2016 has revealed a lot of problems with the Christian celebrity culture. There have been big names that have fallen, treasured orthodox doctrines downplayed and distorted, and many people and churches terribly hurt. Those who warn about this culture, about…
2016 was a sobering year for our celebrity-driven culture. A recent CNN article reminded us of the many well known individuals that we lost over the course of the last year. More names have been added just in this past…
Two books occupy my “best book of 2016” position: 1. Brand Luther by Andrew PettegreeThis is the story of how Martin Luther transformed a small backwater town into a publishing power house. It is about Martin Luther. It is…
Two books occupy my “best book of 2016” position: 1. Brand Luther by Andrew PettegreeThis is the story of how Martin Luther transformed a small backwater town into a publishing power house. It is about Martin Luther. It is…
‘To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.’ So wrote John Henry Newman in his famous essay on doctrinal development. I have critiqued this comment from a confessional Reformed perspective in First Things and will do so…
For some, John Calvin seems to be at his most feisty when he writes on the sacraments. Against those who complain that infant baptism is a travesty of the Gospel, in the Institutes he stoutly insists, “these darts are aimed more at…
In this short series, I have explored some of the special challenges that come in interpreting the Psalms of lament as Christian scripture. We have seen how this is not an easy task, particularly if we insist upon praying the…
It has happened a few times before. It happened again recently. Someone without a good church gets in touch, referred by a mutual friend. Or someone drops an email asking for advice. Or there is a conversation at a conference…
When ministers and elders gather together, it is usual for them share their ministry burdens with each other. The calling of a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is high and hard; the weightiness of the calling…
Christmas is a time of mystery and wonder. The Virgin Mary was told by the angel that she would conceive and bear a son: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow…
