A 1998 graduate of Westminster Seminary in California, Turkish-born Fikret Böcek moved back to his country in 2001 to plant a confessional Reformed church in Izmir – the ancient Smyrna, the persecuted city of Revelation 2:8-11, where bishop Polycarp famously died for his faith. From the start, Böcek aimed to make his church completely visible and open... Continue Reading

A child can understand words read aloud more easily than words in a book. A parent’s voice adds tone, cadence, volume, and other non-verbal markers of meaning, elements a child has to create on his own when he reads. This means that a child can understand a more advanced book with more sophisticated words and... Continue Reading

“I had my surgery Friday, and though there was a 40% chance that I had more cancer than the original precancerous cells they found before surgery, tests during the surgery showed I did not. We are still waiting the final official word, but it seems I am cancer free in this area at least. I... Continue Reading

Jonathan because of his illness lived the last 12 years of his life like a prisoner. While his siblings and friends reached that age where they lived their lives coming and going as they pleased Jonathan was home bound because of his illness. Because of this he was able to see behind the curtain (Wizard... Continue Reading

The pastor is not a lord, and the congregation is not his fiefdom. He rules in his office, not in his person, and a good pastor attaches the sheep to the Great Shepherd, not to himself. Calvin took up his regular place in the rotation not only for preaching but also for teaching the catechism... Continue Reading

As soon as he mustered the Korean language, Underwood took on the habit of sitting under a tree next to the busy streets of the city where he read books to attract attention. When someone approached him, he would explain what he was reading and, eventually, the gospel. He did the same in other parts... Continue Reading

Kim Jong-un (K3) became supreme leader after his father’s death in 2012….since assuming control Kim Jong-un (K3) has “solidified his grip on power by embracing the coercive tools used by his father and grandfather.” The regime has used “force and the threat of force combined with inducements to quell domestic dissent and strengthen internal security;... Continue Reading

“In 1900, there were one hundred thousand Christians in China, and today there are probably around 150 million.7 This growth is God’s work: one plants, another waters, but God gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). Nevertheless, it is the fruit of faithful labor. And Taylor labored longer and harder than most. That labor was sustained... Continue Reading

God’s people have their eyes and hearts enlightened when Scripture is preached clearly, accurately, and authoritatively in their midst. And there is no shortage of evidence Dad has done this immeasurably well, in locations as diverse as Baltimore and Columbia, SC, among others. Whether the sermon has been three, four, or five points in structure, the... Continue Reading

All I am saying is this: let’s remember Dr. Smith as the New Testament remembers Old Testament saints. Learn from a saint’s sins but remember their faith. Soon we all will die, and our children will have to decide how to remember us. Let’s leave them a grace-filled example.   Morton Smith is well known... Continue Reading