What’s In A Name? Worship Experience Vs. Worship Service

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)
Something has rolling around in my head for a few months and I couldn’t quite pin down what it was. It all started when I noted that among some [...]

The Parson’s View: All Hallow’s Eve & All Saints Day

I have to say it–I don’t like Halloween. I have my reasons, and in my mind, they are good ones. Maybe part of the reason I’m grumpy about Halloween is that I cut my finger carving up a pumpkin this evening. No…that’s not my problem!
It is too gory, too dark, and has far too much [...]

The Starting Place…

I want to revisit a quote I made from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion about the starting place for all theology, worship, doctrine and morals. This is what he said:
“Man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into [...]

The importance of Contemplation of Christ

The Sunday School class I teach is studying Hebrews. Hebrews 3:1  says “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”
Consider here is κατανοησατε in the Greek. It means to “observe fully.” Thayer’s lexicon renders it “consider attentively, fix eyes or mind upon.” How important [...]

Prayer’s Vital Accompaniment

Recently, I ran across this quotation from W.H. Griffith Thomas in his excellent little book Life Abiding and Abounding (Chicago: The Bible Institute Colportage Association). Thomas is largely forgotten today–but that does a disservice to his astounding and varied literary labors. He deserves to be widely read because of his keen scholarship and clear writing, [...]

Contentment!

Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right.

Can we always affirm that assertion in our lives? I think God desires us to do so, and I think as we mature in the faith we can.
In 1676, this hymn was composed by Samuel Rodigast in German, and the English translation was done by Catherine Winkworth in 1863.
Indelible Grace [...]

Which is friendlier? The Church or A Pub?

I have heard it said many, many times over the last decade by people who really ought to know better that churches need to learn from bars how to be more friendly. Maybe you’ve heard it too:  people supposedly find more sense of belonging in bars, pubs, etc. than they do in churches.
Really?
I’ve heard of [...]

A post on heaven…

Dear Readers,
Yesterday’s posting about the doctrine of hell has gotten quite a bit of traffic. Today, I wanted to put up a couple of links about heaven, and I encourage you to read one or both of them, as your time permits.
First, here is a short message about heaven from J.C. Ryle. Frequent readers of [...]

The doctrine of hell in the news…

I attended an intriguing seminar at the Beeson Divinity School’s Pastors’ School in July on the subject of preaching on hell. A major newspaper has picked up a story that appeared in the Birmingham newspaper about the seminar and included it online:
You can read about it here, and I think you will find it interesting:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-08-01-hell-damnation_N.htm
There’s [...]

A week at Beeson Divinity School

This past week, I enjoyed my seventh time at Beeson Divinity School’s Pastors’ School. This year’s theme was “Reality: It’s Coming to Your Congregation and Community in Ways You Never Imagined. So What’s A Pastor to Do?” I’m really grateful to my church for sending me once again.

Beeson Divinity School is housed on the campus [...]