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...