People are not products, and as such no amount of time we spend working with (let’s avoid the temptation to say “working on”) people will ever complete them. Even more complicating is the fact that pastors are incomplete as well. While we might be a little further along the path than those we shepherd and... Continue Reading

Faithful local churches want to grow through the redemption of sinners. Through evangelistic efforts and the consistent administration of the ordinary means of grace, there should be a healthy expectation that there will be new believers joining the church periodically. However, the most significant growth in most local churches is Christians transferring their membership from... Continue Reading

We love to honour our perceived ministry “aces.” We can so easily boast of church size and church growth, number of books written or sold, number of churches planted, or social media profile. But the result  of such adulation is that more modestly able pastors feel inadequate, push themselves too hard, or take unnecessary risks... Continue Reading

Even when pro-life presentations contain gospel, many are not awakened spiritually. But some are awakened morally. And that’s enough to help save children. Former abortionist Bernard Nathanson presided over 60,000 abortions before becoming pro-life while still an atheist. Only later did he embrace theism.    Myth #1: Christian pro-lifers impose religious arguments on a pluralistic... Continue Reading

Take William Ames. He had an enormous impact on Dutch Reformed Theology (and therefore much of Reformed theology). He was present at the Synod of Dort and his opinions helped shape some of the conclusions reached. Nevertheless, if someone has heard of him, most likely they have only read his Marrow of Theology. This isn’t... Continue Reading

Even if you go to a church where your pastor seems to suddenly appear seconds before the start of the service, he was probably meeting, talking and praying with people all morning long. But these are not merely things to be done, they are part and parcel of the pastor’s worship. As Romans 12:1 says, spiritual service is... Continue Reading

Pray for your elders to know the joy. Fullness of joy, the happinesses of joy, the delightfulness of joy and the otherworldliness of joy! Yes, pray for your shepherd-elders to have the divine glory of joy strike deep in their souls. Pray that even when hospital visits are needed, when struggling saints need reproof, when... Continue Reading

If our heart is truly tuned to the cause of Christ, if in fact we actually are centred around the gospel as a planet orbits the sun, then Paul’s words begin to ring true—glory in unexpected places is precisely his point. But if the veneer of my life showcases my own ability, my own fortitude,... Continue Reading

Growth brings new members to ministries, groups and church social functions. Leadership may shift with the incoming influx of members. Many members are simply not comfortable with new attendees changing long-term relationship patterns. They would rather obey the perceived mandate of the Great Comfort than the mandate of the Great Commission. Thus, the church exists... Continue Reading

Church discipline isn’t just the final stage we often think of—removing from membership, fellowship, and so on. I went under church discipline in the booth of The Nook Cafe. It didn’t go all the way to the end because my brothers helped me. Our Lord loved me. Every Christian is under church discipline. We don’t always... Continue Reading