Most ministry in the church operates according to a few principles, or laws. These four laws of ministry have been developed from the four laws of combat, but they still hold true in my experience. In fact, anytime a ministry does not work out how we'd like, it usually can be traced back to one…
Bible Study as Conversation
What is the meaning of your best friend? Or spouse? Or child? Those are nonsensical questions, aren’t they? We don’t approach the people we love as a mathematical problem to be figured out, or a literary text to be dissected. So why do we approach the Bible in a way that often feels like we’re…
How Do You Hold Your Beliefs? (Determine Doctrinal Rank)
In 1 Corinthians 15:3, the apostle Paul declares that the gospel is "of first importance." In other words, Paul is telling his audience that the gospel is the most important thing for them to know. His words have huge implications for how the church holds its beliefs and how it does theology. For if the…
You Don’t Need to be a Monk to Follow Jesus
It's self-evident that pastors are holier than "regular" people, right? It's obvious that those who leave their home country to take the gospel around the world are better Christians than those who stay and work ordinary jobs, right? Wrong! And the reason why those sentiments are wrong is the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was…
40 Days of Focus
40 Days of Focus: Adapted from Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport Lent is an important season in the life of our church for personal spiritual renewal. While the church has historically practiced fasting from food during Lent, we believe that it is prudent in our current time in history to fast from screens and technology.…
Key Ideas from Productivity Books
Deep Work by Cal Newport: Cultivate focus to get important things done 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman: There are too many "big rocks" in life. You have to settle. Effortless by Greg McKeown: Bitterness and unforgiveness makes you less productive by clogging up your heart and mind. Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam: Batch small…
The Four Laws of Combat
Former Navy Seal Jocko Willink summarize the most important principles for combat in his book, Leadership Strategy and Tactics. He codified the Four Law of Combat: Cover and Move Simple Prioritize and Execute Decentralized Command Military teams must Cover and Move. Whenever solider want to advance on a position, they need their teammates to provide…
Psalm 42: Translation and Commentary
1 To the choir director: A maskil of the sons of Korah. 2 As a deer pants for streams of water,So my soul pants for you, O God! 3 My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God, When will I come in and appear before God? 4 My tears have been my food day…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.7 | Parents Pass On their Corruption to Their Children
We don't need to get involved in discussions of whether children receive their souls from their parents to understand the transmission of sin. Adam received all the good things that God wanted to pass on to humanity. Unfortunately, when Adam lost what he received from God, he lost it not only for himself but for…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.6 | All People Without Exception are Originally Depraved
The sin of parents is transmitted to their children. All people without exception are originally depraved. The beginning of this depravity will not be located until we acknowledge that Adam was the "head," or begin ning, of all people. Adam did not merely begin the human race by propagation. He was, in a sense, the…
Raising Lazarus 