At the beginning of a recent college class in biblical studies, the professor conducted an informal poll.
I’ll never forget the day Dr. Tom Gillespie, then president of Princeton Theological Seminary, restored my academic pursuit and pastoral training such..
“One shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” ‘Tis a truism for the ages. But does that dictum actually say, “every” word? If so, then how might the humble teaching elder possibly serve one’s spiritually hungry table guests every word of the Lord?
Preachers love analogies, so here’s one.
It’s no secret that in the Presbyterian world money is scarce at every level, from the denomination to the individual church. Folks hear of congregations without pastors, buildings locked and sold, yet another round of layoffs.
Each year about this time — which is to say Reformation Sunday — I spend time wondering whether the Reformation really was worth it.
The term “theonomy” (divine law as the basis for civil law) is an intriguing concept. While theo-cracy (which is not the same..
When the Outlook’s full-time associate editor Martha Skelton retired last January, we hired Mike Jennings to a half-time position, tasking him to take over most, but not all, of her duties.
In the 25th chapter of Matthew, we hear of the master who left his holdings to three servants in varying numbers of talents, an ancient denomination of money. One received five talents, one received two and one got a single talent.
Adding an off-site focus to an established congregation takes some fresh thinking.
During most of my pastoral ministry — since 1973, in fact — I have consistently used one outstanding resource to prepare worship bulletins, calls to worship and prayers and liturgies to be used for weekly services, funerals, weddings. It has also been of great help in my own spiritual growth.
It wasn’t easy surviving the 1960s. Not only did the nation heave after the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK. Not only did we convulse over our struggle to integrate.
Rev. John Stott died at 3:15 p.m. at his apartment near All Souls Church on the West End of London on July 27, 2011.
Sometimes in the Christian life it’s crucial (a word, aptly enough, rooted in the cross) to take a few steps back and ask again the foundational question of our faith:
Sometimes in the Christian life it’s crucial (a word, aptly enough, rooted in the cross) to take a few steps back and ask again the foundational question of our faith:
Most letters to the editor arrive in response to a particular article. The following one came without prompt from Walter Smith of Lynchburg, Va.
Ever gone to a presbytery meeting and wondered before you got out of the car who you might encounter? Here is a cheat sheet that will help prepare you to identify who is attending by checking the kinds of cars in the parking lot.
The Multichannel Church has a rare opportunity to see reality — unconstrained by stereotypes and simplistic marketing categories.
What is the ideal relationship between pastors and the elders, deacons, and trustees and other lay leaders of their congregations?
What crazy person would accept the call to be president of a Presbyterian seminary in this present, precarious environment?
You’ve mastered Greek parsing, decoded Hebrew, passed your ordination exams and now are dreaming in the confusing acronymic language that is seeking a first call: With the approval of my CPM, I’m self-referring my PIF to the PNC after reading their CIF on the CLC … .
You don't need to remember Danny & the Juniors, the Beatles, Pearl Jam or even Red Hot Chili Peppers to know that churches are plying their trade in a rapidly and vastly changing world.
Leader: Ten years we were brought to our knees as a nation in shock,
fear, anger, grief. For perhaps the first time, we woke up to God’s truth that
we are as vulnerable as the rest of humanity.
If, as Charles Finney claimed, the devils of hell rejoice when the Presbyterian General Assembly is in session, do they rejoice doubly when other Presbyterians gather near the site of the previous assembly? The upcoming, two-day, Minneapolis gathering called by Fellowship PC(USA) has generated about 2,000 registrations, mostly from Presbyterians disheartened by recent constitutional changes that signal to them a turn toward hell. As they gather the devils have reason to hope and much to fear.
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