“I’m sorry, it’s a rather long reading this morning.” If you have spent any time in evangelical churches, you have probably heard those words. Perhaps you have spoken them yourself. The Bible reader steps to the lectern, glances apologetically at the congregation, and warns them that what follows may test their patience. A chapter fromContinue reading “Stop Apologising for Long Bible Readings; Recovering the Lost Art of Public Scripture Reading”
Category Archives: Blog
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?
“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”
Coheirs with Christ: The Staggering Privilege of Belonging to the Son
Few truths in the New Testament are more breathtaking, or more neglected, than the Christian’s identity as a coheir with Christ. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:17 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we mayContinue reading “Coheirs with Christ: The Staggering Privilege of Belonging to the Son”
Heaven, Earth Made New, and the Glory of Christ: Correcting Our Vision of Eternity
Few subjects stir both hope and confusion among Christians quite like heaven. We sing of it, long for it, and comfort one another with its promise, yet our understanding is often shaped as much by imagination, sentiment, or popular culture as by Scripture. As a result, many believers unknowingly carry misconceptions that, while sincere, canContinue reading “Heaven, Earth Made New, and the Glory of Christ: Correcting Our Vision of Eternity”
Where Was Jesus Between the Cross and the Resurrection? Why Jesus Didn’t Need to Go to Hell
There are few questions in Christian theology that generate as much confusion and curiosity as this one: Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection? For many, the idea seems familiar, sometimes even assumed. Some people may recall the phrase “He descended into hell” from the Apostles’ Creed, depending on their liturgical background. OthersContinue reading “Where Was Jesus Between the Cross and the Resurrection? Why Jesus Didn’t Need to Go to Hell”
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