…But how do we do that with someone we might think to be unworthy of our love and good deeds? How do you love a jerk? You might say take a look in the mirror. Humbly realizing that we’re all unworthy jerks . . . Continue reading →
Practica
P&R Polity Is Not Perfect But It Is Preferable To The Others
In the last few weeks there has been published, on social media, some fairly stinging comments about the problems inherent with way confessional Presbyterian and Reformed (hereafter P&R) churches govern themselves. These comments seem mainly to born of frustration with the way . . . Continue reading →
Another Way The Reformed Confessions Can Help Us If We Let Them
I am in the studio today to work on an Office Hours podcast for May so there is just time for a quick thought about another way the Reformed confessions can help the churches be more faithful. Continue reading
A Follow Up Regarding Abuse In The Church: We Are Talking About Practice
Last week I wrote an introduction to spiritual abuse and how laity and officers should respond. A correspondent writes to ask what the laity are to do when when ruling elders and ministers refuse to address a situation. May a lay member . . . Continue reading →
Herman Witsius Contra Intinction
XXV. Next follow the actions of the disciples, and consequently of the other guests. And these, according to Christ’s appointment, are three: first, to receive both the bread and the cup; but each separately, for so Christ distributed them: in this manner . . . Continue reading →
On Cancelling Services And Holding Devotions At Home On The Christian Sabbath
Preface I have received a number of telephone calls and had a number discussions by text, direct message etc about this topic. Here, in general, is what I am telling those who ask. There are variables. It may be that, in your . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Recovering A Lost Spirituality With Charles Telfer
There is a lot of vague talk about “spirituality” in the broader culture today and very little of it is genuinely Christian. Visit the “spirituality” section of Barnes and Noble and you will see I what I mean. There is another approach . . . Continue reading →
Growing Beyond Bi-Polar Spirituality Or Why You Should Be In A Confessional P&R Church
The Reformed faith, the Reformed confession, is more than five points on salvation (Dort). It is more than a set of doctrines. It is also a piety, a way of relating to God, and a set of churchly practices that grow out . . . Continue reading →
Un Púlpito No Es Una Platforma
Desde principios del siglo 18, el cristianismo estadounidense ha estado dominado por personalidades. George Whitefield, los Wesley, y Jonathan Edwards ocupan un lugar destacado en cualquier narración de la historia del cristianismo estadounidense del siglo XVIII. Cuando pensamos en el siglo 19, pensamos en . . . Continue reading →
When Elders And Ministers Cross The Line
In my experience, the vast majority of elders and ministers are selfless, gracious, kind, patient, and Christlike men. Most serve sacrificially. Most serve out of love for their Savior and out of love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. Unless one . . . Continue reading →
What Pastors Shouldn’t Tell Their Wives: The Danger Of Too Transparency
Megan Hill, a Presbyterian pastor’s wife, has been writing about what pastors tell their wives and what they should tell them. I can answer that question in one word: nothing. By nothing, I mean “no confidential information.” A pastor may tell his . . . Continue reading →
What The Spirit Is Doing Or What We Are Saying? Distinguishing Reformed And Pentecostal Piety
Introduction Since the early 19th century American Christianity has been largely dominated by a revival of the original Anabaptist theology, piety, and practice. One can transpose much of what took place in the 19th century over the first generation Anabaptists (1520s) and . . . Continue reading →
Church Order Of The United Reformed Churches In North America
Church Order Of The United Reformed Churches in North America (10th edition) 2024 RESOURCES Subscribe To The Heidelblog! Download the HeidelApp on Apple App Store or Google Play Browse the Heidelshop! The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The Reformed . . . Continue reading →
The Killer Bs: Idols of the Minister’s Heart
An HB Classic
There are three great idols that all ministers must tear down daily cast into the fire for scrap: buildings, bodies, and budgets. These are the three things that almost invariably come up in conversation with pastors and, I must confess, I’ve too . . . Continue reading →
Of Office and Person
A Little More on Pastors and Wives
As a follow on to the recent post about what confidential information pastors should (or shouldn’t) share with their wives, it seems worth spending a moment thinking about the idea of office. In this sense it refers to functions and particularly to . . . Continue reading →
What Pastors Shouldn’t Tell Their Wives
The Dangers of Too Much Transparency
Megan Hill, a Presbyterian pastor’s wife, has been writing about what pastors tell their wives and what they should tell them. I can answer that question in one word: nothing. By nothing, I mean “no confidential information.” A pastor may tell his . . . Continue reading →
Why Pastors Need a Seminary Education
The More Things Change Over the years many things have changed at Westminster Seminary California (WSC). In the most important ways, however, the seminary has not changed. We still believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. We . . . Continue reading →
Ventilator Blues
Most folk probably associate the Rolling Stones more with “Sympathy for the Devil,” than with historic Christianity, and few of us would expect to learn any theology from them but I noticed recently that in “Ventilator Blues” Mick and the lads hit . . . Continue reading →
The Synod of Dort on Sabbath Observance
Session 164, May 17 PM Trans. R. Scott Clark Rules on the observation of the Sabbath, or the Lord’s Day, with the agreement of the brothers from Zeeland the following concepts were explained and approved by Doctor Professors of Divinity. I.In the . . . Continue reading →
Crouching Tiger, True Repentance
There is an argument that Tiger Wood’s sexual immorality is private and none of our business. Fine. His very public apology, however, gives us an opportunity to think about the nature of repentance and faith. During his apology Tiger made reference to . . . Continue reading →