Over the past week, I’ve been involved in a number of conversations about whether churches should live stream the Lord’s Supper. In most cases, the conversations have not been about whether live streaming the Lord’s Supper is valid under normal circumstances (for an argument that it should be considered so, see here). Most of the […]
Reflections on Christian assurance
The evangelical internet has been in a state of moderate agitation the past couple of days in response to a sermon by John Piper in which he touches on the relationship between “faith” and “feeling.” I have no intention of entering that particular conversation. But it does provide an occasion for addressing an issue of […]
“Jesus Christ is the light of the world”: rightly relating the church’s ministry, mission, and worship
“Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and […]
Leadership lessons from 3 John: notes on a “Diotrephen” spirit
The thin little letter of 3 John punches well above its fighting weight when it comes to theological and pastoral insight. And I mean punches. Third John further elaborates the conception of truth expounded in John’s Gospel and other letters. John identifies the truth as a way of life, and rejoices that his children are […]
Basics of Systematic Theology: The Church
Cyril of Jerusalem, Ron Swanson, and the catholicity of the church
In the Nicene Creed we confess that the church is “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.” Of these four marks, the third mark–the catholicity of the church–is probably the most susceptible to misunderstanding among evangelical Protestants. The catholicity of the church, according to common Protestant confession, concerns the “universality” of the church. Under the authority and […]
