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10 Minutes After Church
What do you usually do immediately after your Sunday morning church service ends? If you’re like most of church-going humanity, you probably have a routine. Upon the final “Amen”, you arise from your regular spot and your body follows a subconscious script. You may go to the nursery to pick up a child, maybe you…
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Resources for Racial Reconciliation
Since February is designated as Black History Month in the USA, I wanted to take the opportunity to post something that might be helpful in the ongoing discussions about Racial Divides and Racial Reconciliation. Racial tension and racial division are major issues in our culture – and, sadly, still issues in the American Church. This…
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A Prayer for the New Year
I launch my ship into the unknown waters of this year, with you, O Father, as my harbor, you, O Son, at my helm, and you, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. Guide me to heaven with my lamp burning, my ear open to your calls, my heart full of love, my soul free. Give me your grace to sanctify…
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A Prayer for Christmas
All glory and honor to you, Living God. You made our world by your wisdom,and you sent your Wisdom into the world. You rule all things by your word,and you caused your Word to dwell among us. You filled heaven and earth with your glory,and you made the the very Radiance of your Glory to…
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What Christmas is All About
Author Martin Cothran, opens a piece he wrote for Intellectual Takeout, Charles Schultz’s Pushback Against Secularism, with these words: We often think of the secularization of Christmas as a very recent thing. But its origins go back to the nineteenth century with the writing of “The Night Before Christmas,” and the Thomas Nast version of…
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O Come All You Unfaithful
As much as I appreciate and enjoy the traditional Christmas hymns and carols – O Come All Ye Faithful high up on my list – here is a worthy addition to the Christmas song catalog: O Come All You Unfaithful. Though not an especially new song, (it has been around for several years,) this song beautifully…
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Are Some Christmas Songs Better Than Others?
Are some Christmas hymns better than others? Consider what Martin Luther says to his Anglican friends in this imaginary discussion, from Lutheran Satire.
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4 Misconceptions About Heaven
What will heaven be like? That is a question pondered by nearly everyone, from the greatest philosophers to the simplest of children, with a wide range of thoughts, hopes, and expectations. Some thoughts are Biblically rooted. Many notions, however, seem more fanciful than factual. Randy Alcorn, of Eternal Perspective Ministries, wrote a masterful book on the…
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Join the Conspiracy!
“There has got to be more to the holiday season than this.” Have you ever thought this way? I have – and I do – every year, around this time. While there is nothing inherently wrong with our many traditions and celebrations, it is beneficial to repeatedly remind ourselves what this season is primarily about:…
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Letters of John Newton
In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon advises: “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance…” (Proverbs 1.5) Among those to whom I turn to seek wisdom is John Newton, the noted slaver-turned-pastor, famed for being the author of the hymn Amazing Grace. Below is a list of letters Newton wrote…
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A Topical Outline of the Westminster Confession
Ligon Duncan, one of my former professors at Reformed Theological Seminary, now president of RTS, has developed A Topical Outline of the Westminster Confession of Faith. I have found this to be a helpful tool for surveying the doctrines of the Christian Faith. 1. Holy Scripture1.1 The necessity of Scripture1.2 The contents of Scripture (positively…
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Living in a State of Thankful Discontentment
The Christian life should be a state of thankful discontentment or joyful dissatisfaction! We live every day thankful for the amazing grace that fundamentally changes our lives, but we should not be satisfied. Why not? Because, when we look at ourselves honestly, we have to admit that there is still need for personal growth and…
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Empty Pews: 10 Days When Church Attendance is Most Down
According to Thom Rainer‘s research, the 10 Sundays each year when church attendance is most noticably down are: Of course, as Rainer also points out, each church and every community has their own peculiarities. Younger congregations, especially in more affluent areas, are likely to be more effected by youth soccer and baseball/softball seasons. Some more…
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12 Rules For Promoting Harmony Among Church Members
Thomas Smyth, long-time pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina, during the 19th Century, gave several practical directions in a manual for the members of his congregation (found in Volume 5 of his Complete Works). The following are twelve rules for promoting harmony among church members. These appear to have been taken out of…
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