Reformation21

Saving repentance grows in gospel soil. It is not simply a natural terror stirred up by the law or a fear of retributive justice; it is the gift of God, a product of gospel grace. Real repentance ( as we saw last time ) comes from the Holy Spirit, and results in grief over sin, prayer for pardon,...

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” “The church is full of hypocrites.” That’s often the conclusion of those who have been there, seen it, tasted the potluck and the politics, and decided that, on the whole, a Sunday morning bike ride is the better option. To be fair, you’re...

In my early years of pastoring, I remember reading books and articles on pastoral ministry and leadership that emphasized the importance of vision and mission and 1-year goals and 5-year goals. Those may have their place. But what if real results and fruitfulness are not short-term, immediate...

Note: This article is part of a series on terminology related to homosexuality. The term “intersex” describes a small percentage of people who are affected by a congenital disorder of sexual development. These congenital disorders give rise to ambiguous sexual traits, causing real difficulty in...

I was born and grew up in Australia, saved in my teens, attending a church on university campus, a church planted by a pastor from the States. This last detail is important, because I would marry his daughter one day, explaining why we now live in America. But such details also help frame a...

In February I published an article on extemporaneous preaching . Since then, I’ve received various comments and had a number of enjoyable discussions. But in all of these interactions a common question arose: “So Seob, do you really think extemporaneous preaching is the only right way to preach a...

Over the last week or so, there’s been something of an online dust-up involving the approach to Christian cultural engagement modeled by Tim Keller—pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Keller has long been a favored target of those who would challenge “establishment” American...

It is difficult to tell if the countenance is grinning, scowling, or yawning open with insatiable hunger, but it seems that Death’s face is closer than usual as it stares out from the inky shadows at the edges of life. Death feels more present than usual right now. International headlines continue...

After two years of the coronavirus, Christians are facing two temptations in relationship to the body of Christ. You might experience one or even both of these tendancies in your own life. I call them “a failure of heart” and “a failure of nerve.” [1] A Failure of Heart A failure of heart is to...

There are only 335 days until Easter. Are you excited yet? For many, Easter is a highlight in the annual life cycle of a church family. We mark our calendars months in advance. Our anticipation brightens and warms with the Spring. We clear our schedules of competing commitments and bend our lives...