We are a congregation. We are all together. What happens to all of us happens to each of us, and what happens to some of us happens to all of us. This does not mean that it all happens in the same way—of course not—but we are all affected. One of the things we must …
All the Promises of God
This meal is a ritual that was established by the Lord Jesus the night He was betrayed. We observe it as a ritual—which is not the same thing as an attempted reenactment. In a reenactment, everything is essential. In a ritual, only the essential things are essential. But what are those? How much sand can …
Berkouwer on Regeneration
With regard to the historic Protestant doctrine of regeneration, a lot could be said, and I believe a lot more should be said. One of the things we will discover is that there is more careful nuance than might be found in the peroration of a hot gospel hedge preacher. At the same time, the …
Look! Girls!
So let me tell you a little bit about my recent reading, which will then help you understand where the following comes from. I recently listened through all C.S. Lewis’s Essays, and have now listened to most of The Abolition of Man (again). I am currently reading God Is Not a Story by Murphy (which …
Surveying the Text: Ezra Nehemiah
Introduction: We have before us the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were probably one book originally. Moreover, it is also quite possible that Chronicles/Ezra/Nehemiah was originally one book. As we consider this, it would obviously be helpful for you not only to read through these books, but also through the book of Esther, as …
Savior of the World #1
Introduction: Many Christians veer into one of two errors in their view of future history. Either they plunge into a very exciting study of the “end times” and become consumed with the book of Revelation and newspaper reports about the European Union, not to mention the killer bees, trouble in the Middle East, and so …
No Room to Flake
We have noted that our community is growing, and an economy is growing with it. This means we have to learn how—as a group—to interact with one another in the mind of Christ. Sometimes we think, rather glibly, that the only way we can wrong others is to do so deliberately—to decide to cheat, or …
Grace to Expend
One of the indicators that God is truly at work is the vitality of His people. But that vitality, the kind the world can see, is the second thing. The first thing is communion with God. Either we are brought into communion as we are first born again, or we are renewed in communion as …
Fred Kohl, R.I.P.
It is always a privilege and honor to declare the Word of God on any occasion, but it is a particular honor to do so at the memorial service for a servant of God like Fred Kohl. As I was mulling over what to say, the passage that came to mind was from the apostle …
State of the Church 2015
Introduction: This last fall, our congregation celebrated its 40th year. God has been extraordinarily gracious to us, mostly by letting us survive, and so we naturally want to express our thanksgiving to Him. As we look forward to the next 40, at the end of which time I will be 102, we hope to be …