Category – Church

I can remember that over the course of 24 months I had more than ten families tell me that they were re-locating due to job transfers. When I received the first intimations of these moves, I thought, “Well, that’s ok. God willing we can find some other families to fill…
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On this day as you revel in the cheer of the season, open gifts, celebrate with family, and perhaps take off to the movie theater to catch the latest show, consider that our triune God loved you before the foundation of the world. When God the Father swore an oath…
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According to one dictionary, an oxymoron is defined as “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words,” like the phrase “cruel kindness” or “sweet sorrow.” Is the phrase “churchless Christian” an oxymoron? Though the Bible does not have one specific verse that states unequivocally that church membership is required for all…
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Years ago Dr. Machen, the founder of Westminster Seminary wrote in his customary exquisite prose: You cannot expect from a true Christian church an official pronouncement upon the political and social questions of the day, and you cannot expect cooperation with the state in anything involving the use of force.…
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These days it seems like Christians are in search of conservatism in whatever forms they can find it, and with good reason. It seems like the cultural, political, and theological wheels on the bus are falling off. As a pastor I found a number of people looking for shelter and…
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To what might we liken the ministry of a pastor? All too often I think pastors see themselves as lumberjacks. They go into a church and look at the problems as trees that need to be chopped down. They fire up their massive chain saw and start cutting into the…
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In church lingo there are two types of children beyond the regular kids that wander the church halls—PKs and MKs—Preacher’s kids and Missionary’s kids. In church lore PKs and MKs have built up a reputation. If you wear that label, chances are people might make assumptions about you. PKs, for…
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There are several new faculty publications! Dr. Horton has recently published his latest book, Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in God's Story. In this book Dr. Horton addresses the core beliefs that every Christian should embrace. You can listen to the Office Hours interview about Dr. Horton's book here.      …
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I think when people imagine what it’s like to receive pastoral counseling, they envision their pastor or elder giving them wonderful advice. And, to a certain extent, this is true. When you have a problem and need advice, your pastor or elder should be able to give you sound counsel.…
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As a pastor you will meet a lot of different people throughout the course of your ministry. I have met fighter pilots, professional athletes, contractors, school teachers, stay-at-home moms, accountants, politicians, musicians, children, students, and the like. Some of these people have had more interesting lives and vocations than others.…
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