Category: Theology
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Why do we… ?
Why do we read the Bible in our worship service? A rubric is a set of directions or an explanation for the conduct of Christian church services. Rubrics ought to be presented briefly and clearly, without rambling or being extraneous. Rubrics can be helpful in moving from one part of worship to another. A rubric…
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God made promises!
Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives Edited by Guy Prentiss Waters, J. Nicholas Reid, and John R. Muether. Crossway (Wheaton, IL), 2020. When I encountered Reformed, covenantal theology as a young Christian, I found it initially challenging and even confusing. Much of my difficulty lay in the dispensational fragmentation of the Bible I had…
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Commentary :: Ezra to Job
ESV Expository Commentary, Volume IV: Ezra – Job Editors: Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., Jay Sklar Authors: W. Brian Aucker (Ezra and Nehemiah), Eric Ortlund (Esther), Douglas Sean O’Donnell (Job) Crossway: Wheaton, IL, 2020 Among the several criteria by which I select a commentary is the academic and literary pedigree and track record…
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One Assembly – a book review
One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite and Multiservice Church Models Jonathon Leeman | Crossway, 2020 One assembly—one church. Two assemblies—two churches. Simple and straightforward. Biblical and effective. Jonathon Leeman presents a careful and studied argument that each and every physical gathering of a local church is “an outpost or embassy of heaven,” wherein “the church gathering…
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Finding the Right Hills to Die On – a book review
Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage Gavin Ortlund | Crossway, 2020 What distinguishes a doctrine or theological issue as essential? What marks a doctrine as secondary? Or trivial? Surely, even when we insist on the importance of truth, not all doctrines are worth the same energy and time and…
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Gifts from God to change your life
Baptism and Communion are signs and seals of God’s grace to his people. If you have wondered what that means, or even if you do have some idea of it, you can profit remarkably by reading Tim Chester’s book, Truth We Can Touch. Chester does an excellent job of joyfully examining these life-changing gifts from…
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The Kingdom of God
We are Christians because we have repented of our sin and believed in Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. This statement can be meaningful and comforting and powerful to someone who has experienced the radical transformation by God that is likened to rebirth. It can also be totally meaningless to someone who has never learned…
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A valuable resource
Theophany: A Biblical Theology of God’s Appearing Vern Poythress: Crossway, 2018. God has come to us, his creatures, to reveal himself for a purpose. He has shown himself as storm, fire, warrior, man, and more. By himself, man could never grasp a clear understanding of the character and purposes of such a transcendent being; so…
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Keep it simple!
Some thoughts regarding the unity of the church Keep it simple. Easy to say, hard to do. But do it we must. Let us agree, as essential starting points, that there are two things we must keep in mind regarding the necessity of the unity of the church. First and foremost, unity is not something…
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Why I Go to a Confessional Church
I belong to a confessional church by choice. I would venture to say I go to a confessional church of necessity. Many of my friends and acquaintances need to have that phrase – confessional church – explained to them, which I am all too happy to do. The basic thing I emphasize is that the…