When was the last time you thanked God for other Christians? When was the last time that you prayed, saying, “Thank you God for [so and so],” naming another Christian whom you know? From his letter to the believers at Ephesus, we learn that Paul did this continually. In the opening...

Those who think that churches should be governed by a self-perpetuating boards of elders have two main arguments. The first is that the sheep (i.e., ordinary believers under the care of shepherds or elders) are not competent to make church-wide decisions. This argument is easily refuted by even a...

(RNS) — This week marks 100 years since Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote.Passed in the wake of a cataclysmic world war, it wasn’t ratified until 1920.Many of the women who had lobbied for it (it was first introduced in Congress...

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bryan Nygaard/Released

Our friend Kevin Schaal gave us a motivating piece on Monday, “We Need More Pastors, Where Are They?” As we age, those of us in the ministry become more and more concerned with succession. (Not that we usurp our congregations! But we...

Early in my ministry a young lady who was a part of the same youth group I was back in high school visited my home. While I did not fully appreciate it at the time (I knew no different), when I was in high school the church I attended experienced something of a youth revival. A church averaging...

The aging status of the collective group of pastors leading independent Baptist Churches is alarming. This problem is impacting all of broader evangelicalism. Most of our pastors are in their late 50’s and above. A new generation of committed church leaders must rise up and not only carry on...

In Washington State, it is not enough that women have nearly unlimited access to legal abortion. Last year, the state took things a step further, enacting S.B. 6219, which requires all health plans that cover maternity care to cover abortion procedures, too.This is a problem for Jay and Sandy...

1 Co 9.22b “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

A recent lecture led to some reading on the sociological phenomenon called GenZ (Generation Z), that is, those born between 1997 and 2014. (The dates are somewhat arbitrary.) Several articles track characte...

He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.I John 2:6

When someone claims to believe God’s Word but refuses to obey it, this is evidence that they don’t believe. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then...

Galatians 4:21–31—An Allegory?

Those who adopt an allegorical method of interpretation often appeal to Galatians 4:21–31. After all, Paul says these things “are an allegory” (v. 24). The question of whether this passage justifies adopting an allegorical hermeneutic,...

Once upon a time, the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat. “Who will help me plant this grain of wheat?” she asked. “Not I,” said the cat. “Not I,” said the goose. “Not I,” said the rat. “Then I will plant this grain of wheat by myself,”...

The turning point came at an evening soiree in the middle of December, when Mai Trinh spotted a friend’s luminous face amid a crowd of cocktail-quaffing party­goers.“She stood out — she looked absolutely radiant,” recalls Trinh, 44, a corporate wellness consultant and...

The couple showed up out of the blue for an evening service. As I approached them it was easy to tell that they wanted to talk to me but were a little nervous. He grew up in the US, she was a first generation immigrant. They found us through an internet search. After exchanging some various casual...

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of OFFENSE: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed (Romans 9:33).

To offend can mean a number of different things. It means to cause displeasure, resentment or wounded feelings. It is a matter that is very difficult in...

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for...

Discipleship is an essential feature of God’s plan to build His church; it is not an optional add-on to evangelism. Jesus spent many hours teaching both “the multitudes” and His disciples. The command of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” by baptizing new...

A college friend and I once debated whether there would be soccer in Heaven. He steadfastly maintained we would all play, while I insisted that believers would surround the throne for eternity, praising God. No time for sports.

Freshman roommates rarely achieve advances in theology, and we were no...

I recently had a conversation with a young man preparing for ministry that turned a bit differently than I expected. He casually made the case that based upon his understanding of the Psalms, there is some religious music that is intended for worship and other religious music that is intended...

The Long War

On July 10, 2007, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway, gave a speech at the Marines’ Memorial Association and World Affairs Council in San Francisco, California. In General Conway’s opening remarks, he made the following statement: “Many in our...

Tucked away in the record about the crucifixion of Jesus is a touching, intimate moment that includes a little-known statement by Jesus (John 19:25-27). This statement is the third saying of Christ on the cross, and though it may be the least familiar, it deserves our careful attention. This brief...

In response to yesterday’s post about the dismantling of the music program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, there were a few comments expressing hope that, at least, the once-prominent School of Church Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was still offering legitimate...

The Supreme Court’s unanimous 2012 decision in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC firmly established what the federal courts of appeals had previously recognized for decades: that religious ministries have an absolute First Amendment right to select their own...

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to CRY OUT, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, haver mercy on me.Mark 10:47

There are many reasons why our prayers and not always answered. We all know that sin interferes with successful praying (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2). The other...

In my previous article, I explained that the nature and teaching of the Bible calls for its application to our present circumstances. This article will, I trust, uncover examples in Scripture that model direct application in preaching. “Direct application” refers to going beyond the...

Regarding last week’s blog, some asked for an elaboration on how worship has changed our congregation.

There are a lot of essential elements to worship described in the New Testament. Prayer, singing, public reading of scripture, teaching/preaching, and observation of the ordinances are just a...