For close to a millennium, the model of Christian discipleship had been centered upon the institution of the monastery/nunnery in which men and women lived celibate lives of simplicity and austerity. But the normal context of Christian discipleship in the era of the New Testament and the Ancient Church was in the realm of married life.
That God brought all into existence with a specific purpose in his eternal mind, that he will by no means fail to accomplish his purpose, and that we are incapable of sorting out all the individual events of the world to satisfy our impertinent questioning of God is the big lesson of this book. It moves toward that lesson with one of the most poignant stories in all of human literature.
In the act of preaching, the Chief Shepherd is preaching to his people through his appointed servant. The herald of the King must accurately express both the message of the King and the heart of the King.
I have been involved, in one form or another, in the public ministry of God’s word for nearly 45 years. In those years I have taught or preached to saints and sinners over 3,000 times. Some years ago, I noticed a general sense of fatigue in the ministry. I realized that I had been battling discouragement for an extended period of time. This discouragement, for me, was rooted in what I will term a ‘theologically informed pessimism’.
The Hymn “Amazing Grace,” reached its 250th year of age in 2023. Being first sung under the leadership of its composer, John Newton, by the parish congregation in Olney, Bucks, England, it was published in 1779 in Olney Hymns.
In light of stated, confirmed, and reconfirmed promises of the eternity of God’s gracious acts, Newton felt perfectly confident in leading his congregation to sing, “But God who called me here below, will be forever mine.”
Introduction The final destiny of the redeemed is glorious. We read about it in many New Testament passages...
The Holy Spirit in Christian Education | Dewey Dovel From the earliest days of civilization to the...
There is much talk of ‘hyper-Calvinism’ – even though one rarely comes across hyper-Calvinists anywhere in the world. It is like the references to those who are ‘dead orthodox’ while, though they exist, meeting one is a rare encounter. So, there is some ignorance of what are the tenets and consequences of ‘hyper-Calvinism.’
Contrary to what some around me might think, I love people. I love to sit and watch people interact. I love to...