Advice for Raising Godly Children
Ten pithy sayings from John Witherspoon, Scottish Presbyterian pastor on parental authority and child rearing
Nothing can be more weak and foolish, or more destructive of authority, than when children are noisy and in an ill humor, to give them or promise them something to appease them. Ten pithy sayings from John Witherspoon, Scottish Presbyterian pastor, President of Princeton (1768-1794), and signer of the Declaration of Independence, on parental... Continue Reading
Really? ALL THINGS Without Grumbling? Really?
When we do all things without grumbling we stand out; it demonstrates the reality of our faith
The “all things” Paul tells us to do without grumbling aren’t the fun things. Nobody grumbles about having to do something fun or pleasant. It’s the miserable things. The hard tasks. The unreasonable assignments. The ridiculous chore that you’ll just have to do again tomorrow anyway. The unexpected tasks. The interruptions. The things you’d rather... Continue Reading
Humans, Persons, and the Context for Infanticide and Abortion
We could make abortion illegal, but no progress will be made in relieving the demand for abortions until culture starts seeing humans as made in the image of God
I do not want to think about the atrocities he performed. I did not want to think about the atrocities performed in abortion clinics all over the world in the name of “women’s rights” or “family planning” or “women’s health.” I have avoided writing about the Gosnell case because it hurts too much to think... Continue Reading
Why Men Have Stopped Singing in Church
We've forgotten the history of congregational singing
Years ago, worship leaders used to prepare their flocks when introducing a new song. “We’re going to do a new song for you now. We’ll go through it twice, and then we invite you to join in.” That kind of coaching is rare today. Songs get switched out so frequently today that it’s impossible to... Continue Reading
Should being a Christian have a visible effect on our lives?
Thoughts on sanctification
I have heard at least one pastor in the PCA say that cussing (to use the Southern word) isn’t a sin. I’m not so sure he’s right. It seems to me that Arends makes a good point. I think that the Scripture gives plenty of warning to us on the need to control our tongues.... Continue Reading
Dove Ads, Ambrose, and Christian Women
We can look forward to the day when our bodies will be resurrected and made new, powerful, and beautiful – suitable matches for our glorified souls
We’re not as beautiful as we should be because we live in a sinful world, where even the creation groans as it waits to be made new. That includes our bodies. We instinctively know that when we watch Dove ads. We might be more beautiful than we think, but we all know we’re not as... Continue Reading
Back to the good ol’ days?
Thoughts on this world and the means of grace
Should believers try to bring back the good ol’ days in order to combat worldliness in our own day and make it easier to live in this world? No. Easy living as a believer now is a myth. So what should we do? On the private level, we should read our Bibles and pray, then... Continue Reading
Joseph in Potiphar’s House (Genesis 39) and its Egyptian Literary Parallels?!
Is an Egyptian story the source material for Genesis 39?
After finishing the text, frankly I was floored that anyone would mention it in connection with Genesis 39! My conclusion is that biblical scholars who mention “The Story of Two Brothers” when writing about Joseph in Potiphar’s house are giving into the overwhelming desire to tell someone, ANYONE! about this interesting literature they are reading,... Continue Reading
Evangelicals and Immigration Reform
Immigration reform is an excellent example of a political controversy on which faithful Christians legitimately disagree
How many of our ancestors (political ancestors if not literal ones) broke the law when they came to this country, or when they pushed irrepressibly westward? I’m not just talking about the occupation of lands inhabited by natives who had little understanding of property ownership. I’m talking about the refusal of Americans over and over... Continue Reading
Mea Culpa: Learning From Mistakes in Ministry (Part 2)
8 painful lessons learned about pastoral ministry
So, what lessons have I learned? There is a certain amount of overlap in these. For example: my Gnostic tendencies regarding place also found a home as I considered competition and balance. Finding your voice as a preacher and being authentic in ministry are nuanced distinctions of a principle that must be worked out in... Continue Reading
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