Pray for your pastor. From the Westminster Larger Catechism: Q. 159. How is the Word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto? A. They that are called to labor in the ministry of the word, are…
Prayer is . . .
Prayer begins with faith and is subordinated to the will of God. James M. Grier: Prayer is an exercise of faith. It is based on need . . . not need with demand for personal security and fulfillment, but need…
“There will be no sitting for my wife”
I officiated for a funeral today for a lady who died a few months before her 7oth wedding anniversary. The widower is in his 90’s. He and his wife were married just before the outbreak of World War II in…
Is the church a participatory democracy?
We have a church decision coming up. In decisions such as this one (buying additional property), our church believes it is critical to get the input of the congregation for the purpose of unity, wisdom, and acknowledgement of God’s direction.…
“I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for”
The older I get, the more enthusiastically I say, “If the Lord wills” (see also what does D.V. mean). Increasingly, I see the truth of this prayer written by an anonymous confederate soldier. I asked God for strength that I…
Interviewed on Family Life
My friend Kurt Goff recently interviewed me regarding my book, When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search. You can read Kurt’s introduction and listen to the interview here.
Formalist and Hypocrisy Taking a Short Cut
Andy Naselli has posted an illustrated excerpt from Pilgrim’s Progress. saw two men come tumbling over the wall on the left side and onto the path. They immediately came toward Christian. The name of the one was Formalist, and…
Are you smarter than Anthony Weiner?
Russell Moore: John Edwards cheats on his wife, impregnates his mistress, and thinks he can keep the child, and the affair, a secret…while he’s running for President of the United States. Arnold Schwarzenegger also has an affair and an illegitimate…
Inside the Joplin Hospital
Thesis: Always be ready. A doctor tells the story of what it was like when the Joplin tornado hit: You never know that it will be the most important day of your life until the day is over. The day…
The angry realities of war, the pain of parents, and the responsibilities of leadership
From Letters of Note: The following angry letter was sent to then-U.S. President Harry Truman in 1953 by the father of George Banning, a young soldier who had recently been killed whilst serving in the Korean War. When Truman passed…