A Children's Sermon on a Difficult Command December 09, 2024 Each month, my fellow pastor or I give a children's sermon on the memory passage of that month. This month, our children and families are memorizing Luke 14:26-27, 33. After
A-preachin' and a-teachin' and a-bloggin' and a-podcastin' and... November 11, 2024 Lately, I’ve heard a good number of jokes about podcasts. Here's one. When women talk about others, it’s called gossip, but when men do it, it’s called a
Tribute to Pastor Ken Smith October 21, 2024 I had heard from his son that it was coming a day or two prior. Yet the news of Ken Smith passing into glory on Friday, October 11, stilled me. I know for
Still the Glorious Body of Christ September 27, 2024 In his classic work on the church, R.B. Kuiper carefully lays out what truly constitutes the church and how it functions. Called The Glorious Body of Christ, Kuiper shows the beauty of
Gentlemanly Discourse on YouTube August 05, 2024 So much of social media is filled with unhealthy communication. People mock, shout at, and insult one another at many megabytes per second. As they "mega bite" and devour one another,
Imprecatory Praising July 08, 2024 Yesterday, I preached from Isaiah 14 and addressed verse 29, which reads, Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you, that the rod that struck you is broken, for from the serpent's
Grateful for RPIC 2024 July 05, 2024 One of the blessed traditions of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) is its summer camps. Except for every fourth year, the various presbyteries of the RPCNA sponsor regional family camps
Diaconal Rescue June 10, 2024 Those who know me pretty well know I have a unique neighbor. I even wrote about Gail, a widower, here a few years ago (see Being Schooled on Being a Neighbor). In recent
Through the Valley April 08, 2024 The following post is largely based on a recent memorandum I sent to friends of Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. This post is an important update regarding fellow Gentle Reformation author, Dr. Jeff Stivason
Why is Prayer a Means of Grace? December 11, 2023 This article appears on the Ligonier website. Why is prayer a means of grace? This is an interesting question, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism simply states that prayer is a means of grace:
The Dynamic Church October 16, 2023 Such a post title may lead one to think that what follows is about becoming a dynamic church. Perhaps you thought I would offer an exciting program that would help your congregation become
Family Worship - Presbyterian Style September 11, 2023 This summer, I was invited by Jesse Gomez, known as "The Chicano Knox," to come onto his Bibletheory Podcast and YouTube channel to discuss family worship. Though we had some trouble
Across the Lonely Ocean July 24, 2023 Tonight we'll fly Across the lonely ocean, And tomorrow we'll land Upon the Emerald Isle. In times past The trip was joy abounding. But these days, Our hearts ache
A Short Treatise on Slavery July 03, 2023 When you preach in an expositional fashion through books of the Bible, inevitably you are forced to treat topics you might otherwise avoid. Yesterday was such a case. As I was in Ephesians
Leading with Bold Humility May 15, 2023 This article originally appeared on Ligonier's website. “Sons of Thunder.” Surely any Reformed pastor or elder would love to belong to the club with that name bestowed on them for their
Stories of Hope 2023 April 03, 2023 For a number of years in the spring, College Hill Reformed Church has held evangelistic services called "Stories of Hope." The services have this name for at least three reasons: 1)
Introducing the Blue Banter Podcast! March 20, 2023 Yes, your read that title correctly. A new podcast has started called Blue Banter. Two recent Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary graduates have started this conversational podcast where they interview an RPCNA minister. As
Tribute to Pastor Edward "Ted" Donnelly March 06, 2023 Thirty-five years ago this summer, I came to Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary for a preliminary class before my fall entrance into the Master of Divinity program. In those days, beginning pastoral students needed
Ten Lessons Learned in Church Planting February 06, 2023 In God's wonderful providence, I am once again involved in a church plant. And my heart is filled with joy! Before, during, and after graduating from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, my
Communication Lanes January 16, 2023 In my youth, I only had three typical ways to communicate with another person. I'm not speaking of mass communication, but of talking to an individual. What were those ways? I
A Gentle Reformation Update December 20, 2022 For the most part, we tend to just write at Gentle Reformation and not talk much about the blog. But as we come to the end of this year, I thought a reminder,
Innumerable Thanksgiving Blessings November 24, 2022 Autumn always begins unnoticed, like a spark. Tinges of color barely noticed. Then forests suddenly burst into a blaze of fiery yellows, reds, and oranges. Then, as the flames die out, the leafy
Pentecost Circumcision October 03, 2022 Recently, while sitting under the teaching of our Old Testament professor at RPTS, Dr. C.J. Williams, an insight into Scripture came to me that I had never noticed before. So I just
Three Trees September 12, 2022 Having clear, simple ways to sow gospel seeds is helpful to any Christian (see here [https://gentlereformation.com/2016/03/28/sowing-gospel-seeds/] for some other ideas I have shared). Below is a brief