The interruption to worship services brought about by COVID-19 was something that just couldn’t be predicted. But, regardless of our lack of prognostications, here we are. In some areas, churches are still limited in the number of attendees they can have at any one time. In some states it is nearly impossible for churches to …
I’ve long been an advocate for emphasizing masculinity within the church and all of Christianity. If we are not careful, we can feminize the church to such a degree that men feel very alienated. I wrote last year about the need to reach men from the pulpit and I continue to believe that it is …
I don’t know Andy Schmidt, but I think I like him already. here’s a quote from his recent article, Platt Wasn’t Enough For My Church: Are Piper, Chan, and Platt better preachers than me? Yes! By far! Can they preach the gospel better than me? Probably. However, those faithful men know and care for their …
“We must affirm with Martin Luther that the preaching of the Word is the first essential mark of the church. Luther believed so strongly in the centrality of preaching that he stated, ‘Now, wherever you hear or see this Word preached, believed, professed, and lived, do not doubt that the true ecclesia sancta catholica [Christian, …
In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” What do we make of that verse? Too many people in the church have taken the term peacemakers to mean peacekeeper. The two are distinctly different. Peacemaking is active and necessary when peace is not prevalent, peacekeeping is …
“The Church must always be, if she is really to be the Church, a confessional Church. She must believe in Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Lord and must confess that faith openly in words and works.” -T.H.L. Parker, Portrait of Calvin (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 1954), 42.
I want to be and remain in the church and among the little flock in which there are timid, weak, and ailing people who recognize and feel their sin, plight, and misery, who sincerely sigh and cry to God without ceasing for comfort and help, and who believe in the forgiveness of sins and are …