Samuel T Logan

The Good Name by Samuel T. Logan, Jr. encourages readers to see the dangers of "false witness" among Christians, especially when dealing with disagreements, which can cause damage to individuals, the church, and the good name of Jesus. By exploring what it means to be a true witness in the Bible and the Christian church, Logan emphasizes the power of words--both divine and human--and explains how our Christian responsibility is to honor others in truth and respect, especially when we disagree. This powerful book draws on Scripture and historical evidence of all the damage that verbal nastiness of Christians has done to the cause of Christ. Christians often disagree with one another and, because they are Christians, they tend to hold their beliefs very strongly. This sometimes leads us to speak harshly to and about one another. But the Bible has more to say about the way we speak than it does about almost anything else, and The Good Name examines how we may express our disagreements in a way that honors Jesus. Logan provides biblical wisdom and practical help through specific examples of how to talk to and about those with whom we disagree on "hot button issues," such as abortion, evolution, same-sex marriage, the place of women in Trauma and Abuse, and so on. While encouraging readers to honor the good name of Jesus and love their neighbors, Logan also explores how Christians have undermined the gospel throughout church history. But words have the power to heal, not just hurt, and this resource outlines how to be winsome and respectful in all conversations, especially disagreements.

"At the inaugural General Assembly of the World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) in 2000 . . . I proposed that the . . . WRF could serve the church by writing a new confession of faith for the twenty-first century . . . The first reason was that the members of the WRF were drawn from many nations and from many denominations and were using a whole range of confessional statements . . . At the same time, there was general agreement that we were all 'Reformed' in theology . . . The second reason was the need for a confessional statement to address the issues the church is facing today . . . The third reason was that all of our confessions were written in Western Europe, whereas the leadership in the global church has now moved to the southern hemisphere . . . S]cholars from Africa, Asia, Australasia and South America joined with theologians from Europe and North America to engage in the] task . . . The Statement] was presented to the WRF General Assembly . . . in April 2010. An invitation was then issued to all members of the WRF to suggest any changes or additions to the text . . . The Statement presented here was approved by the WRF Bord of Directors in 2011. It] . . . is not intended to replace other] . . . confessional statements . . . but] may be of use to individuals and churches as they reflect on the nature of Reformed Theology and its application to the theological and moral issues which confront the church in the twenty-first century."

"At the inaugural General Assembly of the World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) in 2000 . . . I proposed that the . . . WRF could serve the church by writing a new confession of faith for the twenty-first century . . . The first reason was that the members of the WRF were drawn from many nations and from many denominations and were using a whole range of confessional statements . . . At the same time, there was general agreement that we were all 'Reformed' in theology . . . The second reason was the need for a confessional statement to address the issues the church is facing today . . . The third reason was that all of our confessions were written in Western Europe, whereas the leadership in the global church has now moved to the southern hemisphere . . . S]cholars from Africa, Asia, Australasia and South America joined with theologians from Europe and North America to engage in the] task . . . The Statement] was presented to the WRF General Assembly . . . in April 2010. An invitation was then issued to all members of the WRF to suggest any changes or additions to the text . . . The Statement presented here was approved by the WRF Bord of Directors in 2011. It] . . . is not intended to replace other] . . . confessional statements . . . but] may be of use to individuals and churches as they reflect on the nature of Reformed Theology and its application to the theological and moral issues which confront the church in the twenty-first century."

Renowned preachers and teachers, such as James Boice, Joel Nederhood, Sinclair Ferguson, and R. C. Sproul, contribute to this volume on the preacher, his message, and method of presentation.

It takes only one look at today's news page or one listen to the news shows to understand that, clearly, there is no shortage of kingdom challenges for the twenty-first-century church at large, for Christian organizations and agencies, or for us as individuals. In the face of such enormous problems as the rise of pagan world religions, AIDS, sexual abuse and trafficking, urban poverty, and ethnic and religious conflict, what can you and your fellow Christians do? According to the diverse group of contributors in this book, you can choose to get involved, sharing not only the kingdom burdens but the kingdom opportunities with other brothers and sisters in Christ so that no Christian, no church, no ministry, no nation has to confront these challenges alone. But how can you join in doing the work you are called to do? The superb analysis, biblical solutions, and reality-tested ideas put forth in this book by some of the leaders of the global Reformed and evangelical church will show you. Coming from the fields of religion, education, medicine, broadcasting, psychology, urban ministry, and missions, these fellow Christians are encountering the challenges daily. Their suggestions will give you a grasp of not only what is necessary to be a global evangelical Christian today but how to respond to the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of others around the world-and perhaps in your own backyard.