What should Christians do when it seems the world has gone mad? Many believers in the West face that question daily. Action seems more effective than theological precision when dealing with the madness of crowds. Isn’t theological precision a luxury for when . . . Continue reading →
Author: Harrison Perkins
Harrison Perkins (PhD, Queen’s University Belfast; MDiv, Westminster Seminary California) is pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church (OPC), a member of the of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, a Senior Research Fellow at the Craig Center for the Study of the Westminster Standards, associate online instructor in church history at Westminster Theological Seminary, a visiting lecturer in systematic theology at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, and author of Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction.
Psalm 9: The Past For The Sake Of The Present (Part 3)—Applications
Psalm 9 is a lesson about why history matters. We can easily question why we need to learn our history. At least, the modern assumption is that only the present matters. Psalm 9 reorients God’s people to the importance the past has . . . Continue reading →
The Difference Between Old And New Testament Believers Is Not What You Think
Good mystery stories maintain suspense until the big reveal. On a second reading, however, all the clues needed to deduce the big reveal should be obvious. The Apostles discovered this once Christ rose from the grave when they reread the Old Testament . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 9: The Past For The Sake Of The Present (Part 2)—Exegetical Considerations
Looking to the past ought to have an encouraging place in the Christian life, especially if we apply that practice to how we pray. Psalm 9 models how we can find great hope for the present by recalling what God has previously . . . Continue reading →
The Canons Of Dork #31 For August 3, 2024
We might not come back at all. Continue reading →
Noah And The Regulative Principle Of Worship
Imagine that you get free reign to design the plans for your dream home. You get to pick the kind of rooms you have, you get to decide the layout for where those rooms go, and you get to determine all the . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 9: The Past For The Sake Of The Present (Part 1)—Context
Most history teachers at some point in their tenure face that deflating student question: Why does this matter? In other words, what use is it to study the past? Is it not the present that is the most important thing? Why should . . . Continue reading →
Babies And Baptisms For The Dead: Another Look At 1 Corinthians 15:29
I have to admit, I rather enjoy preaching some of Scripture’s difficult passages. Usually, I have a sense of invigoration in working hard to think through a challenging text and see how I can make good enough sense of it without punting . . . Continue reading →
Substance And Procedure: A Synopsis Of The OPC General Assembly 2024
Every year, the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church meets to consider the business of the church requiring the attention of the whole denomination, this summer meeting at Seattle Pacific University. This report summarizes some of the main conclusions from OPC . . . Continue reading →
The Canons Of Dork #30 For July 6, 2024
My Country Tis of Thee. Continue reading →
Psalm 7: The Best Line of Defense
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It is one of those lines we tell our children to help them deal with aspects of life that can hit hard. It is also one of those lies . . . Continue reading →
The Canons Of Dork #29 For June 1, 2024
The final countdown. Continue reading →
Courage In The Storm: When God Is On Your Side—Psalm 4
I have a few friends I have to call every now and then so they can put my backbone back in place. Courage is one of those finnicky things where, even if we have it, the perfect storm—or maybe even a weak . . . Continue reading →
The Canons Of Dork #28 For May 4, 2024
Sometimes you have to drive outside the lines. Continue reading →
The Custom Of God’s Churches: Head Coverings And Cultural Appropriateness (Part 4)
This series has explored 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 to think through a perennial question about head coverings. Does the apostle’s teaching in this passage mandate that women everywhere and always must cover their heads in public worship—specifically that they must wear an additional . . . Continue reading →
The Custom Of God’s Churches: Head Coverings And Cultural Appropriateness (Part 3)
This series explores Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 in the hope of providing some clarity on the perennial question of whether women are required to wear head coverings in public worship. The issue basically circles around whether Paul’s instructions about head . . . Continue reading →
The Custom Of God’s Churches: Head Coverings And Cultural Appropriateness (Part 2)
Sometimes passages take on a life of their own in church life or in church history, confronting us with perennial discussions about specific and difficult questions. Such is the case with 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, where Paul discussed the need for modesty and . . . Continue reading →
The Canons Of Dork #27 For April 6, 2024
Gomer gets some vitamin sea. Continue reading →
The Custom Of God’s Churches: Head Coverings And Cultural Appropriateness (Part 1)
The evangelical impulse to submit our practices to Scripture is a noble instinct. So is the attempt to search the Scriptures diligently to understand what it says and how to apply it. Continue reading →
A Reformed Resource Back In Print! The Sum of Saving Knowledge
The Westminster Standards are a rich and wonderful set of resources to help the church understand Scripture. They can for some, however, be daunting in their length and depth. This challenge is not merely a modern problem though, which is why David . . . Continue reading →