While the drift of Christian institutions is real, it is not inevitable. Faithful men and women, committed to Christ above culture, can strengthen and secure the training grounds for the next generation.   This past week, a well-known preacher confided in me with a heavy heart. His adult daughter, once strong in the Christian faith,... Continue Reading

The Solomonic shadow in Jesus’s life and ministry is something the very first verse of the New Testament prepares us to see. Matthew describes the first Gospel as “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The phrase “son of David” thus signals to us that... Continue Reading

When we acknowledge the reality of sin, we also embrace the beauty of salvation. We see the cross for what it truly is: God’s love poured out for sinners, making a way back to Him (Romans 5:8). So instead of running from the word sinner, we can face it with humility and hope.   Many... Continue Reading

The Spirit can heal the cancer of discontent and criticism with His grace working through faith and thankfulness. Look to Christ and trust him to fill your heart with gratitude because, though He didn’t have to, God graciously gave you a spouse, a friend, a lover. Receive your spouse as a good gift from your... Continue Reading

Until the year 1,000, there were more Christians outside of the old Roman Empire than within it. It isn’t surprising that artifacts from this rich history will be found….good reminders of how Christianity spread.   A pair of recent discoveries underscore how quickly and far-reaching Christianity spread in the first century. They also counter the... Continue Reading

When God enters a covenant, what he promises to do becomes an inviolable oath that is guaranteed by his own unchangeable character and his inability to lie …God cut major covenants during the lifetimes of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. And then he promised that in the future he would cut an even better covenant,... Continue Reading

When wickedness shakes a nation, Christians must be clear-eyed about evil yet confident in God’s justice. We remember that He reigns, that governments are accountable to Him, and that vengeance belongs to the Lord. We engage the public square not with despair or rage but with a steady hope rooted in the cross of Christ.... Continue Reading

Christians have long referred to the “ordinary means of grace.” Churches should not work to make disciples through extraordinary means, through dynamic and exciting new techniques never mentioned in the Bible. Rather, they should use the ordinary, everyday practices like preaching, teaching, singing, praying, and practicing the ordinances.   Origin, Means, and End of Missions... Continue Reading

The call to youth leaders—and to all who disciple the next generation—is to move beyond assumptions, pursue genuine conversations, and point students not to themselves but to Christ. Because the good news of the gospel isn’t that we’re all right. It’s that Jesus came for those who aren’t.   In high school, I was in... Continue Reading

The MNA Permanent Committee will form a representative search committee for the next committee coordinator in due course. Pray for the Permanent Committee and the process of calling the next leader in domestic mission, church planting and vitality.   Ruling Elder and former GA Moderator Steve Dowling has been appointed as MNA Interim Coordinator, effective... Continue Reading