Dear Christian, Love Where You Live
I want to encourage you no matter where you live (and for no matter how long you’re there) to do this one thing.
Jesus Christ calls us as his followers to love our neighbors. The people he had in mind weren’t those who shared our view of the family, sexual ethics, religion, or the economy. Our neighbors include the very people who sometimes get on our nerves. Jesus even took it a step further when he said that... Continue Reading
God’s Ambassadors: Advice for Preachers
Preachers are not mere professionals, paid to study topics and prepare sermons.
Unsurprisingly, the assembly speaks to preachers in such as way as to remind them that both in his motivations and in his concerns the preacher is a pastor. The preacher is to address the people in such a way that they sense his “loving affection” and his “godly zeale & hearty desyre, to doe them... Continue Reading
You Can’t Preach Christ Without Preaching Depravity
If we are to understand the magnitude of God’s grace, we need to understand the totality of our depravity.
Preach Christ or go home, Spurgeon says. And for what was Christ crucified? Why did his pure blood flow down the plank of a criminal’s cross? Because of sin. Because of our depravity. Therefore, to ignore the depth of our darkness changes the story—it weakens it. Depravity isn’t exactly en vogue these days. You... Continue Reading
5 Ways to Prioritize the Word in Worship
Handle the Word of God faithfully so you may be a worker approved by God (2 Timothy 2:15).
God created by His Word. He sustains all things by His Word. He’s given us His Living Word, Jesus, and now, He’s given us the written Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, whenever we hear the Bible, we’re to receive it as the very words of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Remind the church of these glorious truths.... Continue Reading
Giving Up Our Rights
Paul’s main method of evangelistic ministry was focused upon giving up his rights.
Evangelistic ministry always costs somebody something, but Paul made sure it didn’t cost his hearers. He preached for free. He loved the reward of costly preaching and was able to win more Jews, Gentiles, and weak believers because of it (9:19-23). This ministerial strategy is consistent with the incarnation and life of Christ. Consider the... Continue Reading
Public Trust of Pastors at an All-Time Low
37 percent is the lowest rating pastors have received in the history of the Gallup survey.
This year marked the first time since Gallup began surveying Americans about trust of various occupations in 1977 that fewer than 4 in 10 gave clergy the highest ratings. In 1985, 67 percent said clergy had high or very high honesty and ethical standards—the high-water mark for the profession. Americans trust those delivering shots... Continue Reading
Growing Beyond Bi-Polar Spirituality Or Why You Should Be In A Confessional P&R Church
We do not exhaust God’s people with endless activities because we do not measure piety by busy-ness nor by monastic retreat or achievement.
There is a theology, piety, and practice that is not bipolar—or is not supposed to be so. The theology of the confessional Presbyterian and Reformed (P&R) churches (as distinct from the mainline or liberal P&R churches) affirms the inerrancy of God’s holy Word, the goodness of creation (against the Gnostics), the reality and effects of... Continue Reading
Top 10 Stories on The Aquila Report for 2018
Numbers 1-10 of the top 50 articles for 2018
In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days. Here... Continue Reading
David Platt Drops 50-Point Sermon from Revelation at CROSS Conference
Here are all 50 points.
Platt, who preaches for nearly six hours during his annual Secret Church events, made it through the entire book of Revelation and all 50 points in about an hour at the missions conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The points included 48 characteristics of Jesus and a pair of exhortations. Video of the sermon (and others from... Continue Reading
Top 50 Stories on The Aquila Report for 2018: 11-20
Numbers 11-20 of the top 50 articles for 2018
In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days. Here... Continue Reading
