Despair In the Midst of Abundance September 05, 2022 Yesterday the CFO of a major US retail chain jumped to his death in Manhattan, with the NYPD reporting that he "appeared to suffer from injuries indicative from a fall from an
A Jesus Misjudged? August 31, 2022 What is Christ doing in his church? What are the ways that we should interpret the--sometimes dark--providences of God in building, reforming, censuring, or comforting the church? We are not as skilled as
What Happened at Synod 2022? June 25, 2022 The 190th annual synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America met on the campus of IWU in Marion, Indiana. Rev. Bruce Parnell (Stillwater, OK) began with preaching on “taking up the
Reforming Church Discipline May 11, 2022 From his "exile" in Cambridge, England, Martin Bucer (1491-1551) wrote a letter to the Reformed pastors of Strasbourg. In that letter he commended the traditional three marks of the church, with
My Slave, My Choice. May 05, 2022 In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, the character Tom, spoke at a party and discussed the early twentieth-century science of racial theory. He said, “Civilization’s going to pieces...if we don’
Hope for the Prodigals April 17, 2022 "Let us learn never to despair of the salvation of anyone, as long as he lives. Fathers ought never to despair of prodigal sons. Mothers ought never to despair of self-willed, headstrong
Space Oddity January 07, 2022 What if aliens were discovered…or discovered us? Would that change your opinion of the Bible, the Christian faith, and the centrality of humanity as image bearers of God? Recently there was some
Jesus Died & Freed me from Christmas December 23, 2021 Not to change your mind, but to inform you of fellow believers, three types of Christians emerge during the Christmas season: The first Christian is bright-eyed and filled with holiday cheer. The second
Enjoying the Means December 03, 2021 And enjoy him. We all know the phrase. Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God. This is the Presbyterian way. Do we enjoy him? Do you enjoy him? Do we enjoy
Battle Commence November 17, 2021 This evening the congregation that I serve will go into battle together. The first prayer meeting of Orlando Reformed Presbyterian Church [http://orlandorpc.org] will commence tonight, and we will go into battle
Water Heater Maintenance October 01, 2021 (This article orginally appeared here in February of 2019. Since the article seems to have been resurrected, seemingly because of Pastor's Apprication Month, I am republishing it today for your edification.
Talitha Cumi September 14, 2021 Most of the Gospel of Mark is written in Greek, and when the reader is confronted with Jesus speaking Aramaic, it ought to give pause. Jairus's twelve year-old daughter--an only child--lay
Cathedral Feels September 02, 2021 Cathedrals were designed to invoke a sense of awe and wonder. Cathedrals are intended to move within the worshiper, an internal sense of smallness in contrast to the grandeur of God. Surely, in
Silverfish Spirituality July 05, 2021 Dropping from a dusty and well-read copy of a paperback biography fell a neatly folded, faded, and forgotten letter written to the Lord; a personal covenant. It contained a confession of sin, steps
Weary Toil: Synod 2021 June 19, 2021 Heads and beards were visibly more gray, and pages, who ordinarily serve the court with passing out papers, were stationed behind screens to monitor delegates over Zoom; unable to attend due to international
Schism: a Tearing of Christ's Body May 23, 2021 Schism is a sinful tearing apart of the body of Christ. Schism is a dreadful and sinful thing as the body—even when reformation is the guise— is torn. Sadly, ministers, even converted
The Artist at His Wheel May 14, 2021 In the midst of the Great Depression, in 1939, The American Pottery Exhibit at The New York World’s Fair offered patrons two collectable pieces of pottery. Two of Homer Laughlin Pottery’s
A Charge for a New Charge April 02, 2021 Last month I was installed as the pastor of the Orlando Reformed Presbyterian Church. After 12 year of labor in Los Angeles and among the Pacific Coast Presbytery, the Lord pressed upon my
Sanctorum Communionem December 04, 2020 Last week I found myself in a very empty fellowship hall at the church where I pastor. The chairs and tables have been put away since March and we have not had a
thanksgiving Stressed Out for the Holiday? November 24, 2020 The Puritans are often considered the quintessential curmudgeons of the Christian faith. This is untrue, but often repeated nonetheless. Could you imagine taking stress relief counsel from them? Would they even understand? They
Glory of God Quadruple Glory September 04, 2020 The Christian life is a life from glory to glory. Many of us may not see that right now. As we look around the state of the church—especially in the light of
reformed Reformed or Forged Catholicity? August 11, 2020 A Reformed Catholic was written by William Perkins in 1597, showing the the “places where the reformed religion agrees with and differs from the Roman religion.” Perkins sought to give a "declaration
protests Is Protesting Christian? June 05, 2020 "What do protests actually do?" "Do you think Christians should protest alongside of those groups?" "How does this actually promote justice?" These were the questions that I
Early Sunday Morning March 22, 2020 Edward Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning depicts a view of New York City’s Seventh Street in the early morning of a 1930 Lord’s Day. The scene is quaint, in part, because
The Needs of Millennial Veterans March 07, 2020 Recently I was having a converastion with a war veteran. Can you picture him? If I were asked to picture a veteran, I would picture an older man--graying or bald--with a Vietnam hat