Pastors are not mere speakers, but anointed shepherds. The task of leading and feeding is not mechanical, but relational. Nearly every person in every church can easily watch a better preacher on the internet than the one in the pulpit, but no one on YouTube can shepherd them, or pray with them in their distress,... Continue Reading

For the scope of our present essay, we’ll examine Machen’s libertarianism in terms of voluntarism, the principle of relying on voluntary action and freedom of choice, particularly when associating with ecclesiastical structures. This voluntarism was worked out in many of Machen’s letters about church and civil politics, and ultimately was forced in Machen’s deposition from... Continue Reading

How do we start? How do we keep prayer from becoming boring? How do I learn how to lead a prayer meeting that isn’t boring? It’s just being like a little child when you’re faced with this huge, impossible task. It’s okay just to launch into it, but even before you announce it, I actually... Continue Reading

The salvation of the children we disciple does not rest on our shoulders. We are called to be faithful sowers, but the work of transformation belongs to God alone. Consider the hope this gives us: the child who tests your patience, the one who seems disengaged, and even the one whose story breaks your heart... Continue Reading

Almost every week, I am deeply aware of how little I have to offer unless the Spirit helps me. I’m amazed that he so often uses what I have to offer. It’s a reminder that our confidence is not in our own abilities, but in the Spirit working through the word.   I think I... Continue Reading

Imagine that as you arrived at church to worship God on a Sunday morning, you first walked past the graves of friends who had served the church faithfully before going to their rest. Imagine if over there was the grave of a former pastor who had led you to Christ, baptized you, married you, and... Continue Reading

David encourages the daughters of Israel to, “weep over Saul who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornament of gold on your apparel.” In other words, David blesses the Lord for using an evil king to advance the kingdom of Israel. Similarly, men and women should praise the Lord for using unfaithful men to... Continue Reading

Church officers have a responsibility to protect church members by shepherding them in all areas, including the area of biblical sexual ethics. Church members know the emphasis of God’s Word places on purity; they need church leaders to be clear on this expectation. This means that receiving a minister who self-identifies with a homosexual-orientation should... Continue Reading

Rest assured, a slow and steady pace of ministry will afford you ample opportunities for affliction and adversity. Simply let the Lord lead you at his pace as you labour to understand his word and do what it says as you lead his people. If you do this, there will be no need to go... Continue Reading

Does something deeper, perhaps even spiritual, animate the strong opposition we witness today to nationhood as traditionally understood? I believe so, for this simple reason already cited: Nations are the object of the Great Commission. Jesus commands us to disciple the nations by preaching the gospel to them, baptizing those who believe, planting churches, and... Continue Reading