Seeking the Approval of Men March 16, 2017 By guest contributor Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan. Venkatesh is a church planting pastor in Bangalore, India with the Reformed Presbyterian Church. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Do not wait for any man to approve your ministry!” thundered a young
J. Gresham Machen Presbytery Exam Fun with J. Gresham Machen March 08, 2017 For those in the Presbyterian tradition, oral exams for students of theology pursuing licensure to receive a call as a pastor can be terrifying. Students sit on a platform before dozens of elders
Kant Song of Moses: Song of Life February 22, 2017 A few weeks ago, I attended an event at my alma mater, Purdue University. Emerging from our parked car that evening, I took in familiar sights and sounds of campus; impulsively, I began
The Sluggard Within: Defined and Defeated February 08, 2017 The Bible says that the person who is guilty of sloth, belongs to the same family as the most destructive beings on earth. Proverbs 18:9 says, “Whoever is slack in his work
What does Deuteronomy 23:1 mean? A Matter of Identity January 25, 2017 Why were men with crushed testicles, bastard children, Moabites and Ammonites, and to a lesser extent, Egyptians and Edomites forbidden from entering the assembly of the Lord according to Deuteronomy 23:1-8? These
What does Isaiah 55:10-11 mean? Assurance for Seekers - A Gentle Refresher January 11, 2017 Until recently, I had missed the contextual power of Isaiah 55:10-11. Commentator Alec Motyer helped me see the wonder of these verses in a new way. They promise: > For as the
badminton birdies Of Golf Balls and Badminton Birdies December 28, 2016 "Understand that people are like golf balls or badminton birdies." So said a friend giving a tip for effective leadership. You barely tap a golf ball, and it rolls clear across
Bloomington Reformed Presbyterian Church A Day in God's House in the 1850s December 17, 2016 The following is a lively description of a typical Lord's Day in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Indiana in the 1850s. The author, Daniel Cargill Faris (1843-1919), recounts his experience
fasting Is the Sin of Gluttony Really that Serious? December 14, 2016 That question was asked by a church member as I recently preached on gluttony. Why might we ask? Christian culture approves of giggling about gluttony in ways that it would never bless laughing
Deuteronomy 24:5 Happy Wife. Happy Life. November 23, 2016 The beeps. The buzzes. The vibrations. The earbuds. The squinting eyes. The bluish glow. They all indicate that the world has invaded our homes in new ways through online portals, and it clamors
Harry Wilkey At Seventeen - Harry Wilkey (1942-2016) November 21, 2016 Harry Wilkey passed into glory last week at age 73. He lived most of his life as a quadriplegic after being injured at age 17. My grandfather was his pastor at the time.
Biblical themes of thanksgiving Preparing for Thanksgiving November 12, 2016 Are you giving thought to words you might speak at your Thanksgiving Day table or worship service? Whether you are the host of the meal for the extended family, a head of the
Shamgar Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. November 10, 2016 What will it take to make progress in peaceful relationships between people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds? Political commentators are paying close attention to attitudes and the racial breakdown of voters in
Kill the Midweek Prayer Meeting? October 26, 2016 “The church started to grow when we killed the midweek prayer meeting.” Those words might seem anathema to some, but this was the sentiment of the pastor of my youth. The late Dave
Brian Wright Visual Missiology in the Bible October 12, 2016 The following guest post is penned by Brian Wright. Brian is a senior at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary from Arlington, Massachusetts. He and his wife Lisa spent three years in Manhattan, Kansas
Safe spaces, Emotions, and Justice: The Cities of Refuge October 05, 2016 God made us to be emotional and to love justice. Our emotions motivate us to pursue justice. God also knows that our emotions can cloud our thinking such that vengeance is not based
A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest September 28, 2016 Looking for great new read-aloud books for the family? My brother and sister-in-law who serve as missionaries in East Africa recently gave us a glimpse into their world and beyond with a short
Breakfast Leftovers September 21, 2016 Luke Harrington's recent article at Christianity Today, How Methodists Invented Your Kid's Grape Juice Sugar High [http://www.christianitytoday.com/local-church/2016/september/how-methodists-accidentally-invented-your-kids-grape-juice-.html] , has made people thirsty
The Long View: Developing Faithfulness September 14, 2016 Kessler Boulevard carves a scenic route through Indianapolis and through the neighborhood where I serve as a pastor. Almost five years ago, I rounded a corner on Kessler and beheld a ghastly scene:
Remember Their Names August 24, 2016 How can you help family members of public figures like pastors, politicians, entertainers, and other community leaders? They live life in a shadow that they did not choose, usually. Among many things that
When Christians are Blamed August 10, 2016 What should Christians do when they are blamed for problems in culture that they did not cause? Or when they are held responsible for things they did not do? After the Orlando shooting
A Little Gem in Job July 27, 2016 One of the beautiful but subtle gems of Scripture is found in the book of Job. Job was a rich man of antiquity before the Lord allowed great calamity to overtake him. At
Expectant Prayer for the Nations July 13, 2016 Do our prayers really matter in missions and the spread of the gospel around the globe? Is it worth leading our children to pray for specific nations of the world? Recently, God impressed
An up-front discussion; the best seats in worship June 22, 2016 Fans pay big money for courtside seats at an NBA Finals game. But when it comes to God’s courts of worship, the prized seats seem to be on the back row. It’
Identifying with Christ June 08, 2016 "Identify with Christ as you meet new people." My parents gave that instruction to their eight children as we grew up. A Christian’s personal connection to Christ can be expressed
