Ligonier Exec. Says Church Excommunicated Him, Wife After They Reported Suspected Abuse of Daughter
Days after Ligonier Ministries announced that Stephen J. Nichols would end his tenure as president of Reformation Bible College he and his wife, Heidi, were excommunicated by Saint Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida.
“In January 2024, we learned from the counselor of our daughter, Grace, that he had submitted a report to the Florida Department of Children and Families of suspicion of sexual abuse of Grace by Stephen Adams,” their statement said. “On January 10, 2025, we reported suspicion of sexual abuse of our daughter by Stephen Adams... Continue Reading
Right or Wrong? 1925-2025 on Church and State
One could make the case that a revival was occurring in the 1970s, but most of this was focused on individual salvation and very little on systemic or political issues.
Recently, Barton Swaim’s “Christianity Isn’t Dead in the West,” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 10, 2026, p. A13) notes the sea change since 2000, which is a comparison worth making, say, to 1975. He sees 9/11 as the hinge event, revealing “The world’s least Christianized societies are also the least open and tolerant—in short, the least... Continue Reading
Europe Didn’t Lose Christianity Overnight. The Church Gave It Away.
Europe does not need a Church ashamed of its own Gospel.
The future of Christianity in Europe may not be large. It may not be culturally dominant. It may not regain the old privileges of establishment. But the Church is often true when it has lost the illusion that power guarantees faithfulness. Europe may be post-Christendom. That is obvious. But it is not necessarily post-Gospel. ... Continue Reading
Praying for Your Ministers and Those Men Preparing for the Gospel Ministry
The need for believers to cultivate the practice of praying for their ministers and those being called of God to the sacred office.
If the culture two centuries ago was more favorably inclined toward the church, more familiar with the Bible, and well accustomed to the acknowledging—if not the proper observing—of the Christian Sabbath (Lord’s Day)—all of which were certainly the case—how much more today must our ministers expect to endure costly sacrifices and severe sufferings in laboring... Continue Reading
What the Order of Love Means for Global Missions
In recent years, American culture has revived interest in a classic Christian idea: the ordo amoris, the order of love.
Many Christians quietly assume that if they were transported to a distant culture, they would become more zealous for the gospel than they are now. In reality, missionary faithfulness usually grows out of habits of evangelism formed long before someone ever leaves home. The order of love reminds us that we should first be faithful... Continue Reading
Biblically Responding to Church Conflicts
If Christians rightly apply these principles God will bless them, their church, and the reputation of Christ.
If you are aware of a conflict in a church, someone else’s or your own, it is imperative that you follow biblical guidelines and principles as these. If all church members did so, the peace and purity of the church will be maintained despite the conflicts that will inevitably come. We’ve all had it... Continue Reading
When Ministry Seems Joyless
May you uncover the sweetness of desperate prayer that unites communion with God with ministry to his precious people.
In prayer, heavy burdens become light, weakness is met with strength, and despair turns to joy. When we release responsibility for the church’s holiness back to Jesus, where it belongs, rejoicing can begin. Dave was a pastor’s pastor. About midway through his message, he said something that alarmed me: “After stepping away from three... Continue Reading
Spiritual Blindness Begins Where Accountability Ends
There is sadness on how easily leadership decisions can affect a congregation without the kind of open biblical shepherding church members expect and desire.
If I know that Scripture calls leaders to sober accountability and careful shepherding, then I cannot ignore it when leadership becomes vague where clarity is needed. If I know that Scripture commands me to rightly divide the Word of truth, then I cannot excuse my own passivity by saying, “I was only following the pastor.”... Continue Reading
The Goldilocks Dilemma: Why the EPC’s Middle Way Cannot Hold
We all know what the Lord said about a lukewarm church and it wasn’t good (Revelation 3:16).
Goldilocks wanted porridge that was “just right” — not too hot, not too cold. However, the fairy tale does not have a happy ending. In the end, Goldilocks is confronted by the three bears and runs away into the forest. The EPC’s “just right” middle way has held the denomination together for 45 years, but... Continue Reading
The Ruling Elder’s Holiness
Our service in the church must flow from our priority of sanctification.
Brothers, we have a high calling. No doubt, each of us (if we examine our lives) will find many instances where we have failed in our personal holiness and faithfulness. Let us fall neither into despair nor indifference. Rather, let us bring the Word to bear on our own lives. Let us preach to ourselves... Continue Reading
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