This skill was not learned during the church service, but rather at home. Every day we would practice.  I would make my child sit with me on the couch while I read him a story.  I wouldn’t let him jump around or climb all over me.  We would sit and read.  At first it was... Continue Reading

I speak to people often who say they don’t want to catechize their children with something like the Westminster Shorter Catechism because they simply didn’t learn it themselves like that. Some of them say that a formal teaching method like that just isn’t appealing. There are other reasons too, of course, but the point is that everyone... Continue Reading

Most new moms love their children. Most pastors’ wives in a new church have the beginnings of affection for the people. However, it takes an experienced mom or ministry woman to know that, with God’s help, the love will grow much deeper over time. In my experience, I see my love for God’s people maturing as I mature in... Continue Reading

If I make it grace through merit, I’ve grabbed the rope and started to pull. If I make it faith and works, I’ve grabbed the rope. If I make it Christ and my decision, I’ve grabbed the rope. If I trust my wicked heart of fleeting feelings, rather than trusting in Word and Sacrament, I’ve... Continue Reading

Why is it so important that we affirm that God has always had one people throughout redemptive history, had one plan of salvation, and that he had one purpose? Because when we read our Bibles with these overarching concepts in mind, we see the Bible for what it truly is: God’s complete and full story... Continue Reading

Understanding this basic distinction between justification and salvation should be rudimentary in the life of every believer.  However, because of this confusion, I believe it has had a deleterious effect on the modern church.  It tends to define salvation as a one-time act of God.  It tends to downplay the necessity and the struggle of... Continue Reading

He does think you’re pretty. He wouldn’t lie to you. He doesn’t need to say those things. But when he walks in the door and the first thing he sees is the love of his life, don’t convince yourself that he’s thinking about anything other than how absolutely beautiful you are. Cause guys are weird. Once they fall in... Continue Reading

When I start getting irritated at my children, I’m trying to ask myself a few questions. What exactly about their behavior is getting on my nerves? Are they sinning? If so, I should get up and deal with it, and not just sit here and hope it stops. (or yell until it does) Am I... Continue Reading

If you liked the above answers, there is good reason. You are resonating with Reformed Biblical thought through the centuries. And that isn’t because you agree with me. These aren’t my ruminations. The answers to these questions are the thoughts articulated in Westminster Confession of Faith chapter sixteen: Of Good Works. There is much biblical... Continue Reading

As in any case, it is imperative that, in order to understand oneself, one must understand one’s family history. So it is with us. We did not invent the Reformed faith. Indeed, in many important ways it created us. Before go about re-creating the faith in our own image, let us learn our family history... Continue Reading