I realize that there is a spectrum of opinion and conviction amongst the readership of Ref21. There are those in the Reformed orbit who are entirely opposed to singing hymns in corporate worship, to say nothing of any sort of…
December can be a hard month. It does not lack for jolly opportunities. People hang cheerful lights to brighten the early nights. Families gather together. We are surrounded by reminders of Christ’s birth and the blessing that he brings. We…
Thanks to social media, everyone that has an opinion can post it as authoritative without any thought to who is on the receiving end. Many times, those without any education (formal or informal) on a particular topic are the ones…
The people of Israel were starving. Their land was rich, but their enemies devoured the produce (Judges 6:4). A young man named Gideon summed up the crisis: “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to…
“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” – Proverbs 22:3 Our children are some of the first to grow up in what is indisputably a post-Christian American society. Their peers are…
You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. — Augustine As James K. A. Smith reminds us in You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, Augustine’s prayer reveals several…
It is no secret that the Presbyterian Church in America is in turmoil. No one denies the existence of conflict and consternation. Though some consider the strife to be unjustified, even they do not believe the strife will soon cease…
Apologetics requires certainty and confidence. Its basic purpose is conquering doubts cast on the Christian faith. But what about the doubts of Christians? How do we defend a faith that we are not always certain of? Doubt is not a…
I have argued that our worship should glorify God and edify the Christian community. To that end, our songs need to be biblically based, yet also crafted in a way that promotes the active participation of the congregation. I have…
Have you ever spread Marmite on toast? It’s a British condiment made from yeast left over from beer brewing. It is dark, thick, and sticky, like a savory molasses. Marmite is hailed as the superhero of sandwich spreads because it’s…
