The gospel is indeed revolutionary. Your church plant may indeed breathe new life into your chosen community. But it’s highly likely you aren’t “bringing the gospel” to any given area, especially if there are other churches already there. They may not be as new or as fresh or as cool or as exciting or as whatever as... Continue Reading

Jesus is the true worshiper whose entire life was an offering of worship to the Father. We draw near to God on the sole basis of Jesus’ perfect offering of Himself. Jesus went before us (6:19–20), constituting all believers into His priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). In worshiping the Father, Jesus identifies Himself with believers (Heb.... Continue Reading

There is a great responsibility here on those of us who are church leaders. We are not called to be involved in party politics but we are called, as under-shepherds of the Great Shepherd, to protect, warn and care for the flock of God. But we seem more concerned about preserving and protecting our position.... Continue Reading

Be prepared for disappointment, failure and brokenness, for that is the only path that leads to resiliency and steadfastness. Always remember that Christ is the Head of the Church, and not men, and He knows what He is doing.   It you are not positively sure God has called you to ministry, get out! You... Continue Reading

It is difficult for pastors to explain to their own congregations how pastoral ministry can be so difficult. It can be and often is a great joy. But it is difficult in ways that are hard to express, because doing so runs the risk of appearing as complaining, shaming, or nagging. The pastor may find... Continue Reading

We need church historians to help us understand the present. The present is the sum of the past. We did not arrive at twenty-first century Christianity suddenly or by chance but through the long and slow development of the Christian faith over millennia. To know who and what we are, we must know who we were... Continue Reading

The gospel does not boast “come as you are, stay as you are” but rather “come as you are TO BE RESTORED!” We don’t get to make up the narrative here, folks! The story has already been written- and it is beautiful!    Today’s guest author is John Wesley Reid, a Christian blogger and political analyst... Continue Reading

If pastors recover their calling as ministers of the Word, then keeping up with the biblical languages should be a more natural part of their weekly activity. If they work in a “study” instead of an “office” then studying might just come more easily.   It’s that time of year again. A few weeks ago,... Continue Reading

The Bible has a number of things to say about widows. God instructed Israel not to mistreat widows (Exod. 22:22). The book of Ruth showcases the undying love of a woman for her widowed mother-in-law and God’s greater love through his providential care for both widows, Ruth and Naomi.   Within any decent-sized congregation there... Continue Reading

Have you ever heard something that was intended as a critique, but you took it as a compliment? This is the way I felt after reading Lewis’s dismissal of Christians who talk about Jesus “all the bloody time” and are not “NORMAL” like the Christians he knows in Europe.   A few weeks ago, someone... Continue Reading