Dear friends, While plans are still being finalized, CCL’s major event this December 5-6 will be a special endeavor, the Silver Anniversary Celebration overlooking San Francisco Bay. I am sending this “reserve the date” notice earlier than usual because attendance must be capped at 200. There will be a small registration fee, and plenty of hotel rooms available for those who need to spend Friday night, particularly those of you flying in. Confirmed speakers besides yours truly are David Bahnsen, Joe Boot, Jerry Bowyer, Brian Mattson, and Jeffery Ventrella. We’re waiting for confirmation from one other speaker. There will be, as always, superb food. The tentative theme is “Christian Culture: Now More Than Ever.” If you want to lock in your reservation, please contact me privately. I do expect spots to fill up quickly. If you’ve never attended a CCL event before, this would be one to start with. Finally, we’re encouraging sharper teenagers and young adults to attend: 14 to 18 year-olds and college and seminary students. There will be grants for qualified registrants.

Available for immediate download. Hardcopy available soon. “This is a collection of sermons by the preacher John Frame from the theologian John Frame. Theologians are notoriously known (often accurately) for being mediocre, boring preachers. The sermons in this book are anything but mediocre or boring. First preached in churches and conferences and from chapel platforms, the sermons are simple, direct, and hard-hitting. As the old-timers were inclined to say, John puts the cookies on the bottom shelf. Far from being an ivory-tower theological preacher, he preaches intensely relevant, practical sermons — sometimes painfully relevant and practical. John Frame is in advancing years and suffers a few health challenges. This could be his final book. If so, there is no more appropriate capstone to, not just his academic career, but his life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I challenge you to read these sermons from a first-rate theological mind nourished by a first-rate theological heart. I pray that God will widen your heart as a result of this reading, just as he has widened mine.” @DrJohnFrame a.co/d/0ibIS3RY

Bill - I won’t speak for National Review, or for “all conservatives” annoyed at Bulwark. And I happen to agree with you that there are too many who started in righteous opposition who got moved by dollars or social pressure to fold. But, in all fairness, I have never seen a conservative - a National Review type - not one - express disappointment with people for “staying consistent in their opposition to Trump” … The issue people like me are so disillusioned over is why so many of those got up on one side of the horse only to fall off on the other. There simply has to be a way to have not let Trump move one’s self off of their belief system, in either direction. No rational person can listen to Tim Miller and say, “he’s just doing good, conservative opposition to Trump.” It’s just flat out left wing demagoguery. I believe there remains a principled remnant that will see a resurgence of political relevance when this entire embarrassing saga comes to an end. But that remnant must be filled by people of a true north - who didn’t abandon their views on decency, civility, moral clarity, or economic liberty in this decade - OR their views on life, family, foreign policy, or judicial restraint. I know where to go find that sort of Buckleyite rigor. And I know the future belongs to the truth tellers.

We're seeing a concerning snowball effect within the Christian Nationalist movement: 1. Overt racists and anti-Semities identify as CNs. 2. CN influencers stay silent to prevent infighting. 3. CN-sympathetic evangelicals therefore distance themselves from the movement. 1/

Tucker’s self-delusion increases by the day. The grift requires he become more and more absurd and extreme to gain the clicks he craves. The train wreck will come soon enough.

This guy might be genuinely evil

A host of articles that deserve to be read from one of my favorite authors, @MitchBahnsen bahnsen.com/etcetera-etceter…

Mike, I swear I read it. All the way through. And if all it said was, "one can have a different view of [immigration] or [some contemporary social or political issue] and still be a Christian," I would just shrug it off (because it would be true, and really not need to be said). But he doesn't do that. He pits traditional conservative views (the one David got famous advocating for) AGAINST a Christian view of feeding the hungry and healing the sick (a false dichotomy that David knows darn well is a manipulative ploy). He brushes off that illogical, manipulative device - even commends it - and then goes on to repeat the inane argument from silence that the Bible being written thousands of years ago means it doesn't really actually care about contemporary and practical issues (David and I both criticize the anti-intellectualism of MAGA, but that is the most anti-intellectual asininity I can imagine). David's critique of MAGA's hypocrisy and selectivity is not the focus of my criticism of David's article. He is spot on there, and the MAGA defense of Paxton should be blasted. But so should any attempt to defend Talarico. This is not mere "political" diversification (I fully accept that one can be theologically orthodox and politically progressive, even if I think it is rare). The issue David ignores is that Talarico is not remotely theologically orthodox. If what I am supposed to get out of his article is "being kind is good and Talarico is kind," I concur that kindness is a fruit of the spirit. But David is clearly whitewashing the grotesque, unorthodox universalism and social gospel works righteousness Talarico has repeatedly promoted. And I know that David knows better.

RT @DavidBahnsen: Nobody should take any “Christian MAGA” person seriously who is not blowing up your feed in protest of this lunatic being…

“Calvinism condemns not merely all open slavery and systems of caste, but also all covert slavery of women and of the poor; it is opposed to all hierarchy among men; it tolerates no aristocracy save such as is able, either in person or in family, by the grace of God, to exhibit superiority of character or talent, and to show that it does not claim this superiority for self-aggrandizement or ambitions pride, but for the sake of spending it in the service of God” Kuyper, Lectures

Words of wisdom from @IsaacWillour via @newguardpress ! "The 'vibe shift' is real. But a genuine culture shift has to run on something more concrete than just vibes. Getting there means taking our obligations to truth seriously. Winning in the public square means we have to understand the values we’re bringing to it. It’s much deeper than based-posting and apple pie, as useful as those things are. And it means that we have to understand that not all of the issues we’re facing are “same-team problems.” Holding our team to genuine standards is the only way we’ll still have a team to win with." newguardpress.com/avoiding-c…

Christian Nationalists: “Adultery should be death penalized.” Christian Nationalists when someone in their camp commits adultery: “Guys, stop being mean and pray for him!” Do you understand now that they’re Larpers? Find real and godly role models.

Periodic reminder. When there is a controversy, don’t get on one side right away. Do some analytical work first, on both positions. Consider these possibilities:

Finally, brethren, whatever is trending, whatever is hot, whatever is meme-worthy, whatever pisses off liberals, whatever makes you lol, whatever makes a good gif, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of reposting, dwell on these things.

Just extremely proud of @MitchBahnsen for this really outstanding, thoughtful, important, and, might I add, well-written, article rlo.acton.org/archives/12793…

If you’re entertaining public opposition to interracial marriage on alleged biblical grounds, you might want to spend a little time trying an exegetical refutation of @douglaswils’s post here. Good luck.

RT @DavidBahnsen: I scrolled my top ten sources for people furious about various left wing 2020/21 cultural absurdities, particularly as it…

Nations change when hearts bend to Jesus Christ.

Joel Webbon just said 9 out of 10 people who thought he lost the debate had a low IQ of 90-100. But people with an IQ over 130 thought he won. 😂 If us simpletons think you lost, it's not the compliment you think it is. Correct theology is understandable for the commoners.

This article by @douglaswils is notable not only for its incisive, no-holds-barred exposé of Candace and all the fellow travelers, but also for its articulate, impassioned, biblical gospel appeal in the final paragraphs. What many on the New Right need more than anything is not a reengineered political philosophy, but… the glorious, saving gospel of Jesus Christ. 

RT @DavidBahnsen: I believe I was fair and charitable, and I am quite certain I am being truthful and accurate. No one would be hurt by th…