United with the Risen Jesus
From our union with Christ we receive both justification and sanctification
Just what is it to be united with Jesus Christ?….Of course, we’ll experience that as we worship him in heaven forever. Of course, then we will grasp everything much more clearly than we do now. But if our holiness is not just perfect then, but has a true beginning now, and if for everyone of... Continue Reading
Annual Reformed Congregational Fellowship Pastors’ Conference
The conference will be March 25-27, 2014 at the Wonderland Conference Center, Sharon, MA
The Church has been entrusted with a treasure and a task. The treasure: the truth that a necessary saving righteousness has been supplied by a gracious God; the task: to get the word out that the treasure is found in the person of Christ. When the Church is faithful to this sacred trust it is... Continue Reading
Longtime Columbia International University Professor Bill Larkin Called Home to Glory
Dr. Larkin passed away on Feb. 18, 2014 following a battle with cancer
Dr. Larkin taught for 38 years at CIU until his retirement in 2013. His life included a long list of accomplishments. He was a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America for most of his ministry, but joined the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) in June 2013. Longtime Columbia International University professor Dr. Bill Larkin... Continue Reading
Update: Board’s Statement on Montreat College in North Carolina Facing Possible Closure
The Board of Trustees is meeting soon to consider closing Montreat College by June 30, 2014
The Montreat College Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 to consider the future of the College. As the article below reports, many alumni and supporters urged the Board to keep Montreat College in North Carolina and to continue its educational mission. After the meeting the Board issued a statement. Update: The Montreat... Continue Reading
What a Pretty Dress: Second Thoughts for Sundays
How do you talk to the children in your church?
I think my comments on dresses and bows were also motivated by laziness. I wanted to reach out to the little ones on the Sunday school hall, but I didn’t make it a priority truly engage them. Walking past them with a momentary “So cute!” was a way to appease my conscience that I had... Continue Reading
Lying, Coercing, Manipulating, Defrauding, And Scheming — For Marriage Equality!
Did you hear about the infamous gay bashing birthday party RSVP from last week? It was fake.
This incident happens only a couple of months after a lesbian waitress in New Jersey took to the internet to complain about an anti-gay note left on a receipt. The note said: “I’m sorry but I cannot tip because I do not agree with your lifestyle.” In the surprise twist ending that was neither surprising nor twisty, it... Continue Reading
Following Up on Forgiveness
True forgiveness can only happen when there is true repentance
On an emotional level, the idea of conditional forgiveness doesn’t sound right. It sounds like we can be bitter toward those who hurt us. It sounds like we should hold on to our pain. It sounds like we shouldn’t release our offenses to God unless our offender comes to us and repents. These would be... Continue Reading
One In A Thousand: The Calling and Work of the Pastor by Erroll Hulse
Do we really need another book on the calling and work of a pastor? Yes
I welcomed the unspoken challenge throughout to aspire to excellence in the basics of pastoral ministry. I didn’t find Erroll’s use of these mighty men of God as our models in any way discouraging; rather I found it uplifting and motivating. It’s a high calling and therefore any who follow it must aspire to the highest of... Continue Reading
“The Truth is Never Sexy”
It seems that we have entered an era of Pinterest Christianity.
We can take a Bible verse and paint it on stair risers. We can build super-cute baptismals with dramatic sandbag candle effect. We can distract from our potentially offensive doctrines with our own homemade remedy and market it in a trendy mason jar. We can take an Old Testament prophet and turn him into a... Continue Reading
Generic Faith Doesn’t Offend, But It Doesn’t Save Either
When we talk about the particulars of the cross, or anything that invokes Jesus Christ, that is when the trouble hits
You see, the world doesn’t get offended about generic faith. For after all, that’s what most people have. They have faith in “faith,” and hope in “hope.” And so when churches preach a generic message, they don’t get in trouble. It is when we talk about specifics that the knives come out. “Have faith.” My wife and... Continue Reading