The Law Is a Light
For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light ~ Proverbs 6:23 ~ The Law of God has fallen on hard times. Perhaps more accurately, it has fallen on hard hearts. Misunderstanding about the Law does not help…
Category Reformation21
The Common Work of Christian Parenting
I recently published a book on covenantal baptism. Entering into these waters (pun intended) of constant discussion and even conflict have caused me to reflect a lot in recent months upon Christian parenting. Though there may be differing views among…
When You’re Overwhelmed with Prayer Needs
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I’ve felt bombarded with major prayer requests. One day I hear news of sick and struggling family members, the next I hear a church friend report that she has cancer. A steady stream of…
What Is “the Name?”
Were the Jehovah’s Witnesses right? Among their central boasts is that they have revived the covenantal name of God, the Hebrew YHWH, sometimes pronounced Yahweh and sometimes Jehovah, that Jesus came to restore. Ancient Hebrew has no vowels so the…
Finding Joy in Christ
Paul’s friends in Philippi faced significant internal and external threats. Externally, they were confronted by opponents who threatened their lives. Paul himself was chained at the time of writing his letter to the Philippians in Rome, awaiting the emperor’s decision…
What Happened to Rest in the Church?
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The service ended a couple of minutes ago. The momentary silence of the sanctuary was punctured by the children, whose failed attempts to whisper quickly rose to shouts as they joined friends.…
The Pure Pursuit
As you think about the items that fill your to-do list, where does “pursue purity” fall in your rank of priorities? I suspect that while we all desire to pursue purity, many of us probably aren’t sure exactly what that…
The Quartersawn Sermon
Preachers love pulpits. We dream of Calvin’s crowned pulpit with the spiral staircase, Spurgeon’s rail pulpit in London, Palmer’s marble pulpit in Columbia, or the “high pulpit” of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah. But my favorite is the pulpit…
The Trial of Patrick Zaki
When I told a friend in Italy that I was not familiar with the name Patrick Zaki, he was surprised. Zaki’s name has appeared frequently in the Italian news ever since his arrest in Cairo, Egypt, about nineteen months ago.…
Singing with the Saints
For decades now, Christian congregations have had to deal with differences in musical styles in Christian worship. Some prefer “contemporary music.” Others prefer “traditional music.” The differences become a source of contention. Sadly, we now have the term “worship wars,”…