The evangelical cultural engagement world seems not to have developed the ability to look at mainstream elite culture in a critically detached way. This feeds into an inability to create insightful analysis or compelling critiques of that culture, which in my view is related to the persistent inability of evangelicals to form people who end... Continue Reading

At the deepest level, wherein lies the goodness—the sweetness and beauty—of a good expository sermon? My theological reply is a Big Idea consisting of three MPs: The goodness in a good expository sermon lies in the One who gives it, the One around whom it is centered, and the Christlikeness of the one who receives and... Continue Reading

God stands above time even as he freely and effectively works within it. As Steven J. Duby helpfully explains, this is possible precisely because God is who he is: “in simply being who and what he is as God, he both transcends all that he has made and can be immediately present to all that... Continue Reading

The Bible gives us a template for church leadership that focusses mostly on character. Paul describes this quality as being “above reproach,” which is further defined by qualities like sexual fidelity, temperance, self-control, gentleness, peaceability, respectability, hospitability, righteousness, holiness, and loving what is good.   If we are to continue, and God willing expand, Christian... Continue Reading

The offices of the PCA are open only to men. In some contexts, this may be unpopular or difficult to explain. Withholding ordination from men (as some have admitted doing), making one office subject to local option (as one overture would do), or blurring the lines between ordained offices and larger, informal “leadership” pools is... Continue Reading

Unlike many previous technologies, AI has the ability to mimic the functions of a human being. When the camera was invented, no one was going to attempt to pass off a photograph as a hand drawing, but with AI, every student will be tempted to pass off an AI-generated essay as an original work. When... Continue Reading

The love of Christ that led him to the cross is the same love he has for you now and forever. Because God has already done the hardest thing—justifying you through Christ’s blood when you were his enemy—you can be certain he will finish what he started. When doubts come, when life shakes you, when... Continue Reading

“I am here today to leave it clear that America is charting the path for a new century of prosperity, and that once again we want to do it together with you, our cherished allies and our oldest friends. We want to do it together with you, with a Europe that is proud of its... Continue Reading

The land was not empty. It was occupied by the cursed line of Canaan (Gen. 9:25), a people powerful and entrenched. From a human perspective, the promise looks impossible. Abram is an old man living in a tent; the Canaanites are warriors living in cities. But faith looks at the promise, not the problem.  ... Continue Reading

Instead of seeing them as habits that flow out of our salvation, we see them as obligations that merit our salvation. Instead of being freed by them, we become enslaved to them. Instead of enjoying them, we perform them.   Matthew Henry once said that “when we are out of the way of duty, we... Continue Reading