Christ Church | 2024 Reading ChallengeThe Christ Church reading challenge is back! Many of you have participated in my curated monthly reading schedule in the past. For others, however, this will be new. The reading challenge is a simple way to stimulate godly reading in our congregation, and to turn attention away from the ubiquitous screens that too often tyrannize (and ...

The sacred love-bond that we have with God is indissoluble. It cannot be broken or destroyed. This is not because of the strength of our faith or the quality of our works, but solely due to God's sovereign grace in Christ. In union with Christ, our salvation is perfectly secure. The gospel, therefore, is a profound comfort to suffering believers who might be questioning Go...

Dearest ChristChurch Family, The 10th Anniversary Celebration truly was a banner day! Together we raised an Ebenezer stone to commemorate God's grace and faithfulness to our congregation over the past decade. May this celebration be etched on our hearts and minds for years to come, ever reminding us to"Hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who p...

On June 9, 2013 we opened the doors to the small chapel of First Scots Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street, and hosted our first Lord's Day worship service as a church plant of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The historic mainline church graciously permitted us to make use of their lovely chapel and courtyard for the summer months. Rev. Ross Hodges (who served ...

Dear Members, Former Members, and Attendees of Christ Church, You are warmly invited to celebrate with us God's abundant faithfulness on our Ten Year Anniversary. On Lord's Day, June 4th, after our morning worship service, we will gather for a catered meal and joyful fellowship at Alhambra Hall in the Old Village. In addition, there will be tenth anniversary swag, and f...

Dearest Christ Church Family, Many of you are understandably concerned about the reports that a new extension of I-526 will be constructed on the property next door to our church building. The new off-ramp will be built to deal with the substantial (and growing) truck traffic to and from the port. Moreover, there will be alterations to Wando Park Blvd that will significan...

Dear Christ Church family, The Nashville community is in tears, but they do not weep alone. We join in their sorrow over the senseless and wicked murders of six precious lives at The Covenant School, a K-6th grade elementary school under the oversight of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA). You've probably heard by now that three of the victims were faculty and staff;...

Dear Christ Church Family, God has blessed us, in Christ,so thatwe would be a blessing to the world. The loving countenance of the Father's face shines upon usso thatHis "way may be known on earth" and His "saving power among all nations" (Ps. 67:1-2). Christ Church, we have the indescribable privilege of taking the good news of salvation to our neighborsandto the nations...

Dear Christ Church Family, The Christian life is intended to be a fountain of gratitude and praise. In the opening verses of Psalm 34 David writes, "I will bless the LORDat all times, his praise shallcontinuallybe in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!" (Ps. 34:1-...

Last Lord's Day, on a beautiful summer morning in Oxford, Hans and I walked to church. The location was about two miles from the hotel. Along the way there was much cause for inspiration. First, there was Merton College, where J.R.R. Tolkien taught for many years. Tolkien, of course, is the author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Also along our route was the ancien...

The Apostle Paul pleaded three times with the Lord that he would be delivered from a particular "thorn in the flesh." The nature of the thorn is a mystery. Some speculate that it was diminishing eyesight. Whatever the nature of the affliction, we know that God chose not to remove it from Paul's life. God declared: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfe...

Dear Christ Church Family, As the doors of summer open in the low country we have much to celebrate, and joyfully anticipate, as a congregation. Since January, nine covenant children have been born to families in our beloved church. Yes, you read that correctly. Nine! And in our Lord's sweet providence, there are several more ladies expecting. Church growth at its finest!...

Dearest Christ Church Family, Warm spring greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The Lord has been pouring out his blessings upon Christ Church in recent weeks. Those blessings include five new covenant children (six more on the way!), many new members and visitors, and a palpable hunger for Word-centered fellowship and growth in Christ. Praise the Lor...

Dearest Christ Church Family, The times in which we live make it hard to be strong. Are you are feeling weak and anxious at the start of this new year? You are not alone. Many are feeling it. The Pandemic, now entering its third year, is wearing people down, not least because of the politically divisive and polarizing response of our elected leaders, the media, and societ...

Dearest Christ Church Family, In the opening greetings of the Apostle Paul's letters, it was his custom to give thanks to God for those to whom he wrote. For example, to the Christians in Thessalonica he states: "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of lov...

Dearest Christ Church Family I can't wait to be with you, my beloved church family, tomorrow at Christ Church Presbyterian. As the fabric of our post-Christian culture unravels around us, it's an indescribable joy and comfort to gather with you for Lord's Day worship. Let's not forget, in worship our souls are deeply reassured by God's (powerful and hope-filled) Gospel, t...

My Dearest Christ Church Family, Grace and peace in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As I type this pastoral letter, I'm flying over North Texas at an altitude of 34,000 ft., heading to Pasadena, California for a weekend of gospel ministry. A few months ago Providence Christian College extended an undeserved invitation to give the commencement speech for the ...

Dearest Christ Church Family,As I reflect on all that God has done for, in, and through Christ Church Presbyterian over the past 7.5 years, what immediately comes to mind are the Psalmist's stirring words "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:23From the very first worship service on June 9th, 2013, in the historic chapel of First Scots Presbyt...

Dear Christ Church Family, We are excited to re-launch our Sunday school program. We highly value this aspect of church life and view it as a key part of the discipleship of every church member, from the oldest to the youngest. However, our plans to re-launch on February 28th will not be realized. At this time we are still working on securing teachers for our younger grad...

ATTENTION MEMBERS FRIENDS OF CHRIST CHURCH Tomorrow morning we will begin a new men's and women's Bible Study Fellowship at Christ Church. The topic will be "The Holiness of God." We will use RC Sproul's classic book on the subject for a resource. Copies will be available for you at the church ($10). The men's study will be at our new location at 7:00 a.m., and the wom...

Dearest Christ Church Family, "This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes" (Ps. 118:23). On Monday, just before going for a walk, Cindy Wilkins collapsed in front of Steve. She has a significant heart condition called tachycardia. Steve performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. When she was admitted to ICU, the doctors places her into an induced coma. They w...

Dearest Christ Church Family, The first answer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism is a profoundly important one: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In other words, humanity's telos or ultimate aim is the glory and praise of the blessed triune God, and the enjoyment of Him for all eternity. That's the purpose for which God made us. He made us f...

On Sunday, January 31st, Pastor Jon will commence a new expositional sermon series on the book of Romans. Join us as we walk through the pages of this Mount Everest of the New Testament. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17. ...

Dearest Christ Church Family, In the summer of 2013 we gathered for our first worship service in downtown Charleston. It was a night to remember! The evening service was held in the historic chapel of the First Scots Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street. When the "Call to Worship" was announced the room was joyfully expectant and filled to overflowing. People were stand...

Dearest Christ Church Family,A most beloved Christmas hymn, written in 1719, is Isaac Watts' paraphrase of Psalm 98 entitled, Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come. The cherished melody was written by George Friedrich Handel in 1742. In this classic hymn we witness the poetic personification of the earth receiving her king and singing for joy. The incarnation and birth of the...

Dearest Christ Church Family, When the Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippian Church, he was a prisoner of the Roman Empire. The believers in Philippi were worried about him. They were also anxious about what would become of the church if he were to be executed. But Paul, a faithful and loving shepherd, reassures them that "what has happened to me has really ser...

Have you been encouraged and impacted by the ministry of Christ Church Presbyterian? Would you be willing to invest in the future ministry of Christ Church as we proclaim the Gospel and make disciples for the glory of God in the Charleston Lowcountry and around the world? Please watch this brief video by Pastor Jon Payne, and learn how you can be a vital part of this new...

Pastor Jon Payne is providing weekly devotionals through "The Way of Life: Christian Belief and Experience" by Charles Hodge (1797-1878). In this doctrinal gem, first published in 1841, Hodge clearly explains the doctrine of Scripture as well as the essential doctrines of sin, justification, faith, repentance, and holy living. Hodge was one of the most esteemed Reformed an...

Five minute video tour of the renovation project at Christ Church's future location -- 486 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC. ...

Dearest Members and Regular Attenders of Christ Church, What would you say to a large group of believers if you were about to die? What encouragement and warnings would you give? Shortly before Joshua died, the eminent general gave a memorable charge to Israel and her leaders (Joshua 23:1-16). After reminding them of God's steadfast faithfulness, he exhorts them (and us!)...

THE WAY OF LIFE Over the next several weeks Pastor Jon will be working through "The Way of Life: Christian Belief Experience" by Charles Hodge (1797-1878). This little doctrinal gem was first published in 1841, and provides a clear explanation of the nature of Scripture as objective revelation from God, as well as essential doctrines of the faith -- sin, justification, f...

Dearest Christ Church Family, These are dark and challenging times for our nation. The same is true for the church. This perfect storm, a tempest fueled by Covid-19, racial tensions, violent riots, media hysteria, unbelief, and a massively consequential election cycle, has fostered considerable fear and confusion in our day. Anxiety, depression, and suicide have skyrocket...

Dearest Christ Church Family, Please make plans to join us this evening (Tuesday) at 7:45 p.m. on Zoom for a special time of devotion and congregational prayer. The meeting will last one hour. After I lead us in a brief devotional, together we will "confidently draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). Similar t...

Dearest Christ Church Family, Who would have thought that 2020 would begin in such a fashion. Since the new year we've experienced a deadly pandemic, a mandated quarantine, an economic recession, ubiquitous protests over racial injustice, and destructive riots throughout every major American city. These social upheavals have disrupted our lives and schedules in myriad way...

Originally posted December 2018 Do you want to grow in your walk with God? Is spiritual progress a priority in 2019? The serious follower of Christ is committed to "grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). His aim is spiritual maturity, not lifelong spiritual adolescence. God's Word commands his redeemed children to "grow up ...

The Nuts and Bolts of Sanctification, Part I God's saving grace in Christ is much bigger and more comprehensive than one might initially think. God's grace not only rescues, it renovates. It not only justifies, it sanctifies. It not only reconciles, it renews. It not only propitiates, it purifies. It not only delivers, it matures. Indeed, the sovereign grace of God not on...

The Nuts Bolts of Sanctification, Part II Definitive and Progressive Sanctification The grammar of God's Word teaches us that believers are sanctified (definitive sanctification), and are presently being sanctified (progressive sanctification). We have been set apart as holy (I Cor. 1:2), and are thus called to be holy (I Pet. 1:14-16; Col.3:1-17). God has definitively ...

Sanctification is fostered through the Means of Grace God, in his sovereign wisdom, appointed specific and objective means of grace by which he saves, nourishes, grows, and matures his children spiritually (Acts 2:42). Those primary means are the Word of God, sacraments, and prayer (I Cor. 1:18; Heb. 4:12; I Cor. 10:16-17; I Pet. 3:21; Mt. 6:5-15). When faithfully dischar...

Every Christian home is meant to be a school of Christa place of spiritual nurture, loving discipline, sound doctrine, and biblical piety. This is not a reference to Victorian-era portraits of the Christian family; it is the clear teaching of Scripture and the Reformed tradition. Even so, our hectic schedules, ubiquitous gadgets, and misplaced priorities often make our h...

Listening well to the preaching of God's Word is foundational to spiritual growth and discipleship. Indeed, sanctification is not unrelated to how attentive we are to the faithful proclamation of the Scriptures (c.f. 2 Pet. 1:1921; John17:17). The inspired apostle reminds us that saving faith is created and nourished by the preached Word: "Faith comes from hearing, and hea...

A Confessional Approach to Preaching -- The Larger Catechism's Instruction for PCA Pastors and Congregants...

Dearest Members and Friends of Christ Church, The world has been turned upside down. Fear and anxiety are escalating. New restrictions are being placed upon us. Indeed, to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, this morning Governor McMaster recommended that no more than three should gather together at this time. All of this is very strange and unsettling, and reminds u...

Rarely do we hear a Christian man called a "man of God" anymore. Few men in our day live with the kind of sincere humility, biblical conviction, and God-centered passion that would merit such a description. We are more self-centered than Christ-centered. Many years ago, while living in Scotland, I came under an extraordinary level of conviction about my own pride and selfi...

How many times have you wished somebody luck? People do it all the time. For instance, we wish people luck before big exams, athletic competitions, or job interviews. But why? What is luck anyway? Should "luck" even be a part of the Christian's vocabulary? The Oxford English Dictionary defines luck as "good things that happen by chance" and "chance considered as a force th...

The sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation in Scotland was a glorious and dynamic period in church history. The manifold reformers who courageously responded to God's call to reform the Scottish Church included the likes of the fearless George Wishart (1513 1546) who was martyred for preaching the doctrines of the "Swiss Reformers;" the erudite Patrick Hamilton (1504 1...

Not only was Peter an apostle (apostolos), called and sent by God to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was also a bond-servant (doulos), joyfully and willingly serving the One who laid His life down on the cross for the Church (II Peter 1:1; Ephesians 5:25). As an ambassador for Christ, Peter's life-mission was to go forth into all the world heralding the good news t...

We live in an age of misplaced humility. Rather than modestly distrusting our own subjective (inner) feelings on all matters of life and faith - and with steadfast conviction holding tightly to objective, external truth - we do just the opposite. We confidently trust our inner voice while distrusting objective facts and truth which are outside of us. It's the Oprah Winfrey...

The Gift of Encouragement Don't you love encouragement? It puts wind in our sails, and fosters confidence and joy in our hearts. We all know how it feels to be built up with loving encouragement. It's marvelous. It boosts our often weary souls. So if encouragement is such a profound blessing, why don't we hear more of it? Why are so few quick to offer it? And how can we c...

From Heaven High I Come to You A young sixteenth-century German Monk named Martin Luther was plagued with a deep sense of his own sin. Darkness prevailed over his soul. He felt no peace or joy in God's presence. Why? Because he knew that he did not measure up to God's holy standard. He recognized that his thoughts and ways fell short of God's glory and the righteous requi...

Are you familiar with the latin phrase Semper Reformanda? It originated in the seventeenth-century. A man named Jodocus Van Lodenstein, a key figure in the Dutch Second Reformation, coined the phrase in a devotional that he penned in 1674. The phrase simply means "Reformed and always reforming." Rightly understood Semper Reformanda encourages churches and individual Chris...

Listening well to the preaching of God's Word is foundational to spiritual growth and discipleship. Indeed, sanctification is not unrelated to how attentive we are to the faithful proclamation of the Scriptures (c.f. II Pet. 1:19-21; Jn. 17:17). The inspired Apostle reminds us that saving faith is created by and nourished upon the Word as it preached: "Faith comes from hea...

Let me be direct: It is the apex of foolishness to allow your children to have free and unaccountable access to technology smart phones, tablets, iPods, computers, social media, etc. In the following pastoral letter I will explain why, as well as pass along a few simple ways we can protect our families from the destructive effects of technology. Now, before I begin, I wan...

"When are you going to plant a church in Charleston?" The question came to me out of the blue in January 2012 from a good friend and fellow PCA minister from Greenville, Rev. Dr. Richard Phillips. He knew that Marla and I had a heart for Charleston, and that with the explosive population growth in the lowcountry there was no better time than the present to plant a new chur...

Listening well to the preaching of God's Word is foundational to spiritual growth and discipleship. Indeed, sanctification is not unrelated to how attentive we are to the faithful proclamation of the Scriptures (c.f. II Pet. 1:19-21; Jn. 17:17). The inspired Apostle reminds us that saving faith is created by and nourished upon the Word as it preached: "Faith comes from hea...

The essence of Christmas is the gospel. Without the gospel Christmas is just another exercise in superficial sentimentality, American consumerism, and unmet expectations. Understood rightly, however, Christmas is one of the richest and most meaningful seasons of the year; a time of deep reflection upon the seriousness of the sinful human condition, and the glorious wonder ...

A few years ago, while on sabbatical, I attended an Edinburgh Hearts F.C. soccer match at Tynecastle Stadium with my seven year old son, Hans. We were excited to watch a live Scottish First Division fixture, and to cheer on the home side. The game was enjoyable until the Hearts' defense broke down and the visiting team scored three quick goals before halftime. The crowd su...

Dearest Christ Church Family, Warm Friday greetings in the name of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As the days and weeks of quarantine roll on, it's easy for our hearts sink a bit. It's difficult to be physically separated from those whom we cherish, and to feel the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps, like me, you've found David's words echoing in your he...

He Descended Into Hell Have you ever wondered what is meant by this little four word clause in the Apostles' Creed: "He descended into Hell?" When Christ died on the cross his body went into the grave, his spirit into the hands of the Father, and his suffering was over (Luke 23:43, 46). This raises questions, however, concerning the article "He descended into hell." What ...

When Christians assemble for worship on the Lord's Day they participate in what is by far the most meaningful and consequential activity in the body of Christ. Worship is the highest calling of the believer. It is the center jewel on the crown of Christian discipleship. It is the verdant pasture in which Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd, feeds and nourishes His sheep. Worsh...

Missions, Church Planting the Invisible Hand of God Church planting is full of surprises. Some of them come wrapped in unpleasantness. Indeed, launching a new church plant is not for the fainthearted! But most of the surprises are deeply encouraging. They remind us that while obstacles may be numerous, God is faithful and Christ will build His Church (Mt. 16:18). Indeed,...

Foundations of a Welcoming Church We all like to feel welcome, don't we? Whether it's at home, school, work, church, with friends, or on the athletic field, it's an encouragement to be warmly welcomed by others. Alternatively, it is a real discouragement to be overlooked, ignored, or shunned especially at church. Many of us have had the experience of visiting an unwelcom...

Alan Jacobs, in his delightful little book entitled The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), challenges the notion that reading good literature improves a person's character. He quotes the eighteenth-century scientist G.C. Lichtenberg who wrote, "A book is like a mirror: if a [donkey] looks in, you can't expect an apostle t...

THE REAL STRUGGLE The foundational doctrines of election and predestination may be troubling to those who have never been seriously exposed to them. Perhaps you have been thinking to yourself, "The doctrine on the sovereignty of God in election cannot be right. The God I have known and worshipped all of these years would never elect some unto everlasting life and pass ove...

The Cross: A Magnification of God's Love The Gospel never gets old ... never. How can it, if we really understand our nature's wicked, depraved, and helpless condition, and the lengths to which Christ went to save us from divine judgement? Jesus was brutally nailed to the cross because of our sins. The Son of God bled and died for us. He willingly received the wrath and c...

The Role of Heroes Iain H. Murray has written a delightful collection of seven biographical sketches entitled, Heroes. Published by the Banner of Truth in 2009, this volume reflects upon the lives of some well-known, and not so well-known, figures from Church history. Within its pages the reader is given a glimpse into the extraordinary lives of Jonathan Edwards (1703-175...

Praying for a New Reformation in Germany We are grateful to welcome to Christ Church this Lord's Day the Rev. Sebastian Heck, German church planter from Heidelberg, Germany, and a dear friend in ministry. Sebastian will be preaching in our evening service (5:30 p.m.), and I would warmly encourage you to attend. Sebastian's church, the Evangelical Free Church of Heidelberg...

The Love of God Shortly after my conversion, just after my sophomore year at Clemson University, I began attending Fellowship of Christian Athlete (FCA) meetings. I will never forget the expressions on the faces of the students when I first began attending. They were surprised and confused. Because of my wild lifestyle, I was told by more than one student that they though...

Walking With God, III In John's first epistle we are exhorted to walk in the light of God's presence and truth, not in the darkness of this fallen world. He states, "If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of...

Walking with God, Part II The Prophet Micah reminds us of what God "requires" of His redeemed children. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Notice the last phrase, "and to walk humbly with your God." Last week, with the help of the seventeenth-century Puritan ...

Walking with God, Part I The Bible teaches us that godly men like Enoch and Noah "walked with God" (Gen. 5:24; 6:9). Moreover, we are told, "blessed are the people who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face" (Ps. 89:15). As Christian believers we often talk about, and pray for, a more faithful, committed, and disciplined walk with God. But do we really even understand, ...

Purposeful Parenting, Part III PATIENCE It has already been established that we, as Christian parents, are called by God to humbly take charge of our homes, and to shepherd the hearts of our children. We are not meant to go with the cultural flow when it comes to child rearing. If we do not raise and disciple our children with purpose, the world (e.g. media, peers, cultur...

Purposeful Parenting, Part II Shepherd the Heart Last week I attempted to show that, according to Scripture, Christian parents are meant to take charge of their children and home life. Our children do not "rule the roost." They are under our God-given authority, and we should always seek to exercise that authority with Spirit-filled humility, love, self-control, patience...

Purposeful Parenting, Part I Take Charge Let's face it, Christian parenting isn't easy. Prior to having children of my own, I would periodically cast a disapproving eye upon those parents who couldn't "control" their kids. "My children will NEVER act like that," I smugly reflected. But of course, life experience humbles us; and like many of you, I'm regularly seeking God'...

Visible Love In Mark 12:28-34 our Lord Jesus answered the scribe's question concerning the greatest commandment. Quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4, 5 and Leviticus 19:18, Christ said, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is thi...

The Incomparable Christ The Latin phrase Solus Christus defines salvation as that which cannot be found outside of faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through faith in him (John 14:6). Over the past two thousand years people have reacted to Chr...

A SAVIOR IS BORN Isaiah 7:10-14 and Luke 1:26-38 are two passages that highlight the birth of our Lord Jesus. Written 700 years before the coming of Christ, Isaiah prophesied that God would give His people a sign, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel (God with us)." That sign, of course, was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Ch...

Singing the Psalms If you are a member or regular attender of Christ Church Presbyterian you will have noticed that we sing the Psalms in our worship services. Allow me to explain three reasons why I believe it is not only good but altogether necessary that we, as a congregation, sing the Psalms. 1. The Psalms were designed to be sung: The Psalms were divinely inspired n...

Thoughts on Ordination In our evening service Ross Hodges will be ordained to the ministry of Word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church in America. While we are all very excited that Ross is being set apart for a lifetime of faithful ministry, perhaps there are some who are curious about the biblical process of ordination. Several years ago Ross discerned an inward c...

Missions Church Planting in the UK Winston Churchill once remarked: "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." Sometimes in our wildly busy schedules we get so caught up in making a living that we forget to make a life by investing in those things that matter most. And there's nothing that matters more in life than the health and extension of Chri...

Calvin's Institutes: A Brief Introduction The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Christianae Religionis Institutio) was written by John Calvin (1509-64), the French Reformer who spent most of his life faithfully preaching and teaching God's Word in Geneva, Switzerland. First published in Latin in 1536 - its final major revision in 1559 - the Institutes became the most ...

Reformation Musings I love October. It's a month of welcome transitions. The cool weather is a long-anticipated break from a hot and muggy Charleston summer. Tree leaves of various types transform into a magnificent array of autumn colors. The holidays begin to make their approach. But for Protestants, October means more than just milder weather, college football, and the...

Sanctification the Heidelberg Catechism Exploring the Heidelberger's robust doctrine of progressive sanctification In the recent and engaging discussions on the doctrine of sanctification, I have found it interesting that some in my own denomination, The Presbyterian Church in America, are quicker to reference the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) than the Westminster Standar...

Fighting For the Truth The Apostle Paul exhorted his disciple Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith" (I Tim. 6:12a). Central to this "fight of faith" was defending the truth against those who "teach a different doctrine" and do not "agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness" (I Tim. 6:3). In some of his last writt...

In the Spiritual Ditch? Have you ever felt like you were in a spiritual ditch? Perhaps you feel that way right now. Your heart feels cold towards God, His Word, and His kingdom priorities. God seems distant. Your zeal for the Lord has waned. Your affections towards Christ have steadily declined. Your eyes are dry, and your love and concern for others feels strained and fo...

For centuries, Protestant and Reformed liturgies have included a substantial reading of Scripture. How is it, then, that a person can walk into most present-day evangelical worship services and hear so little of the reading of God's Word? Although congregations boast in the inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of God's Word, it is ironic that many church services are indi...

Recovering the Lost Treasure of Evening Worship I once heard of an elderly Christian woman who had much difficulty walking due to chronic arthritis. Despite her condition, she faithfully attended morning and evening worship every Lord's Day. When asked about how she always managed to come to both services, she responded by saying, "My heart gets there first, and my legs j...

Word-Centered Prayer Prayer is a sincere expression of our utter dependance upon God, an expression of our humble reliance upon God's immeasurable power, infinite wisdom, and sovereign mercy. It is a means by which we commune with God. Prayer is more than just talking with God, it is worship. We can understand, then, why the Apostle Paul exhorted the early Church to "pray...

Love God, Like Sports Growing up the son of a prominent sportswriter in Northern California, sports were a significant part of my upbringing. My dad wrote for the San Jose Mercury News for 33 years and covered a wide variety of sporting events during that time. He covered the San Francisco Forty Niners and the Oakland Raiders for several years, and later focused on profes...

Clemson the Love of God On Monday, after dropping off our oldest at Camp Ridgehaven in the highlands of North Carolina, we decided to visit my alma mater, Clemson University ('93). It had been almost 15 years since our last visit. So much has changed. The campus has undergone massive improvements. Beautiful new buildings, squares, plazas, and memorials are at every turn....

Dear Members of Christ Church, A little over a month ago we joyfully celebrated our one year anniversary as a church plant. On that joyful occasion we reflected upon God's faithfulness to us, and the tremendous opportunity that our Heavenly Father has given us to establish a biblically healthy congregation that glorifies God, loves one another, and possess a heart for unc...

Members of Christ Church, the question was asked in last week's pastoral letter, "Is your marriage intentionally Christian?" Do you, as a couple, seek to cultivate a God-centered, Christ-dependent, Scripture-saturated perspective in your relationship? The first thing I mentioned as axiomatic to an intentional Christian marriage is the need to study, contemplate, and discus...

Is your marriage intentionally Christian? In other words, do you as a couple intentionally seek to cultivate a God-centered, Christ-dependent, and Word-guided perspective in your relationship? Or do you just hope and pray and let the chips fall where they may? While working with families in the context of the church for many years, I have observed that many Christian coupl...

The story never grows old. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and second person of the Trinity, becoming a man without ceasing to be God in order to rescue guilty sinners from the bondage of sin and its gruesome wages (Rom. 6:23). God the Father "delivered over" His only Son into the hands of sinful men to be crucified, to be a penal substitute and propitiation for sinners. Mo...

In general, evangelical worship in America has become radically informal, presumptuously innovative, and biblically impoverished. Much of this is largely due to the abandonment of God-centered, biblically regulated liturgy. The arrogance of modern evangelicalism has served to shelve a Protestant liturgical heritage which, for centuries, has faithfully led Christians to wor...

Beloved Christ Church, the winds of doctrinal controversy have picked up again over the subject of sanctification. Some well-intentioned ministers and laypeople are promoting a truncated view of the gospel, that is, one that heralds God's saving mercy in Christ, but greatly minimizes (or even disparages) God's call to Christian growth and holiness through biblical instruct...

Every Lord's Day, both in the morning and evening worship services, the liturgy calls for the giving of God's tithe and our offerings. During this time, the plates are passed amongst the congregation, gathering in the first fruits of all that God has faithfully provided His redeemed children. The generous, cheerful and sacrificial giving of God's people is one of the clear...

H. Richard Niebuhr, Professor at Yale from 1931-1962, described the liberal message of the Mainline American Protestant Church as "A God without wrath brought men without sin into a world without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross." (The Kingdom of God In America, 193) Sadly, the liberal mainline churches are not the only ones taking this Christ...

We have all experienced it the tremendous power of words. Indeed, all of us have been the recipients not only of encouraging words that swell our hearts with joy and strengthen resolve to press on, but also of harsh and discouraging words that momentarily cripple us, leaving us dejected and dispirited. Then there are the words that either take us by the hand and lead us t...

A few years ago I read a classic, skillfully written short story by Henry Van Dyke entitled, The Mansion. This delightful piece of early twentieth century literature, first published in 1910, is about a successful New York banker named John Weightman who lived in a beautiful, yet "reservedly opulent" mansion with his wife and two daughters. He is characterized as "a self-m...

It is no easy task in our day and time to raise children "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). Not only is our culture becoming increasingly degenerate, many well-intentioned churches are abandoning serious discipleship in order to be more attractive to the lost. An emphasis on Lord's Day worship and family piety has largely been replaced by programs ...