Pastor, You Need Other Pastors
What can we do to help protect ourselves, our families, and the people in our churches from the burden of discouragement, the loneliness of isolation, and the difficult side effects of a sacrificial ministry?
For the last several years, I have been a member of a group of seven other men—all PCA pastors—who get together monthly (via gotomeeting.com) to talk about life and ministry, to share our struggles and concerns, to encourage one another, and to pray for one another. And it’s made all the difference in the world. ... Continue Reading
The Importance of “Christ Alone” (Luther)
Luther said that if we understand that we are justified by faith alone in Christ alone, we’ll rightly reject and condemn any other way to be right with God.
“Then presently comes someone who preaches to me: ‘If you want to be pious and serve God, then put on a hood, pray daily so many rosaries, burn so many little candles to St. Anna.’ Then I fall in with this like a blind man and everybody’s fool and prisoner, and do everything I am... Continue Reading
It Took “Hidden Figures”
It hit me recently that it took "Hidden Figures" to make me realize that I did not have to be ashamed of being proud of my working scientist mom.
I want to reiterate that the problem is not that wives and mothers stay at home. If this is God’s providence for you, wonderful. But the problem is the blanket assumption that all women must stay at home and to do otherwise is disobedience to God. You may think this is the extreme, but this... Continue Reading
Four Qualifications for Finding Contentment
Biblical contentment unfolds from the Spirit’s work in a believer’s heart, mind, life, and hope.
Contentment does not suddenly descend upon us; it is learned. Can you recall the last time you learned something new? Usually, learning involves both study and observation, but at some point it requires application. If I learn to ride a bike, I may begin by reading about it in a book. I may also watch... Continue Reading
How Jesus Answers the Cries of Our Heart
Many of us have favorite psalms—perhaps even some we’ve memorized—which give us hope in the midst of sorrow, fear, loneliness, or grief.
Jesus fulfills all the deepest cries of our heart. Jesus is God’s ultimate answer to all that the psalmist cried out for. Just as the psalmist turned to God as his salvation in the midst of his sorrow, grief, and fear, we also must turn to Christ as our salvation in our own emotional turmoil.... Continue Reading
Hezekiah My Hero
Re-reading the life and times of Hezekiah has given me a fresh, more positive take on his reign – I’ve recently declared in church ‘Hezekiah is my new hero!’
There is far more to Hezekiah than initially meets the gaze. His reign concluded in a downfall caused by pride, when self-interest finally trumped and eclipsed a career of outstanding service. However, the bulk of his work was devoted to God’s glory, namely to purging the nation of false gods and to cleansing the church of images.... Continue Reading
God Died on the Cross
“O Love divine, what has thou done! The immortal God hath died for me!”
When theologians get hold of stark, paradoxical statements like “God died,” they have an instinct to clarify what is being said. They do not want to remove the shock or the force (that would be very bad theology), but they do want to make sure that the true paradox rather than something else is being communicated. They want to rule... Continue Reading
That’s Not Christian Liberty, That’s Immaturity!
“…Christian freedom is, in all its parts, a spiritual thing."
The Reformers talked about Christian liberty in terms of the gospel, that our consciences are free from the terrors of the law because Christ obeyed in our place and paid for all our sins. Justification by faith alone is very closely related to Christian liberty! Christian liberty is one of those great biblical truths the... Continue Reading
10 Things Sexual Assault Victims Want You to Know
What if the church were the first place an abuse victim knew to go to for help and healing?
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a good time to honor the many brave souls who shared their experiences with me. These are brothers and sisters in Christ who have suffered. By attending to their stories, listening to them and believing them, we honor them. As a professor, I like to use Facebook as an... Continue Reading
How Can We Take the Lord’s Supper in a Worthy Manner? (Guest Post by John Calvin)
"How shall we, who are devoid of all good, polluted by sin, and half dead, worthily eat the body of the Lord?"
Let us remember that this sacred feast is medicine to the sick, comfort to the sinner, and bounty to the poor. To the healthy, the righteous, and the rich (if any could be found) the Lord’s Supper would be of no value. For Christ is given us for food in the Supper, and we perceive... Continue Reading