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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When floodwaters threaten to sweep us away we can stand steadfast in the faith. When sin threatens to undo us we can put on the full armor of God. Through every danger and distress we can confidently declare, “Our help is in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 124:8).   When someone rises up against... Continue Reading

For every offense that genuinely has to be addressed, there are a hundred that should simply be covered. And most of us, if we are honest, have that exactly upside down.   A greeting goes unreturned in the hallway. A reply comes back a single word long. A name is left off an invitation. In... Continue Reading

If Jesus spent an hour at our churches, He might spend the final few minutes addressing each to give His evaluation and instructions…But more than anything, if He came to our churches, I believe He would bring His Father into the equation…and that only happens through prayer.   One of my dear friends and colleague... Continue Reading

The law is good, used lawfully, after all. Through it, we learn the precepts of right and wrong. And by meditation upon it, we learn its deeper truths—there, we find a well of wisdom both knowable and yet never fully comprehended, for God is its author and source.   We tend to think of law... Continue Reading

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Stop and think about that today, so that you take it to heart and are duly affected—so that you learn from Jesus and worship Him.   The United States Secret Service is most commonly known for its protection of our nation’s president. However, it was originally founded... Continue Reading

You could read Romans 16:1 as saying that Phoebe was an office-bearer. It’s possible. But for a number of reasons, it is far from certain.   I imagine that I was not the only person bemused on Thursday afternoon at this year’s General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America. I heard on the floor... Continue Reading

Younger men derive deep strength and confidence from Godly older men. They feel seen, known, and encouraged. In today’s culture, it’s a rare thing to have someone take a genuine interest in you—in your life, in your future, and in your God-given purpose.   Movie director Joseph Kosinski’s last two films have crushed it at the... Continue Reading

When you look at the fruit of the work of your feeble, insignificant hands, you must come to the conclusion that our God is in the heavens, and He does all that He pleases. He alone deserves glory when the mustard seed and leaven begin to show its work in the hearts and minds of... Continue Reading