Heart-Trouble
Over a hundred and forty years ago, J.C. Ryle wrote that “heart-trouble” is the most common thing in the world. He also said that no one is exempt from it, and that there is nothing that we can do to…
Category Reformation21
Wary of Words on the 1%
Did you know the that top 1% own over 50% of the world’s wealth? Maybe you did, and think that disparity is grossly unfair. After all, there’s a high chance—99% chance, to be precise—that you are not part of that 1%.…
Ready for Battle
Every spy movie has one scene that’s my favorite: the moment the hero’s support team equips him for the climactic conflict. You probably recognize it. In a private room, whether it be in a cave accessed only by an elevator…
God’s Waiters
Not every supper is the same. There’s a considerable difference between a fast food eatery and a five-star restaurant. Fast food is quick and casual. You’re there for the price, not the atmosphere, and service happens at the counter. Five-star…
Envy in the Digital Age
Envy is often misunderstood. I suspect many of us today are apt to confuse it somewhat with Greed. Both, it seems, boil down to wanting more stuff, so that Envy would seem to designate merely the sub-set of cases in…
God’s Good Word
At some point in your schooling, you have probably come across the handy diagram that explains the various components of a strong, dramatic narrative. It’s a little line that begins steadily with the exposition, takes a vicious turn skyward with…
A Growing Church
The evangelization of the Roman Empire is one of the remarkable chapters in the history of the church.[1] Behind the story of Christianity’s transformation from an overlooked and misunderstood sect to the official religion of the Empire stands an important…
They Will Never Perish
Note: This post concludes Amy’s series on Roman Catholic and Reformed Protestant views of justification. Find previous posts in this series below. Does God want us to be certain of our salvation? “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” Saint…
Behold, Children Are…
Imagine the Brady Bunch, the hit TV show from the 70’s, re-packed for today’s viewers. Would the plot identify with the majority of younger couples? What about the majority of younger, evangelical Christian couples? When I’ve asked young Christian couples…
Blessing in Sickness
Some Scripture passages simply take our breath away. The gospel is precious however it is expressed, but not all sentences are made equal. Romans 8’s statements are beloved for its content—the truth that nothing can separate the believer from God’s…