Articles
Wine In Communion
January 13, 2008
As the title of this article implies, we have made a change in an element of communion. Perhaps a better question for the broader Evangelical Church would be, “Why did we ever change the wine in communion to grape juice to begin with?” This question addresses the heart of the matter more pointedly. It is important for the reader to know the biblical teaching on wine and the cultural context into which this article is written. This cultural context is the twentieth century American Church influenced by the temperance movement of the mid-nineteenth century. I will attempt to show why I...
Headcoverings in Public Worship
January 13, 2008
“I noticed that your wife wears hats in church. Is that simply her decorum or is that a conviction?” I was asked while sitting behind closed doors of another pastor. After I responded that it was a biblical conviction he shot back, “So do you think your wife is more spiritual than my wife because she wears a hat and mine doesn’t?” Being somewhat taken off guard by the quick turn of emotion, I tried to answer as graciously as I could, “No, it’s simply a conviction about which we feel strongly, but in no way do we use it as a measure of spirituality.” At this time in my...
Family Integrated Ministry
December 11, 2007
With the growth of mega-churches in America coupled with the culture of big business, age-segregated government education, the sports craze, and the entertainment haze, the Church has been negatively influenced with the ways of the world. Dads leave home on Mondays for their weekly business trips while soccer moms are busy carting the kids around from one practice field to another. At the end of the week, they come together, and some will attend church on the Lord’s Day. While the world is busy splitting our families apart, the last thing we need is the Church contributing to the mayhem.
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Our Philosophy of Worship
December 11, 2007
Corporate worship is the single most important human activity in our lives for Christian growth and sanctification. It is, in fact, more important than personal Bible study and private prayer. While these should never be neglected, and their importance never attenuated, the corporate worship of God’s people should have the preeminence in the lives of God’s people. Why is this? In corporate worship God has given us the means of grace whereby we grow in Christ. The means of grace are the preaching of the Word, prayer, and the sacraments (baptism and Communion).
While many Christians neglect...
Preaching
December 11, 2007
Preaching first of all must be biblical and doctrinal. Today we hear a lot going on in the name of preaching, and often people will “shop” churches until they hear the preaching that suits them. Paul warned Timothy of this very thing,
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach...
