The Unthinkable Sin
One day I had the opportunity to preach with John Barros outside of an abortion mill in Orlando. In the message I preached, I made the point that I am also a murderer because Jesus said: “You have heard that…
Tag Christ
A Call for Gospel Centered Preaching
God saved me at a conference at which John Piper was speaking in Atlanta in 2001. Through his public ministry, Dr. Piper has been one of the most influential men in my life. Last month, he wrote a post, Should We…
The Incarnate Confrontation
We’ve all given and received gifts this past year, and I imagine the majority of those gifts were probably intended to be used in some way, not just owned or placed on a shelf unopened. But it’s likely you’ve had…
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
Think back on an exciting time in your life when you were overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of something beautiful, a sudden surprise that captured your attention, or a moment of intense grief that seemed to cause your heart…
The Statement on SJ&G Explained: Article 14, Racism
[Editorial Note: This is the fourteenth post in a series of posts in which we have invited the authors of “The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel” to expound upon the statement’s affirmations and denials. We encourage our readers to…
Confessing Christ, Good for the Soul
The importance of confessing the faith can be seen from the earliest days of the church to the present. It was on the occasion of Peter’s confession of who Jesus is that Christ said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon…
Counselor, Comforter, Keeper?
One exegetical consideration upon which I have never truly been settled is that which concerns the meaning of the word παράκλητος (Paraklete)–as it appears in such places in Scripture as 1 John 2:1 and John 14:16. The list of translation…
Godly (Dis)contentment
Nineteenth-century author and hymn-writer Elizabeth Payson Prentiss lived a life of exemplary faith in the midst of serious trials. For most of her life, she was confined to bed as an invalid, and her husband also suffered from ill health.…
Retribution and Redemption
Last month, Pope Francis expressed his opinion that the death penalty is unacceptable in all cases. At the same time as he took his public stand, a series of popular opinions circulated online about whether or not the death penalty…
A Church Growth Discipline
By God’s grace, the church I shepherd has experienced phenomenal growth over the last 15 years. I am often asked what has brought the growth? I am hesitant to answer that question because only God really knows why He has…