Solomon said: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalms 127:1). We were never meant to parent alone. We need God’s strong hands to build our house, and we need his all-seeing eyes to watch over our children, guarding the walls of the city. We fail our children if... Continue Reading

In such an age as ours, why should we bother planting churches that are committed to the ordinary ministry of Word and sacrament? Such an endeavor seems backwards and counterintuitive. Yet this is precisely what the Head of the church has called us to do. Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus gave us our marching... Continue Reading

Aside from the obvious fact that we will never get close to correct interpretations if we don’t even try, we must overcome these fears so that they don’t prevent us from communing with God. We can do this by learning about helpful doctrines, like the clarity of Scripture, and the history of the church, which... Continue Reading

Boundaries are the greatest gift we give ourselves in ministry. They lessen the complicated yes’s and no’s. They keep things from getting cloudy. They help everyone around us know better what they can expect. Conversely, the leader who doesn’t set boundaries is the leader who needs not expect longevity—or at the very least, longevity without... Continue Reading

To be sure, the preacher’s reputation, credentials, self-presentation, and speaking style may add credibility to the man and the message. However, true authority is much deeper—and much more lasting—than these superficialities. Simply put, a sermon’s authority is derived from Holy Scripture’s authority. The more Scripture is presented, rightly interpreted, and brought to bear on the... Continue Reading

Thankfully, he listened, he prayed, and then he told her he’d leave it in her court if she needed anything else. Yes, this pastor did enter in, he did listen, and he did make himself available for a ten-minute conversation after church.  But then he left her on her own.   Just heard it again.... Continue Reading

Andy Stanley insists, “The Ten Commandments have no authority over you. None. To be clear: Thou shalt not obey the Ten Commandments.” Mike Kruger argues forcefully (and charitably) against this bold thesis. It will surprise no one to learn—especially given my new book—that when it comes to the role of the Ten Commandments specifically, and the Old Testament... Continue Reading

My experience is that students who have tried DE for pastoral ministry find residential education to provide a much richer educational experience. As I have been arguing for a number of years, there is a right way and a wrong way to educate pastors. Until parishioners are prepared to see physicians or surgeons who earned their medical degrees... Continue Reading

I learned at least three methods for maintaining joy in God that Edwards practiced in his own life amid the relentless trials and strains of pastoral ministry. Although most Christians are already familiar with these methods, I discovered that studying the writings of a pastor-theologian from a different historical context opened my eyes for seeing... Continue Reading

The covenant of redemption is the glorious doctrine that before the cosmos was created, our Trinitarian God covenanted to redeem a people for the honor and glory of His name—the Father choosing who would be redeemed, the Son agreeing to purchase their redemption, and the Holy Spirit agreeing to apply Christ’s redeeming work to the elect.  ... Continue Reading