I don’t think the distance between mainstream Calvinists and mainstream Arminians is really all that great. I consider myself a conscientious objector in the Calvinist/Arminian wars. First of all, it’s because I find the issue more complicated than such partisanship can convey, and I think both sides are right at certain points. Second, I find... Continue Reading

Where do the Apostles in preaching the Gospel call upon people “to ask Jesus to come into your heart” or “to be born again” or “to ask Jesus to be your personal Savior?” I don’t find these kinds of gospel invitations-commands anywhere. If Christianity is, as historic Christianity claims, the one true religion, and, therefore,... Continue Reading

The first vanity license plate I spotted in New Hampshire said, “GO HOME,” which demonstrates that New Englanders can be suspicious of outsiders. Any New Englander, whose property is rimmed with stone walls or whose gardening spade is broken by underground boulders, knows one thing. We are living on stony ground. Any New Englander, whose... Continue Reading

Does theology matter? It does when you consider that poor theology leads to a less than adequate understanding of what it means to be Christian, which in turns leads to a less than adequate witness of the gospel. In J. I. Packer’s 1973 classic Knowing God, he points out that “ignorance of God-ignorance both of... Continue Reading

In thinking of John Knox and the preaching of the gospel we would like, not merely to take a historical look at John Knox as a preacher, but to consider something of the instruction and encouragement he gives regarding preaching in our own time In his address to the 1960 Synod of the Free Church... Continue Reading

A dangerous “egocentric gospel” that omits Jesus, neglects the cross, and instead promises health and wealth is being promoted by some of America’s most well-known preachers today, and their teachings are readily available on cable TV and in local bookstores. That’s the conclusion of two seminary professors whose new book, “Health, Wealth & Happiness” (Kregel),... Continue Reading

Merely evaluating the comments or criticisms over the past several weeks, it has been quite obvious that most of those failures, disappointments or offenses were not against God but against members’ expectations. That got me thinking. What if I, as a pastor, took the liberty to assess church members based upon my personal expectations of... Continue Reading

The arrow between God’s two great commandments points in both directions. When we encourage others to use their God-given talents to make others happy we do more than just pave the way for the happiness of others One night during the summer of 1989, I was over at my friend Del Rendon’s house. We both... Continue Reading

How do we approach this complicated issue? I suggest that Halloween is, in some ways, similar to Christmas. In 21st-century North America, you don’t need a calendar to tell what time of year it is—just look at the seasonal merchandise of any department store. Equipment for cookouts or picnics indicates that summer is on its... Continue Reading

One of the hardest things in the life of the church is a difference of opinion. Far too often, minds are made up with few facts, and assessments are skewed by our life experiences, emotion and subjectivity. The clash results when opinions are closed to reason, or any thought that I might be wrong. Healthy... Continue Reading