What if I told you that it’s possible to sing the very songs that Jesus sang in worship? What if I told you that a man recently discovered those very songs? It’s true. Joe Holland, Pastor of Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) . . . Continue reading →
Sean writes (in response to another post) raising the question implicitly of cynicism about the visible, institutional church. My response is below. I understand disappointment with the discipline process. I’m disappointed when a consistory places people under discipline and those who’ve been . . . Continue reading →
Where are all the young people going? Why do the visitors never seem to stick? Why have there been so many fights in our church history? Unfortunately, these are common questions in the Reformed tradition. In my years as a pastor, I . . . Continue reading →
The Reformation is not only a doctrine and a piety. It is those two things but it is also a practice. It entails change in the life of the congregation, not for its own sake but for the sake of bringing that . . . Continue reading →
One of the reasons why people resist the call to return to historic Reformed (and catholic) worship practices, e.g., singing God’s Word without musical instruments is because it is completely unfamiliar and thus seems implausible or entirely theoretical. It isn’t. Thanks to . . . Continue reading →
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 →
[This post was first published on the HB in 2009] One link led to another and I happened recently upon the website of a large NAPARC congregation. As I often do I looked to see who the pastor was. That link led me . . . Continue reading →
Collin Hansen has a fascinating series of interviews on the Gospel Coalition today asking a variety of pastors whether they allow those who make no Christian profession, who regard themselves as non-Christians, non-believers, those we used to call “heathen” or “pagans” to . . . Continue reading →
As for public prayers, there are two kinds: the one consists simply of speech, the other of song…And indeed, we know from experience that singing has great strength and power to move and to set on fire the hearts of men in . . . Continue reading →
Since I was critical of Tim’s appeal to triperspectivalism in his analysis of the relationship between Reformed Christianity and broad evangelicalism it seems fair to note where Tim says something that is more helpful. Today’s post on his new blog discusses how . . . Continue reading →
It may be impossible to be a confessionalist Reformed critic of evangelicalism of even its more dubious elements such as Willow Creek (or the mega-church movement generally) and remain a “player” within evangelicalism. Being confessionally Reformed (i.e., in theology, piety, and practice) . . . Continue reading →
At P & P.
A collection of interviews on handling truth and error in the church. Contributors reflect on this issue in relation to the minister‘s own life, pulpit ministry, local church leadership, seminary training, denominations, the impact of the academy, Evangelicalism, contemporary trends, history, creeds . . . Continue reading →
Shane explains at RR. You can get your copy of Kuyper on worship at The Bookstore at WSC.
I admit that I don’t know the pressures you are facing or how dire things may look for the future of your church without some half-way covenant of church membership. But better to be on God’s side with a small church, than . . . Continue reading →
From the CFP website: A collection of interviews on handling truth and error in the church. Contributors reflect on this issue in relation to the minister’s own life, pulpit ministry, local church leadership, seminary training, denominations, the impact of the academy, Evangelicalism, . . . Continue reading →
Thanks to Nick.
This is helpful and important.
Thanks to Shane for reminding us of some earlier work by William Willimon.
Links here.