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Does your brand of reformed doctrine breed gracious humility or cannibalism?  Matt Chandler says: "I'm unapologetically Reformed, but nine times out of ten I cannot stand the Reformed community.

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Ed Welch shares Biblical insights on serious depression.  Read More

The Internet Monk has a great post on tensions between law and gospel.  Here are a few pithy excerpts: "To put it mildly, it’s brutal out there. In many churches and ministries, you’re getting clubbed into putty with the law and hearing slightly less Gospel than what you’d get in fifteen minutes of country music, all courtesy of a preacher who has no excuse not to know better."  "The Bible is about the Gospel. You are about the Gospel. Give… Read More

Had this scheduled for Monday release, but it's all over the news so I figured I'd release it now.  You gotta love this refreshing take on the classic (tired?) "processional."  I kinda wonder whether the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will resemble this more than the usual, traditional, formal approach. Jeremiah tells us of that day:  "Then Read More

That's the title of this fine piece by Stephen Kroniger.  And this is how life really feels and really goes for lots of people.  "But we have an anchor for the soul"  (Heb 6:19).  It's so good to be safely, firmly anchored by grace; anchored to the Rock.

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Chuck Swindoll’s Pastoral Accountability Questions: In his book "The Body," Chuck Colson lists seven questions used… Read More

I'm trying to read less this year.  I love reading; could spend my life reading (with a little skiing sprinkled in).  And for a lot of years I've read a lot (like 50 - 60 books a year).  But this year I've decided to read less, and to think and do more.  It's not working exactly as planned (I'm at 21 books for the year, so far).  So I've got to make an effort to read still less.  This is gonna be difficult.  Old habits die hard.… Read More

Perry Noble writes (and no, that's not him pictured on the left!): "Before I share the four ways let me be VERY clear on who a critic is…

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Some people say that we only forgive when asked.  Others say we should forgive even if not asked.  Who’s right?  Two scripture passages help.  First, Luke 17.3 – “if a brother sins, rebuke him.  And if he repents, forgive him.”  Notice the “if.”  We only forgive if asked.  But in a second passage (Mark 11.25) Jesus says “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone…”  Here forgiveness is granted before anybody asks for it.  How do we put these two passages together?  I think like this.  Forgiveness has an outward and an inward component.  The outward component is a social contract. … Read More

Isaac Watts (the "Father of English Hymnody") was born on this day in 1674.  Poor Isaac took quite a beating for his "contemporary" hymns (some things haven't changed).  But he persevered and did the church a great service. Mars Hill has an interesting (and brief - 4 min, 13 sec) video overview of his life and of the controversy surrounding his music.  You can find it Read More