What Is Missio Dei?

What is God doing in creation? What is He aiming to achieve? The answer shapes how we think about what the world needs, what the church’s purpose is, and what it means for Christians to live on mission. The answer also has . . . Continue reading →

Review: The God Who Judges and Saves: A Theology of 2 Peter and Jude By Matthew S. Harmon

the god who judges and saves a theology of 2 peter and jude

Books on New Testament theology are often stale and lack depth of real theological analysis. I have regularly felt that when biblical studies attempt to do theology, the fruit is either obvious or seriously off track. Against this backdrop, Matthew Harmon’s exploration . . . Continue reading →

Review: Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls: Learning the Art of Ministry from the Christian Fathers By Coleman M. Ford and Shawn J. Wilhite

ancient wisdom

The church has had pastors since our very beginning. Although that observation may seem obvious, we may yet overlook the important point that the pastoral craft is very ancient. We likely often envision the pastoral role only in terms of our modern . . . Continue reading →

Review: A History of Contemporary Praise and Worship: Understanding the Ideas that Reshaped the Protestant Church By Lester Ruth and Lim Swee Hong

a history of contemporary praise and worship understanding the ideas that reshaped the protestant church edited

Whenever someone introduces himself to me as a worship pastor, my standard response is, “Me too.” Inevitably, my reply prompts inquiry about how I lead worship. So, I explain that I call the church to worship, I pray a lot, I read . . . Continue reading →

The Cradle Of Christian Truth: Apostles’ Creed (Part 19)—Life Everlasting. Amen

When I was in college, I worked in a warehouse that refurbished science kits for elementary and middle schools. As part of my job, I had to replace used-up supplies for various experiments, like the used-up tape, staples, or flour. One summer, . . . Continue reading →

The Cradle Of Christian Truth: Apostles’ Creed (Part 18)—The Resurrection of the Body

In one elementary school science lesson, we were given bug eggs that we were supposed to help get through the various life-cycle stages. However successful I was at that endeavor with those particular bugs, the principle is something I think we all . . . Continue reading →

The Sweetness of Psalm Singing

Our first point initially then helps us see the rich blessing of corporate worship. This spirit-fullness requires the church and is not an individualistic experience. This singing is addressing one another, namely other people. The style of worship where you blend into a . . . Continue reading →

The Cradle Of Christian Truth: Apostles’ Creed (Part 16)—The Communion of the Saints

The phrase often goes around that “blood is thicker than water.” One of the ways people use this phrase is to mean that family relationships are more important than relationships made by baptism. In other words, when a family member does something . . . Continue reading →

The Cradle Of Christian Truth: Apostles’ Creed (Part 14)—I Believe in the Holy Spirit

I lived in New Zealand for a few months during college for a mission trip. We went to help a church start outreach efforts on the nearby university campus. One day, we attended an event where various organizations set up tables to . . . Continue reading →