Why Church Membership Isn’t Optional: A Biblical and Covenantal Case
This one is a written from a presbyterian perspective but with a few minor quibbles, is not far off my Baptistic view: ‘I have heard countless times that “nowhere in the Bible (which often is code for ‘there is something that Christians have taught for generations that I don’t want to do’) is church membership taught.” This “chapter and verse” hermeneutic, while seeming to nobly give Scripture its rightful authoritative place, is actually, as we shall see, a bit misguided.’
The Virtue of Unread Books
‘“Dad, have you actually read all these?” There was no effort whatsoever to hide his incredulity. And so I was brought rudely back from my parental reverie. After his grand tour through the titles that mean so much to me, his first reaction was to question whether or not I was using them for their intended purpose. Fair enough. Taking the accusation in stride, I confessed that no, I have not read every book in our library. Sensing his disapproval, I felt the need to defend myself use this as a teachable moment.’
Church Community Is a Necessary Part of Your Spiritual Formation
‘This balance between the individual and the collective is what grounds the necessity and meaning of Christian relationships within the church. Puritan pastors often reflected on this dynamic, insisting that fellowship and worship with other believers conferred special blessings that could not be replicated in private. As David Clarkson expressed it, solitary Christians each enjoy a steady stream of God’s presence, but when “these several streams are united and meet in one, . . . the presence of God . . . becomes a river, a river that makes glad the city of God.” Similarly, while “the Lord has a dish for every particular soul that truly serves him,” there is a special goodness when “a multitude of dishes” come together to create “a spiritual feast.”’
3 Reasons to Take Your Kids to Church
On a similar, but slightly different, note to the one above, this one addresses directly why it really is worth all the hassle of getting your kids to church.
Disunited kingdom: peace-making in a time of polarisation
‘Churches are called to be peacemakers. This does not mean burying our heads in the sand, naïve wishful thinking, or picking a side. It means that we listen, learn and love. It means being a community of hope that doesn’t write people off, either by dismissing them as ‘woke’ on one side or ‘far-right’ on the other. This means we model real community that crosses divides. The Bible tells us that from the very start, the church was deeply intercultural, both in ethnicity and class. We need to do the hard work of rediscovering what that looks like today.’
We are remembering two different Charlie Kirks
This is an absolutely excellent post reflecting on how and why some can only see a good, honourable, intelligent and unifying Christian whilst others only seem to see an aggressive, political, polemicist who was less than kind much of the time. What is going on? This one helpfully explains and addresses the matter. On a similar note, I would also highlight this one about Kirk’s legacy more broadly.
From the archive: If we change the question, I will have to change my answer
‘We’ve got to ensure that we convey clearly that the reason Christianity matters is because Christ matters. The reason Christianity is valuable is because Jesus is valuable. The reason to be a Christian is because Jesus is ultimately satisfying and sufficient. The reason Christianity works is because of Christ. The reason any of the good things happen in our community is because Jesus makes them happen. We need to be clear with people that what matters is not the fruit per se, it is Christ. Jesus is what makes Christianity unique. What he gives us, what he does for us, what he effects in us.’