Many years ago, when I was a first-year seminary student, a retired pastor in our church cornered me in a hallway one day, and knowing I was preparing for vocational ministry, asked me, “why do you do what you do?” I was perplexed. He pressed in closer, both physically and metaphorically. “Why do you do […]
Read More The work of ministryNot only is the means of our salvation — justification — essential, but so is the process of our salvation, called sanctification. If one asserts (as is true) that justification is only by faith in Christ, then so must our sanctification be by faith in Christ. Or to state the same truth in the opposite […]
Read More Four questions about sanctificationSome things are worth fighting about. Some things are worthy dying to defend. Personal preferences aren’t worth defending (and more fits into that category than most of us would generally be willing to acknowledge). Some truths are worth defending — but not worthy dying to defend. So, while I believe that the Scriptures teach a […]
Read More Justification by faith is essential — three statementsLigonier’s current Tabletalk magazine has evangelism as its theme. Several of the articles are available online: Evangelism for God’s Glory by Burk Parsons To borrow a theme from John Piper’s classic book Let the Nations Be Glad!, evangelism isn’t the ultimate goal of the church: worship is. Evangelism exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, […]
Read More Evangelism resourceEarlier this year, I preached a sermon entitled, “What is the Gospel?” In that message, I attempted to provide the essence of the gospel, explaining it with six words (grace, man, God, Christ, faith, hope), then one sentence (“Our sin is imputed to Christ and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us so that we can […]
Read More The gospel in miniatureEvery seminary student has a dream about what vocational ministry will be like. Every Sunday School, Awana, and VBS teacher has an ideal for what will constitute an effective class or ministry effort. Every missionary, pastor, and elder has at least a mental standard (and often a written standard) to evaluate the impact of a […]
Read More Ministry realitiesAsk the question, “What is the gospel?” (even in the church) and you will get almost as many answers to that question as there are people. There just does not seem to be much consensus on that question. In his book, What is the Gospel? Greg Gilbert recounts some of the more common responses to […]
Read More The simple gospelOnly one item remained on my to-do list that Saturday afternoon. I went to complete it and sought my wife’s help; she too had a list of tasks and was not yet ready to assist me. “When will you be done?” “Shortly.” “Can you hurry…I hate waiting…” “I know dear,” she replied as she continued […]
Read More Be patientShortly after the turn of the last century, a preacher was concerned about several evidences of pride in his life. It seemed to him that he was consumed with pride, and as an antidote, sought to put on some acts of particular humility. So one thing he chose to do was to make a sandwich […]
Read More Six manifestations of humilityThe audio from the recent “Pure Life Conference” hosted by Calvary Bible Church in Fort Worth has been posted. This conference was designed to help men address sexual temptation and sin with biblical purity. Our own associate pastor, Keith Palmer taught the third session in this one-day seminar. The topics included: “The Peril of Sexual […]
Read More Pure Life Conference audioSome days the body awakens without a song in the heart. Some days the body is alive but the soul seems dead. Some days we hear a call to worship and our heart is cold. Perhaps we are in the midst of grief over a child’s death, or we are battling an unexpected and unrelenting […]
Read More Why worship God?A seminary classmate of mine told of a teenage adventure he had with a buddy one summer afternoon. They were prowling through the attic when they came upon a box filled with the leftovers of his father’s military career. Towards the bottom of the box, they found two hand grenades — pins still in place […]
Read More Tongue controlChristians parent with one eye on eternity. Their children will live forever. This is a staggering thought. We cannot imagine “forever.” Nevertheless, the destiny of our children either will be love that surpasses knowledge, joy inexpressible and full of glory, coupled with peace that passes understanding, or it will be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of […]
Read More Parenting for lifeHow often have you begun sharing the gospel with someone and when talking about sin had the person interrupt you and say something like, “I’m not a bad person…I mean, I’m not a murderer or anything…” By inference, the person is suggesting that he has an ability to stand before God self-justified because of his […]
Read More The problem of trivializing sinLast fall, I preached a series of messages entitled, “Necessities of Life” — six truths every follower of Christ needs to believe and six activities ever Christian needs to do in order to thrive as a Christian. In James 1, the apostle has something of a similar list of principles that will transform and change […]
Read More Life principles
Words of Grace 