The fifth chapter of Ephesians contains an important verse related to singing and music: “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with you heart” (v. 19). Of all the posts I have written, one has received far more views than any other. In early 2019, … More Christian Singing: Its Necessity, History, Didactic Nature, and Teleology
There is a lot that can be said about the debate between the “regulative principle of worship” versus the “normative principle of worship.” In this brief post, I want to simply draw your attention to the use of the term “worship” in this discussion. I think both sides are starting off on the wrong foot … More “Worship” and the Regulative Principle
Most of the politically-charged immigration talk misses the crux of the matter. There are two key issues involved in immigration: (1) the right to emigrate and (2) the purpose of borders. If we properly understood (and implemented) these two concepts, the immigration “crisis” in America would be solved. 1. The Right to Emigrate To emigrate is to … More Christian Borders
In a recent letter to the editor I made some comments about the Social Security program. I made a passing comment about how children should provide for their parents in old age. In response to that comment, one observant reader commented that he didn’t want to “live off” of his kids. I understand how my comment may … More Children’s Duty to Care for Parents
In this article, I want to pull back the veil and give us a glimpse of the spiritual reality that is occurring in the world today. I can assure you of this: the spiritual battle that is raging now is no less intense than when those chariots of fire rallied around the prophet of God against the Syrian army. The New Testament contains vivid imagery of warfare (Ephesians 6:10-20, 1 Timothy 1:18). This imagery points us to the spiritual reality of a great warfare between Christ and Satan. One text in particular shows us the reality of spiritual warfare: 1 John 4:1-6. … More Why Jesus’ Victory Means More False Prophets
Daniel Hyde wrote, “Despite claims that the creeds and confessions are unbiblical, that they are merely Roman Catholic traditions, or that they stifle the Spirit of God in the life of God’s people, they are, in fact, biblical and beneficial.” I concur. This post is a collection of sundry thoughts on why having a confession … More The Doctrines of Grace and the Importance of Confessions of Faith
I do not ask if you go to church. I do not ask if you read the Bible. I do not ask if you believe in God. These are important questions. But today, I ask you this: do you love Jesus Christ? There is perhaps no question more important than this one. So important is this question, that … More Do You Love Jesus Christ?
The modern Charismatic movement is fraught with dangers and misrepresentations of Christianity. What are the the key aspects of this movement that should concern Christians? I originally wrote the following article as a series of six blog posts in 2014 on a now defunct site. I have combined them all into one mega-post and made a few slight edits in order to re-publish this article here. The topic is still of immense importance … More The Strange Fire of the Charismatic Movement
While some in Christendom may think that the need to preach the Gospel is no longer as pressing as it was in days past, there are still some very dark places in the world where there is no strong Christian presence. Believe it or not, there are even places where wickedness is openly promoted and … More A Brief Plea for More Short-Term Missionaries to Serve in America
Navigating pastoral ministry is tricky business. One of the most challenging aspects may be deciding on the songs to sing every Sunday morning. A pastor already has so many issues to deal with, facing the consequences of making poor music choices shouldn’t be one of them! Unfortunately, several pastors in recent days have made the … More Five Reasons Pastors Should Not Allow the Psalms to Be Sung in Church
