[The conscience] is proof that communion with God has been broken, that there is a gap between God and us, between his law and our state. This is clearly evident when our conscience accuses us. But also when in a given case it excuses us, that is, keeps silent, that separation from God underlies it... Continue Reading

If I thought it would, I would simply end this article by charging everyone who has not subscribed to the 1689 Confession with sin and calling all of you to repentance. I will only add that any of my Presbyterian friends who wish to “repent” of the “sin” of not being Baptist should give me... Continue Reading

Using the right word can matter. Using the wrong word can matter even more. I once lost a potential writing gig because I used “who” instead of “whom” in a proposal letter. (And I still have trouble getting “who” and “whom” right.) Even just one incorrectly used word – especially when you’re trying to make... Continue Reading

There is absolutely nothing worse than some punter with their head in the Bible while you’re trying to tell them what God really says. You’ll find them regularly popping up at the worst moments, quoting parts of the Bible and requesting references. Worse still, when you provide those references (ideally obscure Old Testament passages from... Continue Reading

And so it can be with Christianity. I worry that the return to the old paths in much of the Christian world is simply a return to what is considered safe and convenient.  Perhaps it reflects little more than a nostalgic longing for a way of life now gone and offers merely a spiritual-sounding idiom... Continue Reading

If the Word is proclaimed from the pulpit with power, I have a share in that. If sinners are brought to repentance, I have a share. If the Word rightly ministered reconciles marriages, directs the ignorant, shepherds the flock, I have a share. Only the last day will reveal what my sacrifice for his study... Continue Reading

“I have found it helpful to describe a dynamic equilibrium for this congregation and other small to mid-sized congregations I have served, and then to hold that condition before them as a measure of vitality. Dynamic equilibrium suggests that the congregation is a complex organism with staying power, but an organism with certain key indicators... Continue Reading

“The history of theology is riddled with arguments about issues about which the Bible has relatively little to say because they probably shouldn’t be important parts of our theological systems. I hesitate to provide examples here because I know I’ll end up picking someone’s favorite issue. “   In my theology classes, we often find... Continue Reading

“You might wonder why a godly man, one who has had his sin forgiven, would be marked by tears. While it may be a mark of being human that brings a natural man to tears, it is a mark of being impacted by the gospel that brings a Christian to tears.”   Is it socially... Continue Reading

“When trials and challenges come, ministers feel their own insufficiency. In the midst of challenges with congregants, ministers remember that they cannot change the hearts of the people to whom God has sent them to shepherd. In many cases, the only course of action in a particular trial is go to the throne of grace and... Continue Reading