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.

The Evangelical Church is 'Rediscovering the Psalms'

As a Psalm singing Christian, it is hard to understand why anyone would want to sing anything other than the Psalms of the Bible(in the context of public worship). It is a beautiful and edifying event that promotes knowledge of Scripture, meditation on the Word, and having the very words of Christ dwell in us richly!

As someone who, in my early Christian life, did not sing Psalms exclusively, or at all, it is understandably a 'hard pill to swallow' that God wants us to sing the Psalms of the Bible as our praise and worship. It is difficult to begin as an individual, and it is difficult to begin as a congregation.

The Evangelical and Reformed Churches are rediscovering Psalmody though. Many are being converted to the practice of Psalm singing. Reformation 21 chronicled it this week, here is the sum of the whole matter:

There was a point in the history of the church when a government official--on another errand--stumbled across a long neglected book hidden in the rubble of a temple. Sure of its importance he brought it to king Josiah. The king in terror and joy read the book realizing that it was the very word of God. His response to this rediscovery was a plan of radical obedience designed to plead God's covenant mercy and praise his long forgotten redemptive works. This is what it looks like to rediscover the Bible and on a smaller scale to rediscover the psalms. It is this radically renewed worship that is spreading throughout the church today. It has deeply encouraged my soul as so many others have joined me in rediscovering the psalms.

Read the article here.

New Blog: Huguenot in Cambridge

Rev. Dr. Christian Adjemian has started a new blog here. It looks as though he will do a number of book reviews and I am sure that he will have much to say about how to make a conservative Reformed church 'work' in Boston, Massachusetts!

I look forward to reading his reflections on Christianity and maybe a few thoughts on what it is like being a French pastor in a Scottish church in the United States.

Here is the congregation that Dr. Adjemian serves.

Principles of Christian Blogging

Our church beadle wrote a series of blogs entitled Principles of Christian Blogging. They are well worth reading and distributing. A Google document is available here.

Give a Warm PT Welcome to the New Kid on the Block

Long time friend, college classmate, and fellow RP, Brett Schutt, has started a blog. He has not seen much action so go give him a hearty welcome to the world of theo-blogging.

We all know how discouraging blogging can become without many comments!


God's Covenant of Grace


Brett is a very bright man and will prove to show a lot of insight into God's dealings with man.

Closed Until December 12th

This week is the last week of classes for me at Puritan Seminary for the semester. Next week I have final examinations and some papers to finish up. I am closed until December 12th. (I will reopen about 8am this coming Lord's Day for an a'Brakel post. People seem to enjoy starting their Lord's Day with some a'Brakel.)

See you on the 12th!

Technical Difficulties

I will not be posting until my laptop has been fixed. It is the only approved instrument for blog post making. Pray for her, she is a good machine.

Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it; so that we find the readiest course to be rid our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon them.
—John Flavel

In the meantime, I will, continue the Memoirs of Thomas Boston. I will also finish a sermon that I have been working on. I will have to break out the Greek lexicons, since I rely on Bible Works 7 for my lexicons. Time to sharpen some pencils.

Crunch Time

Closed until the semester ends on May 12th. Please go read a good book.

New Blog in Town

Reverend Charles Brown of Westminster RPCNA has started a blog. I get excited, as well as encouraged, when pastors begin to blog. I think that it is a good way to continue the discussion of theological ideas as well as pass on knowledge of Church history. I have said many times that the Puritans were innovators in using the technology of the day for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ. May the Lord use new technologies to again reform and revive the Church.

Closed This Week

Well folks, it seems as though they found the still in the cellar. Just kidding! I will be back next week.

• Please pray for me as I preach at Rose Point Reformed Presbyterian Church this coming Lord's Day


• Pray that the semester gets off to a good start, I have 19 credits, plus my job.


• Pray that my Dutch Reformed Ecclesiology professor sees the superiority of the Westminster over the Three Forms of Unity.
  

The Reign of Christ

De Regno Christi is a new (to me) blog that is worth linking.

The Immediate Future

My semester is winding down, which feels nice for awhile. Here is what is left:

• I have one take home exam for Experiential preaching that I have to complete by Monday.
• I have a Bernard of Clairvaux paper that I just need to edit and then turn in.
• I have to finish a sermon that I am writing on I John 3.1-3.

When I am finished I have a few things that I am really looking forward to:

• Call my buddy Shawn and talk for 54 hours.
• Put my entire library online at Library Thing.
• Read Our Covenant Heritage and love every minute of it.
• Prepare for preaching at Rose Point Reformed Presbyterian.

Something With Which To Buy Time While I Finish Out the Semester

Today we are going to check where we are in the scope of theological traditions. You can do it here and you have to post the results in the comments section.

For the record- I was 100% Presbyterian-Reformed (can you imagine?)

Kerugma: A New "To Me" Blog

Kerugma: Pulpit and Pew
is a new blog that I have linked. Please check it out and see some of the great thoughts that are being published there. Pastor Lewis is a former Covenanter in the RPNA, in Edmonton Canada. He is also a former ARP minister. Pastor Lewis is now serving in the Free Reformed Churches.

I had the opportunity of meeting him at Puritan Seminary where he sat in on one of my sermon critiques. He had some great recommendations and we had the opportunity to spend some time together speaking of the great depths of the riches of Christ.

I would also recommend listening to his sermon on Sermon Audio entitled Preparation For Rain. It is a true call to the church that all should hear!