The distinctions between Roman Catholicism and Protestant Christianity are not secondary differences between two Christian denominations. They are two different religions divided who stand at odds regarding the very gospel itself. Is salvation finished or ongoing? Is righteousness imputed or earned? Is Christ enough or supplemented? These are the essential questions that must answered by... Continue Reading

“The report is making its conclusion based on humanism and human logic, not on Scripture. I heard exactly the same misuse of Scripture being quoted at our last presbytery meeting when we were leaving the PC(USA). It was the Scripture about the woman caught in adultery. The AIC presenter quoted Jesus as saying, “Neither do... Continue Reading

I often wonder if the fallen pastors I read about genuinely had authority in their lives. Sure, many of them presided within a “plurality of elders.” But authority on paper isn’t the same thing as authority in practice. Did these fallen pastors submit their lives to anyone? Would they have listened if someone told them,... Continue Reading

We must remember that clarity is not cruelty, and faithfulness is not hatred. The church does not have the authority to redefine what God has already spoken. We are stewards, not editors, of divine truth. And history is increasingly showing us that accommodation does not achieve the peace it promises.    Believe it or not,... Continue Reading

The power belongs to Scripture. We play a part, but it’s not really about us. After we step down from the pulpit, the word keeps working. We do nothing; the word does everything.   It’s the Tuesday after Easter. If you’re a preacher, it’s time for some proverbial Wittenberg beer. In March 1522, Martin Luther... Continue Reading

Spiritual abuse is a hot topic these days. Typically, though, the conversation is geared toward exposing abusive leaders, but the same principles could be applied to this conversation where the abuse is aimed at the pastor. Quite frankly, pastors do experience spiritual abuse by congregations. The abuse can come from the leadership and formal power... Continue Reading

We are to be saturated in God’s Word. This is to be where we have planted our feet. So when you hear the phrase, “ordinary means of grace,” remember where this phrase comes from, and remember that when you promised your commitment to the Westminster Standards, you committed yourself to live and work according to... Continue Reading

Communications and travel have “flattened” out the world, so that streaming video conferencing and frequent travel by supporters and missionaries has made the strange much more accessible and less foreboding. Familiarity breeds contempt and lessens the bar of commitment.  Satellite TV and the internet have also familiarized the world in other ways, most of which... Continue Reading

The Word must be preached, for God has called the church to be a preaching church, to minister his truths from the pulpit to the people. And since preaching requires preachers, there must be men who accept the risk. Hence, my counsel to the aspiring preacher is not simply to admit that if you spend... Continue Reading

As a pastor/planter, the work is too precious and meaningful to do halfway. Preaching God’s word requires a stewardship of our calendars, meetings, brains, hearts, souls, and margin so we can study and rightly handle the word of truth. Don’t settle for good enough. Let’s leave it all out on the field for Jesus.   Our lives are filled... Continue Reading