In summary, while many other texts could be explored, these passages demonstrate that saving faith is sovereignly granted to the sinner and effectually applied within him. Therefore, we dare not call this initial faith in conversion a “work,” lest we attribute to ourselves what should truly be credited to God. As we reflect on our... Continue Reading

So tell me this isn’t about the money. The overriding concern of the Presbytery here is not mission. No, it is ecclesiastical extortion. It is unjust. Not to mention ironic: At the very meeting where MPPC’s congregational meeting was approved, the Presbytery closed down a failed new church development within ten miles of Menlo Park.... Continue Reading

There are several problems with a pastor allowing numbers to be the measuring stick of our ministries, but here is the greatest: It does not appear to be how God evaluates our ministries. According to Hebrews 13:17, God is evaluating our ministries based on our faithfulness to “care for souls as those who will give... Continue Reading

“The elders have been very clear in their own conversations that no conclusion has already been reached and that this process calls us to genuine discernment about our future,” the letter read.   The 2,631-member Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas voted to enter into the discernment process with its presbytery this past Sunday (10/20/13).... Continue Reading

At the finish line, people we didn’t know cheered for us madly. They held up their hands to meet our sweaty palms, and for the first time that we can remember, we feel like the victors that the pastors always promised we were.   There has been lots of talk lately about the millennials leaving... Continue Reading

We go beyond that properly Berean spirit that receives the word with all readiness and searches the Scriptures to find out whether the things being taught are so (Acts 17.11). Our chosen big cheese has only to press the ‘publish’ button or produce another book and – on the assumption that his (or, indeed, her)... Continue Reading

Sometimes in reaction to our culture, which often confuses love with sappy sentimentality, Christians are tempted to let the pendulum swing too far in the other direction. We say things such as “love is not a feeling—it is a commitment.” While I am sympathetic with the concerns of well- meaning Christians, I have to admit... Continue Reading

But I propose to the readers of this page that we should now approach the question in an entirely different way. I propose that we should see what the Bible has to say about the matter. Does the Bible permit Christian people to live year after year, decade after decade, in a church that is... Continue Reading

I started reading Wright’s book on the Psalms a few days ago, not really expecting much from it, and was immediately overwhelmed by the power of his prose, the force of his arguments, the startlingly fresh insights, and especially the beauty of his writing. I posted a couple of quotes on social media and within... Continue Reading

One of the best ways to bring our children to Jesus is to welcome them into worship, the place where God promises to meet with his redeemed people. This is not a radical idea. The fact that Paul includes a word directly to children—”obey your parents in everything” (Col. 3:20)— in a letter intended to... Continue Reading