In much contemporary worship today, congregational participation is minimized by the emphasis on performed music on a stage. Like clergy in medieval worship, musicians in contemporary worship have taken on a “priestly” role in the service…The people have become mere spectators of the worship performed by the praise team on their behalf.   The medieval... Continue Reading

While the Scriptures are full of grace-motivated obedience, we often miss it. What a joy then it is to walk with believers from other cultures who spot gospel motivation in the text in places we never even would have thought to look.   Tonight we had dinner with *Frank and *Patti, two dear local believers... Continue Reading

No matter how many voices tempt us to move away from the truth of the substitutionary atonement of Christ—either by explicit or implicit teaching—we must hold firmly to it as the central dimension of the cross.    The Scriptures give us a robust revelation about all that Jesus accomplished on the cross. As we go... Continue Reading

The key to reading such a strange passage might be to step back and adopt a reflective stance. What key themes or ideas seem to hold all this together? Where do I see the brokenness of humanity? Where do I see the character and the grace of God?   Proverbs 30 is one of the more puzzling... Continue Reading

As Jesus said in Mattthew 5:18, Scripture is valid. God tells us what He wants us to know about Him and what He requires of us. And everything He tells us is authoritative for us to believe and obey.    God has preserved His written Word. We have the Bible. But He has done so providentially,... Continue Reading

Jesus is the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, which parallels those who will be made alive in Christ and further aligns with those who belong to him at this coming. For you who believe in Christ, who rest in him, Jesus is the firstfruit of your own personal resurrection.   But in fact, Christ... Continue Reading

We must learn to notice and acknowledge the suffering of others. We can lament on their behalf, asking God to look and see and comfort. When we encounter our neighbors’ grief, it may be raw and wild. We don’t need to offer advice or platitudes; often our presence is enough.   In the midst of... Continue Reading

The doctrine of total depravity has been proven time and again. Humans are fallen, and do not seek after God (Romans 3:11). So you can look at the logical conclusions of any God-rejecting societal event in the most negative ways, and given a little time these slippery slope conclusions are what happens.   In my... Continue Reading

Communism is predicated on class warfare, the idea that someone has something you don’t. Equity ideology takes it from simply applying to economics and instead applies it to everything, including education.   Once upon a time, the idea was equality, meaning we would treat everyone the same. This is a good thing, of course, and... Continue Reading

It is fitting that those who have been redeemed by Christ should live changed lives because the purpose of His redeeming work on the cross was to “redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).   Some Christians are... Continue Reading