Hospitality A Kindness Repaid May 22, 2018 In my last post I wrote of David's kindness to Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan: the King's best friend's boy feasted at the palace table for the duration of his days. He
Brotherly Love Will you remember to be kind? May 12, 2018 From a human point of view it would have been understandable if David had felt that there were more pressing matters to attend to - he had to run a kingdom and propagate
ministry Handling Sinners the Gospel Way - Part I May 05, 2018 When Christians stray or lapse the response of fellow-believers may vary from merciless gossip to public humiliation. The press and the world will come down on them like a ton of bricks. False
Christian living Deliverance is Near! April 21, 2018 Introduction Have you woken up this morning in fear, alarmed or anxious? Have dire straits hemmed you in or do you wonder if you're safe? Are the pressures so enormous that you struggle
Noah What would Jesus think of the Rainbow? April 07, 2018 First, His eye would admire the radiant beauty and glory of the refracted spectral colors of light made by the Creator. Second, His face would redden with righteous indignation at seeing the way
Christian living Is there more going on than you think? March 24, 2018 Just a quick blog today to cheer up and encourage a few dear, tired brothers and friends. Perhaps you're approaching the Sabbath and wondering what's the point of worship, instruction or teaching. You've
Christian living The Better Offer March 16, 2018 I've been forced in recent days to reflect on the false theology that undergirds the act of taking up the better offer when we have made a prior commitment. I was always brought
Christian living The Stings of Death: An Article Not Just for Old People March 01, 2018 The Lord Jesus has taken away the sting of death through his resurrection. Believers know that for all who are in union with Jesus, their bodies will be united to Christ after death
ministry Sanctifying a Slight Suffering November 15, 2017 I'm in my easy chair, where I've spent most of the past five days with a run of vertigo, likely due to a bug. Because this dizziness is mostly what's on my mind,
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
love The One Foundation of Ministry July 19, 2017 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more... Philippians 1:8-9
Discipleship The Blessings of Ministry July 05, 2017 _For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you--that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
Church Administration Church Administration: A Simple Formula April 19, 2017 Put bluntly, through trial and error -- mostly error -- God has taught us a lot about practical administration in the church. Like many pastors, I've often believed this was beneath me or
Church If Church Isn't Necessary, Let's Quit. January 03, 2017 Here's a proposition for the new year. I propose that if church isn't necessary, we quit. I mean it. If it's not necessary let's cancel all of our services, board up the windows,
biography Fair Anwoth by the Solway December 16, 2016 I used to keep a copy of the _Letters of Samuel Rutherford _on my nightstand to read each evening before going to bed. The grand theme of his letter writing was the loveliness
Church A Congregant's Guide to Preaching November 29, 2016 As I was browsing my book shelves the other day I discovered that I have just over thirty books whose primary subject is the study of preaching. Aside, perhaps, from Charles Spurgeon, that
Church Rural and Small Town Ministry August 03, 2016 I hope you won't mind if I indulge for a moment in some shameless self-promotion. Recently, the denomination I belong to and the one most affiliated with Gentle Reformation, the Reformed Presbyterian Church
Celebrity Pastors Spiritual Abuse: It's Not Just Celebrity Pastors April 15, 2016 When I was in seminary there were two sins—all too common among pastors—that frightened me so much I nearly gave up my pursuit of the ministry. One of those was the
Bible Bungling My Way Through Romans April 08, 2016 As a young seminarian I was told: “You would be crazy to try and preach through the book of Romans without twenty years of pastoral experience.” I trust there is probably wisdom in
andy stanley So Andy Stanley Thinks I'm Selfish March 05, 2016 I am a pastor of a relatively small church. Well, if statistics are correct it would be more accurate to say our congregation is just under the median size of churches in the
Evangelism Harvest Eyes January 25, 2016 I grew up surrounded by the cornfields of Minnesota and now I live encompassed by the ones in Kansas. Truth be told, they're my favorite landscape. I know some people prefer the mountains
encouragement For the success of others January 20, 2016 If you've been following this blog, you know by now that one of our dearest friends and mentors, Dave Long, recently died. Like Barry, I've been trying to not only grieve but to
ministry A Good Day to Die November 04, 2015 A line from a book I recently read is sticking with me. It went something like this: Wherever there is spiritual life, someone has died. The point is powerful and important: in God's
ministry Even Though It's Not A Game October 21, 2015 Let's try out a phrase: "spectator Christians." The trend toward spectatorship is a culture-wide phenomenon seeping into the church. Sports used to be something we did; now it's something we watch.
Church Shepherd the Shepherd June 23, 2015 It wasn't until I was nearly twenty-two years old that I first became a member of a church. In the college town where I was, there was a small Presbyterian congregation that seemed
