Chalmers' Blog

The Loving Severity of Christ: Why Church Discipline Still Matters

Church discipline is rarely the subject of conference banners or popular podcasts. It feels awkward, heavy, and (if we are honest) it can feel dangerous. In a culture that seems to be growing more suspicious of authority and is allergic to judgement, the very phrase ‘church discipline’ can sound harsh. Yet when we turn to the New Testament, we discover that church discipline is not a regrettable add-on to the local church. It is an expression of the holy love of the Lord Jesus for his church.

If we are to be biblical Christians in more than name, we must be biblical where the Bible is biblical. And the New Testament is unmistakably clear: loving discipline belongs to the life of a healthy church.

Navigating Faith: Books for Today’s Christian Questions

In every generation (at least in modern times) Christians find themselves asking the same deep questions: Why do I suffer? Why do my children wander? How do I know the real Jesus? How can I grow? What does faithfulness look like in the quiet, unseen places of church life?

Some of the recent books that have come across my desk tackle these questions with pastoral warmth and theological depth. Together, they could form something of a mini-library for the thoughtful Christian, helpful read to have at home on a pastor’s desk, or simply to be added to the ‘to read’ pile on your bedside table.

Saturday Snippets (February 14)

As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers…

The Church and the Mental Health Conversation: What’s Helpful, What’s Unhelpful, and How the Gospel Brings Deeper Healing

In recent years, the mental health conversation has moved from the margins to the mainstream. Anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, and loneliness are no longer whispered about—they are discussed in podcasts, pulpits, classrooms, and coffee shops all over the place. That’s not all bad. In many ways, it’s a mercy. It can often mean that people don’t feel alone in their battle, but are able to open up and ask for help.

But as the Church engages in this conversation, we must ask: what is genuinely helpful? What is subtly unhelpful? And how does the gospel of Jesus Christ bring a deeper healing than our culture can offer?

As shepherds and saints, we must think carefully and biblically about how to approach the topic of mental health.

Five Books Worth Your Time: Thoughtful, Pastoral Reading for the Church Today

Our world, and to some extent even the culture in some Christian circles, is one of hot takes, shallow spirituality, and an ever‑shrinking attention span. I am convinced that the church is in need of, and is helped a great deal by, books that help us slow down and think biblically, pastorally, and theologically. From the pew to the pulpit, from the study desk to the seminary classroom, good Christian books continue to shape how we love God, understand ourselves, and care for others.

The following five books, though varied in style and focus, share a common concern: helping God’s people live faithfully as followers of Jesus in the real world. Written with pastoral sensitivity and theological seriousness, each offers something valuable to the reader. These are not exhaustive critiques of the books but appreciative reviews and I hope that will prompt you to pick up a copy and spend some unhurried time with them for your own benefit and spiritual nourishment.

Saturday Snippets (February 7)

Finding Biblical Rest In A Busy World

We live in a world that struggles profoundly with rest. Constant movement, relentless schedules, and endless digital noise define modern life. Even when we stop working, our minds rarely slow down. “Busy” has become a badge of honour. The result is predictable: anxiety, exhaustion, and burnout are increasingly normal.

The problem is not merely cultural—it is spiritual. When life becomes nonstop activity, intimacy with God quietly erodes. Corrie ten Boom once observed, “If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy.” Her words land with force because they expose a truth many Christians feel but rarely name: busyness and sin often have the same effect. Both pull us away from trusting, delighting in, and depending upon God.

Saturday Snippets (January 31)

A Pastoral Letter to the Doubting Christian

Dear Friend,

You might be surprised to hear this, but doubts don’t disqualify you from the Christian life.

I don’t mean unbelief (the settled refusal to trust Christ) but doubt: the unsettling questions, the lingering unease, the feeling that your faith is sometimes held together with trembling hands and even the unshakable feeling that you’re not ‘Christian enough’. If that describes you, you are not strange, broken, or alone. You are standing in a long biblical line.

Why Puritan Writings Matter for Christians Today

In an age of short attention spans and instant commentary, the writings of the Puritans can feel demanding. Their sentences are longer, their arguments more careful, and their spiritual vision and insights are deeper than much of what fills our shelves today. Yet this is precisely why they are worth our time.

The Puritans were not interested in novelty or superficial spirituality. They wrote as pastors, preachers, and theologians who cared deeply about the glory of God and the spiritual health of ordinary Christians. Their concern was the whole of the Christian life—mind, heart, and conduct—rooted firmly in Scripture and shaped by a robust doctrine of grace. For every Christian, I would argue, the Puritans offer wisdom forged in prayer, suffering, and faithful ministry. Obviously, and it should go without saying, the first book to read is your Bible. Some of the language that the Puritans use can feel a bit old fashioned and difficult to understand at times – it might be worth reading a couple of Bible translations alongside the Puritans to help you understand them better. For example, you could use this KJV Bible, or something like these ESV Scripture journals (I really like the notes page to help you dive deeper!)

But maybe you’ve never read them and you don’t know where to start, here are some recommendations of several classic Puritan works that continue to serve the church well and are well worth a read. They are in no particular order!