The Marxist Who Understood Sex Better than the UMC
The dehumanizing effect of the sexual revolution is now rampant.
Asbury’s fidelity to Christian sexual ethics and the response of the UMC represent the real struggle that lies behind the emotive rhetoric of the sexual revolution—a revolution that destroys humanity in the name of affirming it. These are interesting times when a Hegelian Marxist who died in 1973 offers sounder guidance to being human than... Continue Reading
A Good Confession at Its Best
We believe that the Body of Christ is the eternal dwelling place of God by the Spirit, so that believers should always desire and pray for the fullest possible operation of the Spirit in their lives and gatherings.
We believe that in accordance with the Great Commission it is the privilege and responsibility of the Church to make known and available the blessing(s) of salvation to all men everywhere through the proclamation of the gospel: the good news that eternal redemption is not a wage to be earned by the work(s) of sinful... Continue Reading
No Condemnation: The Church in Philadelphia
Condemnation for all who rebel and a coronation for all who persevere and remain faithful.
Jesus who is clothed in a robe (Rev. 1:13), bound with a golden sash (Rev. 1:13), and given authority from the Father (Rev. 1:16, 20) over the churches – he will have the government of the church on his shoulders (Isa. 9:6) and with the authority of the keys he will grant or deny access... Continue Reading
Eucatastrophe and the Shape of Christian Hope
Eucatastrophe gives Christians a language for a hope that neither denies suffering nor surrenders to it.
God’s governance of the world is rarely obvious in the moment. Scripture consistently affirms that God works through delay, obscurity, and apparent defeat. Providence is not the smooth management of outcomes or the guarantee of immediate resolution. It is the faithful guidance of a story whose meaning often remains hidden until the end. Christians live... Continue Reading
Where Doomers Can Find Hope
Our eternity with him will swallow up whatever pain and chaos may enter our world.
Christians should place their ultimate hope in the City of God, the eternal kingdom built on the love of God and the enjoyment of God as its highest good, whose fortunes don’t rise or fall with this or that historical order. For those of us wrestling with these apocalyptic times, perhaps our anxieties reveal that... Continue Reading
Missions Exists Because Worship Does
Let us give ourselves to the ordinary worship of the triune God, trusting him to multiply our loaves and fishes among the nations.
Worship begets worship. Missions is simply the process by which worship multiplies—the doxology of one congregation becoming the doxology of the nations. Which means the diagnosis for missionary apathy is not first a diagnosis of zeal but of worship. In the summer of 1727, a ragged community of religious refugees gathered on a Saxon... Continue Reading
We All Need Hope
We know that Jesus gives us hope for eternal life, and for a better life now following our good God.
We’re not only working for an unreasonable boss, we’re working for King Jesus. We’re not just coping with struggles and illnesses, we are going through a light and momentary struggle while we look for an eternal weight of glory. Remember the bigger picture on the days life seems overwhelming. God gives us hope. God... Continue Reading
Beyond Education: The Formation of Pastors
The training of pastors is primarily a work of discipleship, and because discipleship is the primary work of the local church, it is the local church that is uniquely qualified to carry it out.
While the biblical qualifications for eldership include things like “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2) and “able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9), which are certainly things formal theological education can inform, the majority of the qualifications focus on areas of character, disposition, and temperament.... Continue Reading
The Gospel We Forgot
The world needs formed, not just informed, believers.
The Great Commission is not about getting people to heaven. It is about bringing every area of life under the gracious reign of Christ. This is how the early Church transformed the ancient world. Christians rescued abandoned infants, cared for plague victims, elevated the dignity of women, challenged unjust practices, and created communities marked by... Continue Reading
Strange Questions for Your Future Pastor
Every pastor has a job description and is evaluated by how well he fulfills his responsibilities. A healthy church member likewise wants to fulfill his responsibilities to bless the local church family.
A healthy church practices proactive care of its membership and urges members and leaders to repent when they have sinned or fallen away. Many churches either shirk the responsibility of discipline or go to the other extreme, becoming punitive rather than compassionate in their discipline. The way a church practices discipline gives you a glimpse... Continue Reading
The Weight a Pastor Carries
The gospel reminds the pastor that they are incapable of carrying this weight alone. They were never meant to heal every sufferer, soften every hardened heart, or atone for anyone’s sin. There is only one Shepherd who can.
The job of a pastor is hard. Carrying the sins and sufferings of the people can be a draining, thankless, and endless calling. Sufferings never end. Sin never ends. And no matter how sanctified or mature a pastor is, there is never enough patience, kindness, or love to go around. Perhaps this is the reason... Continue Reading
The Response to Jesus Is Joy
The right response to Jesus, and the upending of the old covenant, is joy. If we don’t have much joy, something has gone wrong.
Thought we remain sinners, our new identity in Christ is no longer fundamentally hopeless sinner, but more essentially holy saints and righteous sons of God. Our fundamental posture as believers should be rejoicing in Christ not mourning over sin. This means Christians should be known as people of joy. We should be known as people... Continue Reading
Let Her Be Covered
As you study the Bible, always be sure to let is also study you. Let it discover your unknown assumptions – your unspoken agendas – maybe even your un-admitted excuses for not obeying it.
Men and women were created differently and are, therefore, different. The distinction that exists between the sexes should be embraced and celebrated, not resented and rebelled against…. Most of you probably agree on these issues of gender distinction, so let’s get to the question at hand: “What does all this have to do with what... Continue Reading
The Remarkably Ordinary Church
Keep doing the same ordinary things that point to our remarkable God and the best news imaginable.
I used to think we needed extraordinary churches. I don’t anymore. I think we need churches that don’t get tired of doing the same things week after week: gathering to sing, opening the word, praying together, hearing God’s word, pointing to Christ, eating and drinking the bread and cup. This isn’t an excuse for mediocrity... Continue Reading
A Heart Aflame for God
A Heart Aflame for God offers an important reminder, that spiritual maturity does not develop accidentally. God is sovereign in our sanctification, but he ordinarily grows his people as they make diligent use of the means he has provided
It presents a broad vision of Christian maturity in which the whole person is being shaped into the likeness of Christ within the life of the church. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its insistence that doctrine and devotion must never be separated. Reformed theology, rightly understood, is not cold, cerebral or spiritually lifeless.... Continue Reading
Family/Home Visitation in the History of the Church
In Praise of Home Visitation by the Pastor and the Elders (Part 2)
According to Church Historian Scott Manetsch, under Calvin’s leadership, family visitation was developed to a much greater degree than ever before in the history of the Christian Church. While Calvin most certainly placed a great deal of emphasis on the centrality of preaching of the Word of God by means of lectio continua, he was... Continue Reading
5 Signs Your Marriage Is Unhealthy (and What to Do About It)
It’s normal to have occasional challenges, and each is an opportunity to grow. But if you notice a negative pattern developing, or an increase in the frequency and intensity of your trouble, reach out to your local church for help.
God must be central in your marriage. He’s the tie that binds, the cornerstone, and the sure foundation. A marriage without Christ at the center can’t flourish. A Christian’s first love must always be Jesus. We were created by God and for him (Rom. 11:36). When you love someone, you want to share that person... Continue Reading
What Is Jesus’ Attitude to Unrepentant, Idolatrous Sinners? With Lessons for Evangelism
‘Jesus looked at him and loved him’.
There’s a good reason why it’s tempting to run after people and try to seek a compromise. Because we love them. And we want them to get to know Jesus too. Jesus looked at this man and loved him. He looked at this man, straight after he’d claimed to have perfectly kept God’s holy law.... Continue Reading
Aging Is a Series of Relinquishments
We don’t have grace for it now because we don’t need it yet. Until then, each reminder that I have an expiration date spurs me to make the most of the time I have left.
“Gone, they tell me, is youth. Gone is the strength of my life: Nothing remains but decline, Nothing but age and decay. Not so, I’m God’s little child, Only beginning to live; Coming the years of my prime, Coming the strength of my life; Coming the vision of God, Coming my bloom and my power.”... Continue Reading
The Local Church Is a Better Resource than Many Think
We can find all kinds of ways to encourage one another, and all the more as we see the Day approaching.
There are many people who love Jesus, who have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside them, and who have experience thinking through and applying their faith to many different situations. If you are struggling to cope after the birth of your first child, know that there are likely many in your church who can give practical... Continue Reading
Why Christians Can Grieve with Hope
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Ps. 30:11).
While it is natural to express sorrow over the loss of a loved one, there remains hope for us even in loss. For those who are in Christ, we can encourage ourselves and rejoice in our spirit, knowing that they’re now with the Lord and blessed with eternal tranquility in heaven. For those who die... Continue Reading
The Nightmare
Our civilization is crumbling. A huge number of seemingly intelligent people are confused about matters of basic biology that have been universally understood throughout history.
It’s hard for us to imagine living in such an environment, much less imagine trying to preach the gospel in one. One of Paul’s clear objectives in his writing to them was to at least keep this nightmare out of the church. That appears to have been a major focus of that mysterious letter from... Continue Reading
Where Spiritual Growth Begins
Spiritual growth begins with a desire for God and the intentional time to seek him.
Growth in Christ takes time, like any pursuit that truly matters. We need time to read Scripture, pray, and gather with the church, not just for worship, but to build real relationships with fellow believers. If you want to grow spiritually, you need to develop some habits: reading God’s word, praying, and engaging... Continue Reading
The Cadence of Faith
Looking toward the prize in the middle of our race.
Oftentimes, the Christian walk has been illustrated as a race. In fact, God does so himself in the book of Hebrews. Paul several times called his ministry and life a race. But the encouraging thing is we are not the only ones who have run this race. We have a cloud of witnesses of believers... Continue Reading
Three Things to Remember When Evangelism Is Dispiriting
Jesus does not give us any caveats on his Great Commission.
We see people come and go with depressing regularity. It never becomes less hurtful when it happens. One of the ways we try to protect ourselves when we see these things happening is to become hard-hearted. I just won’t welcome the next guy, I won’t open up to them so then it will hurt less... Continue Reading
How the Puritans Helped J.I. Packer
Seven Points and Seven Books to Consider
The Puritans have helped many believers know God and His Word, enjoy Christ, walk in the power of the Spirit, preach the gospel, pray with light and heat, and feel the love of Christ as they behold His glory. Here’s a simple encouragement for your spiritual life that I hope you will take to... Continue Reading
A Godly Man’s Diet for the Soul
Many people give little conscious effort to caring for the nutrition of their inner being.
The importance of exterior and interior maintenance aren’t just a consideration for houses. It’s also a necessary consideration for human persons. As human beings, both the outward body and the inward soul are in need of careful stewardship. Maintaining a House Purchasing a home is often an exciting experience. There’s something satisfying about receiving the official deed... Continue Reading
Eve: The World’s First Enlightenment Philosopher
The Absolute Necessity of Divine Revelation for Scientific Inquiry
While our cultural troubles may be traced to multiple factors, we would be foolish to conclude that a removal of God’s Word from our society’s collective consciousness has not had a profoundly negative impact on how think about morality, ethics, government, and the major questions of life. The debate among evangelicals over creation, evolution,... Continue Reading
3 Cautions About Chaste Masturbation
God will supply all we need for holiness. The intensity of desire can be steered towards other goods.
The Bible has a high view of sex and celebrates sexual desire as a good thing. But as with any good thing, it can be used in a disordered way, separating it from its proper end; namely to love God and love others. Sometime not too long ago, my oldest son almost, for the... Continue Reading
Why Cyril of Alexandria Memorized the Bible
His face shone like Moses.
Before stepping into pastoral leadership, Cyril of Alexandria spent five years in the Egyptian desert, memorizing the entire Bible in Greek. According to a later Coptic historian, his uncle and patriarch Theophilus sent him there so that the future bishop could internalize Scripture deeply before guiding souls. According to Severus of Al’Ashmunein (fl. 955–987),... Continue Reading