At Church in the Canyon, we affect one another spiritually by what we are and do individually. Therefore, if we care anything about Christ, who is the head of the body, and other Christians — the rest of the body — we simply must move beyond our comfort zones to compassionately meet needs.   Bureaucracies... Continue Reading

Frank graduated from the University of London, was ordained in 1917, and served as curate in Liverpool and Preston. In 1920, he answered a call to serve with the China Inland Mission (CIM), against the advice of his doctor who was concerned about Frank’s heart problems. Frank was not the only one in his family... Continue Reading

The Lord Jesus gave very specific instruction on how mercy ministry was to be conducted by the church. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus says, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a... Continue Reading

Using the OT to interpret Revelation helps us see some extraordinary truths about your church and my church.  First, your church, if it is a true branch of the visible church, is protected and ministered to by the angels.  That really should not surprise you, but it is something we often forget. The author of... Continue Reading

When Jesus entered the human race He became subject to all of its natural weaknesses and liabilities, including mortality. His liability to death was essential to His mission. By fear of death, humans were slaves of the devil, who held the power of death (Heb 2:14-15). For the relatively brief period of His humiliation, Christ... Continue Reading

Both Paul and James also demonstrate that justification by faith alone (and the transformed life that follows from it) is rooted in the Old Testament — specifically in Genesis 15:6. These apostles apply this text in different but complementary ways. Paul cites Genesis 15 from the perspective of the beginning of Abraham’s faith. When Abraham believed God,... Continue Reading

To be honest, this is sometimes a shortcoming in my own prayers. I’m quick to take my needs to Christ in prayer but almost as equally quick to forget to thank him for the blessings in my life. Perhaps part of my own forgetfulness on this account is due to the fact that I don’t... Continue Reading

Often, when it comes to these crucial issues, both sides are using the same vocabulary, but not the same dictionary. So to present the antithesis – to speak God’s Truth to a confused culture – we have to begin by defining our terms. Defining terms can also serve as a good defense when you’re getting... Continue Reading

Bavinck had prepared the manuscript for publication, yet several formal issues may have held him back from publishing the work (RE, 2019; xxxv, xli-ii). Along with the manuscript’s discovery by Dirk van Keulen, two additional manuscripts from Bavinck’s students have been uncovered, providing invaluable insights into his classroom presentation and support for translation. The wealth... Continue Reading

Shame can be a good thing if it helps us feel how truly terrible sin is. We live in a world with no clear agreement on what is right or wrong, where things considered sins in past generations are preferences in this one. Shame is the appropriate response to standing before God, when we see... Continue Reading