Parenting in the Pews
Like all good things in life, we have to learn to love worship.
God calls us to worship and to rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30) because He loves us. We go to church and worship because we love the Lord. Our obedience should never be done with a cold heart or from a sense of obligation alone. That’s not what God wants from us, and that’s not what we... Continue Reading
What’s the Purpose (and the Benefit) of Family Devotions?
Our devotions call us to a family experience each day.
By gathering the family for shared devotions we display the priority and necessity of hearing from God and speaking to God. And I think we also declare something about our priorities when we show that we are unintimidated to miss a day here and there as circumstances dictate—we show that devotions are not the means... Continue Reading
Girl, Follow Jesus
Hollis’s message this time around is, “All that really matters is how bad you want those dreams and what you’re willing to do to make them happen.”
In her latest book, Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals, Hollis has gained momentum. She wants you to believe in yourself, to take great pride in your hard work and accomplishments, and to do so without shame and with gusto. She wants you to go hard and unapologetically after your... Continue Reading
The Value of Biography
The best way to learn about leadership is by reading good biography.
In Seven Leaders: Preachers and Pastors (Banner of Truth, 2017), his most recent volume, Murray presents shorter biographical reflections on the following Christian pastors and preachers: John Elias, Andrew Bonar, Archibald Brown, Kenneth MacRae, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, W. J. Grier, and John MacArthur. Much like his previous volume entitled Heroes, this book combines a variety of biographical sketches from... Continue Reading
10 Books That Reveal the Idolatrous Nature of Marxism
Marxism is creeping into the worldview of many Americans, including American Christians.
I will describe each book and then rank its level of difficulty on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult. Level 1 is the category for a book you could give to any friend or family member. Level 5 is the category for a book that might be required in a PhD seminar. Here are... Continue Reading
Review: “Holy Sexuality and the Gospel”
A review of “Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God's Grand Story” by Christopher Yuan
Holy Sexuality expresses the correct view of biblical sexual behavior that God created, expects and blesses. This biblical sexual ethic untangles the confused web that is prevalent in our present-day discussions on human sexuality. Sin has distorted our understanding of human sexual relationships such that only a clear presentation of biblical principles will guide us... Continue Reading
“Two Kinds of Righteousness” and Vocation
Luther's Two Kinds of Righteousness is one of the clearest, most penetrating, most profound, and most beautiful expositions of the Gospel–with stunning applications of Scripture–that I have ever come across.
The “alien righteousness” we have in Christ is a real righteousness, delivering us from the “alien” sinfulness that we have in Adam. When we are united to Christ by faith–as a result of His grace and the Holy Spirit’s work through Word and Sacrament–we are saved by His good works, which become ours, since we are... Continue Reading
Creation: The Complexity Of Life Points To The Existence Of A Creator God Who Brings Order From Chaos
Despite all of this compelling evidence, the vast majority of people seem to be taken in by the naturalist myth that life emerged by pure chance.
Physicist Paul Davies, the author of The Goldilocks Enigma¸which highlighted the unique fine-tuning of or planet for life, has now written a new book on life itself. The Demon in the Machine relates how the scientific study of life has shifted from focusing on life as a complex chemical system to an information processing system. This makes life even... Continue Reading
Best Pre-Marital Advice We Got and Love to Give
I promise it’s gold.
As we’ve counseled many, many couples over the years and shared this advice, we’ve seen it work beautifully. It has the power to mend broken relationships in extended families, to bring peace to previously contentious relationships, to smooth things over and to set the stage for a lifetime of peace and harmony. Wanna hear... Continue Reading
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Unwittingly Promotes the Bible’s Sexual Ethic
Freddie Mercury’s life ended tragically, the result of rebellion against God. To their credit, the filmmakers don’t shy away from painting very close to that truth in Bohemian Rhapsody.
In no uncertain terms, the viewer is made aware that Mercury’s life has become a bacchanalian pursuit of pleasure. And that pursuit, the gay lifestyle, was his undoing – his enemy. On the flipside, the filmmakers make sure to highlight the path that he should’ve taken. A path of traditional sexual ethics and marriage. ... Continue Reading
