Don’t Be Caught without a Confession
Holding to a confession is an act of humility, admitting that we are not, as we would wish, the final arbiters of truth.
J. Gresham Machen wrote, “In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which men are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the really important things are the things about which men will fight.” In this way, confessions of faith are at the core of Christianity.... Continue Reading
Godliness Is Not Your Personality
Why do we take our individual, personality, character, gifts, or calling and make that the sum total of godliness for everyone else?
Why do we take our individual, personality, character, gifts, or calling and make that the sum total of godliness for everyone else? The introvert equates godliness with quietness. The extrovert equates godliness with activity. The generous person equates godliness with giving. The social person equates godliness with hospitality. The workaholic equates godliness with hard-work. The... Continue Reading
John 3 Might Not Mean What You Think It Does (2)
The habit of associating the work of the Spirit with great social, religious, and even psychological events is deeply ingrained in the the American psyche.
Again, in John 3, our Lord Jesus did not prescribe particular experiences nor large-scale social-religious events or movements. He prescribed new birth by the Holy Spirit. We have added the concomitant experiences and events. When we do this, in our own way, we are seeking to make a bit more reasonable and understandable the mysterious,... Continue Reading
Are You Always the Hero of Your Stories?
When I try to look awesome, I’m not doing a good job showing how awesome Jesus is.
Making yourself the hero all the time is like playing dress-up. It is not reality. This is living in a fantasy world. After all, my wife lives with me, she knows what is actually true. No matter how hard I tried, even unwittingly, to pretend and write my own script my home remains a “no-spin-zone.” ... Continue Reading
How the Minor Prophets Help Us Enjoy Jesus
Why not begin your journey to greater joy in Jesus through reading the Minor Prophets?
If we believe what Jesus says about our joy in him hinging on the words of God, then we need the whole Bible. To maximize our joy in him we need maximal Scripture. So let’s look at how one often-neglected section of the Bible helps us enjoy Jesus: the Minor Prophets. When it comes... Continue Reading
How To Grieve Like a Christian
The gospel informs all we do, including our grieving.
How do Christians grieve? Paul provides helpful instruction and begins with these words: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). his life is full of loss and full of grief. Though there... Continue Reading
Biblical Encouragement
As believers, we are called to encourage one another. But what does such encouragement look like?
Biblical encouragement doesn’t have all the answers. It doesn’t attempt to solve the mystery of someone’s trial or answer the question, “Why?” It’s not about advice giving. It is comfortable with grieving and lamenting, with tears and cries. It often encourages just by being present. It comforts through hugs, a hot cooked meal, or a... Continue Reading
4 Ways Pastors Can Help With Mental Health
In all honesty, we are not adequately trained to assess, much less diagnose, many mental health issues.
A 2013 LifeWay Research survey found nearly half (48%) of evangelicals believe that serious mental illness can be overcome with prayer and Bible study alone. If we found out that 1:4 of our people had cancer, would we encourage them to blow off their doctor and join a cancer Bible study instead? Most pastors... Continue Reading
Can Our Sins Derail God’s Plan For Our Lives?
Because of Jesus’ incredible sacrifice, nothing we do can separate us from God’s love.
Maybe you have really messed up. Derailed your life. But does this mean you have derailed God’s purpose for you? Is God finished with you? No! In his infinite sovereignty, he still has an incredible plan for your life. He knew every sin we would ever commit, before and after we believed in Jesus. He... Continue Reading
John 3 Might Not Mean What You Think It Does (1)
We should say, “I do not know precisely when I was given new life but I know that I have believed for a time and that I believe now.”
The work of the Spirit is so mysterious we should not try to pin it down. We should and must affirm that it is, that new life has been given. We should and must affirm who gives new life (the Holy Spirit). We should and must affirm the necessity of new life. Our Lord could not be... Continue Reading