Richard Holdeman - Gentle Reformation

The Prayers of the Saints

June 25, 2020

Our prayers on earth come up before God in heaven and result in dynamic manifestations of God’s power on the earth.

Learning to Love the Lord's Day: A Testimony on Sabbath Keeping - Guest post by Maggie (Holdeman) Becker

April 23, 2020

Sabbath keeping is not easy... But what I have found is that Sabbath keeping becomes exponentially easier the more diligent I am in my work during the week.

The Church in Revelation

Your Church is Triumphant

March 26, 2020

How comforting to us – in this present crisis or any other one that comes along – to know that we are sealed in Christ and washed in His blood so that we can fight faithfully as long as we live on this earth.

The Church in Revelation

Your Church Part of the Great Army

February 27, 2020

... while the church might not look like much to the world, it is, from God’s view, a massive, organized, and powerful army.

The Church in Revelation

Your Church and the Priority of Worship

January 23, 2020

If the throne is the central image of the universe, worship is the central activity.

The Church in Revelation

Your Church in the Hand of Christ

December 26, 2019

What an incredible thing the local church is! The church receives the ministry and protection of angels but, more than that, it is held in the right hand of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

The Church in Revelation

Your Church is a Lampstand

October 24, 2019

Let us embrace the breathtaking privilege of being part of churches, which are the receptacles of God’s Spirit, designed to display His divine light to the world.

The Church in Revelation

Images of Glory

September 26, 2019

On the ground, it is easy to view the church as weak and insignificant. That is exactly how the devil wants you to see it. From the perspective of heaven, though, the church is something unique and glorious.

church unity

Seven Things the Lord Hates

August 22, 2019

Christ paid a very high price to purchase His people and to unite them in love. Those who undermine the unity of the body are, quite literally, doing the work of the devil in opposition to Jesus.

Celbrating Life

Golf and the Sanctity of Life

June 27, 2019

The biblical basis for the sacredness of life is not tied to our function or form but on our being made in the image of God.

Westminster Confession of Faith

The Efficacy of Baptism

April 25, 2019

The Holy Spirit really works through the sacrament of baptism. Baptism is NOT something we do. Properly understood, it is something we receive – just like our salvation. But the Holy Spirit is not constrained to work through baptism only in the moment when it is administered.

Sound Medicine

A Plea to My Brothers and Sisters Fighting Cancer

March 28, 2019

To say that we are trusting God to heal us while at the same time refusing to use the methods that God has given to heal us is folly.

Youth ministry

Why I "Youth Group"

February 28, 2019

I don’t swallow goldfish or do other stunts to try to impress the kids. I’m in my 50s, and any cool I may have had is long gone. So why am I in the midst of my ninth year running our church’s youth group?

identity in Christ

Seeking Shortcuts to Virtue

February 21, 2019

Yesterday, Jayme Metzgar wrote a fascinating piece in The Federalist, in which she drew parallels between the hate crime hoax perpetrated by actor, Jussie Smollett, and the sin of Ananias and Sapphira described

Judgment of Charity

The Dangers of Confirmation Bias

January 24, 2019

The power of confirmation bias is incredibly strong. If you believe something to be true, you naturally interpret events in such a way that you confirm your thesis.

Christian living

On Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

October 25, 2018

DTC genetic testing has been a great boon to ancestry work, but it comes with many potential pitfalls.

the church

Disillusioned with Jesus

September 27, 2018

Jesus has a word for you and me when we look at the slow progress of the gospel in the world, the seeming ineffectiveness of the church, or the lack of progress in our own spiritual growth. He says, “And blessed is he who is not offended because of me” (Matthew 11:6, NKJ).

Family

Where Should Your Children Be During Worship?

August 23, 2018

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14) Where are children supposed to be

Christian living

The Limits of 1 Timothy 2:11-12

April 26, 2018

Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. (1 Timothy 2:

Why My Family Gets the Flu Vaccine Every Year

February 21, 2018

Each year, I make sure that every person in my family receives the flu vaccine. Here is a quick rundown of why: Flu is a serious illness that kills many people every year.

Common Grace

Giving Thanks for Unbelievers

January 25, 2018

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10) Peter encourages those in the church to use

Authority

Husbands, Be Good Managers

December 28, 2017

1 Timothy 3:4-5 says of those called to the office of ruling elder in the church, “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for

Book of Esther

Big Doors Little Hinges

October 26, 2017

If you visit Heinz Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, you will pass through enormous, oak doors that are fifteen feet high and weigh 800 pounds each. The amazing thing

Here I Stand

September 28, 2017

An old friend, knowing that I have four daughters, who love Disney princess movies, recently sent me a poem he had written in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. His poem

Christian education

Nowhere to Hide

May 26, 2017

A few weeks ago it became clear that there were not enough faculty members available to chaperone the senior trip for the graduates of our local Christian school. Since my wife is considered