Thanksgiving reading
Okay, it’s not as long as the summer, but it is a few days and don’t you think books ought to trump parades and college football? Put another way, nothing goes better with turkey than some good reads. Let…
Category Reformation21
Hell and its problems
Further to recent blogs on the topic “How Can a loving God send People to Hell?” readers might like to watch a video clip (posted by Martin Downes) of Don Carson answering this question, here.
Books on my desk…
A couple of books that have come my way are outstanding: the first, by Tony Merida (Ok, he’s in Mississippi, so I’m biased), called Faithful Preaching: Declaring Scripture with Responsibility, Passion, and Authenticity (B&H Publishing, 2009). Merida has a…
Counsel from the Cross
As I’ve transitioned from teaching back to congregational ministry, I find myself reading widely in the “practical theology” field–whether pastoral theology, preaching, worship, or counseling. One of the better books that I’ve read recently is Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson’s…
Preaching Ephesians
‘What makes a preacher choose any book or passage of the Bible to preach on?’ That’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question I tend to ask myself on not a few occasions and feel I have to answer to my congregation…
O Day Most Calm, Most Bright
Theology and literary flair. These days it seems never the twain shall meet. The former often suffers from clunky constructions and idiosyncratic pedantry; but when mixed with the latter, however, it turns sweetly succinct and yet able to ply the…
O Day Most Calm, Most Bright
Theology and literary flair. These days it seems never the twain shall meet. The former often suffers from clunky constructions and idiosyncratic pedantry; but when mixed with the latter, however, it turns sweetly succinct and yet able to ply the…
Packer on hell
Martin Downes draws my attention to a lecture on hell and annhilation given by J. I. Packer in Cardiff in 1991. You can find an audio file here.
Counterfeit Gods
As I’ve grown in my knowledge of the Reformed faith, I’ve come increasingly to appreciate the Heidelberg Catechism. In its exposition of the Ten Commandments, the Catechism wisely notes that the first commandment requires shunning “all idolatry” (Q94). When it…
Is Idolatry the New Sin?
Is Idolatry the New Sin?“Just talk about idolatry and you’ll be fine.” A mentor recently offered these words in my presence to a seminary student who was facing an assignment to preach on the topic of sin. The student’s sermon…