God made a covenant with Abraham, not Hammurabi. He chose the Jews, not the Philistines. He entered into a covenant relationship with them and said, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” That’s a choice God made, not the Jews. So, even though the Greek word diathēkē includes aspects that don’t... Continue Reading

The orthodox doctrine of the Trinity is a package deal for Bavinck, it must come as a whole or not be useful to us at all. It also connects for us dots from theology proper to the other loci of systematic theology, including the doctrines of revelation and creation. For these reasons, indeed, it is... Continue Reading

I can’t possibly know everything there is to know. And, I don’t want to perpetuate the myth that I do. With God’s help, I can be patient and loving to church members with their questions and their weaknesses. Thus, I can point them to the eternal one who, unlike me, is all powerful, all knowing and... Continue Reading

In the end, I’m not sure why so many Catholic practices are finding their way into Reformed Presbyterian churches. It seems to me that these things have the “feel” of worship, and maybe that is the attraction. Maybe there is boredom or discontent with our own traditions. Maybe there is a desire to “do church”... Continue Reading

I put my heart to the test and imagined myself  in a busy mall where I suddenly took notice of two people I knew. One person was of lowly status whom I knew was in great need of a hug and encouragement. The other was a highly respected individual  with whom having a direct conversation... Continue Reading

I think one of the great problems in the church is that we fail to get grace—oh we understand it for salvation, but I’m less convinced that we get it for living the Christian life. We believe we are saved by grace, but live like we are saved by works. The outcome? Legalism, lack of... Continue Reading

God calls pastors not to be superman, but to be faithful. As pastors seek to be faithful every day in their ministries, God’s sovereign will is being accomplished. Why is that not enough? Because a pastor brings with him to his church his own brokenness, personal struggles, and unhealed scars deep in his soul where... Continue Reading

Have you ever faced a skeptic—maybe a family member or a friend at work—who threw slavery at you as evidence that the Bible can’t be trusted? They argue that if you are using the Bible as your authority on what is right and wrong, then you are basing your deeply held beliefs on a morally... Continue Reading

Although there are lazy pastors around, there are also a huge number of pastors who are working flat-out 60-80 hours a week. Every week. What’s motivating them? What’s driving them to such superhuman levels of busyness? Some are motivated by the Gospel. What higher and holier motive can there be than the spread of the... Continue Reading

“Best books” lists are unavoidably idiosyncratic—hence an effort at recommending “significant” books for pastors. This may well mean a pastor should read them, but it certainly means a pastor should, at least, be aware of them. My criteria remain the same: (a) I try to include a range of genres, since different books contribute different... Continue Reading