Questions and Answers about Pastoral Ministry August 16, 2019 A couple of months ago a young man considering pastoral ministry sent me (and several others) a list of excellent and searching questions about ministry. I thought the answers might provide useful insights
Service Faithful Kingdom Service August 15, 2019 Before my husband, Mark, and I began working at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, he worked for eighteen years at Taco Bell. His passion for tacos remains strong, and he often knows exactly
3GT Episode 145: Little Churches August 13, 2019 One thing the 3GTers realize they have in common. They all are, or at least have been, part of little churches. So they start a conversation about it. They first define what size
Obey God Rather Than Man August 13, 2019 In Acts 5:29, Peter tells the High Priest, "We must obey God rather than men." The teaching of this verse is something that should be evident without much explanation. Many
Gethsemane Garden of Grief August 12, 2019 A Provocative Question "Are those olive groves?" That was the question that my wife asked me this morning. We were on our way back to our apartment after the daily grocery
The Sad Little Church August 12, 2019 For the past five or six years, when our family gathers for vacation together, we attend the little church. The quaint building is nestled in a grove outside the town where we stay.
The Church's Universal Language August 11, 2019 P. has been visiting my congregation in Los Angeles while he is here on business from China. He attends another RP church in China and his English is not very good; it'
Psalm Singing Songs for the Summer August 10, 2019 Just a quick post before I head off, God willing, to Lake Garda, in Lombardy, Italy, on the edge of the Dolomites, near Verona - praying for some joyful R & R with
narcissism "A Comprehensive, Cathartic Compendium of Crass Self-Promotion" Or: “Buy My Book (several times, please)” August 08, 2019 Promoting one’s own work is both frustratingly difficult and disturbingly easy.
3GT Episode 144: Read Me Like a Book! August 06, 2019 When Sir Scott walks into a home, he's going to look not in your medicine cabinet but certainly at your library. For he believes, and Kyle and Barry agree, that you
California: The Christian's Desire? August 04, 2019 This past week I have been at presbytery camp in Washington state up by the Canadian border. Now that I am back in the California Republic, I am reminded of all of the
Christian living Distinguishing Marks of an Unteachable Person August 03, 2019 Kevin DeYoung wrote a great piece on the “Distinguishing marks of a Quarrelsome Person” [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/distinguishing-marks-quarrelsome-person/] . I found it convicting and helpful. It was the sort of piece
Heart of the Matter August 01, 2019 Few Christians would disagree that we should spend time daily in the Word. Those who are intimidated by the “read the whole Bible in a year” approach often turn to daily devotionals in
vocation An Occupation for Every Saint July 31, 2019 Joining our work with Jesus’ larger redemptive purpose is the job of every Christian—regardless of which class they happen to fall in.
gossip When to Get Involved July 30, 2019 We are naturally curious, with an innate desire to understand and come to greater knowledge. As such, we long to be included. But when is it good to get involved in someone else’s business, and when is it better to keep out?
3GT Episode 143: What's Up with the Benediction? July 30, 2019 After discussing whether the "G" in 3GT should stand for "Gentlemen" to encourage more dignity on the podcast, the gents get down to business on this episode's
The Gospel The Bare Bones of the Gospel July 29, 2019 Intro Recent fossil discoveries have left paleontologists stroking beards - a triceratops in the States and a unidirectional shoal of fish in SW France, near Cognac, hit headline news this week. Ambition I
Hope Stuck in the Past? July 27, 2019 A Common Condition From time to time we bump into folk who seem glued into a groove. For a whole variety of reasons, which they may or may not have caused, they linger
3GT Episode 142: Lifting Your Pastor's Hands July 23, 2019 Moses' raised hands, blessing Joshua in the battle against the Amalekites below him, became too heavy to hold up any longer. Yet Aaron and Hur stood on either side and supported his
Moon Landing When Christians Gaze at the Moon July 23, 2019 Last Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the first human steps on the moon. As a graduate of Neil Armstrong’s Purdue University, I’ve long been fascinated by the story of lunar
I Need Hope: A Guest Post July 23, 2019 In John Bunyan’s classic Pilgrim’s Progress the protagonist has one companion who sticks with him to the end of the journey. This friend stays close through times of despair and helps
Loving Kindness Reasons for Romance July 22, 2019 Why was Boaz so attracted to Ruth? That is a question I pondered as I was reading the family tree in Matthew (for me a constant source of fruit)! > ...And Salmon the
The Unlikely Ways of God July 20, 2019 Would you pick an 80-year-old man to lead a slave uprising? A timid man to lead an army against an all-conquering hoard? A mild whisper to inspire a dejected prophet? A shameful cross
Host a T-Shirt Night! July 18, 2019 Many Christians promote the idea of journaling as a good spiritual discipline. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ve been more of a scrapbooker over the years, with more pictures
Fighting the Patriarchy? July 16, 2019 The famous Parc des Bastions' Mur de la Reformation was vandalized on July 15, 2019 in rainbow colors. Earlier in the year, the phrase "Where are the Women?" was scrawled
