As I have met with a few who left because they felt I mishandled a situation, they said, “And you know what? Not only did you not call me, but no one from the church called me.” Or maybe one or two called to see how they were doing. But it was like they had... Continue Reading

So as the dialogue continues about mental health in America, the Church should take time to consider how it can renew its efforts to make a positive difference. It is time to examine our hearts to repent of holding any stigma against mental illness, engage in conversation with those in need, and generously use our... Continue Reading

This passion for cross-cultural missions is shared by Korean-American immigrant churches. It is not uncommon for the smallest of the 4,000 plus Korean-American churches to set aside a significant portion of the church’s budget for missions and proudly display the names of the supported missionaries in their weekly bulletins.   My friends and I recently... Continue Reading

The nature of saving faith makes preaching Christ necessary devotionally. While saving faith receives the whole Word of God because it is God’s Word, “the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace” (WCF 14.1).   When... Continue Reading

“I have, over the years, read through a good number of the English translations available, including some of the more obscure ones. I have learned something from each one, and I have benefitted from each one.”   Except in certain very conservative Christian circles, the KJV is no longer the exclusive Bible of the English-speaking... Continue Reading

Sixty percent of Americans who never attend church during the course of a year view themselves as Christians. But a sincere perusal of Scripture shows a much tighter relationship between the Christian and the church. In fact, contrary to the practice of most Americans, God not only calls believers to attend church but to bind... Continue Reading

Likely for some the fear of losing a house or a job might prove to be too much of a temptation and they would stay home most of the time. For others though, I suspect that the church would become more of an oasis and far sweeter than ever before. Something they would never, ever,... Continue Reading

Much has changed in my understanding of biblical hope. It now underlies pastoral visits and counseling. Instead of only a few choice texts, I see hope throughout the Scriptures. This buoyant hope as a fountain of joy deeply affects my living, preaching, and teaching. Although I failed in that pastoral setting 35 years ago, the... Continue Reading

Instead of lamenting that something isn’t our preference and folding our arms in protest, perhaps we can humble ourselves and participate anyway. Perhaps we can be open-minded to the diverse ways God’s people worship him, and not just tolerate but even participate in this diversity, learning to love it.   When it comes to church worship music,... Continue Reading

“The reality is that we all know people who have had mental illness, depression, anxiety, and other problems. The more we talk about [mental illness] and bring it out of the shadows, the more understanding and compassion we’ll have, and I think the better care people will get,” Achtyes told LifeWay Research. “And don’t we... Continue Reading