I miss the traditional Thanksgiving hymns. I’m talking about songs such as “We Gather Together,” “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come,” and “Now Thank We All Our God.” Perhaps you don’t know them. But for nearly all my life, those were the songs of November—especially on the Sunday before Thanksgiving—in my local church experience. In the…
Living by faith means longing for more than this world.
When a sermon doesn’t go well, most of us get very discouraged and if the despair is great enough, it might cause us to question whether we should continue to preach at all.
John Calvin was certain God had called and gifted him to serve the burgeoning reform movement in France through biblical scholarship. He would retire to Strasbourg and lead the quiet life of a scholar. Having published the first edition of his Institutes, Calvin had unwittingly invented a new category of investigation: systematic theology. The ivory…
For 17 years Tom Schreiner has walked the delicate line of serving as both a full-time academic and a preaching elder in his local church. He has written numerous important books and commentaries, including Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ (IVP Academic, 2006); New Testament Theology (Baker Academic, 2008); The King in His Beauty (Baker Academic, 2013); Commentary on Hebrews (B&H Academic, 2015); and his…
Editors’ note: Part I of this article was published earlier this week. Be fun to live with “Joy” is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If your Christianity makes you dreary and dull, you don’t understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit nor what Christ has done. If pastors would reflect the joy of…
“They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept” (Song of Songs 1:6). The PBS documentary “Carrier” is a fascinating look at life on board the USS Nimitz, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that bestowed its name on an entire class of ships. More than five thousand sailors and marines…
Elections aren’t everything, but they matter. And while Christians should caution themselves from banking all their hope in any one candidate’s agenda, elections, in fact, really matter. With every candidate comes a platform of policies that he or she hopes to see implemented. But policies are never relegated only to the abstract; no, policies have…
Editors’ note: This article is part of on occasional series on the SBTS blog, Why Every Student Should Read . . . This series is intended to spotlight and commend for further investigation pastors, teachers, theologians, books, sermons, and figures from church history as well as from the current evangelical scene. ___________________ When I was asked…
Perhaps you have heard about the Teal Pumpkin Project, an effort to make trick-or-treating safe for kids with food allergies. Lay aside whatever convictions you may have about the holiday in question for a moment and consider the theological truths behind those odd-colored pumpkins. While I might have paid little attention to this a few…
Every new school year there seems to be published several articles (e.g., here and here) with lots of very good advice for new seminarians (or college students in general). I heartily affirm everything in those posts. However, I do have one other piece of advice that I was given in my first semester of seminary…
Striking the right tone, like all aspects of preaching, requires persistent vigilance.
Dear Timothy, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The last time I wrote you, recall that I sought to stir up your mind by way of reminder, to use the words of our dear brother Peter, that you must find your contentment in Christ alone, else you…
There are numerous ways a church or even those who are preparing for ministry can pray to bless their missionaries. Because the church might not always know those immediate, pressing issues in the missionary’s life, praying from God’s Word is always valuable and applicable in every season and place. Here are seven simple ways to…
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord has holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” 1 Pet. 3:15 (ESV) I’ve had the privilege of teaching Introduction to Philosophy and Introduction to…
A few years ago, Founders Ministries published an excellent, multi-author work, titled Dear Timothy (A must-read for young pastors and thankfully still available). The book was written as a series of letters from the veteran pastor, Paul, to the young upstart pastor, Timothy. In the spirit of that fine publication, I offer the following letter as…
Editors’ note: This article begins on occasional series on the SBTS blog, Why Every Student Should Read . . . This series is intended to spotlight and commend for further investigation pastors, teachers, theologians, books, sermons, and figures from church history as well as from the current evangelical scene. ___________________________________________________ Martyn Lloyd-Jones is one of…
What is the best time of day to pray and meditate on the Word of God? For me, the best time is the early morning. With four young children in the house, all of whom are usually still sleeping this is the only quiet time in my home. This time also has the advantage of…
