Tag: Theology
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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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Knowing God
More than 200 names for God are recorded in the Bible. All of them are important. Each of them reveals and affirms certain characteristics of God. While God is incomprehensible – we will never exhaust what there is to know about Him – He is nevertheless knowable. He has revealed himself to us. To know…
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Fatherhood of God
After spending the better part of the past week preparing to preach about the Fatherhood of God, and the amazing doctrine of adoption, from Galatians 3.23-4.7, I am still pondering the richness and beauty of how the Heidelberg Catechism expresses it: Q 26. What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the…
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New City Catechism
Over the weekend I spent some time reviewing the relatively new New City Catechism. While it has been around for a couple years now, and I had heard about it even prior to it’s original publication, I had not really given it much attention, until now. I was impressed by the combination of depth and…
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Counterfeit Gospels
Having begun a new series of messages at our church, Freedom: A Study of Galatians, I am struck anew by the passion with which the Apostle Paul uncompromisingly declares: “There is NO OTHER Gospel!” What Paul does throughout his letter to the Galatians, and vividly in the opening verses, is to impress that claim upon…
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Easy Chairs & Hard Words
Some time ago I posted a series of fictional discussions between a young man from a Broadly Evangelical background and a seasoned minister in a more historical theological tradition. The series is titled Easy Chairs & Hard Words. It was penned by Douglas Wilson of Christ Church of Moscow, Idaho, and first appeared in Credenda Agenda. These engaging instructive…
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Cotton Candy Christianity Scorecard
I don’t want to become one of those bloggers who becomes known for what he is against, or for pointing out how wrong other guys are, but this was just too funny to pass up. It is also important to distinguish the gospel from all its counterfeits. For as Paul warns in Galatians 1.6-7: I…
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Tough Questions From a Pre-Teen Girl
The following are answers to questions asked by a then-12 year old girl. This young lady had had a very, very difficult life, but was very bright and determined. At the time she wrote the note to me asking these questions, she had only recently come to live with her father – a godly man. Now twenty-something, she has grown…
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Recommended Reading: Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has garnered a few nicknames through the ages. Among the more appropriate and familiar: The Shy member of the Trinity The Forgotten member of the Trinity When considering the person of the Holy Spirit, there are few things that are vital to remember: The Holy Spirit is a person, a “He” not…
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Listen And I Will Tell You What God is Like
Listen and I will tell you what God is like: He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5.45) Christ spent his last strength and his last moments in prayer for his enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they know not…
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Elect or Elite?
A few years ago, soon after coming to Bristol, I was asked by a godly woman in our church: “What does it mean to be Reformed?” She had been talking with someone from another church who had snidely claimed that their church did not associate with our church because we were not Reformed enough. What…
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Practical Importance of Doctrine
If there was one thing I could impart to the members of our church, or to other pastors, it would be an appreciation for the practical importance of doctrine. I think it was R.C. Sproul who pointed out: “We are all theologians… the question is whether we are good theologians.” Sprouls’ point is valid. Everything…
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Get the Gospel Right
If pressed for a quick summary of my philosophy of ministry, I would probably express it something like this: Without a message there is no mission. Unfortunately, it seems, many are so zealous to get about the mission that they make little time getting the message of the gospel right. They do not stand amazed…
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Does Doctrine Merely Divide Us?
In this video, Lane Chaplin convincingly explains the God-given mandate to dig into theology. He also illustrates the practical importance. Does doctrine divide us? Sadly, sometimes it does – or rather, sometime Christians do divide over doctrine. But doctrine also unites. It unites us with other believers, both of our own day and of ages…
