True sacraments…being for the Church as a whole, are limited to “only two sacraments”–Baptism for entrance into the Church, and the Supper for edification amidst the Church, the first portraying union with Christ and the second communion with Christ.   An African proverb says in part, ‘Speak softly, and carry a big stick…’ American President... Continue Reading

Fresh air is not fresh grace, but the former helps one in seeking the latter. Often they mysteriously partner. Creation and redemption singing together.   I stand alone in the quietness of the pine grove. The hills around this valley setting bring a welcome halt to the noisiness of life from the ridges above. Any... Continue Reading

A right understanding of the church is vitally important in church planting. Church plants have no history in and of themselves. There are no traditions, no systems, no prior discussions about why we should do something in a particular way. Church plants attract certain leaders and certain members because of these very characteristics. This can... Continue Reading

My list is not exhaustive but, as we head into 2020, I see seven major trends developing. They are likely to change the landscape of churches in the next few years.   Offering trends are a worthless exercise if they have no connection to reality. For over 15 years, I have suggested trends in churches... Continue Reading

How shall sin-inebriated idolaters become God-intoxicated worshipers? Jesus has given us the answer. It is by drinking the new wine contained in God’s Wineskin. It is by prayerfully entering into the New Covenant with God our Father, through faith in Jesus Christ, his divine Son.   Then the disciples of John came to him, saying,... Continue Reading

The universalist demands a choice: divine love or divine righteousness. But the dichotomy is fallacious. It is only on account of divine righteousness that God’s love can be so bold. By offering his own Son to bear the divine judgment we deserve, God delivers justification by means of his own justice. He is both just... Continue Reading

If you are a believer who is concerned about his or her productivity, you need more than just life hacks and apps. You need to labor to keep yourself sharp and ready for action. In as far as it is up to you, you need to take care of your body—not out of vanity or... Continue Reading

The announcement by a star of the promised Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was a celestial event for the world to see. Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi introduces several important themes that appear later in his gospel.   In the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the characters who bear the... Continue Reading

Understanding Biblical Theology as the theology of Scripture itself, in turn, requires a certain method, a particular way of reading Scripture (a hermeneutic). Think of it as a three-legged stool: we best use a method that is historical, inductive, and descriptive.   No, Biblical Theology is not just theology that is biblical. All theology should... Continue Reading

Many involved in ministry divide their day or week into sections with a certain percentage reserved for their own care, and a certain percentage reserved for the help of others. But Paul seems to view his whole life as being given for others, and ultimately for Christ. For Paul, “To live is Christ.” How did... Continue Reading