“By no means does the bible tell us to gauge our spiritual lives solely (or even primarily) based on our feelings. It’s a reality in the bible that we will go through seasons of pain, doubt, failure, feebleness, and loss. Not every second of our lives will be exhilarating, news-worthy, record-breaking happiness, and excitement.” The... Continue Reading

“The budget is severely inwardly focused. Most of the funds are expended to keep the lights on and/or to meet the preferences of the members. There are few dollars for ministry and missions. And any dollars for missions rarely include the involvement of the members in actually sharing the gospel themselves.”   We call it... Continue Reading

“For the church today, the office of RE, while at times allowed to suffer from an inferiority complex, is really an integral part of what the church is to do to fulfill its divine commission.  REs possess a pedigree descending from Calvin’s Genevan polity, and their work is of great importance to the health and... Continue Reading

“The second century has much to teach the modern church.  My research about what second-century Christians were like, and the opposition they received, made me see that there is much more in common between the second-century Church and the twenty-first century Church (at least in the Western world) than I originally thought.“   Due out... Continue Reading

As head of school at the Stony Brook School, Stony Brook, N.Y., for 15 years, Gustafson was responsible for oversight of a $9 million annual operating budget and more than 100 faculty and staff members. He also served for five years as head of school at Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson Miss.   The Board of... Continue Reading

The discussions were organized by The Reformation Project (TRP), a so-called “Bible-based, Christian grassroots organization” that works to promote inclusion of LGBT people by reforming church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity with the goal for a global church that fully affirms LGBT people.   ORLANDO, FL — Northland Community Church and Pastor Joel... Continue Reading

The gospel is at the very heart of pastoral ministry. You cannot have true ministry without having the gospel at the very core. This means that the call to ministry is a call to gospel work. The gospel is absolutely essential to the role of pastor.   Imagine that you want to purchase a new,... Continue Reading

And while pastors may have an image problem, personal contact seemingly counteracts negative perceptions. Among those who know a pastor personally, 64 percent regard pastors very positively. Personal contact appears to affect not only churchgoers but also the religiously unaffiliated, who are more likely to have something positive to say about pastors when they say... Continue Reading

In recent years, the Church, motivated by our love for Jesus and for people, has led the way in championing social justice. This is appropriate biblical engagement, resulting in better communities as we answer the call to meet human needs. But nothing is more deadly to the future of the Church than to think the... Continue Reading

The tendency for ministers to utilize the subtlety of arguments that press for unity as over against truth (or, unity as being “weightier” than truth) ought to alert us to our own need to be diligent in defending confessional integrity in the PCA. Real and lasting unity is rooted in truth. We are far from immune to a shift toward theological liberalism.... Continue Reading