The church of Jesus Christ in America today is afflicted with a terrible malady: the passivity of its men. Whether due to widespread spiritual lukewarmness, ignorance about the church’s mission, a general fear of responsibility, the malaise of false humility, a sense of aimlessness and incompetence, or the stiff-arming of adulthood, young men and men overall … More Every Man
At TMC this week we’re enjoying the privilege of hearing capable theologian and church historian Stephen Nichols in chapel as we lead up to Reformation Day. One of the joys of my new position is the undeserved opportunity to spend time with visiting speakers. After chapel on Wednesday, the Student Life Directors enjoyed an informal brunch with … More Is This the Life You Would Choose?
Shortly after Saul was killed on Mount Gilboa, David was made king and immediately began to establish his kingdom (1 Chronicles 11:1-8). The Chronicler then records, “David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him” (11:9). The first immediate evidence given to demonstrate how God blessed and supported David is the mass of trained, committed, fierce, … More Valiant Men
Guest Post by Derek Brown As we saw in the last post (Part 1), the path to wisdom is paved with the hard yet precious stones of reproof. Yet our ability to profitably accept rebuke and correction is not something we stir up by sheer will power, nor is it something that “just happens.” There … More A Tough Means of Grace: Profiting from the Rebukes of Others, Part 2 (Guest-Blog by Derek Brown)
This is the manuscript of the sermon I preached tonight at Placerita Baptist Church as part of our SummerFest 2009 series on “Worldliness.” I promised that I would post it here for further consideration and discussion. I have edited a few things that are unnecessary for a blog-post, and some elements will be unique to … More A Heart-Driven Modesty: God and Clothing (Sermon Manuscript)
There is an undercurrent of religious discontent in my generation that is no longer an undercurrent. It is now, and has been for some time, a flood. People are disillusioned with Christianity, hyper-aware of the slighest whiffs of hypocrisy and externalism, clamoring for (a hundred different definitions of) authenticity, and generally frustrated with the church, organized … More Do It As the Church
I’ve spent the last year adjusting to a leadership position where there are so many little things demanding attention and so many trivial topics clamoring for discussion that it’s frighteningly easy to neglect the things that matter most. I don’t yet know if most of life is like this. I anticipate that this temptation is present everywhere, … More The Things That Matter Most
With my $50 gift card to the Shepherds’ Conference bookstore, I purchased (among other books) Give Me This Mountain by Helen Roseveare, first published in 1966. After reading it over the weekend, it feels a bit inappropriate to have gotten it for free. Roseveare was a medical missionary to the northeastern province of the Belgian Congo … More Give Me This Mountain
This false dichotomy is very attractive at The Master’s College since we’re a conservative, residentially-focused Christian institution that has a pretty defined subculture, for better and for worse. Put your ear to the ground for long enough and you’ll hear the rumblings of the “TMC isn’t real life” mantra. I’m not intensely bothered or threatened … More Dean’s Series, Part 4: College and “Real Life” (Continued)
At 4:04pm I received an email from The Master’s Seminary announcing that Mildred Rosscup went home to be with the Lord today (or whatever “today” means when you’re with the Lord). Mildred was the precious wife of half-retired Bible Exposition Professor Jim Rosscup. She suffered greatly throughout her latter years, and Dr. Rosscup cared for … More Men at Best: Thoughts on the Death of Mildred Rosscup
I didn’t have it in me tonight (time, topic, or motivation) to write any kind of extended reflection, but I wanted to post at least something. I realize that this is a dangerous combination. But here are a number of quite disconnected thoughts either from various recent experiences or that simply jumped to mind as I … More Some Thoughts
Usually our battles against pride are individual battles, because we know our own hearts (hopefully) and we know how much we need to fight. But in the last several years I’ve grown increasingly nauseated by some of the institutional, corporate, community pride that seems to thrive in some Christian circles. Relentless criticism of other organizations, … More Institutional Pride: Thoughts on Corporate Arrogance
Most Christians are familiar with the powerful Pauline phrase, “you were bought with a price.” It renders a hammer-blow to our constant notions of personal rights and privileges and reminds us quite forcefully that we belong to Christ and not to ourselves. You were bought with a price, and this purchase has implications. In 1 … More Bought with a Price
Tonight I read the second chapter of John Piper’s The Hidden Smile of God entitled “Insanity and Spiritual Songs in the Life of William Cowper.” There are some precious quotes from the chapter, some on poetry because Cowper and Piper are poets, some on despair because Cowper’s was chronic, and some on John Newton because he was … More Precious Lessons from John Piper, William Cowper, and John Newton
Sometimes you get tired of doing small things, seeing little fruit, and working hard in obscurity. Sometimes it’s just hard to be faithful. And sometimes God gives striking reminders of why we shouldn’t give up. In the December 2007 DesiringGod newsletter, Executive Director Jon Bloom tells the moving story of Olive and Arnie Nelson. Olive and … More Keep Doing the Small Things: “You Never Know What God Is Growing”
Sometimes you read a book or a portion of a book that penetrates the heart and reminds you of how wonderfully sharp the truth really is. I just finished reading one. I wouldn’t recommend buying it, partially because it’s out of print and extremely expensive and partially because it belongs to a specialized field. But for me and … More Wisdom from James, Richard Bauckham, and Soren Kierkegaard
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