Abounding Grace Radio: How To Choose A Church (1)

With Chris Gordon

Chris Gordon is not only a dear friend and my pastor at Escondido URC but he also hosts a daily radio program, Abounding Grace Radio. So, other than preaching twice most Lord’s Days, hosting a daily radio program, counseling, teaching a catechism class, . . . Continue reading →

Abounding Grace: Godfrey On Evangelism

Bob Godfrey joined Chris Gordon last week to record two episodes of AGR. Bob is president of Westminster Seminary California and a convert to the Christian faith who came to faith through the ministry of a Reformed congregation. You can read his . . . Continue reading →

Reformation Day 2013: A Convict, A Commentator, And A Catechism

The good folk at Escondido URC invited me to speak for their Reformation Day celebration. Since it’s the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism (this is the Heidelblog, after all) I spoke on the some of the personalities behind the catechism and . . . Continue reading →

The Christmas Story As You’ve Never Heard It Before

When we think of Christmas, we probably don’t think of Genesis 19 and Lot’s daughters. It’s one of the more difficult stories in Scripture. It’s an ugly story of doubt and worse. As Pastor Gordon notes, in this sermon, some have said . . . Continue reading →

The Lord Will Provide

Below is the sermon from last Lord’s Day morning, by Chris Gordon, primary preaching pastor at the Escondido United Reformed Church. He’s also the host of Abounding Grace Radio (San Diego, Phoenix, Seattle/Vancouver) and on the web. Chris preached on Genesis 22 . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 95: Reformation Happens

Heidelcast

As you read this the churches, the theology, piety, and practice represented by confessionally Reformed and Presbyterian Churches is almost statistically invisible. Of the 60 million evangelicals in North America only a tiny fraction actually identify with the confessional Reformed and Presbyterian churches . . . Continue reading →

The Resurrection And Your Anxiety

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid (Mark 16:1–8; ESV). Continue reading →

Office Hours: Pastoring During The Pandemic

Office Hours Video

In the best of times pastoral ministry is a challenging vocation. After all, one of the first duties of a faithful minister is to announce bad news in public. Pastors are among the first to hear when something has gone wrong in the congregation, when someone has become seriously ill or died. Ministry has become even more difficult during the Covid pandemic. Continue reading →

What’s Going on Right Now: Sex, Race, Politics, & Power with Dr. W Robert Godfrey (6)

In the sixth session of Bob Godfrey’s Sunday school class at the Escondido URC, he traces the effects of the Enlightenment upon the West. Drawing upon Carl Becker’s work he highlights  four key tenets of the movement: (1) that man is not natively . . . Continue reading →