Yesterday a friend of mine sent me a question one of his students had asked him in class. The student wanted to know how to reconcile Calvin’s definition of faith with that of the Westminister Confession of Faith (WCF). Here is how Calvin defines faith. “Now we shall possess a right definition of faith if…
Thomas Case was a 16th/17th century Puritan. I recently ran across something he wrote that encourages the regular practice of morning devotions. It is not small advantage to the holy life to “begin the day with God.” The saints are want to leave their hearts with Him over night, that they may find them with…
One of the things the church continually needs is focus. This year has, it seems, hampered our focus in various ways. We are either focused on the wrong things or simply lack focus on anything. However, one thing is certain. We need to focus more and more on Jesus in the present evil age.…
I sat down in the hallway, exhausted. I had finally put all four children down for a nap after a very difficult morning. One child was screaming and crying in protest, throwing things at me from his bed. I released a deep sigh, trying to shut out the screaming, and opened my Bible. I sat…
Over the course of a few years, Nathan Millican and I worked on a book with several other friends. The book is aimed at pastors and releases in June. Below is an excerpt from the introduction I wrote to the book. Links to pre-order the book, if you’re inclined, are at the end of this…
Recently, I was captivated with To the Golden Shore, a biography of Adoniram Judson, one of the first American missionaries. His story is rife with suffering and yet his life is still having an impact centuries later. Adoniram had already experienced the death of his first wife and three children by the time he penned…
I do not believe that the hardships we face in this world are random. Instead, I believe in (and assume in this post) a meticulously sovereign God. Everything in this universe falls under the guidance and control of divine providence. No roll of dice is outside of God’s design (Prov 16:33); no sparrow falls to…
By Dave Zuleger, Lead Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church (south campus) Grumbling is Natural Grumbling happens naturally for most of us. The circumstances of our lives collide with our expectations, hopes, and dreams and in our hearts, we begin our fist-shaking. I’m often tempted to excuse my grumbling heart by saying things like, “It’s just…
It’s one of the great worldview questions of history. What is wrong with the world? Why are things the way they are? This is a massive question and everyone tries to explain suffering in some way. The Christian worldview takes its cue from God’s special revelation, the Bible. And Christians believe God has spoken to…
When you genuinely strive toward faithfulness in your leadership, friendships, counseling situations, or evangelistic opportunities, you can’t shake the discouragement when those to whom you minister meet you with blank stares or hard hearts. While working toward faithfulness, every Christian will come to a point where they feel they are failing. Disappointment often follows when…
Theology Along the Way 