Does the Bible Excuse Abuse?
In recent years, painful examples of abuse have come to light both in our culture at large and in the church in particular. Perhaps just as troubling as the abuse itself has been the way that those in power –…
Category Reformation21
Homophobia
Debates are rarely won on the battlefield of terminology, but they are frequently lost there. This is certainly the case in today’s debates over sexuality. Virtually all of the key terms are so freighted with ideological ordnance that entire regiments…
The Enduring Value of a Long Sermon Series
All across America, a myriad of pastors take the summer to plan out future sermon series. Preachers bring key questions to the planning task including: Old Testament or New Testament? Topical or Expositional? Character study or Contemporary Issue? Pastors…
On Masks, Vaccines, and Church Unity
The church membership vows in my own denomination (the PCA) include this passage where we “promise to study [the] purity and peace” of the church. One of the premier ways we can do that as Christians is to reflect deeply…
Honest Thoughts on the Open Letter
In anticipation of the 48th stated meeting of the PCA General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri, an open letter titled, “Looking Forward—Together” was published on June 2nd, 2021 for the purpose “of encouraging others about the present and future of the Presbyterian Church…
The Second Commandment and the Church
“You shall not make for yourself an image…” Do you remember the worship wars of the ‘90s? People were ready to burn their church down because a drum set (“Satan sticks”) appeared on stage. Today, people may accuse a church…
Run Your Race
When I ran track in high school, I competed in the 800m and 1500m races. My teammates competed in different races. The sprinters ran the 100m and 200m, while the long-distance runners ran the 3000m and 5000m. Although we all…
Ministering as a Police Chaplain
I have been a police chaplain for almost 30 years. It began when I was a church planter looking for ways to help out in our community. The police chief in Farmington Hills saw my desire and offered me a…
A New Reformed Church in a Gospel-Starved Country
He was a civil engineer in Italy. She taught Latin in a Hungarian high school. Neither knew that the Lord was about to overturn their lives, bring them together, and send them as missionaries to the southernmost city in the…
Leaving a Church to the Glory of God
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) The word “all” in that verse does mean all, and that includes the manner in which Christians leave local churches. This article is intended…