“The focus in evangelistic preaching should be laser-like, desiring the hearers to be converted to Christ. That is THE application! In an edification message, the pastor may seek to bring the main theme home with many different applications addressing the varied situations of the congregation.”   In conversations I have had recently with both seasoned... Continue Reading

What hasn’t been publicly seen from Driscoll however, is any show of heartfelt brokenness at, or apology for, mistakes made. I’d argue that as a public figure, any repentance and restoration has to be seen publicly too. Driscoll’s absence from public ministry isn’t about him – it’s about the many, many people who were seriously... Continue Reading

“There is no place on Earth where God’s Word is more urgently needed,” Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates, said in a statement shared with The Christian Post Tuesday. “This is a place of terror, oppression, violence, death, and heartache. To be a Christian is to be a target. Yet the few Christians... Continue Reading

The ministry has to help the congregation understand difficult and hard things in Scripture. But without learning this will not be possible. Unless ministers themselves have studied these “difficult” and “hard” things they will not be able to help their congregation understand the scriptures and so grow in grace.   In our first and second... Continue Reading

“At the heart of the biblical answer is the fact that baptism is primarily God’s sign and seal of his covenant of grace rather than an action we perform when we believe.   If a person is baptized in the name of the Triune God, according to the command of Christ, it’s an objective sign that... Continue Reading

“When child abuse happens in a church, it has a significant impact on everyone involved and can tarnish the reputation of a church body. Imagine the impact a reported case could have on your church; the loss of trust among members, the damaged reputation in the community and the impact on the victim.”   Stories... Continue Reading

Benedictions have become one of my favorite pastoral privileges. I can’t imagine ending a worship service with, “See you next week,” or “You’re dismissed,” when I can offer a congregation God’s blessing instead.   I like to ask people new to our congregation about their first impressions of Village Church. Mary’s answer surprised me. “I’ve... Continue Reading

“Founded in 1812, Princeton Theological Seminary is affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA), a Mainline Protestant denomination that has gained headlines and suffered membership losses for its increasing acceptance of homosexuality and gay marriage.”   Princeton Theological Seminary hosted a controversial conference last week to explore so called “gender fluidity” and how people are “forging new... Continue Reading

“Our Book of Church Order is the fruit of the wisdom of generations of Presbyterian reflection and experience. The PCA’s BCO traces its ancestry to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (1789), which is indebted to earlier Scottish Presbyterian reflection on the church’s government.”   To most people, saying that... Continue Reading

The true divide that separated the POJ representatives and the Crestwood session was therefore not single issues such revised ordination standards, redefining marriage, or the role and authority of scripture.  These were merely symptoms of the deeper divide between the constrained and unconstrained visions, which goes right to the heart of our understanding of Creation... Continue Reading