Solid Ground: Standing for the Standards
This is a plea for what I’ll call “simple confessionalism”.
I have no interest in advocating for a mushy middle way. An insincere, “bless-your-heart” niceness helps no one. Papering over the cracks where real differences lie is dangerous. Cracks often reveal a problem at the foundation. If the house is to stand secure, we must not ignore the warning signs. So, I have no desire... Continue Reading
The Chief Distinguishing Mark of a False Prophet
the chief distinguishing mark of a false prophet is that they do not advocate the narrow gate and the hard road in the path of Christian discipleship
Jesus says the gate is narrow. The word narrow here is often used with a family of words to characterize suffering and opposition. Jesus is giving a realistic understanding of Christian discipleship; the way is grueling. Indeed, he says the way is hard. What is hard, exactly? How would you describe a false prophet?... Continue Reading
Preaching Is Worship, Not Performance
You preached for a response from those two or 2,000, but you did so for God’s glory—not yours.
More people in the pews means more people are hearing the gospel, which means there’s a greater chance more people might respond to the gospel. But I’ve learned—okay, I’m learning—that I’m not performing before an audience, I’m worshipping an audience of One. Remembering this immutable truth has freed my preaching, but it’s also added far... Continue Reading
Roots of Evangelical Worship: American Democracy and Camp Meetings
Changes in liturgical practice can be seen perhaps most clearly in the rural camp meetings that began to emerge in the early nineteenth century.
The quintessential model for all subsequent camp meeting revivals was the Cane Ridge (Kentucky) meeting of 1801. Attended by crowds between 10,000 and 25,000 people, the meeting became characterized by shouting, prostrations, singing, laughing, emotional fits, and even barking.7 Camp meetings spread from Cane Ridge throughout the rural frontier. James White suggests that a new... Continue Reading
Missing My Church Family
I am thankful that we are a church family and that our lives are intertwined together.
It has been challenging to see folks who were just sporadic in their attendance to worship. I was frustrated with these people who shirked from what I saw and still see as a clear duty. But since my time away, now I pray for them. I pray for them differently, not prayers that the Lord... Continue Reading
Dr. Lane G. Tipton Appointed as Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology
Dr. Tipton’s 15-year tenure at Westminster Seminary has ended; he has been appointed as Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology with the Reformed Forum.
On behalf of Reformed Forum, I am pleased to announce that our Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Lane G. Tipton as Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology. While he was already a member of our faculty, in this new role, Dr. Tipton will be devoting more of his time to theological writing and teaching... Continue Reading
Christian Singing: Its Necessity, History, Didactic Nature, and Teleology
Paul’s charge for the Christians at Ephesus to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” comes after his exhortation that they be filled with the Spirit, rather than be drunk with wine.
There are two general ways to understand Paul’s phrase “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” The first is that Paul is directly referring to the book of Psalms with all three references. The second is that it also includes uninspired songs. As we will see later, Calvin generally adopted the former in practice. But even he wrote, “What may be the... Continue Reading
Progressive Pansexualist ‘Christians’ have Declared War on Orthodox Believers
Having their sexuality not merely approved but accepted and controlling the sexual agenda of the church was always their objective.
The greatest threat to free speech and the free exercise of religion is the homosexual (and transgender) agenda. Nothing else comes even remotely close, said distinguished legal scholar and political philosopher Robert George of Princeton University. November 21, 2019 (VirtueOnline) – It should be obvious by now that progressive pansexual “Christians” have only one goal... Continue Reading
Vanguard Presbytery: A New Presbyterian Denomination Being Formed
Those forming Vanguard Presbytery intend to formally organize the denomination sometime during 2020.
The Steering Committee, comprised of both teaching and ruling elders (from within and outside of the PCA), is guiding the development of the new denomination. These elders are developing what they believe is a true grassroots Book of Church Order. At some time in 2020 there will be a convocation of sessions that will be... Continue Reading
Children’s Duty to Care for Parents
If an individual needs help in his old age—whether it be financial help or physical care, the responsibility falls first on that person’s children.
In his 17th century work, Building a Godly Home, the English Puritan William Gouge elaborated on the biblical duty of children to requite their parents: “In everything which a parent needs his child’s help, the child according to his ability must grant his best help. Beyond one’s power nothing can be expected.” Gouge understood the incredible... Continue Reading
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