God is With Us, Fear Not January 01, 2025 Life can be like a trip across the Atlantic Ocean in a 17th century sailing vessel during hurricane season. The loss of a loved one, our failure at work, the marriage that breaks
Eulogy for a Wife July 11, 2024 Today my wife would have been 57 years old. On April 13, 2024, she died after a year-long battle with cancer. She never liked that expression, “battle with cancer.” There is truth in
Ezekiel's Wife February 21, 2024 There is one story in the whole Bible that I still find staggering. It’s the story of the death of Ezekiel’s wife (Ezekiel 24:15-27). One day the prophet woke up
The Nickel Test February 07, 2024 In marriage counseling I will often talk about what marriage is meant to symbolize. I’ll tell my counselees that marriage is meant to mirror something. For example, imagine sitting in the back
Sit and Be Still January 17, 2024 When I was a young boy, my parents would tell me to “sit and be still.” I think they picked up the expression from my grandmother on my mom’s side. I can
worship After Church, Then What? January 06, 2024 So, church is over, now what? Many opt for the nap and that’s fine as far as it goes. But neither the Bible nor the Confession tell us to be sluggardly. It’
Grace Grows Best in Winter December 20, 2023 In the fall I visited Lowe’s and spoke to the clerk about planting grass seed in a few places where my lawn is more dirt than turf. His advice was simple; don’
In My Place He Stood November 26, 2023 Often the notion of vicarious atonement is eschewed by those who claim to be evangelical. Almost twenty years ago N. T. Wright claimed that the atonement “was and is the stunning, towering achievement
Hermeneutics Reading Scripture to See Jesus October 07, 2023 The Old Testament speaks of Jesus. Luke 24 says so. However, like the disciples, we are often slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, all that the law foreshadowed,
God's Good Work September 22, 2023 Consider the following logic. A Biblical injunction to pray for the brethren are prayers that God’s kingdom might come. Now, if that is true there is an entailment that we ought not
Will You Love Your Brother? September 06, 2023 What is your impression of the church? When you think about the church what comes to mind? Think about the Old Testament church, the church underage and specifically that time after the Exodus
The God Who Saves August 02, 2023 In Isaiah 63 we find a familiar word used twice. It’s the word hesed or lovingkindness. I say it’s familiar because we run across it in many different places in Scripture.
happiness Anna Karenina, David, & Happiness June 08, 2023 I have nearly finished reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and I think that it should be read by every seminarian. Why? Because Tolstoy, like many older authors, made human nature a lifelong
The Confession & Hard Providences May 03, 2023 I can imagine the widow of Nain walking beside the casket of her son, her only son. Her support now gone, she trembles from the aching loss and the fear of insecurity. Or
Shepherding The Heart of Christ April 05, 2023 The book of Hebrews is an incredibly valuable book. It is a superb theological text. Of course, it’s not a complete theology, but the theology in the book is impeccable. For example,
A Pastoral Lesson from the Past March 16, 2023 In 2024 I will have been in the pastoral ministry for thirty years. However, almost twenty years ago I started reading some books that have become a yearly literary staple. They are the
Forgiveness Letham & Turretin Debate Forgiveness March 01, 2023 I love a good systematic theology. Benjamin B. Warfield reminds the preacher that systematic theology is indispensable to the preacher. So, being a preacher, not long ago I took Robert Letham’s Systematic
Rich man and Lazarus One Difference February 14, 2023 The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is well-known. So well known is it that we read over the details without giving them much thought. So, let’s
Shepherding The Ministry of the Lord's Servant January 05, 2023 Young men often romanticize the ministry. I know I did. I was in another denomination when the Lord called me to the ministry. A committee met with me and one of the men
Bible "Just the facts, Ma'am" December 21, 2022 How is it possible for humans to interpret the world around us? I mean, interpret it properly. Let me put it differently. What is the pre-condition for the ability to interpret the world
Stay Awake! December 07, 2022 When the Lord says in Luke 12:35, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning…” we immediately begin nosing around the text looking for what it means to “stay dressed” and
Living in Meshech & Kedar October 19, 2022 The Psalms are an invitation to experience the Psalmist’s experience. That must be clarified. The Psalmist often provides us with just enough information so that we cannot locate the Psalm in any
persuasion The Art of Persuasion September 21, 2022 Perhaps the most difficult aspect of pastoral work is the work of persuasion. In other words, how do we persuade others? How do we persuade unbelievers to see the beauty of Christ (II
King James only Edward Hills & a Strange Providence September 08, 2022 Anyone familiar with debates over Bible translations knows that they can become intense. However, those who advocate that the King James Version of the Bible is the only faithful version can treat the
The Federal Vision August 17, 2022 What is Federal Vision (FV)? Can it be defined or described? It is true that there is diversity in the movement, which makes definition difficult. However, there is a good deal of unity
