Indeed, in some quarters today, even as we just celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, there were leading evangelical and even Reformed and Presbyterian Christians advocating a doctrine of two-stage salvation or justification. An initial justification by grace alone, through faith alone, and then a so-called “final salvation” or “final justification” through faith and... Continue Reading

So yes, I get it. I understand why churches offer only Sunday school or only small groups. In different seasons of life and ministry, I’ve thought about punting either discipleship classes or small groups in our church. But after nearly a decade of ministry in our church, I’ve seen the fruit of offering both discipleship classes and... Continue Reading

Evangelicalism is different. Its most recent origins in the 1940s point to a movement that attempted to unite Protestants outside the mainline churches into some sort of organizational order for the sake of restoring Christianity as the vital center of national life. Not only do the earliest documents of the National Association of Evangelicals indicate... Continue Reading

In reality, the Begijnhof’s English Reformed Church could be considered the sending church that birthed America. In Holland its remnant congregation faced hardships but sent more Pilgrims to America over the next decades. These and others founded churches and schools that a century on would power Great Awakenings on both sides of the Atlantic leading... Continue Reading

A couple of men on the campus voiced interested in overseas ministry, but the response from the women was overwhelming. It was the women who asked to meet with me individually to talk about what concrete steps they could take to get to the field. In one conversation, a godly, single young lady asked me... Continue Reading

“In a divided decision released Friday, the state’s highest court denied a motion from the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, with the motion failing to get the necessary majority vote from the judges.”   The South Carolina Supreme Court has denied a motion by a breakaway diocese to reconsider a decision granting ownership of nearly... Continue Reading

“When a church hires a pastor or appoints elders, the church pretty much gets a twofer—the leader, and the unpaid consultant to whom he is married. The question is not whether they will talk; the question is whether their talk will be governed by wisdom, discretion, and appropriate confidentiality.”   Every church leader has been... Continue Reading

Though it receives little fanfare, maintaining a consistently faithful preaching ministry over weeks, months, years, and even decades at the same church requires much effort and perseverance. Your local church pastor is willing to expend himself in this labor because he knows that a lifetime of nourishing spiritual meals is essential for the growth and... Continue Reading

How does a church get its members invested in the Great Commission like that? It’s a question many church leaders ask themselves. We know Christians are called to take the gospel to the nations, yet often it’s challenging to get people motivated about evangelistic work in faraway places.   Almost everyone knows the story of Adoniram Judson.... Continue Reading

It is estimated that the United States is the most racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse country on earth. In fact, some sociologists are now indicating that America may soon be a majority-minority nation, a condition that is already a reality in some states. This means the world is coming to us. And this reality provides... Continue Reading