Author Archives: Alistair Chalmers

Why Pastoral Ministry Can Be Difficult

I love being a pastor. I love opening the Bible week by week and helping people see the glory of Christ. I love sitting at kitchen tables, listening to stories, praying with people, rejoicing at baptisms, grieving at funerals, and watching Christians grow in holiness. Pastoral ministry is a privilege beyond measure. And yet, itContinue reading “Why Pastoral Ministry Can Be Difficult”

God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Why They Are Friends, Not Enemies

Few doctrines generate more questions among Christians than the sovereignty of God. For some, it is a source of deep comfort. For others, it feels unsettling. Many believers hear phrases like “God is sovereign” and immediately wonder: What about free will? Are our choices real? Does human responsibility matter?

Three Small Books About Big Topics

We live in an age of information overload. Students today have access to more content than any previous generation in history, yet many remain unsure about the most important questions of life. What does it mean to live well? How can I pursue holiness in a culture that normalises sexual sin? How can I speakContinue reading “Three Small Books About Big Topics”

“Praying in the Holy Spirit”: What Does Jude 20 Mean for Christians Today?

Among the shorter books of the Bible, the letter of Jude contains some remarkably weighty exhortations. Writing to Christians threatened by false teachers and spiritual compromise, Jude urges believers to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3). Yet his final instructions are strikingly pastoral and deeply practical: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holyContinue reading ““Praying in the Holy Spirit”: What Does Jude 20 Mean for Christians Today?”

Why Don’t Our Sermons Change People?

I was speaking with a friend yesterday. I sent him my sermon manuscript for some feedback as I’m preaching in a context that I’ve not spoken in before. He said something, in a wider conversation about preaching in general, that got me thinking… “Sermons are often 90% information and 10% application. Yet pastors expect livesContinue reading “Why Don’t Our Sermons Change People?”

The God Who Keeps His People; Assurance, Perseverance, and the Comfort of the Gospel

There are some theological questions that arrive in the study quietly, and there are others that arrive with tears. This is one of the latter. Can a true Christian finally fall away and be lost forever? For some, the question is deeply personal. A believer battles ongoing sin and wonders whether repeated failure has exhaustedContinue reading “The God Who Keeps His People; Assurance, Perseverance, and the Comfort of the Gospel”

Head Knowledge Isn’t Enough: Why Knowing About Jesus Is Not the Same as Knowing Him

There is a subtle danger that lurks in conservative evangelical churches, particularly those that rightly value sound doctrine and serious Bible teaching. It is the danger of confusing theological knowledge with spiritual maturity. Now, let us be clear from the outset: doctrine matters immensely. Truth matters. God has revealed himself in words, propositions, history, commands,Continue reading “Head Knowledge Isn’t Enough: Why Knowing About Jesus Is Not the Same as Knowing Him”