Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 11060 This is one of the most practically pressing questions in pastoral ministry. A Christian is in love with someone who does not share their faith, or a non-Christian has expressed interest, and the question comes: is it actually wrong? The emotional pull is real. The cultural pressure to see faith as a private…
Reading Time: 3 minutesQuestion 12004 Tattoos were once associated almost exclusively with sailors, soldiers, and subcultures. Today they are mainstream, and increasing numbers of Christians either have tattoos or are considering getting one. The question is whether Scripture prohibits them, permits them, or leaves the matter to individual conscience. The answer requires careful handling of the one Old…
Reading Time: 3 minutesQuestion 12036 The Bible does not contain a list of approved films, television programmes, or music genres. This frustrates some Christians who would prefer a clear set of rules, and it emboldens others who take the silence as permission to consume whatever they please without reflection. Neither response is adequate. Scripture provides principles that, when…
Reading Time: 3 minutesQuestion 12003 Few subjects generate more heat and less light in Christian circles than the question of alcohol. Some traditions teach total abstinence as a biblical command; others treat drinking as an unremarkable part of ordinary life. The Bible itself is more nuanced than either position allows, and a careful reading of the relevant texts…
Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 12058 Cohabitation has become so normalised in Western culture that many people, including many professing Christians, no longer see it as a moral issue at all. The reasoning typically runs along practical lines: it makes financial sense, it lets you test compatibility before committing, and it is what everyone does. The church needs to…
Reading Time: 3 minutesQuestion 11061 If Christians should not marry non-Christians, the natural follow-up question is whether they should date them. After all, dating is not marriage. It carries no covenant commitment and no permanence. Surely there is nothing wrong with spending time with someone, getting to know them, and seeing where things go? The logic sounds reasonable…
Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 09034 The relationship between the church and the state is one of the most consequential questions in Christian ethics and ecclesiology. It touches on everything from whether Christians should pay taxes to whether the church should challenge unjust laws, from the extent of government authority to the limits of Christian obedience. The New Testament…
Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 09035 The question of whether churches should be involved in politics provokes strong reactions on every side. Some argue that the church should stay out of politics entirely, focusing exclusively on spiritual matters. Others insist that the church has a moral obligation to engage with political issues as part of its prophetic calling. The…
Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 12055 Immigration is one of the most politically charged issues in the modern West, and Christians often find themselves caught between competing loyalties. On one side, Scripture’s consistent call to welcome the stranger and care for the vulnerable. On the other, legitimate concerns about national security, cultural cohesion, the rule of law, and the…
Reading Time: 3 minutesQuestion 08101 This question comes up frequently in pastoral conversations, and it deserves a careful answer that avoids both the extremes of dismissive indifference and superstitious overreaction. The Bible does not address horror films directly, because the modern entertainment industry did not exist in the biblical world. What Scripture does address are the principles that…