Holiness

I emphasize that godliness is the goal of the disciplines, and when we remember this, the spiritual disciplines become a delight instead of drudgery.

I first encountered J. C. Ryle’s Holiness during my M.Div. studies. I was taking a class on sanctification and students were offered extra credit for reading and reviewing that book, which was written by some Anglican bishop I had never heard of. One afternoon, I picked the book up on the way to the gym…

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…

Pastor, your spiritual health matters to your church. Your pursuit of Christ impacts your people. You know this, of course, but does your daily schedule reflect it? When you allocate time and energy toward the spiritual disciplines, do you do so with a view toward what is at stake? God’s sovereign purposes are not dependent…

Porn will destroy your life. Here’s how to stop it.

  Third, in God’s plan of redemption, God not only demonstrates that he is sovereign over sin and evil, but also that in his sovereignty, holiness, justice, and grace he is rooting out sin and evil in the cross work of Christ, thus demonstrating that he is perfectly good and trustworthy. Scripture teaches that in…

  How should Christians prioritize personal holiness in their engagement of the art and entertainment of an unbelieving culture? Christians often think we can avoid being “conformed to the world” (Rom 12:2) by avoiding worldly ideas. But as G. K. Chesterton said, ideas are more dangerous to the person who has not studied them. He…

  [tweetable]Effective evangelism is measured not by individual responses, but by the clarity and accuracy of the message proclaimed.[/tweetable] Whether in a large gathering or from one soul to another, a church functioning at maximum evangelistic capacity will saturate its areas of influence with the gospel of Jesus Christ. If your church ceased to exist,…

  When I was in college I struggled a lot with being holy and being funny. Now, those who know me best may wonder if I’m particularly adroit with either virtue. But stick with me for a minute. I used to have the notion that holiness meant forced solemnity. I remember as a camp counselor…

EDITOR’S NOTE: Tomorrow, Dec. 28, marks the 125th anniversary of the death of James P. Boyce, Southern Baptist statesmen and the founding president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. At Boyce’s funeral, fellow seminary founder and close friend John A. Broadus described Boyce’s character. The following is a portion of Broadus’ comments selected by Gregory…

Today is Thanksgiving Day. And what a wonderful day it is. The holiday stirs up wonderful thoughts of turkey, pumpkin pie, family gatherings, football, The Macy’s Day parade, pilgrims and — sometimes — even thankfulness. If we’re honest, we might consider that last item on the list less frequently than we want.  Thanksgiving, like Christmas,…