16 March, 2009

D James Kennedy and Billy Graham?

Coral Ridge PCA in Ft. Lauderdale FL, where D. James Kennedy pastored for 50 years, has called Billy Graham's grandson to be their new pastor.

Read it here.

15 March, 2009

Sabbath a'Brakel: Communion of the Saints

How refreshing it is for God's children, being hated by the world, to have communion with each other, to make their needs known to each other, and in love and familiarity to have communion with each other! They exercise communion with God's church in general (which is dispersed over the entire face of the earth), as being the sole people of God, as being the sole adherents to the truth and the way of salvation, and as confessing Christ alone to be their Head. Since they have the very same Spirit in common, as well as the same interests, they thus rejoice when the church prospers, and likewise grieve when elsewhere the church does not fare well. Their prayers and thanksgiving are for the church in general. They exercise communion with the church within the kingdom or republic in which they are subjects, as well as with the specific congregation of the city or village in which they reside. Yes, their communion is most specifically with the godly, doing so, however, within the context of the church. They may have a special relationship with some, which, however, does not cause them to separate themselves from the church or to cause schism within the church, since they cherish the church above their chief joy upon earth (II: 100).

12 March, 2009

TIME Magazine's Take on The New Calvinists

TIME magazine has an article on the resurgence of Calvinism as generation X's brand of Christianity. It encourages me to see that even the world is acknowledging that God is on the move.

Read it here.

11 March, 2009

Growth in Your Profession

The Hebrew Christians were struggling and were ready to 'throw in the towel'. The persecutions were too much, the slander was too much, the difficulties of maintaining their profession of faith was too much.

The author of Hebrews (lets call him Paul), comes along and he says, 'brothers, sisters, hold fast your profession,' meaning hold it tightly. Do not allow it to be let go of.

Commenting on Paul's words to the Hebrews, John Owen writes, "Their [The Hebrew Christians] faith, their love, their diligence, were decayed; and they performed not the works they had some time been fruitful in. And in all these things are men liable to let go their profession. Again, growth and progress in all these is required of professors. The kingdom of God is a growing thing, and out to be so in all them in whom it is by its grace, and who are in it by the observation of its laws."

02 March, 2009

R Scott Clark ON John Calvin ON Musical Instruments in Worship

Dr. R. Scott Clark (URC ruling elder and professor at Westminster West) is doing a good job defending his one paragraph blog post on Instruments in Worship. Join the fun here. If you don't want to join the fun, at least you could read his book.