Adoption and the Image of God
When I was in my early 20s, I met a college friend of my parents for the first time. After a short conversation, she smiled and commented, “You’re just like your dad!” She wasn’t just referring to my appearance, but…
Category Reformation21
Questioning Our Preaching
The transition from preaching occasionally to preaching weekly came for me a little more than three years ago as I was called from an associate pastor position to lead a church plant. My preaching courses in seminary and the books…
Don’t Waste Your Privileges
The 2020 Presidential race is underway. Americans everywhere are now sitting back and bracing themselves for tedious recitals of attacks and scandals. The first attack has come in response to Beto O’rouke’s statement about sometimes helping his wife raise their…
Sticking Your Tongue Out at Suffering
On the surface, Paul’s observation in Philippians 1:14 that “most of the brothers” in Rome–where Paul was chained to a member of the imperial guard awaiting the outcome of his judicial appeal to the emperor Nero–had become “more confident in…
A Horror of Theology
The noisy gongs of acerbic and judgmental discernment bloggers, podcasters, vloggers and conference speakers are scattered throughout our social media feeds…and they’re here to stay. The uncharitableness with which such individuals speak online immediately ought to leave a bad taste…
Promoting the Work of Others
I have a dear friend who is an artist. Her work covers the walls of my home. I love learning about her creative process, the various mediums she uses, and what she is learning through her work. Most of all,…
A Reformed Demonology?
The rather measured and restrained work by John Livingston Nevius (1829-1893), Demon Possession and Allied Themes; Being an Inductive Study of Phenomena of Our Own Times, delivers exactly what the title promises, though what it promises is rather unusual by the…
A Reformed Demonology?
The rather measured and restrained work by John Livingston Nevius (1829-1893), Demon Possession and Allied Themes; Being an Inductive Study of Phenomena of Our Own Times, delivers exactly what the title promises, though what it promises is rather unusual by the…
Critiquing Expressions of Devotion
Is it appropriate for Protestants to embrace the observance of Lent–or, even further, any of the Orthodox holy days and seasons? Members of Protestant and Evangelical churches in our day have made these frequently asked and widely disputed questions. Others…
Mastricht, Bavinck and the Efficacy of Scripture
The general contours of the doctrine of Scripture are familiar. Orthodox Protestants confess that Scripture has God as its primary author and is self-authenticating, supremely authoritative, necessary for this age, clear enough to be understood by the masses, and sufficient…