scholarly writing you'll find in the journal is the only thing that disguises how bad this theology is. Incidentally, this group is notoriously prone to be litigious against people who label them a "cult" (see the annotation and links to "Contending for the Faith" below). Cult or not, I think their theology is deplorable. So sue me.

All Men Are Saved!

The heresy of universalism, presented here with overblown assertions and selective Bible quoting. This is seriously dangerous teaching, not only because it lulls sinners into a false sense of security, but also because destroys the fear of God and denies the necessity of faith for salvation.

Are Men Born Sinners? The Myth of Original Sin

Tom Overstreet's facile dismissal of the doctrine of original sin. In the tradition of his mentor Finney, Overstreet complains that "the one great problem of original sin is that it clashes with man's irresistible convictions of justice"—i.e., he just doesn't "feel" it's right. But the alternative Overstreet proposes is the same utterly graceless theology touted by his spiritual ancestors, Finney and Pelagius. This is serious error, not worthy of the name "Christian."

BibleStudyGuide.org

Classic Campbellite theology, distilled in easy-reference format. These folks have borrowed Pelagianism's denial of original sin, mixed it with baptismal regeneration, anathematized everyone outside their circle of Campbellite congregations, declared human merit necessary for salvation—and yet they claim they have no creed but Christ.

Bible Truths

The theology purveyed at this site is even cheesier than the animated .gifs you'll find adorning its home page. These folks deny every biblical truth that points to the sinner's utter inability to save himself. And likewise, at every opportunity, they exalt the sinner's works as instruments of justification. Teaching baptismal regeneration, denying original sin, and aggressively attacking "the view that man's salvation is wholly of God,"—this is sheer Pelagianism. At one point, they unabashedly ask: "Could it be, though, man has focused so entirely on Jesus and his accomplishments in making possible man's salvation that he has diminished or removed man's part in obtaining his salvation?" Wow.

The Robert Brow Model Theology Web

Brow was a Canadian Anglican pastor and author who was determined to wear the label "evangelical" but who rejected virtually everything else associated with evangelicalism. He died in July 2008, but his website is still online as he left it. Brow's famous article "Evangelical Megashift" in the 19 Feb 1990 issue of Christianity Today correctly predicted the doctrinal drift seen more than a decade later in the Emergent movement. Brow called it "'new-model' thinking" (though it looks remarkably like old-model heresy). The point of view Brow advocated on his website was a curious mixture blending generous doses of Socinianism, modernism, and theological liberalism with post-modern relativism. (There's a troubling measure of libertinism thrown into Brow's strange brew, too. He believed all kinds of sexual fantasy can be explored freely without guilt unless our imagining "turns into a decision to commit adultery." His article "Sodomy in Leviticus" also suggested that Scripture is tolerant of homosexual activity as long as it doesn't involve penetration.) But the worst aspect of Brow's theology was his unrelenting attack on the forensic "model" of justification and the substitutionary "model" of the atonement. Brow insisted he had new, better "models" for those doctrines—but what he was really selling was the dressed-up wreckage of early-model liberalism. To label such notions "evangelical" is simply duplicitous. Or maybe somewhere along the line he got diverted from the models and started sniffing the modeling glue.

Rodney Howard Browne

He calls himself "the Holy Ghost Bartender." Christianity literally laughed itself sick over this man in the mid-1990s. For the life of me, I cannot see why anyone would place any credence in such a man.

Brother Jed

Jed Smock is a campus preacher who is legendary for his eccentricities. He has openly embraced the heresy of Pelagianism.

Congregation of YHWH Jerusalem

This cult is another offshoot of Herbert W. Armstrong's original Worldwide Church of God. They have retained (and even exaggerated) the very features of Armstrong's heresies that the mainline WWCoG has repudiated. For example, they espouse an Arian view of Christ (denying His full deity), and they teach a view of OT ceremonial law borrowed straight from the playbook of the Galatian heretics. They inject their literature and speech with as many Hebraisms as possible, as if to suggest that they are more Jewish than Christian. But at the end of the day, this is little more than old-style Armstrongism decked out in robes and phylacteries.

Crisis Publications: A Call To Reform

The subtitle of this page is bitterly ironic, because they obviously hate the theology of the Protestant Reformation. The doctrine featured here is a revival of the ancient Pelagian heresy blended with some bizarre notions about sinless perfection borrowed from the most extreme elements of the "Holiness Movement"—served up with a chip-on-the-shoulder contempt for John Calvin and the theology that borrows his name.

Christian Churches of God

The theology you'll find here is an amalgamation of legalism, Arianism, and several other deadly errors. It mirrors the original (strongly anti-trinitarian) doctrine of the Herbert W. Armstrong cult, of which it is an offshoot.

Kim Clement

One of the Trinity Broadcasting Network's younger, goofier false prophets. This guy has invented his own unique theology and sells it with classic overblown TBN flamboyance. Another wolf in televangelist's clothing.

Contending for the Faith

"The Local Church" (see "Affirmation and Critique" above) has often been called cultish, and they have used litigation to try to quell their critics. This Web site is devoted to telling their side of those conflicts, while explaining why they reject historic Christianity. The documents you'll find here are fascinating. But they don't tell the full story. For instance, there's nothing here about how the group acquired and squelched Jim Moran's Light of Truth Ministries Web Site. After Moran's unexpected death in January 2003, The Local Church purchased Moran's Internet domain (ltm.org), including all rights to his in-depth exposés of their group. They replaced Moran's material with their own literature and have managed thereby to get Moran's critique of their movement out of circulation. These tactics are a classic example of how easily truth can be twisted and disguised in the hands of people willing to employ whatever pragmatic tactics they can to defend their errors. Make no mistake, however: the theology promulgated by this group is really, really bad. For an account of why it is bad theology, see this page from the Apologetics Index. Also, while we do not recommend Miles Stanford's material in general, (see under "Bad Theology"), he wrote an informative critique of Nee and Lee.

Dad's Day Off

One struggles to find words to express the Really-Deep-Down-Badness of this site. Let's just say it is b-b-b-b-bad to the bone. This guy hates the doctrine of the Trinity, insists there will be no everlasting punishment of the wicked, and is convinced the epistles were included in the New Testament canon by mistake—just to name a few of his more glaring errors. Things only get worse from there. Here's a statement from one of his articles: "It was not necessary for Jesus Christ to come to earth, in physical form as a man born of woman, in order for man to gain preservation for his soul. Practice under the Mosaic Law, if followed faithfully, was quite adequate and effective to accomplish 'soul saving.'" Obviously, that flatly contradicts Hebrews 10:4; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 2:21—and scores of other biblical statements that point to Christ's atonement as the only way anyone can be saved.
The proprietor of "Dad's Day Off," Noah Russell, is a black-belt master at ripping proof-texts from their contexts to lend artificial credence to his views. He sneers at his theological critics: "With the mountain of evidence that is provided herein from the Bible, are you sure that you want to 'blacklist' my website?" Well, let us be the first to offer an emphatic "YES!" "Dad's Day Off" is a good signpost, however, to remind us that armchair theology and Internet access can be a deadly combination.

End-Time Deliverance Center

Stan and Elizabeth Madrak, Demonbusters. According to these people, all your problems are demonic, and they can teach you about "deliverance." Learn how to "return all curses sevenfold." Read the on-line deliverance manual (IF you can GET PAST the ODD TEXT FORMATTING, that is. SOMEONE at demonbusters.com CANNOT LAY OFF the CAPS-LOCK KEY!) And here's something you probably do not know: "You do not have to have your demons cast out to make it to heaven, but it sure makes your life down here better."

Essays on Theology and Ethics

In the words of this page's author, this site promulgates "the views of a theologian deeply influenced by modern science, historical studies, cultural relativism, ecological concerns, pragmatism, and the like"—everything but Scripture, which is decidedly against the views you'll find here.

The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary

A "Protestant" nunnery. The late Mother Basilea Schlink was the order's founder. She blended mysticism, crypto-Catholicism, Proto-Mariolatry, and all the accoutrements of medieval asceticism and convent life. No wonder the term evangelical has all but lost its meaning. Note: For an insiders' look at what life in this cult is like, read "Charlene's Personal Story: A First-hand Account of a Former Sister of Mary."

Exposing Those Who Contradict

L. Ray Smith rants and raves with sophomoric sarcasm against the doctrine of eternal punishment. He also insists evil was "created" by God. He seems to have a particular vendetta against D. James Kennedy. This would be amusing if it were not so thoroughly unbiblical.

Family Radio

This is Harold Camping's network. The music is very nice and nostalgic if not a little kitschy, sounding very much like Moody Radio did in the 1960s. But the teaching here is profoundly bad. After being out of control for more than a decade (during which Camping's board and co-workers refused to hold him accountable to Scripture) he finally wigged out completely shortly after the turn of the millennium. He had already utterly embarrassed himself and sacrificed all credibility in the early 1990s by predicting that Christ would return to earth on September 6, 1994. After that prediciton failed to materialize, Camping continued to make false prophecies, culminating in his absurd pronouncement that the Church age has come to an end and we are living in the Tribulation. God is through with the church, Camping insists—and judgment has now begun. Camping tells his listeners they need to leave their churches and look to Family Radio to be the main vehicle through which the gospel is preached to the whole world. (You can guess where Camping thinks Christians need to send all their money.) Camping says he has now figured out what was wrong with his earlier calculations on the end of the world, and he is 100 percent certain the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011. I have challenged him to put his money where his mouth is and deed the ownership and full control of his radio network to me, effective 12:01 AM May 22, 2011. So far, he hasn't done it. This once-fine ministry is a tragic example of what can happen when one man is given too much control with no accountability.

Charles Finney Sermons and Articles

A collection of sermons and other material from the 19th-century revivalist who steered American evangelicalism onto a theological dead end.

Note: In response to several e-mail messages challenging my right to classify Finney as "really bad," I posted an article explaining why he was a heretic, and documenting his errors with his own words. You'll find that article at http://www.romans45.org/articles/finney.htm.

The Gospel Truth

Don't let the name fool you; neither the gospel nor much truth of any kind can be found here. This is sheer and unfettered Pelagianism, featuring, of course, the favorite patron saint of all modern Pelagians: Charles Finney. For those naive souls who continually insist that Finney was no Pelagian but has merely been misunderstood by his critics, that argument is debunked by the unedited versions of Finney's original works, which can be found here. Moreover, follow the link to "Subjects of Importance by authors other than Charles G. Finney," and you'll be led to a plethora of articles attacking the doctrine of original sin, excoriating Augustine, and extolling Pelagius (or "St. Morgan of Wales," as he is known in the whitewashed retelling of his life featured here). "Moral government theology" (complete with its toned-down doctrine of the atonement), manipulative evangelism, perfectionism (along with its evil twin, so-called "holiness" doctrine), and Scripture-twisting that specifically targets Romans 6—11 are all hallmarks of classic Pelagianism. You'll find them all in copious quantities here. Watch out; this stuff is deadly heresy—not "the gospel truth" at all, but a different gospel completely (see Galatians 1:8-9).

Benny Hinn

Do I really need to explain how completely bad Benny is?

The Interactive Bible

This is a huge repository of Q&As, warnings against "false doctrines," and various opinions on certain doctrinal issues. The problem is, many—perhaps most—of the "answers" you'll find here are wrong. This is mostly classic Campbellite theology, married to a strong Pelagian denial of original sin, resulting in a different gospel from the one taught in Scripture. Don't be confused by what you find at this site. The error may be very subtle, but it is quite deadly.

Jesus Name Apostolic Holiness Church

I first noticed Steve Winter (the proprietor of this site) in the mid-1990s ago because of his viciously abusive Usenet posts. In those days his website was called "The PreRapture Web Page." It's full of proof that not everything that masquerades as Bible-believing Christianity really is. From his writings, it seemed pretty clear that Mr. Winter was rather seriously mentally deranged. The video-sermonettes now posted on the web site erase all doubt about that.

The Latter Rain Page

A mind-boggling (and brain-numbing) collection of confusion and seriously flawed theology. This is an amalgamation of the worst errors of pentecostalism, blended with the rankest variety of Semi-Pelagianism, seasoned with a lot of homespun misinterpretations of Scripture—pretending to be delivered by divine inspiration. According to the author of this page, if you oppose his views on the so-called "latter rain" or "the five-fold ministry" (i.e., if you deny that the leaders of his movement are true "Apostles and Prophets" with full apostolic authority and miracle powers), you are part of the harlot church and are probably guilty of blaspheming the Holy Ghost, too. No sign of the gospel here, either. The page of articles on "Theology" has nothing whatsoever to say about justification by faith.

Liberals Like Christ

More seepage from the sewer of Socinianism. Here's a site that pits the apostle Paul against Christ in order to justify a socialistic gospel—touting leftist politics and kneejerk liberalism, rather than faith in Christ alone, as the way of salvation. Skubalon.

The Light Unto the World

Yet another self-anointed expert who reckons he is the first person in nearly 2000 years of church history to figure out the true message of Christ. And (surprise!) according to him, the gospel demands that you attain sinless perfection. Above all, you have to obey the Mosaic ceremonial laws regarding holy days. If you fail to observe Pentecost (or any of the other Jewish feasts or Sabbaths), you will go to hell. Want to go to the hottest part of hell? Observe Christmas. Apparently Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5 are not in this fellow's Bible. Neither is Galatians 5:4. The "light" offered on this page looks an awful lot like old-fashioned legalistic, Pelagian darkness. This guy would have welcomed the false teachers the apostle Paul condemned in Galatians. (And why is it that these people with an Elijah complex always seem to favor screaming bold typefaces, wall-to-wall text, and lots of underlining and exclamation marks?)

More Light Presbyterians

A misnomer if there ever was one. These people say they are "seeking the full participation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church." I'd love to turn John Knox loose in one of their conventions and see what would happen.

Newswatch Magazine

This is what happens when you try to revive the legalistic heresies of Herbert W. Armstrong by force-feeding them a steady diet of classic right-wing conspiracy-buff fodder. Although this site suggests that its mission is "Making clear today's news in light of Bible prophecy," you'll find precious little here that is clear, and even less that has any legitimate connection to Bible prophecy.

Outside the Camp

An on-line periodical whose editors once labeled themselves "Calvinists," but who in reality always promoted an especially pernicious variety of hyper-Calvinism. This site's reprehensible "Heterodoxy Hall of Shame" condemns Thomas Boston, Charles Spurgeon, Horatius Bonar, A.A. Hodge, John Murray—and John Calvin himself!—as quasi-Arminian heretics for their stance on issues such as the free offer of the gospel. The owners of this site despise "Tolerant Calvinism"—the view held by those of us who think evangelical Arminians, though wrong on the doctrine of election, are nonetheless our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul's Passing Thoughts

Paul Dohse, Sr. is an all-purpose accuser. He hates the church and hates the gospel and for years has been posting his loopy ruminations at this website. His writings and videotaped pontifications are their own self-refutation, and his accusations against various church leaders are so numerous and some of them are so far-fetched that they are actually comical. His "religion" is a Pelagian stew of his own devising. He is a one-man denomination, best ignored. In short "Paul’s Passing Thoughts" consists mainly of musings that ought to have been allowed to pass. It’s a shame he keeps writing them down.

Pinpoint Evangelism

This is the ministry of Kerrigan Skelly, an ardent apologist for the Pelagian heresy. Here's a disturbing video of Skelly's apologia for Pelagianism, taught at a YWAM base in the Philippines."
We don't believe that babies are 'born sinners' or that they are born with a 'sinful nature,'" they say (right after claiming their only creed is the Bible. Make that the Bible with Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Romans 3:10, 23; and a host of other texts expunged or explained away). Pelagianism is rife among open-air evangelists—not all of them, of course, but there seems to be a large community of street preachers who aggressively promote Pelagian doctrines, and Kerrigan Skelly's ministry epitomizes the problem.
In an article at this site defending Pelagianism, they argue that the pelagian principle appeals to the human mind: "I think most would agree that [Pelagius's] basic principle is sound: 'God now commands all men everywhere to repent' so all men everywhere have the ability to repent!"
Really? Jesus also commands us to be as perfect as our heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48). How are you doing with that commandment? The honest, humble, biblically-informed mind will confess its own inability to obey even the First and Great Commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:38). Like all who elevate their own "common-sense" understanding over the clear instruction of Scripture, they have made the fatal mistake of confusing ability with responsibility.

Plain Truth Ministries

Heresy, actually—and not "plain" at all. This is the malformed offspring of the marriage between Artmstrongism and pragmatic, public-relations-driven, quasi-evangelicalism.

Predestinarian Network

These guys never met a hyper-Calvinist idea they didn't like. They have also invented some novel ones of their own. Indeed, extremism seems to be the distinctive theme of the Predestinarian Network. Its agenda, apparently, is to collect as many hyper-calvinists as possible and drive one another to even more extreme positions. This is a really unhealthy place to hang out.

The Preterist Archive

Preterism suggests that the Tribulation prophecies of Matthew 24 were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. But much of the propaganda you'll find here is not mere preterism; it's hyper-preterism (though on this Web site the terms "consistent preterism" or "full preterism" are generally preferred). Call it what you will; this view is heresy. It echoes the error of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who taught that the Second Coming was already past, thus overthrowing the faith of some (2 Tim. 2:17-18). Hyper-preterists teach that all New Testament prophecy is now fulfilled; the Lord has returned; and we now live in the New Heavens and New Earth. Sound bizarre? It is. Modern preterism is largely a reactionary movement against the fanaticism of premillennial end-times extremists. Hyper-preterists react to the end-of-the-world doom-and-gloomers by running to an opposite extreme, but their fanaticism is actually driven by a similar spirit.
The proof is seen in the evolution of this website. Its webmaster said in 2009 that he has abandoned full preterism in favor of something he calls "preterist-idealism." The site features an article celebrating preterism's universalist roots. It's a quagmire.
Here's a rule of thumb: when you encounter someone whose whole view of theology is shaped and driven by any eschatalogical theory (be it pre- post- or a-millennial), so that eschatology becomes that person's primary concern and the issue to which every conversation inevitably returns, you've found a candidate for the "really bad theology" category.

Pristine Grace Website

This site has lots of classic articles devoted to every hyper-Calvinistic hobby-horse (denying common grace, the free offer, faith as a duty, etc.) This site includes an abridged version of Joseph Hussey's 1707 work God's Operations of Grace But No Offers of Grace, which is one of the earliest manifestos of hyper-Calvinism. Other articles of historical interest here include sermons by J. C. Philpot and John Brine. The Webmaster here is Mike Krall, who likes hyper-preterism almost as much as he likes hyper-Calvinism. The layout won't win any awards for ease of use or aesthetics, but it's a veritable gold-mine if you're looking for classic polemical material defending virtually any kind of hyperism.

The Prophecy Reformation Institute

More hyper-preterist drivel. This site is little more than unabashed self-promotion by John Noe, who peddles his hyper-preterist books here. Noe is convinced hyper-preterism is "the only solution to the liberal/skeptic attack on the Bible"—as if anti-Christian theology were an apt reply to anti-Christian philosophy. No, thanks. You'll find nothing at The Prophecy Reformation Institute worthy of the name "reformation."

Profitable Doctrines in God's Word from an Endtime Prophet

Originally subtitled: "Topics For Adult Male Pentecostals Only." Here's another self-appointed "prophet" whose sick obsessions are evident even in the list of topics he writes about. According to him my merely posting this negative review of his Web site falls under the category of blasphemy according to the "Nine Noahchide Laws for Gentile observance" which sets forth this principle: "Gossip, talking about Pentecostals behind their backs with negative statements is sin." If you want to see the full significance of this "prophet's" own waywardness, note his paraphrase of Galatians 1:10: "The life goal of all Pentecostals is to daily persuade [convince] God, they are living holy enough to be saved in the resurrection day."
But I can't leave this site without giving you a sample of what sort of "Bible study" (by which he evidently means "Scripture twisting") you'll find here. This is what the "prophet" says in a study titled "Job's Twenty Children": "For years Job dedicated his life to God his wife Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and his ten children. To heap dishonor upon him his children repaid him by living a double standard, hypocritical and sexually sinful drunken lifestyle. This is a good argument for Pentecostals not to have children, because almost certainly they will overtly and clandestinely serve the Devil and reject God's holy direction for eternal life in Jesus." OK. Well, I know one Pentecostal whom we certainly hope does not have children.

Refuting Calvinism

Rambling and often sophomoric stream-of-consciousness video diatribes—arguing not merely against Calvinism, but also against the biblical principle of divine grace. Evidently these guys have concluded that the only viable alternative to Calvinism is rank Pelagianism, and they seem to be vying with one another to see how much of authentic Christianity they can jettison. They denounce the doctrine of original sin and the principle of substitutionary atonement while promoting a notion of sinless perfectionism. In the words of one of their teachers: "I don't believe in original sin; I believe in natural ability. I don't believe in prevenient grace; I believe in free will. I don't believe in a born-with sinful nature; I believe in an acquired sinful nature over time through habitual sinning."

Restoration Movement

Information about the Campbellite movement and its history.

Dr. Gene Scott®

W. Eugene Scott, Ph.D. actually registered a trademark for the name "Dr. Gene Scott." He was the quintessential Southern California religious wacko—until he dropped dead from a stroke in February 2005. If you think a foul-mouthed, immoral, cigar-chomping, narcissistic windbag would make a good spiritual leader, Doc would have been the perfect guru for you. One of his best-loved "worship" choruses was a little ditty he wrote titled "Kill a Pissant for Jesus." He's gone, but his website lives on.

Pastor Melissa Scott

Dr. Gene Scott®'s teaching lives on, too. His third wife, Melissa, took over his pastoral position and his teaching role. Slightly more cogent than her husband, she still teaches the same bad theology.

Seventh-day Adventist Church

A modern version of the same kind of legalism that threatened the Galatian Church in the New Testament.

Shepherd's Chapel

Arnold Murray is this group's guru, and he teaches a host of errors, including the notion that modern Jews are really descendants of Kenites, whom Murray claims descended from Cain and usurped the chosen-people status of the true Israelites. Murray's teachings are immensely popular in the "Christian Identity Movement," which advocates racism and white supremacism. The Christian Research Institute archive has a helpful on-line exposé of Murray and the Identity Movement.

Streams Ministries Online

The design here is fairly slick, but that's about the only good thing I can say about this site. This is the ministry of John Paul Jackson, one of the infamous "Kansas City Prophets." He's still peddling his own imagination as if it were the Word of God. He now specializes in interpreting dreams and visions. You can submit your dreams to him for interpretation (I advise strongly against this). For a while he offered something called the "Dream Certification Process." It seemed to be a training program where you could learn to invent dream-interpretations like Jackson does. But I couldn't tell for sure, because you had to register to use that part of the website, and since I take Deuteronomy 13:1-5 seriously, I want nothing to do with a "prophet" who usually gets his predictions wrong.

TBN

"The largest Christian television network in the world"—unfortunately. The spirit of Tetzel is alive and well on cable TV. Bad doctrine, spurious claims of divine revelation, mawkish emotions, gaudy makeup, and tawdry decorations all contribute to the unique ambience that is TBN. To borrow some biblical language, TBN is "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (cf. Rev. 18:2).

Tentmaker Online

More universalism masquerading as biblical Christianity. Recently the proprietor of this site has added "full preterism" to the list of heresies he embraces.

a true church

This group used to be called "God's Word Fellowship." The original name was inappropriate enough, but the new name could hardly be less fitting. In the first place, this is not a true church at all, but a cult based on the teaching of one man—Darwin Fish (yes, that's his real name). In the second place, the indefinite pronoun is misleading, because Darwin and his acolytes don't really believe there are any other true churches out there. As a matter of fact, their public "ministry" consists mainly of picketing churches and large evangelical gatherings while handing out literature condemning all the best-known Christian leaders and historical figures as heretics. Among their more serious errors, they deny the doctrine of the Trinity and teach that God is human. See our FAQ warning about the errors of this group. Or see this page for an analysis of Mr. Fish that mirrors his own look and feel.

Truth or Tradition?

Subtle but deadly peddlers of the heresies of unitarianism, annihilationism, and a cheapjack variety of Arianism (denying the deity of Christ). Their sister site has an oxymoronic name: BiblicalUnitarian.com. Their YouTube channel features slick-looking videos and generates lots of activity—and even more confusion. Don't be fooled by their grinning deception. This group is a splinter of The Way International. It was founded by John W. Schoenheit, one-time researcher for that cult. He was fired in 1986 for writing a paper suggesting that the rampant sexual misconduct of the cult's leaders was immoral. He nevertheless has retained and embellished many of the heresies promoted by Victor Paul Wierwille and The Way International. Toxic stuff.

The United Pentecostal Church

Oneness Pentecostalism—a deadly blend of Pelagianism, Sabellian modalism, and extreme Pentecostalism.

Worldwide Church of God

Once a cult, always a cult, it seems. This is the group founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, who blended elements of Arianism, Seventh-day sabbatarianism, Anglo-Israelism, Galatian-style legalism, Pyramidology, and various other quirks and heresies into a deadly mix of false doctrines. Armstrong also falsely prophesied some end-times events, including the "rapture" of the church (he predicted the group would be miraculously taken to Petra in Jordan in 1972). After Armstrong's death in 1986, the group abandoned his anti-trinitarianism, disclaimed his rigid Saturday-Sabbatarianism, and made several other significant and much-publicized concessions to historic Christian orthodoxy.
But are they really orthodox? They teach a doctrine of post-mortem salvation; a muddled view of justification; and a confusing version of "the gospel of the kingdom" that still contains strong elements of Armstrongism. Doctrinal confusion seems rife within the group, and their teachings have been constantly in flux since Armstrong's death. Their halting movement toward evangelical "orthodoxy" still looks as if it may de-rail before they actually shed all their founder's false teachings.
WCG's published "Statement of Beliefs" does include an appendix with the Nicene Creed, the Disciples' Creed, and the definition of Chalcedon. But there is no explicit affirmation of these historic formulae—and the introduction to them warns that "creeds can become formal, complex, abstract, and sometimes equated with Scripture." Furthermore, the modern doctrinal statement offered by the WCG fudges on issues like soul sleep and eternal punishment. ("Does the punishing of the wicked last forever? The Bible can be interpreted in different ways on that." The Bible can be interpreted "many ways" on just about everything. It has only one true meaning, however—and therefore only one right interpretation.) And when the WCG deals with vital doctrines like justification by faith, those articles of faith are abbreviated and framed in unnecessarily ambiguous language. (For example, Scripture is affirmed as inspired and "foundational to the church"—but not expressly said to be the sole and sufficient rule of faith.)
The WCG today is certainly not as solidly in the mainstream of the evangelical movement as some of the recent giddy reports (cheered on by the WCG's own tireless PR department) have tried to make out. It appears uncertain at this point whether they intend to be truly orthodox, or merely stake out a permanent position on the fringe, doing what they have always done: borrowing popular errors from other groups and trying to amalgamate them into a mongrel system that is uniquely their own.
In any case, as much as we would have liked to see them in a different category, Scripture and conscience compel us to say frankly that the theology of this group is still really bad.

Youth With A Mission

If you wonder why I would link a well-known and widely respected organization like YWAM in the "Really Bad" category, see "Youth With A Mission and Theology: A History"—an account of YWAM's propagation of "Moral Government Theology." See also "The 'Spiritual Mapping' of Youth With A Mission" for even more documentation regarding YWAM's dangerous flirtation with Pelagian ideas. YWAM has long touted a faulty view of the atonement in their training sessions at home and overseas. The result has been a proliferation of pseudo-Christianity, weakened churches, and Pelagian tendencies wherever these doctrines have taken hold.

Martin Zender.com

Here's a dude who bills himself as "the world's most outspoken Bible scholar." Brazen he surely is; scholarly he most certainly is not. Zender has a cocky yet blathering style of teaching that (apparently) some have mistaken for proficiency in handling Scripture. Like the proverbial stopped clock, he even manages to intersect with a point of truth from time to time. But this guy is by no means to be trusted. His best-known heresies are his denial of hell and his belief that God is going to save everyone. Despite his angry claim that he "defies labels" and used to distribute a famous rant titled "I Am Not a Goshdanged Universalist", he is indeed a universalist—and lately he just waffles on whether the label fits or not. Trust me: it fits. "Universalism" is, after all, the technical name for the doctrine he is peddling. You'd think the world's most outspoken theological hack would understand that much. But, then, that's why we think he's a Really Bad hack.

Angelic Revelations of Divine Truth

"The Gospel revealed anew by Jesus"? I don't think so. This little enterprise is called "The Truths Project." Hard to think of a less fitting name.

The Church of Christ, Scientist

Christian Science was the most successful of several metaphysical cults that sprung up in the 19th Century in and around Boston. Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of this neo-gnostic cult, still thriving after more than a century. This is the Web site hosted by the group's mother church.

Friends of OSHO

Osho's friends claim he was "never born, never died; only visited this earth between Dec. 11, 1931—Jan. 19, 1990." Osho's name used to be The Bagwan Shree Rajneesh. If you were alive in the 1980s, you may remember the havoc he and his followers wreaked when they took over an Oregon town and renamed it "Rajneeshpuram."
By the way, the Rajneeshees' "celebration" style is literally indistinguishable from the antics post-Toronto charismatics label "worship."

Glide Memorial United Methodist Church

. . . Offering a home to every aberrant view that wants to identify with Christianity. A den of apostasy.

Godhatesfags.com

Here's a Topeka, Kansas, "Baptist" church that has managed to mangle the gospel so completely that hate, rather than love, is at the heart of the message they proclaim. They picket funerals of AIDS victims, carrying signs saying "No Tears for Queers." This "church" is actually a small cult comprised mostly of "Pastor" Fred Phelps's own offspring and their children. An eye-opening expose of the Phelps clan ("Addicted to Hate," by investigative reporter Jon Michael Bell) is on line, Exhibit A in some court documents in a lawsuit involving a Topeka newspaper.
As a Calvinistic Baptist, I'm embarrassed by the Web presence of this "church." What you'll find here is a radically different gospel from the good news proclaimed in Scripture, so this is an apt candidate for the "really, really bad" category.

The Gnosis Archive

Gnosticism is alive and flourishing on the WWW.

Gnosis Magazine

More of the modern gnostic heresy.

Gnostic Friends Network

Despite the friendly-sounding page title, the domain name ("enemies.com") is much more fitting. Here you'll find some of the most virulent enemies of the gospel anywhere on the Web—and plenty of proof of how Satanic gnosticism really is.

The Human Jesus and Christian Deism

Ironically, the original edition of this page had an annoying background midi version of "Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus." The site itself is devoted to turning you away from the biblical Jesus, substituting instead a creature invented by one John Lindell, who maintains this site. "Christian Deism" is, after all, a contradiction in terms. What you'll find here is nothing more than skeptical rationalism cloaked in pious terminology, denying both the deity of Christ and the authority of Scripture while masquerading as Christianity. What Mr. Lindell does not explain—cannot explain—is why he thinks his own musings are any more authoritative than the rantings of Ms. Murray-O'Hare, with whom Mr. Lindell shares more of a spiritual kinship than he realizes.

The Inner Voice

"An Inspirational Magazine"—exemplifying all that is wrong with mysticism. According to this site, "Inside each of us, a voice stands ready to provide spiritual love and guidance. The question is how to find it, and then how to listen." Don't listen to anything you find here.

The Jesus Seminar Forum

Robert Funk's "scholarly" skeptics' club. This is liberalism's famous dog and pony show that has gained so much media attention over the past decade or so. Here's graphic proof of theological liberalism's spiritual indigency. (Click Here to read John MacArthur's assessment of the "Jesus Seminar.")

Share International

The followers of Maitreya (pronounced my-tray-ah) claim he is the Second coming of every "messiah" from Krishna to the Imam Mahdi. His bio page claims "he has been expected for generations by all of the major religions." Does that mean he's a reincarnation of David Koresh too?

A New Christianity for a New World

Bishop Spong's spew.

The New Church

Swedenborgianism. This movement is an echo of ancient gnosticism and a forerunner of the modern New Age Movement.

Share International Magazine

Propaganda touting Maitreya (see above in this same category) as the Messianic hope of the world. Gag me with a turban.

Universe of Yahweh

"Yaweh Ben Yahweh" claims he's the new Messiah. Cites his arrest record as proof.

The Urantia Foundation

A post-modern gnostic cult.

Whosoever

"An online magazine for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Christians." So what's next? Resources for pedophile "Christians"? A "Christian" who justifies and even celebrates a sinful lifestyle is a contradiction in terms.

World Union of Deists

Deism is rationalism distilled to a religion. Deists are often as overtly hostile to Christianity as rank atheists (this site offers abundant proof of that), but deism papers over the ugly side of unbelief with a smarmy religiosity. Deists set reason in the place of revelation, denying that God has revealed Himself to humanity and insisting that human reason is the ultimate test of all truth.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The latest and most systematic digest of the official Roman Catholic "deposit of faith."

Catholic Answers

Catholic propaganda.

Envoy Magazine

Patrick Madrid offers some slick competition to his former employer, Karl Keating, and This Rock magazine.

The Holy See

The Pope's own home page.

The Nazareth Resource Library

Catholic apologetic material.

New Advent Catholic Supersite

A wealth of Catholic resources here—all "dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Our Lady of the Roses

Messages from the apparition of Mary at Bayside, NY. The Bayside movement has been condemned by the Bishop of the Brooklyn Diocese. No wonder. According to followers of the Bayside prophecies, Our Lady is none too pleased with the way modern Roman Catholicism is headed. She is particularly vexed about Vatican II's innovations, and she feels none is more sinister than the practice of receiving the communion wafer in the hand, rather than directly on the tongue. There's a page that cites Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who worked amid some of the world's worst poverty, disease, filth, and human agony—yet supposedly Mother whispered this "secret" to a group of close followers: In her estimation the worst plague on modern society is the practice of receiving communion in the hand.

Other Christian Links

Alpha and Omega Ministries

My friend James White wrote most of the works you'll find here. He has written a ton of superb material on the Trinity, Roman Catholicism, the cults, and much more. If you don't read his blog, you should. It's always interesting, informative, and timely.

Answers in Genesis

The organization founded by Ken Ham. Here you'll find a wealth of helpful resources on creationism.

Apologetics Index

Anton Hein's well-maintained collection of apologetics and counter-cult resources.

Biblical Discernment Ministries

A triple misnomer. You'll find nothing biblical here and precious little that has anything to do with true discernment. As for "ministry," Rick Miesel is a classic theological Ishmael—a wild man whose hand is against every man (cf. Genesis 16:12). His only "ministry" is declaring well-known Bible teachers heretics. And to paraphrase something a famous book critic once said, The material at this site is both good and original. Unfortunately, the stuff that is good is not original, and the stuff that is original is not good. Miesel simply collates everything he can find that is critical of well-known Christian leaders and compiles "exposès." Some of this material is legitimate, but some is incredibly picayune. Much of it is nothing more than the spreading of gossip—and a lot is grossly inaccurate. I've kept this site linked only because I'm asked about Mr. Meisel frequently. My reply: He is not a trustworthy man.

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

Interesting articles—mostly written by Matt Slick—on the cults and various theological issues. Much of what you will find here is excellent, and the website itself is an impressive achievement, representing several years of constant maintenance and improvement.
MILD CAVEAT: Matt Slick once took a position that troubled me on the question of whether it's possible for a universalist to be a true believer or not. He seems to have tweaked his position over the years, so his current article on the subject includes this: "I would say that a universalist who openly and knowingly affirms universal salvation after having been clearly taught the truth in scripture, and yet continues to hold to a 'second chance' doctrine (as some do), and/or punishment in the afterlife for a duration of time and then salvation occurs, is not a Christian." It sems to me that concession, if taken at face value, basically negates the aricle's opening assertion, viz, "It is possible for a Christian to be a universalist." Occassional muddiness on key questions like that mars some of Matt Slick's articles (his "Doctrine Grid," for example, is a great idea, but not very well executed.) Nevertheless, with that one reservation, I recommend this site as a helpful resource.

A Christian ThinkTank

Glenn M. Miller's ever-growing web site (formerly called "Unravelling Wittgenstein's Net"). Glenn was a pioneer on the Christian Web. In our assessment, Glenn's approach to apologetics is flawed from the get-go because of his notion that some common philosophical ground exists between non-Christian worldviews and Christianity. (I.e., he rejects presuppositionalism.) As a result, he is too enamored with philosophy and not interested enough in theology, but you'll still find some things here worth pursuing.

Christian Research Institute

Hank Hanegraaff still calls himself "the Bible Answer Man," but in all candor, I've lost confidence in the leadership of this once-fine organization. Some of the archival articles at the website are fine, but no one should assume CRI's expertise or reliability on every matter they deal with. Since 1993, CRI has regularly downplayed the seriousness of Roman Catholicism's rejection of justification by faith alone. More recently, Mr. Hanegraaff has been aggressively and systematically misrepresenting Calvinism. (In fact, if he misunderstands what Calvinists believe as badly as some of his comments suggest, he is simply not qualified to do the type of ministry he does.) Not long ago Hanegraaff flip-flopped on his eschatalogical views and (like a lot of new converts to preterism) immediately began to speak and write against his own former beliefs with overbearing assertiveness and great zeal as if he were now a seasoned expert rather than a novice with a brand-new point of view. Hanegraaff also filed a frivolous lawsuit against another Christian apologist

Christian Research Institute Journal Articles

Newsletters, journal Articles and other resources from past issues of CRI publications. The web site (which looks very old and has quite possibly been abandoned) won't win any awards for ease of use, but you'll nevertheless find some valuable anti-cult literature and some instructive doctrinal help here.

The Christian Way

An evangelistic and apologetic ministry of former-Christian Scientists, founded by Carolyn Poole. Good information, presented in a helpful format.

Christian Witness to Roman Catholicism

Rob Zins writes powerfully and compellingly and pulls no punches. His material answering the claims of the Roman Catholic Church is outstanding for its candor and clarity. The website is well designed and easy to use, too.

Creation Moments

One of the older ministries making the case for young-earth creationism. Here you'll find transcripts of more than 1,500 radio programs plus hundreds of articles and Bible studies on biblical creation.

Discernment Ministries International

Here's a site critical of charismatic excesses, written by Robert S. Liichow , once a student of Robert Tilton and familiar with several Word-Faith ministries through his own involvement with them. This site has morphed into a blog since I first linked to it, but the material is uniquely helpful.

Institute for Religious Research

Resources on Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church Universal and Triumphant. See especially "Mormons in Transition" for an excellent collection of resources about the Latter-Day Saints. This is a smartly-designed Web site with some excellent helps for those seeking to understand and minister to cultists.

Issues That Make Christians Squirm

Answers to skeptics' common objections against Christianity. Written in a warm and engaging style, some of these are quite good.

Just for Catholics

Thoughtful and thorough biblical responses to the errors of Roman Catholicism.

Newlight

A thoughtful critique of Roman Catholic Mariolatry from a former Catholic.

Operation Clambake: The Secrets of Scientology

Information exposing the chicanery and false teaching behind the Scientology cult. This is not an evangelical response to Scientology, but it is an enlightening exposè nonetheless.

Origins

This site features scholarly and popular resources concerning intelligent design and philosophical theism. I prefer the approach of presuppositional apologetics, but there are some well-written and useful pieces here.

Personal Freedom Outreach

This ministry publishes a quarterly journal exposing cults and heresies. A generous sampling of their journal articles are on-line at the web site, including a number of informative and insightful critiques of Benny Hinn's various excesses. The website design is bland and hard to navigate, but if you have time to click through lots of links and layers of pages, you'll find several fascinating and well-written pieces. Here's hoping PFO will post more of their articles.

Proclaiming the Gospel

Mike Gendron's ministry to Roman Catholics. You'll find some excellent articles and many other resources here, now with a slick new design and easy-to navigate interface.

Stand to Reason

Greg Koukl's apologetics ministry. Great articles on doctrine, ethics, apologetics, and social issues—plus a well-written blog.

The True.Origin Archive

Articles (mostly by Tim Wallace) exposing the myth of evolution.

Utah Lighthouse Ministry

The ministry founded by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. One of the best sources of material exposing the errors and deceptions of Mormonism.

Watch the Tower

The official Web Site of Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses. Paul Blizard's exposé of the JW cult, with some fascinating historical details, including a photo of "Judge" Rutherford at a beer party during the Prohibition era—and "Watchtower 101 (a primer)."

WatchtowerInformationService.org

A wealth of news and resources about Jehovah's Witnesses and The Watchtower Society. The News section is updated daily. You'll also find helpful articles and links to other sites answering the JWs. Especially interesting is the "Scientific Research" section. Includes an extensive Bibliography.

Watchman Fellowship

A fine ministry furnishing much helpful material related to discernment, cults, and other apologetic issues. Home of The Watchman Expositor.

Wretched Radio

Todd "Freakishly Tall" Friel broadcasts daily from Atlanta. He's edgy, funny, and a brilliant analyst (and critic) of the various fads and fashions that vie for evangelicals' attention. His insights are always thought-provoking, informative, and edifying. Especially interesting are the frequent evangelistic encounters with people on the street. I try to listen via their convenient podcasts. It's my favorite talk show, bar none.

Biblical Counseling Center

A center for biblical counseling located in Arlington Heights, IL. Some excellent resources are available through the Web site.

Institute for Nouthetic Studies

Jay Adams and Donn Arms host this Web site devoted to nouthetic counseling, and featuring some of Jay Adams's written works.

NANC

The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. This is the organization that pioneered and has led the way in the training and certification of biblical counselors.

The Banner of Truth Trust

My all-time favorite publisher, the company that has done more than any other to bring some of the most valuable Puritan-Style Reformed works (and even a few classic Baptist authors) back into print for my generation.

Books On-line

A very large index of on-line books and e-texts of all kinds.

ChristianBook.com

One of the largest mail-order discount book sources.

Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Harry Plantinga's marvelous and growing collection of Christian classics. Be sure to read John Owen on Justification by Faith, a long but very worthwhile study.

CFP Web

Christian Focus Publications, a Scottish publisher with some pretty good books.

Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service

A terrific source for Puritan and Reformed works at a great discount.

Dust and Ashes Publications

An excellent source of evangelical used and antiquarian books (and collectibles).

Grace & Truth Books

The place to go on the Web for solid books. You'll find helpful reviews and book summaries, a great selection of excellent but hard-to-find works, lots of material for children, families, educators, and pastors. Great prices, too.

Grace Books International

My home church's book shop.

Greatsite.com

A source for rare Bibles and other collectors' items.

The Internet Classics Archive

A searchable archive of several hundred classical Greek and Roman texts (in English translation) complete with commentary, provided by MIT.

Naphtali Press

Since 1987, Naphtali have been responsible for bringing back some fine Presbyterian and Reformed works that were nearly forgotten—especially works of the 17th-century Scottish Puritans.

The Northampton Press

Don Kistler's project, resurrecting priceless hard-to-find and out-of-print Puritan works and other Reformed gems.

Reformation Heritage Books

A Grand Rapids-based non-profit organization, formed for the sole purpose of disseminating sound Christian literature world-wide. All proceeds from the sale of books are returned to the fund for the publication of Reformed material.

Still Waters Revival Books

A good source for Puritan and Reformed works. Also many fine bound photocopy reprints of otherwise unavailable books. [Caution: I cannot endorse some of the doctrinal positions represented by those who sponsor this site. Also, many of the modern works posted here attack other Presbyterians and Calvinists with an overtly censorious tone that borders on being pugnacious.]

Tentmaker Publications

Phil Roberts publishes some superb books in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Here you'll find the complete works of Thomas Boston and Ebenezer Erskine in quality hardcover editions, well worth the price. Other gems include a 3-volume history of the Dissenters in Britain, a couple of Puritan histories, and several superb resources on Welsh evangelicalism.

Tentmaker Publications

Wipf & Stock started out as reprinters of obscure titles, and they still do a lot of that. They've done several really good ones and many not so good. My copy of Cardinal Newman's work on Arianism, and my copy of Kuiper's For Whom Did Christ Die? are both Wipf & Stock products. The reprints are usually generic-looking paperbacks and sometimes they are a little pricey, but there are some real treasures here. Note: My impression is that Wipf & Stock's founders were somewhat enamored with neo-orthodoxy, and (naturally) they are sypathetic to post-modern/post-evangelical trends as well. So I think you're likely to find much better stuff in their reprint list than you will in the new-release catalogue.

The Banner of Truth

This has consistently been the best single periodical featuring Reformed theology since its founding in 1957.

Christian History

The best church history magazine available.

Communiqué: A Quarterly Journal

A well-designed Christian journal featuring Christian writers and artists "whose work deals with issues pertinent to the intersections of their art, faith, culture and community."

Contra Mundum

Reformed intellectual musings. Often quite good.

Credenda Agenda

A must-read.

First Things

Fr. Richard John Neuhaus's journal. You'll find some insightful articles here criticizing relativistic trends in modern thought. But Neuhaus's ecumenical slant is also evident. We agree that defending moral absolutes is crucial—but we deny that it takes precedence over doctrinal purity (see Gal. 1).

The Founders Journal

A splendid journal from the Calvinist wing of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Grace Magazine

A magazine for Baptist churches holding to the doctrines of grace. Articles on a wide range of doctrinal, devotional and historical subjects, as well as local church issues. Balanced, thoughtful, biblical.

Leben: A Journal of Reformed Life

History and biography focusing on the Reformers. A few back issues are downloadable as .pdf files.

The Master's Seminary Journal

I'm privileged to be associated in a small way with this journal. As academic journals go, it is the best mix of new and old, practical and scholarly, biblical and theological material you're likely to find anywhere.

The Milieu Online

The online newsletter for families of the Reformed Faith. Creatively designed, with some great material.

Preaching Magazine

I'm afraid I couldn't recommend most of the articles featured in this magazine. There's far too much that is deliberately pragmatic, urging preachers to appeal to popular tastes. But every now and then, you'll find something of value in the mix.

Reformation Today Online

One of my favorite periodicals. This Reformed Baptist publication from England is edited by Erroll Hulse.

World on the Web

My favorite weekly news magazine.

NOTE: Most of the churches listed here are churches that I personally know something about. (In most cases, they're churches where I've either spoken, visited, or have friends and relatives who attend.) I've listed them here because I have a fairly high degree of confidence in the teaching you'll get there. While there are many excellent churches I have no personal connection with, please don't e-mail me with requests to list them. I Simply have no means to investigate to ascertain whether I can recommend them with confidence.

Farese.com

Johnny Farese maintains the best and most complete list of Particular Baptist churches on the Web. His list is far more complete and up to date than the listing below. This site also has great articles, links to sermons and other study materials, and much, much more. You could spend a lot of profitable time here, and it's the best place to start if you are looking for a church in your area.

The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America

Including the complete church directory of this denomination that adheres to the Baptist confession of 1689.

Bethel Baptist Church, Owasso

This Southern Baptist Church, pastored since 2005 by Bill Ascol, has long been one of my favorite churches in the Tulsa area. (I've actually spoken there a couple of times in years past.) It was the site of the 2006 and 2007 Founder's Conferences and is one of the key churches in the Founder's movement.

Bible Church of Little Rock

A thriving Arkansas congregation pastored by the legendary Lance Quinn.

Capitol Hill Baptist Church

Mark Dever pastors this historic Southern Baptist Church in the shadow of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Subscribe to the podcast.

Community Bible Church, Nashville, TN

A great, lively congregation in Nashville, pastored by Byron Yawn.

Countryside Bible Church

An excellent church in Southlake, TX, pastored by my friend and former co-worker, Tom Pennington.

Dayspring Fellowship

A Reformed Baptist church (with charismatic tendencies) in Austin, TX. Included is a helpful chart outlining this church's theological positions.

Faith Bible Church, Evansville, IN

A strong church in America's heartland, featuring solid biblical exposition. The Web site includes a generous collection of sermons from Pastor Ernie Godshall and Associate Pastor Bryce Beale.

Grace Bible Church

John Zimmer is the pastor of this church in Marysville, WA (north of Seattle). Sean Higgins is pastor of student ministries. Excellent teaching, great people, and one of the most vibrant yet sober-minded student ministries I know of.

Grace Immanuel Bible Church, Jupiter, FL

My friend Jerry Wragg pastors this flock. It's a friendly fellowship filled with wonderful people. Good teaching and great music, too.

Lakeside Community Chapel

Lakeside was my home church briefly in 1970s, and its senior pastor for more than a quarter century has been my best friend, Steve Kreloff. He's a superb expositor. Some of his messages are available here in streaming audio. If you're ever in Clearwater/St. Petersburg, this is the church I recommend.

Metropolitan Tabernacle, London

The historic church pastored in years past by John Gill, John Rippon, Charles Spurgeon, and others—still meeting in the same location where the church relocated early in Spurgeon's ministry. Under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Peter Masters, the church today is still a faithful bastion of the same message its founding members proclaimed more than three and a half centuries ago. This is the largest and most influential independent Reformed Baptist congregation in England. Best of all, it is a wonderful hive of evangelistic activity in central London. We highly recommend a visit if you're in London. The bookshop there is also one of the finest in the world.

Reformed Bible Church, Springfield, IL

The pastor here is Curt Daniel, whose written material I have profited from greatly. Follow the "Resources" link for some of the most valuable and informative resources on the Web.

Shalom Church Singapore

A Reformed Baptist congregation in my favorite city! This is a well-designed page, too.

Southern View Chapel

Gary Gilley pastors this church in Springfield, IL. The web site is a gold mine of material Gary has written: book reviews, critiques of various evangelical fads, and other insightful articles. Great stuff.

Toledo Reformed Theological Conferences

This annual conference is often one of the best in the country.

The Bow in the Clouds

This work by nineteenth-century Scottish preacher John R. MacDuff is offered to those who are suffering or sorrowful. It's a 31-day devotional guide for hurting people. Excellent.

Fellowship tract league

Free gospel tracts, as the Lord provides.

How Good Are You?

Simple, clear, well-designed. From Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Living Waters Tracts

Some of the most clever and creative witnessing tools you'll find.

Moments with the Book

An array of gospel tracts.

Who Do You Think I Am?

From Grace to You.

The Wordless Book

If you don't like verbose tracts, this one's for you.

Alaska Christian Ministry to Seafarers

Friends whom I met when a shipping line dropped my luggage in the sea. (It's a long story. Perhaps I'll post the whole tale someday.)

A. Allison Lewis

Articles and links in defense of classic fundamentalism, with an emphasis on the authority of Scripture. You'll find some good and easily-accessible anti-cult resources and even an interesting article on the unbiblical teachings of Finney. There's much warm, insightful devotional material here as well, and a Bible-reading schedule. This site reflects some of historic fundamentalism's finest tendencies.

Armenian Fundamentalist Evangelical Resources

Sermons from my home church and other helpful material translated into Armenian.

The Audio Bible

Alexander Scourby's famous reading of the Scriptures is now available, a chapter at a time, through RealAudio. Scourby's reading is my favorite KJV audio version. I hope one day these files will be formatted for iTunes.

The J.S. Bach Home Page

A wonderful Web site devoted to the composer who represents the pinnacle of Baroque and sacred music.

Bible Pathway Ministries

A daily devotional that takes you systematically through the Bible.

Bibles of the Past

A wealth of information about Bible translations and the history of Bible publishing.

Christian Answers Network

A mega-site providing movie reviews; answers to practical, biblical, and apologetic questions; and other Christian resources. Some of the questions I have sampled here come with very good and suprisingly complete answers. Of course, I can't speak for the accuracy of all the answers you'll find here because of the sheer volume of the ever-changing content on this site. (I will say that I have found some of their movie reviews less than profitable.) They seem to be generically protestant and evangelical, and fundamentally conservative.

The Cyber Hymnal

This site has over 1,300 Christian hymns and Gospel songs from many denominations. You'll find lyrics, sound, background information, photos, links, MIDI files and scores you can download.

Lambert Dolphin's Resources

A vast collection of resources, with special emphases on Bible prophecy, the Bible and Science, and general Bible study. This is one of the oldest and largest personal Christian sites on the Web. Lambert Dolphin is a physicist whose observations on the Bible and science are always enlightening. He was also a pioneer of the Christian Web and is the man who first put the Ray Stedman Library on-line, though it is now a standalone site. (See our list of online sermons.)

Drawing Near

Daily devotional readings with John MacArthur from Grace to You. A large collection of additional daily resources is also available from GTY.

Johnny the Baptist

Johnny Campbell includes RealAudio sermons of his old-fashioned fundamentalist preaching—and other resources.

Music for the Church of God

Songs and hymns—both words and music—with special emphasis on metrical psalms. My link to this site comes with a strong disclaimer: "The Church of God" referred to in the site's title is a reference to "The Worldwide Church of God," a cult founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. The church that sponsors this site is evidently an offshoot of that group—a renegade congregation that retained the cult's original anti-trinitarian and strong seventh-day sabbatarian beliefs even when the mainstream of the original cult abandoned its hard-line stance on those opinions.
So beware: some of the hymns at this site have been modified so that the lyrics reflect old-style Armstrongism. For example, "Holy, Holy, Holy," a classic hymn about the Trinity, has been given some cheesy substitute lines in order to avoid every reference to "God in three Persons, blessed Trinity." Where they haven't monkeyed with the lyrics, however, the material here can be helpful. It's especially a good source for tunes and information on psalm-singing. If you use it, I recommend doing so with a trustworthy hymnal in hand, to compare lyrics for safety's sake.

Project Wittenberg

Luther's works on line.

The Sacred Sandwich

Sanctified parody.

Dean & Laura VanDruff's Home Page

Including Acts 17:11 Bible Studies. This site was once Yahoo's cool site of the day. You can't say that about many of the sites I link to!

Wesley Wildman's Weird Wild World Wide Web Page

My favorite non-evangelical theological Web site. Complete with informative articles, a picture gallery, and a good sense of humor.

Disclaimer: There's no way we can critique every sermon you'll find linked to the sites below. In general, we don't link sites in this category that are nests of heresy. But we do sometimes find objectionable sermons at otherwise helpful sites. So we urge you to exercise biblical discernment in following these or any other links.

The GraceLife Pulpit

This Web site is maintained by Will Moneymaker and friends. It's a collection of free audio sermons for download—by Don Green, yours truly, and perhaps a few others. Don and I jointly pastor the GraceLife fellowship at Grace Community Church.

Believers Chapel

Selected articles and other resources from Believers Chapel in Dallas—perhaps best known for the excellent teaching of the late Dr. S. Lewis Johnson. Downloadable here are sound files featuring a rich array of sermons from Johnson, current pastor Dan Duncan, and a few guest speakers. Johnson's classic messages, together with transripts and other material, are also being made available at a new sister site, The SLJ Institute. So set your browser there, too. These are some of the finest, meatiest sermons ever preached, and they are all downloadable for free. Load your iPod.

The W. A. Criswell Sermon Library

Bookmark this site and load up your iPod. Criswell was a true Edwardian and a child of the American Frontier West (born in my home state just two years after statehood)—and his preaching reflected his roots. A towering figure in Southern Baptist history, Criswell pastored First Baptist Church, Dallas, from 1944 until 1995.

European Institute of Protestant Studies

Iain Paisley (and others) from Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast. (Paisley tends to be hyper-contentious, even pugnacious. American fundamentalist Rod Bell, who is also featured here, is even more so. So consider yourself forewarned.) But when Paisley id preaching the gospel or doing true biblical exposition, his preaching is often powerful. I enjoy listening to him.

Preach the Word

Sermons and other resources from the historic Iron Hall Assembly in Belfast—long known for solid Bible teaching and warm gospel preaching. (I once preached there, too.) They have an attractive Web site, featuring the preaching of pastor-teacher David Legge.

Scottish Preachers

A tremendous collection of sermons from some of history's greatest preachers.

sermonaudio.com

A large collection of downloadable audio sermons from a wide variety of the better fundamentalist preachers. The artwork and design are superb.

Sermons by Dr. Robert S. Rayburn

A generous collection of expository sermons from Faith Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Washington.

SermonIndex.net

An odd collection of sermons. The featured speakers include some very fine old favorites (A. W. Tozer, Warren Wiersbe, Rolfe Barnard, Vance Havner); plus some famous but theologically aberrant mystics, deeper-life teachers, and revivalists (Leonard Ravenhill, Roy Hession, Major Ian Thomas); and then an eclectic mix of cranks and false prophets (David Wilkerson, Mother Basilea Schlink, Erlo Stegen). Some good stuff here, but the mixture is poisonous. Listen with very careful discernment.

Sermons from Ulster

This excellent collection is maintained by Grove Baptist Church, Belfast.

My own hobby and joy is maintaining this site.

The Ray Stedman Library at Peninsula Bible Church

Classic sermons from one of the finest Bible-teaching pastors of my parents' generation.

Spurgeon Audio Sermons

Spurgeon sermons read, not preached, and not by Spurgeon himself (as far as I ca determine, no recordings of Spurgeon's actual voice survive). But there are a lot of sermons here, and it's a great way to devour Spurgeon if you're not an avid reader.