What Is a Church?
Sometime ago, after giving a devotion to a Christian club at a local school, some of the adult sponsors talked with each about the meeting while cleaning up the classroom. During the discussion, one person mentioned how some of the students who attended may have never heard the gospel. Some of the young people were not a part of a local church, and they had no Christian influence in their life. This discussion prompted one sponsor to...
Grace in Arminian Thought: A Plea for Clarity
by Jeremy Craft A few years ago I found myself in a discussion with a Free Will Baptist minister who was uneasy with how I taught about the believer’s perseverance. To him, my strong emphasis on grace sounded too Calvinistic, as if I believe in the doctrine of eternal security (once saved, always saved) and that grace gives license for sin. Yet this very same minister had also heard me teach on the doctrine of apostasy. Interestingly...
Suffering in Silence
I was alone. It’s ironic to think about, since, as a pastor, my life is about people. Yet in my first few years of ministry, I suffered, feeling completely alone. It wasn’t that I didn’t expect to suffer. Being on the front lines of spiritual warfare will bring with it battle wounds. There will be opposition until Christ returns. I understood this, and I accepted that some form of suffering comes with ministry. What took me by...
Striking a Balance Between Duty and Delight
Serving the Church is hard. Staying motivated when things are not going well is especially difficult. Studying for the Sunday school lesson seems pointless when we are not even sure if anyone will attend the class. Striving for excellence in our given position can can be grueling when the only reason we accepted it is because no one else would. If we serve God long enough, we will experience these things, and the only thing that keeps...
Tradition vs. Traditionalism: What’s the Difference?
When we think of “tradition,” what comes to mind? For some, it is archaic hymns that are drudgery to sing, while for others it may be preaching that is solemn and boring. It is the routine worship service that lulls everyone to sleep. It is dull, unappealing, and leaves the soul unmoved. For many, tradition means older Christians clinging to a forgotten past that no one wants, (except them perhaps). They talk about how people have...
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