“Engaging the Culture” Doesn’t Work Because Christian Beliefs Are a Mark of Low Status
In spite of the resources poured into these efforts, American culture has increasingly embraced the cultural and sexual Left.
What this plan never took into account is the dynamics of social status. Evangelicals sought to engage the culture by being relevant, by creating works of art, by offering good arguments for their positions. None of these addressed the real problem: that Christian belief simply isn’t cool, and that very few people want to lower... Continue Reading
De-Conversion
While some creep away from the faith like a gliding glacier, the de-converted are glaciers calving off, crashing into the sea with devastating effect.
De-conversion stories seek to convince Christians that their ‘outdated, naïve beliefs’ are no longer worthy of assent. People tell how they once thought like you, but have now ‘seen the light’. Christianity has never lacked people, who once in the fold, later left. They tell their stories with a conviction, passion, and evangelistic zeal to... Continue Reading
Preparing Young Men for the Ministry
What do I look for in a young man who thinks that he might be called to the ministry?
Second, is he teachable? It is unfortunately the case that many young men, especially in Reformed circles, go through “cage-stage” Calvinism, in which they think themselves to be the one appointed to cure all the ills of the church. But young men need to learn. They need to learn that a good grasp of the... Continue Reading
How to Wait for the Lord When Life Feels Like Garbage
How do we wait for the Lord in a way that honors him, fills us with hope, and gives us strength to carry on even when we feel like we’re in the dark?
David waited in faith, but he certainly wasn’t quiet, meek, and mild while he was waiting. He was constantly crying out to the Lord for deliverance. At times, you could even mistake the intensity of his requests for irreverence. But David knew that God was good, faithful, and kind. He knew that God loved to... Continue Reading
You are enough.
Praise God that Christ is enough when I feel like I’m drowning.
Feminine ideals vary within the Christian community. Although purity is still given the highest premium, and some form of courtship is a must, maybe you imagined becoming a Christian mom and effortlessly balancing work, home, and PTA meetings. Perhaps you imagined being on the mission field and falling in love Elisabeth Elliot style. t’s... Continue Reading
Developing Healthy Prayer Lives
It has been said that prayer is like breathing, communing with God as an essential of life. Redemptive respiration.
Prayer is a skill that can be learned and cultivated. It may become reflexive through constant use, where turning to God in times of great trial is the natural response of having walked with Him in the ordinary course of events. But, like all skills, practice and perseverance are called for in the development. ... Continue Reading
Joy that Seeks us Through our Pain
Christian joy is more than just a perspective on life; it is the experience of that new life which is found only in Christ.
The most striking expression of this kind of joy is found in Romans, where Paul shows how the experience of deep joy is bound up with the great truths of the gospel. Having just explained how justification through faith, by grace is the basis of our new standing before God, he says, ‘And we rejoice... Continue Reading
Freshen up your Psalm Singing
If you need some extra convincing and motivation to get started on Psalm singing, why not have a read of 150 Questions About the Psalter.
Recently, in my devotions, I’ve been using the Book of Psalms for Worship, published by the RPCNA (Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America). Many of the arrangements are refreshing and, in some cases, better and closer translations of the original Hebrew text of the Psalms than either the Scottish or Dutch Psalters. I love the... Continue Reading
Where Were The Church And The Truth Between The Fathers And The Reformation?
The pre-Reformation church was not “Roman Catholic.”
The Reformation did not drop out of the sky. It was a tapestry the threads and fabric of which was drawn from the entire pre-Reformation tradition. We inherited vocabulary from Lombard and distinctions and categories from Thomas. We revised Anselm’s account of the atonement. If you know the first 12 questions of the Heidelberg Catechism,... Continue Reading
Your Testimony Is Not the Gospel
The gospel is not about me. The gospel is about Jesus.
But we shouldn’t confuse our personal testimonies with the gospel. Sharing our personal testimonies is not evangelism. It’s merely pre-evangelism, sort of a warm-up for evangelism. Our testimonies may or may not be significant or meaningful to those with whom we are speaking. There are lots of folks who can relate to my story; they... Continue Reading