Fraternal relationships are a visible expression of the invisible universal church. Second, they are a means for formal cooperation and accountability in ministry. Finally, they are a conduit for personal friendship beyond our own denominations, regions, and nations.    The division of the church is a product of man’s sinfulness. There should be one visible... Continue Reading

Against the Darkness is a helpful biblical-theological feast for serious-minded laypeople and pastor-theologians to sink their teeth into and grow in their understanding of angels, demons, Satan, spiritual warfare, the person and work of Jesus, and the second coming of our Lord.   Growing up in Seattle, I often interacted with those who have divergent... Continue Reading

The missionary’s goal is “establishing Christ-centered churches that are sufficiently mature to multiply and endure among peoples who have had little or no access to Jesus’s message.” The missionary’s task, then, is to go in Christ’s authority as ambassadors of his kingdom, to communicate his message to the nations.   Ambassadorship in the New Testament... Continue Reading

Judah, the fourth-born. The one with a history soaked in compromise and scandal. Yet he would carry the line of kings. The right to rule. The bloodline of promise. Not forever. Just until. Until Shiloh came. Until the One named Rest.   The air didn’t move. Dust hung suspended, untouched by breath or breeze, as... Continue Reading

Unconditional election teaches us that God is God. He is free, sovereign, and gracious. He doesn’t choose us because we are worthy—He chooses us because He is merciful. If you are in Christ, it is because He chose you before the world began.   Unconditional Election means that before the foundation of the world, God... Continue Reading

When offering advice to churches on how they can best help their pastor thrive in ministry, former pastors give fewer options. At least one in 10 say congregations should love and respect their pastor’s family, pray for their pastor, give them time off and protect it, encourage and care for them, be supportive and have... Continue Reading

We rest in the truth that we do not produce the fruit of the Spirit through performance. The Spirit does the work in us as we stay near to Jesus. The more we walk with him, the more we begin to look like him. This is the essence of a Spirit-led life. Not perfection. Not... Continue Reading

The winds of change seem to be finally blowing as a sea change (particularly over the past five years) has taken place in America’s schools’ systems as parents have increasingly demanded choice—religious and otherwise—be not merely tolerated but publicly supported.   The dog days of summer are not typically associated with school, but the summer... Continue Reading

Forgiveness is not easy. It’s not always immediate. And it’s not always complete in this life. But it is the way of our Savior. It’s the way of healing. It’s the path of redemption. And it’s a picture of the gospel.   Forgiveness is one of the most radical and recognizable marks of a Christian.... Continue Reading

There’s no middle ground, purgatory, or second chances. Once we die, then we face judgement. People will either die and immediately be in the loving, gracious presence of Jesus, or immediately be under the judgement of God.   It’s no secret that we are all going to die. Like Ray Comfort explains in each of... Continue Reading