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Abstract: Taylor Hartley reflects on John Calvin’s meditations on God’s wrestling with Jacob in Genesis 32:22–32 and applies it to the suffering that pastors face. Though it may sound jarring to identify God as the one who brings suffering into our lives, he does this to test his people, as he did with Jacob. The good news for the Christian, though, is that the God with whom we “wrestle” also supplies the strength we need in this fight. And best of all, God himself is our reward, making even the most difficult seasons of suffering worth the pain.

Editor’s Note: This article is taken fromChurch Matters, the 9Marks journal for pastors, in the issue titled “The Pastor and Suffering.”

There are a dozen or so excerpts from Christian literature which, upon having first read them, I find myself going back to over and over again. John Calvin’s commentary on Genesis 32:22–32 where Jacob wrestles with God is such a text. I bet I’ve read it more than a hundred times over the past fifteen years. Of those times, the majority were prompted by various kinds of trials or suffering, whether my own or that of someone close to me. Let me summarize the story and give you a sampling of Calvin’s insights.

Genesis 32 opens with Jacob readily admitting to God his fear over the imminent encounter he is to have with Esau, his brother whose blessing he stole years earlier. On the night before the two brothers were to meet, Jacob found himself alone. . . alone, that is, until he wasn’t. For the text says that “a man wrestled with him” (Gen. 32:24). As the two were locked in a grapple, Jacob demanded a blessing from his mysterious opponent, a request I never made of my childhood friends when we used to tussle. The man responded to Jacob: “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and man, and have prevailed” (v. 28). When the sun had risen and the man was gone, Jacob reflected on the match and said, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered” (v. 30).

Pretty wild story, right? Now, let’s consider some of Calvin’s takeaways.

God Wrestles with His PeopleAfter recognizing the uniqueness of Jacob’s experience, Calvin pastorally applied the paradigm to all of God’s servants whom he referred to as “wrestlers.” With whom do they wrestle? Be forewarned—Calvin’s answer may at first seem a bit jolting. He writes:

Wherefore it is right to keep in view this design of the vision, which is to represent all the servants of God in this world as wrestlers; because the Lord exercises them with various kinds of conflicts. Moreover, it is not said that Satan, or any mortal man, wrestled with Jacob, but God himself: to teach us that our faith is tried by him; and whenever we are tempted, our business is truly with him, not only because we fight under his auspices, but because he, as an antagonist, descends into the arena to try our strength.Calvin, John, and John King. Commentary on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis. Vol. 2, Pg. 195. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. (emphasis mine)

God’s servants, his pastors, wrestle with God himself. So says Calvin. And just so we don’t miss the point, he comes around for it again: “Therefore, what was once exhibited under a visible form to our father Jacob, is daily fulfilled in the individual members of the Church; namely, that, in their temptations, it is necessary for them to wrestle with God.” When we suffer, it is easy to look east and west for explanations when the sure answer comes from the north. Pastors, for example, suffer because the world and its god oppose their message (1 John 3:13); or because their members criticize their preaching (2 Cor. 10:10); or because, like their members, they suffer in a body that is ailed with disease (Gal. 4:13). We can offer various secondary, instrumental causes for pastoral sufferings such as persecution, spiritual warfare, unfounded criticism, disease, loss, relational estrangement, and many other trials. It is totally legitimate to see Satan and sin as actors in bringing about these things in our lives.See, for instance, Doug van Meter’s article, “What Is Satan’s Role in Suffering, and How Should We Respond?”, or Matt Emadi’s article, “Handling Ungodly Criticism”, or Travis Rymer’s article, “Pastoring with Two Cancers: Leading Your People While Fighting for Faith.”

And yet, I want to keep our attention on the primary cause of suffering which is God’s sovereign purpose over every detail of our lives. What comes to us must first pass through his hand.For more Scripture that makes plain God’s sovereignty over all things including suffering, see Lamentations 3:37–38; Isaiah 45:7; Job 1:21; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:28. Now, you may at this point be thinking, “Ya know, Taylor, this isn’t the most encouraging way to address the topic of suffering!” Calvin, at least momentarily, appreciates the pushback. He asks:

Who is able to stand against an Antagonist, at whose breath alone all flesh perishes and vanishes away, at whose look the mountains melt, at whose word or beck the whole world is shaken to pieces, and therefore to attempt the least contest with him would be insane temerity.Calvin, John, and John King. Commentary on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis. Vol. 2, Pg. 195. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

If God is so powerful that lightning bolts report to him for duty and lions wait for him to hunt their prey (Job 38:35, 39), the obvious question is how can you or I stand in an arena where he descends to oppose? The answer is equally obvious: no one can, at least, not alone. Not even the best-prepared pastor protected by the most biblically robust polity is ready to go one-on-one against this Antagonist.

God Gives His People the WinSo you’re suffering, pastor, and it’s under God’s sovereign oversight, and, if you’re alone in the fight, you’re going to lose. What hope do you have? Forgive me for the length of the following quote. It’s too good to cut up. Calvin answers:

For we do not fight against him, except by his own power, and with his own weapons; for he, having challenged us to this contest, at the same time furnishes us with means of resistance, so that he both fights against us and for us. In short, such is his apportioning of this conflict, that, while he assails us with one hand, he defends us with the other; yea, inasmuch as he supplies us with more strength to resist than he employs in opposing us, we may truly and properly say, that he fights against us with his left hand, and for us with his right hand. For while he lightly opposes us, he supplies invincible strength whereby we overcome. It is true he remains at perfect unity with himself: but the double method in which he deals with us cannot be otherwise expressed, than that in striking us with a human rod, he does not put forth his full strength in the temptation; but that in granting the victory to our faith, he becomes in us stronger than the power by which he opposes us.Ibid.

You’re the man behind the pulpit, or in the counseling room, or sitting around the elder table, and opposition surrounds—opposition which has the Lord as its primary cause. If not for the Lord being on your side, you’d be completely without hope. And yet, the Lord is on your side. For whatever he brings against you, more still does he give to your defense. And why not just prevent suffering in the first place? So that “in granting the victory to our faith, he becomes in us stronger. . .”

Remarkably, this design of wrestling with God and winning doesn’t result in a diminished view of God, nor does it produce the kind of self-aggrandized pride a victor often feels after receiving his trophy. Jacob and all the rest of God’s winning wrestlers know that they win only by the “invincible strength” that God supplies. And the prize? The prize is God himself. Pastor, God is accomplishing things in you, through you, and for you amid whatever his hand has brought against you. But he is also with you in the fight. He draws near in order that you might see his face and be blessed.

The sun eventually dawned on Jacob’s face, and the God with whom he wrestled relented, but not before he blessed Jacob and gave him a new name. Jacob was left to walk with a limp, true enough. But my bet is that he wouldn’t have traded that limp for the victory God gave him for anything in the world. How could he? He saw God face to face and yet his life was delivered (Gen. 32:32).

If you’re a suffering pastor, take heart. This is not the end, and you are not alone, not even close.

The post Wrestling with God . . . and Winning: John Calvin’s Meditations on Genesis 32:22–32 appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Derek Fekkes identifies nine truths his church should be able to agree on related to God’s sovereignty in salvation. Though many in his congregation do not hold to the doctrines of grace, Fekkes wants the entire church to be united in the gospel and in a biblical view of God, even when it humbles them. Regardless of how one views the particular details of these doctrines, all Christians should be able to agree that God alone deserves glory for his grace in salvation.

I heartily affirm the “doctrines of grace,” a common way of referring to five truths that describe salvation as a work of God’s grace from beginning to end (sometimes referred to as the “five points of Calvinism”). Yet I pastor a church where there are differing views on God’s sovereignty, particularly as it pertains to salvation. Around a third of my church knows what the doctrines of grace are and heartily agrees with them; another third knows what they are and doesn’t agree with them; and the remaining third has little to no knowledge of them.

On the one hand, I want to maintain unity around the gospel of Christ crucified so that those with different views of God’s sovereignty don’t feel like anything other than full and equal members of the church.

On the other hand, I desire for the entire church to experience the joy of coming to see what the Bible teaches on this topic. Not only do I find the biblical case for the doctrines of grace to be very strong, but I also find them to be extremely practical. We may not have to agree on them for basic unity in the faith, but how one views God’s sovereignty over salvation is hardly inconsequential.

This is a tension I feel regularly as I seek to shepherd my church (I assume there are plenty of pastors out there in similar situations). To this end, I put together a list of nine aspects, or in some cases implications, of the doctrines of grace that I think our entire church should be able to agree on. But first, a conviction and an observation.

My conviction is that the doctrines of grace are not ultimately about God’s sovereignty but about God’s glory.This doesn’t deny that God’s sovereignty is an important aspect of his glory. Rather, it highlights the fact that our ultimate goal isn’t merely to promote a certain view of God’s sovereignty but to see and make known God’s glory. Along these lines, John Dillenberger notes that John Calvin urged the Catholic bishop Sadolet to “set before [man], as the prime motive of his existence, zeal to illustrate the glory of God.” As cited in John Piper, 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy: Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful (Crossway, 2018), 96 (emphasis original). My observation is that many Christians are happy to get behind the primacy of God’s glory, regardless of what they think about the particulars of God’s sovereignty in salvation.

Here, then, is a list of nine truths I want our church to care about most when it comes to God’s saving work:

1. We get no credit for any part of our salvation.Not your morality, not your common sense, not your humility or self-awareness, not your sorrow for sin, not the seriousness with which you take God—none of those things give you reason to boast. God works in such a way that “no human being might boast in the presence of God.” Rather, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:29, 31). If our view of salvation leaves us with any room to boast, we have not understood salvation correctly!

2. We do not deserve God’s grace.Your decision to trust in Jesus, even though others haven’t made that decision, in no way shows you to be more deserving of God’s grace. We should be humbled and awed by Jesus’s death for sinners like us. Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23–24). And again, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).

3. Salvation involves a real change in someone’s nature.The biblical term for this is regeneration (see Titus 3:5), and it reminds us that salvation is never merely a decision to believe or to live a different way. It’s a work of God that involves a radical, supernatural change. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Without regeneration, which is entirely God’s work, it is impossible for man to repent and believe.

4. Genuine salvation produces spiritual fruit.The genuineness of someone’s salvation is evidenced not simply by a decision made, a prayer prayed, a commitment given, or a doctrine assented to, but by the “fruit” that is borne of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). This includes the fruit of an ongoing trust in Jesus, a willingness to repent of sin, and a desire to honor and glorify God. While God may certainly use things like a decision, a prayer, or a commitment in the process of saving an individual, the Bible never tells us to look toward such things as the evidence of saving faith. To grow in assurance, Peter tells us to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Pet. 1:5–7). He then says, “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall” (vv. 8–10).

5. The finished work of Christ is the ground of our hope.The ultimate basis of your hope of making it to the end secure in Christ is not your own resolve, seriousness, or moral character but the finished work of Christ and all of God’s promises in him. As Robert Murray M’Cheyne famously said, “For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.” Not only are we saved by looking to Christ, but we find assurance by continuing to look to him: his saving work, his person, his words, and his promises. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). And, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

6. We are dependent on God’s Spirit in evangelism.God has chosen to use us to share the gospel, so we have a responsibility to call others to respond and to pray for their salvation. But ultimately we can’t save anyone. We should be diligent and urgent in our evangelistic efforts, but no amount of pleading, convincing, or pressuring can give someone new life in Christ. God must work, which means he gets all the glory. As Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6–7).

7. God works all things according to his sovereign will.Believing this helps you experience the hope, rest, strength, and comfort of a God who doesn’t merely know the future, but who sovereignly and mysteriously brings all things to pass according to his perfect plan, even that which is directly caused by human sin and the work of the devil. God is not the author of sin, and he cannot be blamed for sin or evil. At the same time, Scripture teaches that nothing comes about apart from, or outside of, his sovereign rule. Nor can anything thwart his purposes. Therefore, nothing is truly random, chaotic, or meaningless. This is the basis of that wonderful promise in Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11).

8. Prayer is necessary and effective.Prayer is necessary and effective not because we control God and the future, but because God has chosen to bring about his purposes (at least in part) through our prayers. Prayer presses us into the mystery of how God brings about his sovereign will. We can dismiss this mystery and stray from Scripture in at least two ways. We can fail to pray much at all because we think our prayers are effectively meaningless due to God’s overarching sovereignty. Or we can make the mistake of thinking that our prayers determine the future as long as we pray with enough faith. Scripture, on the other hand, teaches that God answers prayer according to his own sovereign wisdom and timing, yet it invites us to call on him to meet our needs. As Jesus said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11).

9. We are responsible for our decisions and actions.This is similar to the previous point, though here we’re thinking more broadly than prayer. A Reformed view of God’s sovereignty in no way negates human responsibility or God’s use of various means to bring about his purposes. For example, we are responsible for putting our faith in Christ and for making “every effort” to grow in godliness (2 Pet. 1:5). We are also responsible to share the gospel freely with all people and to call them to respond, knowing that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). In short, God’s sovereignty is never a justification for inaction, unbelief, or apathy.

ConclusionI tell our church that my aim is to consistently set forth a view of God that is biblical and big, even when it confounds us, humbles us, corrects us, and awes us. That’s what these nine statements are working toward. And while I have found much value in wrestling through the finer points of the doctrines of grace, and hope my people will as well as they study and are taught God’s Word, my greatest concern for them is not that they become card-carrying Calvinists. Many in my church will never articulate God’s sovereignty over their salvation according to the verbiage used at the Synod of Dort. They can nonetheless come to see a God who is big and glorious and thus be appropriately humbled and filled with joy at the sight of him in Christ.

The post Pastoring Those with Differing Views on God’s Sovereignty in Salvation appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Stephen Brucker offers counsel and encouragement for pastors who face difficulties in parenting. Based on his own experience as a parent, Brucker encourages pastors to take comfort in God’s presence with them, the ordinary means of grace, the community of God’s people, the personal ways God is using their difficulties, and the hope of heaven. Pastors and all Christians can persevere faithfully through every trial in light of God’s grace in Christ.

Editor’s Note: This article is taken fromChurch Matters, the 9Marks journal for pastors, in the issue titled “The Pastor and His Family.”

There is nothing quite like the smell of a behavioral therapy drop-in clinic. If you’ve never been, it smells like . . . fear, though I’m not sure that is an actual smell. For years, my wife and I had known that something was wrong with our boy. Initially, we were in denial, but then friends and family began to take notice and point out what we were scared to see. Since those early days, we’ve seen ups and downs, anxiety attacks, depression, medications, and endless appointments. The most disturbing crisis occurred recently when my son had a three-hour anxiety attack. Like a boat going through a storm, the only way through was to ride the waves and wait for the storm to pass. It was exhausting for him and traumatic for the whole family. Eventually, the anxiety broke, his demeanor changed, and he spoke a phrase I will never forget: “I don’t want to feel like this anymore.”

Whether your child is suffering from mental illness or not, parenting is rarely easy, which is why I often find myself wishing for a magic wand that I could wave into the sky to make my son instantly feel better. I wish I had a spell that could protect all of my children from various foes that I know they will have to contend with one day. And yet, as I’ve walked this well-worn parental path, I’ve found that God has given his saints something far more potent and powerful than a wand or an incantation—he’s given himself. Lest we miss God’s presence in our lives, here are five ways in which God is present when parenting gets difficult.

SupernaturalIn the Upper Room Discourse in John 14, Jesus informs his disciples that he is going away, but “he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16). That Helper, the Spirit, puts Jesus before us that we might delight in him (John 16:14), which is hard to see when parenting gets difficult. Yet there is a sweetness of Jesus that is often tasted in times of difficulty.

When you feel weak as a parent, God reveals himself as the Sovereign Lord (Jer. 32:17). When your sin is revealed in times of stress, God reveals himself as the all-sufficient Savior (1 Pet. 3:18). When you look back and see God’s preserving grace in your family, God reveals himself as the God who upholds (2 Cor. 12:9).

When the days are long and the nights are short, God is not absent. He is revealing himself to you through the Spirit.

OrdinaryDuring seasons of difficult parenting, I’ve found that God often draws near to me through the ordinary means of grace—the Word, my church, prayer, singing. These things are life-sustaining when life and parenting get hard.

One night, my son couldn’t fall asleep, a symptom of the new medication he’s taking. He was so frustrated that he couldn’t do the most natural of tasks. So, I sat with him and read the Word. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” At first, it felt futile. “Maybe we should just try counting sheep,” I thought to myself. But as I continued to read, his breathing slowly calmed. We met the Shepherd who leads us not only by still waters, but also in the valley of the shadow of death.

Reading, meditating, and praying in light of God’s Word is too often overlooked or underappreciated when the going gets tough. After all, who wants to wait when there may be a quick fix on offer somewhere beyond the Book? But the tried, true, and ordinary gifts of sitting under the preached Word, singing songs about the promises of God, and praying in light of God’s Word seem to make all the difference (Col. 3:16–17).

When parenting gets difficult, fill your life with the ordinary means of God’s grace.

CommunityMost Christians acknowledge the need for community and hospitality. Yet parenting difficulties can erode community.

There was a season when getting invited over for dinner only brought anxiety to our family. How do I explain why my son is hiding under the table? What excuse can I give to get out of dinner? The shame of having such a family is quite isolating. Not to mention, some people in the church, though well-meaning, will never understand your particular parenting difficulties. Some of our deepest wounds came not from outside the church but within.

Though some might not understand, others will. God has always providentially brought families to walk with us in every season. These friends have been a display of God’s presence as they’ve asked probing questions, carried our burdens, and walked us to Christ, who covers parenting shame.

Personal WaysMy days never look the same. As a pastor, that seems typical. But when I must cancel a meeting to pick up my son who is having a panic attack at school, it’s easy to conclude that parenting is getting in the way of pastoring. I suppose there is a time when a pastor may need to step away from ministry to care for his family. But what I’ve found is that parenting difficulties aren’t a distraction from ministry, but a quality of my ministry. They are a means that God uses to form me into a better pastor, husband, father, and Christian.

Few things have brought me to my end like parenting. I find myself quite comfortable studying God’s Word, navigating hard conversations, and leading within the church. But God has exposed issues of control, the fear of man, and countless other sins through the gift of parenting. Not to mention, he has used my children to make me more patient, compassionate, and long-suffering. The crucible of difficult parenting is a personal gift that forms Christ in us.

HeavenThis last means of experiencing God’s presence in parenting might sound strange. Yet I find myself weekly, if not daily, thinking about heaven—the Gloryland to come, where there is no suffering, no weeping, and no wheelchairs. That New Jerusalem, where undertakers are out of work and there are no behavioral walk-in therapy clinics. That Celestial City with joys and crowns and nations singing a song without end (Rev. 5). I think of children like mine, who, among the saints, will for the first time have rest for their weary minds.

When parenting gets difficult, I consider heaven, but mostly, I consider the centerpiece of heaven, Jesus Christ. What a sight to behold when we see him face to face!

Some may call this escapism. But Paul, in his difficulties, wasn’t escaping anything when he longed for heaven (Phil. 1:23). He wasn’t so heavenly minded that he was no earthly good. Instead, the thought of heaven fueled his earthly perseverance. So, sing songs about heaven. Feast on the Lord’s Supper and remind yourself of the greater feast to come. Dwell on Canaan’s land, where Sabbaths have no end.

Parenting is difficult, but there is a happy ending: arrival at a place where beauty is unmatched, where death is no more, where tears are forbidden, where darkness must hide, and where the Son of God—whose suffering makes parental suffering worth it—reigns.

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Abstract: Sam Emadi traces the theme of humanity’s role as a priest-king across the storyline of the Bible to show how God’s original purposes in creation relate to the privileges and responsibilities of church membership under the New Covenant. Because believers belong to Jesus, the priest-king who was perfectly faithful, they now serve as a royal priesthood in and through their local church. And every Christian has a part to play.

Editor’s Note: This article is an adapted excerpt from an address titled “Kingdom of Priests: Melchizedek, Church Membership and Understanding Your Place in God’s Story” given at First Baptist Church in Boynton Beach, Florida.

C. S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” Biblical theology does something similar for us as it traces God’s unfolding plan of redemption across the storyline of Scripture. It not only helps us see what’s in Scripture, but it also helps us see the world and our lives in light of Scripture.

This is particularly helpful when it comes to a topic like church membership that, on the surface, seems detached from the central themes of Scripture. But since all Scripture points us to Jesus, and since the church is his body, that means all Scripture has something to say about Christ and his people. United to Christ by faith, his people become part of his story, which means we participate in the fulfillment of Old Covenant promises and shadows.

I want to show you how all this relates to church membership by focusing on the theme of priest-kings as it unfolds across major “movements” of the storyline of Scripture. Then we’ll consider what it means to embrace the role God has given you as a member of your local church.

Movement 1: Why God Created HumanityWhy did God create humanity? To glorify him and enjoy him forever.1 But what does that look like? To answer that we need to look at the story of creation. Genesis 1 records the rhythmic repetition of the first six days: “God said . . . God made . . . God saw that it was good.” That’s the pattern. But then the pattern is interrupted. It’s as if God steps back to hold counsel with himself to prepare for his greatest work—the climax of his creative genius. God creates man in his own image (Gen. 1:26–27).

In the ancient Near East, only kings and pharaohs were said to be in the image of God. Bearing God’s image meant that you were a descendant of the gods—a son of God. Yet God creates Adam as his image, which is to say Adam is God’s own royal son. And as Jonathan Leeman has put it: like every good father, God wants Adam to get a job. So God gives Adam a job, the job of a priest-king.

Commissioned as a King

First, God makes Adam a king. He commissions him to rule and gives him dominion over all creation (Gen. 1:28). Adam is the “boots-on-the-ground” king on earth who represents God’s life-giving rule in heaven. Just as God uses his authority to generate flourishing, prosperity, and life, Adam must do the same. He must fill the earth with life.

That’s why God commissions Adam and Eve to “multiply” (Gen. 1:28). In an ancient Near Eastern context, when a king or a pharaoh conquered a land, he would go into the town square and set up an image—a statue—of himself. This image would signify to everyone that he was the rightful ruler of that land—the king to whom everyone owed allegiance. It’s as if God is doing the same thing with humanity. He wants Adam and Eve to extend the boundaries of Eden and fill the earth with image-bearers so that these servant kings would draw attention to the Lord of all creation.

Commissioned as a Priest

So God made Adam a king, but he also gave him another responsibility. He made him a priest. When God put Adam in the garden, he told him to “work it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). These two words, “work” and “keep,” are used as a word-pair only a few other times in the Bible, and each time they refer to the work of the priests in the tabernacle or the temple. In other words, Adam is the prototype for Israel’s priests.

This helps us see that the garden isn’t just an ordinary garden. It’s a temple. Have you ever wondered why all the features of the tabernacle are described as having almonds and pomegranates? (Exod. 25–40) That’s because the tabernacle and the temple were miniaturized recreations of the original garden-temple.

So what was Adam supposed to do in this garden-temple? First, he was supposed to “work it,” which refers to inside-the-garden work. Adam was supposed to cultivate and nurture the garden. He was to make sure the trees were bearing fruit, the bushes were trimmed, and the land was well-irrigated. Second, Adam was supposed to “keep it.” That is, he was supposed to guard this garden-temple by keeping out anything unclean and impure—like a talking snake (Gen. 3:1–7). This was the job of the priests. They protected the temple by regulating what came in and out, by declaring what was clean and unclean, holy and unholy.

This commission is God’s creation project. It’s why Adam was created. It’s how God gets glory for himself: he makes his image-bearers to rule over his world as kings and serve in his temple as priests.

Christian, this is what we were made for—to be priest-kings serving in God’s temple. This cosmic employment unites the biggest realities of heaven with the dust of this earthly creation.

Failure and Promise

Sadly, Adam didn’t fulfill his commission as priest-king. He allowed the serpent to pollute the purity of God’s temple, so God cast Adam out of the garden. It’s as if God fired Adam from his job. Yet in that moment, God promised to raise up from the line of Eve a seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). In other words, this coming seed, or offspring, would do what Adam failed to do. He would be a new Adam. He would rule over the earth and guard God’s temple.

The seed of the woman would be a faithful priest-king.

Movement 2: A Long Line of Failed Priest-KingsThe story of the Old Testament is the story of a sequence of priest-kings who perpetuate and pervert the work God established with Adam. Take Noah, for example. He sacrifices clean animals, he judges between clean and unclean animals, and then he’s given the same dominion mandate as Adam (Gen. 7–9). He’s a new priest-king.

But he’s another failed one. At the end of Noah’s story, he’s in a vineyard—a garden—drunk, naked, and ashamed, just like his father Adam, another unfaithful priest-king.

Abraham is also described as both a king and a priest. And Israel as a nation has both priests and kings. In fact, God calls his people “a kingdom of priests” (Exod. 19:5).

As Israel obeyed God’s voice and kept his covenant, they would image God rightly.

But Noah, Abraham, and Israel—as well as David and a whole series of priest-kings in the Old Testament—all failed to do what Adam was supposed to do. They didn’t protect the temple or the land given to them. They defiled it with paganism and idolatry. And so the story of the Old Testament ends where it began—with the temple in ruins and Israel in exile, just as Adam was exiled from the garden.

The only exception to this pattern of priest-king failures is an enigmatic figure named Melchizedek in Genesis 14. He is so great that he even blesses Abraham and, through Abraham, all Israel. This is why David’s prophecy about the coming Messiah in Psalm 110 says that he will be both a king from the line of David and a priest from the order of Melchizedek. That’s humanity’s hope: a faithful priest-king who is greater than Abraham and David and who will do what Adam failed to do.

Movement 3: Jesus Is the Faithful Priest-KingWhen Jesus arrives on the scene, he does so as a faithful priest-king. He is introduced as the son of David (Matt. 1:1), the promised royal king (2 Sam. 7:12–14). Then he ends his earthly ministry by declaring, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18).

And then Jesus goes around healing people of infirmities and restoring withered hands and cleansing lepers and healing women who have been bleeding for twelve years and raising the dead. He even declares people’s sins forgiven! In other words, Jesus is a priest unlike any other. He doesn’t just declare what’s clean and unclean; he makes unclean people clean. He takes defiled bodies and cleanses them; even more amazing, he takes defiled hearts and cleanses them. And as a priest, he offers himself as a sacrifice for sins.

Jesus is a priest-king after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5–7). He is the final installment in a pattern as old as Adam—a priest-king who has come to rule over creation, represent God’s holiness, and mediate the presence of God without fail. He is the true and faithful priest-king.

Therefore, if we want access to the presence of God; if we want back in the garden; if we want our sins forgiven and our hearts cleansed; if we want to fellowship with God and live under his gracious reign; and if we want to be saved from death, then we need to go to the true priest-king, Jesus, for forgiveness and cleansing and fellowship and life.

But we don’t go to him by doing something for him. We come to him by faith (Eph. 2:8–9). Faith is an empty hand that lays hold of Christ. And Paul says over and over again that when we lay hold of Christ by faith, we become united to him. We are “in him” (Eph. 1:7). This is crucial to understanding our role in the story.

Movement 4: The Church’s Role as a Kingdom of PriestsBecause we are in Christ—united to him by faith—everything that is true about him becomes true of us. He is righteous, so we are righteous. He is holy, so we are holy. He is a priest-king, so we become priest-kings. Or as Peter put it, a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Our responsibility—a priestly responsibility—is to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

When you come to Christ, you get installed into the very job Adam was fired from. You’ve been given the authority to represent Christ’s righteous judgments and the power from his Spirit to do the priestly work of mediating or proclaiming the excellencies of God to the nations!

But remember, when Peter refers to us as a royal priesthood, he’s speaking corporately. The church is a royal priesthood. So what tabernacle do we serve? What garden are we cultivating? What temple are we protecting? The temple upon which God has poured out his Spirit. The New Covenant temple is the local church gathered to worship God. As Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there (in the gathering) I am among them” (Matt. 18:20). Likewise, Paul says that we are “God’s temple” and that his Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor. 3:16).

So how do we do “work” and “keep” this temple? By doing what Adam was supposed to do. We keep it holy by cultivating our holiness and the holiness of other church members. Your ultimate ambition in life isn’t merely to see how devoted to the Lord you can be. You are to labor for other people’s devotion to the Lord as much as you labor for your own, because you’re maintaining the purity of God’s New Covenant temple. That’s what it means to be a member of a church.

What Living as a Priest-King Looks like PracticallyBased on everything we’ve seen so far, it should be evident that church membership isn’t about getting a few privileges and attending some church programs. It’s about committing to do the work of a priest-king to build up God’s cosmic temple. So what does this look like practically? Here are several suggestions:

• Make sure you have an accurate understanding of the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus, and then help other people in the church understand these things.
• Meet with a discouraged mom to remind her that her labors aren’t in vain and that she should continue on in faith and love and holiness.
• Ask some people to join you for lunch so that you can practice praying together.
• Read Knowing God by J. I. Packer with other church members and then talk about how you can help each other live out those truths.
• Invite a newly married couple to your house for dinner so that they can watch how you do family devotions with your kids.
• Take a meal to sick brothers and sisters in Christ who need encouragement and tangible, visible reminders that the Lord loves them.
• Give to the church faithfully so that the pastors can keep equipping the congregation to minister God’s Word to one another.
• Invite your non-Christian neighbor over and share the gospel with them.

These are just a few examples of priest-king work. It’s focused on edifying and encouraging the saints—the messed-up, often annoying, sinful, sometimes offensive, glorious saints—who are God’s own garden-sanctuary.

On a corporate level, living as priest-kings means that a church should practice meaningful membership. That’s why you do membership interviews—to ensure that people understand the gospel and show evidence of true conversion. Only those purified by the blood of Christ should be brought into the church’s membership. This is also why church discipline exists. When people want to live for sin more than they do for Christ, a congregation of priest-kings should guard the purity of God’s temple and remove what is unholy.

Finally, this is why we cannot tolerate anti-gospel teaching in the church. Unlike Adam, we must not allow snakes to pervert what God has plainly said.

What You Were Made ForGod made us to be priest-kings serving his cosmic temple. And by union with Christ, you, Christian, have been restored to the office originally given to Adam. The stakes and responsibilities, as well as the joys and blessings, of this work could not be higher. This is what God is doing in the world, and it has cosmic significance.

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Abstract: Michael Lawrence shares about his experience of pastoring while dealing with an acute mental health illness in his immediate family. Lawrence sensed his weakness and limitations during the crisis, yet this was the very place where God met him with his sustaining grace. He offers suggestions to other pastors walking through family turmoil, encouraging them to acknowledge their weakness and, as they’re able, to embrace God’s gift of fellow elders who can care for them and the church.

Editor’s Note: This article is taken fromChurch Matters, the 9Marks journal for pastors, in the issue titled “The Pastor and Suffering.”

As a young pastor, I thought I understood Paul’s admonition that an elder “must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity” (1 Tim. 3:4–5). (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?)” Paul was clearly arguing from the lesser to the greater. If you couldn’t do the smaller thing (manage your household), then there’s no way you could do the larger thing (take care of the church).

Yet decades later, it seems the much harder thing to manage well is your own family, and never more so than when turmoil and suffering strike. Whether it’s a childhood cancer diagnosis, like a pastor friend of mine has dealt with, or the demands of aging parents with dementia, like almost everyone my age is dealing with, or run-of-the-mill teenage boundary-pushing and chronic mental illness, like my family has experienced, when suffering and turmoil and conflict and heartache hit the pastor’s family, the problems waiting for you at the church office can feel like a welcome break, or even an escape hatch, from the problems at home.

When your family is suffering acutely, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, you must give attention to it. The church can hire other pastors, but your family can’t find another husband and father. At the same time, the church is paying your salary, and not only do you need that salary to care for your family, but the church needs your care as well. So how do we care for the church when our family needs special attention?

For several years, my own family suffered through an acute mental health crisis. One of my children was in and out of the hospital with a diagnosis that, while not always fatal, carried a very real risk of death. The crisis absorbed an extraordinary amount of time and energy from me and my wife, and for many years there was very little that was predictable from day to day. At the same time, I was just a few years into pastoring my church. There was a lot of work to be done, a fair amount of opposition to that work, and not a lot of earned capital with the congregation. It seemed impossible.

And yet, Paul didn’t say that managing your household when it’s easy demonstrates that you’re qualified to manage the church. He didn’t have a family, but he knew what it was like to suffer and to carry on in ministry when things were difficult. Like him, we don’t pastor the church or lead our families out of our strength but out of our weakness. As the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). So as we pastor while our families are hurting, how can we experience God’s power?

Turn to God in PrayerIf our weakness doesn’t drive us to prayer, then we’re still operating out of our own strength. Every morning of our family’s crisis, my wife and I would get up early and go for a walk, rain or shine. We had a three-mile loop. For the first mile and a half, we would talk and catch up and plan for the day. But as we turned toward home, we turned to prayer. And we wouldn’t stop praying until we reached our front door. We prayed about the crisis, of course, but we also prayed for the church, and for the family members who weren’t in crisis. We prayed like our family’s life depended on it, which it literally did. We also prayed like our church’s life depended on it, which it did, even if that wasn’t as apparent to everyone else.

You don’t have to follow our morning routine, but if God’s grace is going to show up for your family and your church in the midst of your suffering, it will show itself first in your prayers. It was in response to Paul’s prayers that the Lord assured him of the sufficiency of his grace.

Ask Others to PrayPaul constantly asked others to pray for him.1 His letters to the Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Philemon all make mention of it. And no wonder, for he felt the “daily pressure of his concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). We too quickly realized that we needed others praying for us, for our family and our church. So my wife and I put together a team of people who knew our family, and especially our child who was suffering, and enlisted their prayers. I sent out regular updates by email to people who spanned the globe so that they would know how to pray for us. I also enlisted people to pray locally. My fellow elders were constantly interceding for us, and some of my staff began to fast and pray once a week.

But it wasn’t just my family that needed prayer. My church did, too. To this day, I think the most significant way that I cared for my church during this crisis was by introducing several new practices of prayer. For instance, I added a pastoral prayer to the Sunday service in which I brought before the Lord the needs of the congregation. I also introduced my staff and elders to the habit of praying by name through the membership directory, both privately and in our staff and elders’ meetings. And we started a Sunday evening prayer meeting that focused on the church and its ministries. Even though I was often distracted by the crisis at home, the church was becoming a praying church, not least the elders.

Pastor, don’t forget that God answers prayer—for your family and for your church. So, get people praying, and ask them to pray for you specifically.

Involve the EldersIn addition to prayer, I needed my fellow elders to care for my family and the church in other ways, which meant bringing them into the crisis as much as possible. I was blessed to have godly and trustworthy elders from the start of my pastorate. Not every pastor is given such a gift, so wisdom and discretion are required. But remember that your fellow elders cannot care for your family if they don’t know what’s going on. This was the start of what came to be known as an “executive session” for our elders. We normally had guests and observers in our meetings, but I needed a safe context to talk about what was going on and to allow them to ask probing questions. We also needed some privacy to allow them to pray for specific needs for me and my family. And so, at the end of each elders’ meeting, we excused the guests and I both invited and allowed my fellow elders to pastor me.

I also needed the elders, most of whom were quite new to the role, to step up and pastor the church. Since my time was limited and my attention was divided, I gave almost all my personal ministry time to them. This is a normal priority for many lead pastors, but it was essential in my case. I took time in each elders’ meeting to train these men in pastoral care and disciple making; I devoted a lunch or two each week to meet with them individually. I focused on raising up a few potential new elders who could quickly put their shoulders to the plow. My convictions about the biblical case for a plurality of elders became practical knowledge as their growing capacity and maturity complemented my felt weakness and limitations.

Communicate But ProtectThere came a point when my family’s crisis had to be addressed publicly. By God’s grace, I had not missed a Sunday, and I always had a sermon prepared during the three or four years when the crisis was acute. But the stress and strain on our family was beginning to show. People noticed that some members of my family were not always there on Sunday. Questions were being asked. Sometimes, members would corner one of my kids and ask leading questions. I’ll never forget one dear saint asking me furtively, “I just need to know, is it drugs?” Usually, though, the questions were directed to the elders, and gratefully they wanted to protect my family’s privacy and dignity. But people can tell when there’s something wrong, and a lack of information often breeds misinformation.

The balance between transparency and privacy is always difficult for a pastor’s family, but the challenge is magnified amid suffering and turmoil. Suffering makes us feel vulnerable—because we are—and it often strips the sufferer of dignity and a sense of agency. Most of us don’t want our infirmities widely known, even if the issue isn’t a direct result of sin in our lives. On the other hand, as a pastor, you are not simply a private individual in the church. You, and sometimes your whole family, are on display publicly. The congregation has a reasonable expectation to know if your ability to pastor them is being adversely affected. More importantly, how can they love and support you and your family if they are left in the dark?

This is another situation in which a plurality of elders can be helpful. In my case, I wrote both a letter and a list of FAQs to the congregation. I read the letter at a public meeting, explaining as much as I could and thanking the church for their love and care. Then the chairman of the elders read the FAQs, putting it in his own voice on behalf of the elders. These FAQs gave practical advice, drew boundaries, protected my children, and directed future questions and offers of help to the elders rather than to me (or my kids). The church was served, and so was my family.

Don’t Be a Hero, Just Be a PastorWhen I read of Paul’s “boasting” in 2 Corinthians 11, even though he calls it “talking foolishly,” I can walk away thinking that the call to pastoral ministry is the call to heroic sacrifice. But then you keep reading, and you find out that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (12:7) is the thing that made him feel his weakness in ways that his other suffering did not. It’s this, and all the other examples of his weakness, that he boasts in, because it’s in his weakness that Christ’s “power” is made known (12:9).

This was perhaps the most important lesson I had to learn. My call at church was not to soldier on as if nothing was wrong. It was to pastor the church in my weakness so that Christ’s grace would be magnified. And by God’s grace, that’s what happened, at least to some extent. As I preached each Sunday, regardless of how the week had gone, I learned to depend on the Lord in ways I never had before. My study was often interrupted and, by necessity, my sermon manuscripts got shorter. But people who had heard my preaching for years noticed a change. There was more compassion, more tenderness, more vulnerability, more grace. I often told them that all I was simply doing was preaching to myself and letting them listen in. My weakness and need were palpable to me, and in his grace, God met me there. And through me, he met his people, too.

My call at home was no different, though honestly, I found it much harder. During much suffering and chaos, I wanted to fix things and make them better. I wanted to be strong and to have all the answers. But so often, I didn’t know what to do. I felt helpless and weak. While it was easy to admit that in the pulpit or in an elders’ meeting, it was much harder to admit it to my wife and kids. At home I was usually busy, on task, getting things done to keep the household going. But what my family needed was the same thing my church needed: a husband and a father who was a pastor, aware of his weakness and dependent on God’s grace to lead. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

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Abstract: Pastor Aaron Menikoff writes a letter to his church with ten questions to ask before using AI. As in every area of life, Christians should want to know what the Bible teaches when it comes to our use of AI. Regardless of where we land on specific questions, our aim in using (or not using) AI should be to glorify God and fulfill his purposes for us as those who are made in his image and redeemed through Christ.

Editor’s Note: The following article was originally a letter sent by a pastor to his church to help them think biblically about AI. While Christians will disagree on specific uses of AI, the questions raised in this letter are worth reflecting on.

Dear Church Family,

By now, you’ve heard of artificial intelligence (AI) and, in particular, the large language model (LLM) that allows the software to personalize answers to suit our needs. For years we used a search engine to lead us to websites that housed our answers. Now, the LLM reads most everything the internet holds and digests that data to customize a response for the user. Many experts suggest this is the greatest technological advance since the creation of the internet.

But how should we think of these LLMs as Christians? Entire books have already been written on the subject, but let me suggest ten questions you should answer before you use an LLM like ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok. Right now, my focus is not on how a Christian should use AI to be more efficient at his work but on how Christians should think about AI as they seek to grow in their knowledge of the Bible and service to their church.

I’m not exhorting you to avoid this technology; I’m simply encouraging you to use it well. Here are ten questions to ask before you turn to AI.

1. Will this use of AI decrease my knowledge of the Word?Scripture repeatedly tells us to meditate on the Word of God (Ps. 119:15–16). This requires carefully hearing, reading, and pondering particular verses. Knowing the right prompts to ask about the Bible is different than knowing the Bible itself.

2. Will this use of AI decrease my dependence on the Holy Spirit?For years pastors like me have been advised to study the text before going to commentaries. This is not because commentaries are bad, but because the study of the Bible is a Spirit-led effort that requires patience and prayer (1 Cor. 2:12–14). AI can be a helpful resource, but it should not replace careful, prayerful study.

3. Will this use of AI stifle my God-given creativity?God made us to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). Part of this is about making children, but another part is about making culture. As individuals made in the image of God, we are to cultivate the world we live in by designing buildings, sculpting statues, writing stories, and drawing sketches. An overreliance on AI can be a way of denying the image of God.

4. Will this use of AI keep me from gaining much-needed expertise?AI is best employed by people who already have expertise in their field. They know the lay of the land. They can sense when the LLM has produced a flawed product. For experts in their field, AI can increase efficiency. But for those still trying to master a subject, the abuse of AI will keep them from ever becoming proficient. Too much reliance on AI to understand the Bible will, ironically, keep you from actually understanding the Bible.

5. Will this use of AI lead to plagiarism?Even non-Christians know it is unethical to present someone else’s work as your own. This is because honesty is a virtue (Prov. 12:22). If you present an AI-produced Bible study or Sunday school lesson as your own, you are plagiarizing as surely as if you copied it out of a solid Christian book.

6. Am I aware that AI errs?I once asked AI to tell me in which book by C. S. Lewis a certain quotation could be found. It gave me the wrong book. I’m told each iteration of AI is better, but it will never be inerrant. I’ve been told to think of AI as a really, really smart intern—helpful but imperfect. Thus, it is dangerous to pass along material produced by generative AI without carefully checking its work.

7. Am I convinced there is a difference between the sacred and the secular?In other words, we should understand that there is a difference between an email for a vendor written by AI and a hymn or Bible study written by AI. Can AI write a hymn better than me? I have no doubt. And yet, to outsource the writing of a hymn or Bible study to AI is to deny the spiritual nature of the task.

8. Will others care how I employed AI?My wife, whom I love, would not be pleased if I gave her a romantic poem written by an LLM. You, the congregation I serve, would not be pleased if I gave you a sermon written by an LLM. My wife would rather have an imperfect poem from me than a “perfect” poem produced in a data center. Same with a sermon. There is wisdom in the expression, “It’s the thought that counts.” AI can’t think. AI can’t love.

9. Will this use of AI feed a lazy heart?I often use AI as a topical analysis of the Bible, much like this book by Walter Elwell that sits on my shelf. AI is a powerful search engine that can compile passages on hell or heaven or angels or grace. I sometimes use AI to edit a document for grammar, clarity, and style. It finds typos in no time at all! Only your conscience can tell you whether you are leaning into an LLM to be efficient or to be lazy.

10. Will this use of AI glorify God?Like your smartphone, like your computer, AI is a tool. It can be used to bring God glory or to bring him dishonor. It can be used for the purpose of your sanctification, or it can lead you down the road of condemnation. Like your expense report, like the search history in your web browser, your use of AI should be something you are proud of—something you’d be glad for the world to see. If it’s something you want to hide, it is probably not glorifying to God.

Aaron Menikoff
Senior Pastor

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Abstract: Garrett Conner reviews Dave Kiehn’s book Pulling the Thread: A Pastoral Philosophy on Church Revitalization and highlights sevearl of the book’s strengths. Kiehn’s book prompts pastors to reflect on their own spiritual health and approach to ministry, and he encourages them to consider how their relationships within the church affect their ministry. Pastors will be emboldened to address difficult issues related to deacons, elders, and gospel partnerships.

Dave Kiehn, Pulling the Thread: A Pastoral Philosophy on Church Revitalization. Baptist Courier, 2025. 316 pages.

“How have you been lately?”

In conversation it becomes clear when someone is genuinely interested in you. They ask thoughtful questions and demonstrate authentic curiosity. On the other hand, we’ve all been part of a one-sided conversation where one person seems interested only in talking about themselves and their own interests. While reading Dave Kiehn’s Pulling the Thread, I felt like I was sitting down for a thoughtful conversation about church revitalization with a loving and faithful pastor who was genuinely interested in the work the Lord had given me to do.

Not since reading Don Carson’s Memoirs of an Ordinary PastorD.A. Carson, Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson. Crossway, 2025. have I encountered a book on ministry that has encouraged me this much. While this book differs from Carson’s in many ways, the two books share a common thread: they address the wounds, losses, and heavy burdens of pastoral ministry. More specifically, Kiehn addresses challenges related to self-awareness, relational depth, and leadership struggles. He manages to lift readers out of the daily skirmishes of ministry to provide a wider and clearer view of the battlefield. In addition, Pulling the Thread is brimming with good diagnostic questions.

How’s Your Soul?The first three chapters alone are worth the price of the book. They prompt pastors to reflect on past wounds, unhealthy habits, family dynamics, and sinful motives in ministry. In the process, these chapters promote growth in self-awareness by gently uncovering blind spots. And yet, rather than leaving pastors feeling condemned, Kiehn guides pastors toward biblically faithful solutions.

How Are Your Relationships Going?The book is uniquely about relationships and their role in pastoral leadership. These relationships begin with our communion with God, which then flows into our families and friendships, and from there into our wider ministry at the church. Pulling the Thread shows how the pastor’s presence with his people is needed for his connection and credibility with them.

As pastors, the way we approach relationships directly impacts how we preach and minister. People can sense our affection for them, and they can also sense when we view them simply as projects to complete. Kiehn summons us to model Christ’s gracious heart for sinners and to reflect on how our relational practices affect the congregation’s spiritual health. Pastors are to be marked by truth, love, patience, friendship, and presence. The role of relationships in revitalization is both convicting and inspiring.

How Are You Thinking Through Current Challenges?Finally, the book helps the reader discern several thorny issues surrounding elders, deacons, and gospel partnerships. These sections encourage pastors not to micromanage but to empower those with whom they serve. They also help the pastor move from fearfulness to bold faith in the way he helps other churches. I found fresh encouragement to rethink how our church develops leaders, cares for the congregation, and collaborates with other churches.

Can We Unpack This Some More?In an age of internet fame, endless scrolling, and YouTube Shorts, we do not need more self-promoting pastors. We need godly, warm, and faithful shepherds. And this book helps pastors to be both convictional and cheerful.

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Abstract: Dave Kiehn traces the pattern of unfaithful fathers throughout the Old Testament, highlighting various features of these men, including passivity, indulgence, partiality, worldliness, distraction, insecurity, compromise, and shortsightedness. These negative examples serve not only as warnings but also to remind us of our insufficiency and need for God’s grace. Through faith in Christ, Christians have a heavenly Father who is perfect and good in all that he does.

Scripture does not flatter fathers. Instead, it exposes their failures. Again and again, the Bible places before us men who were chosen by God, used by God, even praised by God, yet who failed grievously in their homes. These stories are written, as the apostle Paul reminds us, “for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11).

This instruction is weighty, especially for pastors because their responsibilities as fathers are not an entirely private matter. God ties the credibility of spiritual leadership to the management of the household. “If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” (1 Tim. 3:5). The home is the proving ground of pastoral faithfulness, not a footnote to it.

In an age when ministerial success is often measured by visibility, growth, or influence, Scripture insists on a different metric: nothing less than faithfulness in the ordinary, hidden work of shepherding one’s own children. The Bible’s repeated pattern of terrible fathers serves as a warning flare, highlighting the dangerous ways men drift from faithful leadership. Pastors often drift from a godly example through silence, indulgence, compromise, or neglect.

What follows is not an exhaustive catalogue of bad fathers, but a set of recurring biblical patterns we see in them. These patterns surface across generations and contexts, and they remain painfully relevant for pastors today. By attending to them carefully, shepherds may learn not only how to avoid ruin, but how to lead with humility, clarity, and gospel hope.

Passive Fathers: Adam and the Sin of SilenceThe first father in Scripture sets the pattern for many who follow. Adam’s failure in the garden was not merely disobedience; it was disobedience by the abdication of duty. Genesis 3 presents Adam as standing with Eve as the serpent questions God’s Word. Adam hears the distortion. He sees the temptation unfold. And he says nothing.

Adam’s silence was not neutral. It was sinful. Adam had been charged to guard his bride Eve, along with the garden, and lead her in keeping God’s command. Instead, he withdrew and left her vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. When sin entered the world, it did not come through brute force, but through unresisted lies. Adam’s passivity left the door open for sin to come through and take up residency inside.

Paul interprets the fall through Adam’s failure of headship. Sin and death entered through one man, not because Eve sinned first, but because Adam failed to act as covenant head (Rom. 5:12–19). His silence proved catastrophic.

For pastors, this pattern should feel uncomfortably familiar. Passivity often disguises itself as peacekeeping or patience. But refusing to lead is a kind of leadership all on its own: one that points downward. Fathers who avoid instruction, correction, and spiritual initiative train their children to drift from, rather than stand on, the Rock.

In the church, passive leadership produces passive disciples. When pastors hesitate to speak clearly on sin, the congregation learns that God’s Word is optional. When fathers remain spiritually silent at home, children learn that faith belongs at church but not at the dinner table. Silence does not protect anyone. Adam’s story warns pastors that leadership withheld is leadership failed.

Indulgent Fathers: Eli and the Refusal to RestrainEli knew his sons were corrupt. Scripture tells us plainly that Hophni and Phinehas abused their priestly office, exploited worshipers, and treated the Lord’s offering with contempt (1 Sam. 2:12–17). Sure, Eli rebuked them verbally. But he never restrained them—seemingly because Eli was complicit in their sin of indulgence. God said to Eli: “Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?” (1 Sam. 2:29)

God’s indictment against Eli for these things is chilling: “I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever . . . because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them” (1 Sam. 3:13). Eli honored his sons above the Lord, not by explicit preference but by inaction.

This pattern appears whenever fathers mistake affection for love. Eli loved his sons, but he loved them wrongly. He feared relational fallout more than divine judgment. He preferred short-term peace to long-term faithfulness.

Pastors today face this same temptation. Discipline is costly. Confrontation strains relationships. Correction risks misunderstanding. Yet Scripture is clear: love without discipline is not love at all. Refusing to restrain sin participates in it. “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (Jas. 4:17).

In the home, indulgent fathers raise children who believe boundaries are negotiable. In the church, indulgent pastors preside over congregations that drift into disorder and doctrinal confusion. God does not judge Eli for his sons’ sins alone, but for his failure to act as a father. Shepherds must remember that holiness preserved today prevents devastation tomorrow, both in the home and the church.

Partial Fathers: Isaac and JacobFew sins fracture families as quietly and persistently as favoritism. Isaac favored Esau. Jacob favored Joseph. In both cases, the result was division, deceit, and deep resentment. Isaac’s favoritism was rooted in appetite. “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Gen. 25:28). Their divided affection poisoned the household.

Jacob, shaped by this environment, repeated the pattern. He clothed Joseph with a special robe and openly preferred him above his brothers (Gen. 37:3–4). The result was predictable. Jealousy festered. Hatred grew. Betrayal followed.

Favoritism teaches children that love must be competed for—to the victor go the spoils. It creates winners and losers within the same household. And it distorts the character of God, who shows no partiality.

Pastors are not immune. Favoritism may appear in subtler forms, such as unequal attention, disproportionate praise, or emotional investment in one child over another. In the church, it surfaces when leaders privilege certain families, donors, or personalities.

Partiality undermines trust. It trains people to perform rather than rest in grace. Faithful fathers and pastors must reflect the impartial love of God, who shows kindness freely and consistently.

Compromised Fathers: Lot and Worldly ProximityLot’s story is a warning about the slow danger of compromise. He did not wake up one day intending to lose his family. He simply chose what looked advantageous. He lifted his eyes, saw the fertile plains, and pitched his tent near Sodom (Gen. 13:10–12).

Proximity eventually became participation, and participation became normalization. By Genesis 19, Lot lived inside the city gates. His family had absorbed Sodom’s values. His sons-in-law dismissed a divine warning as a joke. His wife looked back, rejecting the words of the angel. His daughters carried Sodom’s ways with them even after their escape.

Lot’s compromise did not stay personal. It shaped his household. Fathers teach by what they tolerate. Children learn not only from instruction, but from what their parents move toward, excuse, or ignore.

Pastors face constant pressure to soften convictions for the sake of relevance or comfort. Yet holiness erodes slowly, not suddenly. When leaders normalize worldliness, they catechize their children and congregations in compromise. The church does not need fathers who withdraw from the world, but fathers who resist being shaped by it.

Distracted Fathers: Samuel and Neglect Through BusynessSamuel stands as a sobering reminder that public faithfulness does not guarantee private attentiveness. Scripture gives no indication that Samuel was morally corrupt or doctrinally compromised. He was a faithful prophet. Yet his sons “did not walk in his ways” and instead pursued dishonest gain (1 Sam. 8:3).

The text suggests neglect. “[Samuel] went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there” (1 Sam. 7:16–17). His public calling eclipsed his private ministry of discipling those in his own home. The result was devastating, not only for his family but for Israel, which demanded a king in response to his sons’ failure.

Pastors are especially vulnerable here. Ministry creates endless demands. Sermons must be prepared. Crises must be managed. People must be shepherded. Yet no amount of public ministry compensates for neglected fatherhood.

Paul’s qualification for elders assumes that the home reveals the man. The church should not celebrate gifted leaders who neglect their children. Faithfulness is either holistic or it is hollow.

Insecure Fathers: Saul and Controlling by FearSaul ruled by fear rather than faith. His leadership was marked by insecurity, jealousy, and suspicion. When David’s success threatened Saul’s status, Saul turned not only against David but also against his own son, Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:30–33).

Control became Saul’s strategy for survival. Loyalty was demanded, not cultivated. Obedience was coerced, not inspired. His home mirrored his reign: volatile, fearful, and fractured. Control is a counterfeit for godly authority. It arises not from strength but from insecurity. Fathers who rule through intimidation may achieve compliance, but they destroy trust.

In the church, authoritarian leadership often masquerades as decisiveness. But fear-driven leadership produces shallow unity and quiet resentment. Gospel authority operates differently. It persuades, shepherds, and serves. Fathers and pastors must lead from confidence in God’s sovereignty, not anxiety over their position or their desire for respect.

Ashamed Fathers: David and the Silence of Moral CompromiseDavid’s failure as a father was especially tragic because of his strengths. He was courageous, compassionate, and deeply devoted to the Lord. Yet his moral collapse with Bathsheba crippled his leadership at home.

When Amnon assaulted Tamar, David was angry but silent. When Absalom murdered Amnon, David failed to act. When Absalom rebelled, the kingdom bled. David’s passivity compounded his earlier sin. Guilt erodes courage. Unconfessed sin weakens discipline. David’s household disintegrated not because he lacked affection but because he lacked godly resolve.

Pastors must take this warning seriously. Moral failure does not remain in the shadows. It echoes off the walls of homes, destroying families and churches. Only true repentance restores fellowship with God and can heal cracked foundations.

Shortsighted Fathers: Hezekiah and Indifference to the FutureHezekiah’s failure was subtle. After showing Babylonian envoys of his wealth, he received word that future generations would suffer because of his pride. His response is startling: “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (2 Kgs. 20:19). This is the sin of shortsightedness. Hezekiah accepted delayed judgment with indifference because he prioritized immediate comfort over generational faithfulness. He didn’t care that his children and their children would be left paying the bill so long as he wasn’t responsible for it.

Pastors must think beyond their own tenure. Churches are normally not built for one generation alone but entrusted to generations to come. Fathers who measure success by present stability often neglect long-term spiritual health and eternal reward. Faithful leadership asks not only, “Is there peace now?” but “What peace will this produce in the future?”

Why Scripture Shows Us Terrible FathersThe point of these warnings is not condemnation, but renewed faithfulness. Every flawed example leaves us more aware of our own need for God’s help. God reveals the insufficiency of human leadership so that his people will long for his perfect fatherhood. Human fathers fail because they are not the perfect Father.

Perhaps as you read through these patterns, you recognize more than history. You may recognize yourself. You see moments of passivity, seasons of indulgence, compromises you justified, conversations you avoided, or absence at home. Scripture does not expose these failures to crush you, but to call you out of hiding. The gospel invites honesty. God already knows where you have failed as a father. He is not surprised by your weakness, your fear, or your regret. What he requires is not self-defense but humble repentance. The same Word that names your sin also invites you to bring it into the light, where grace does its restoring work.

The good news for terrible fathers is not that the past can be undone, but that it can be redeemed. Jesus Christ came as the faithful Son who perfectly revealed the Father whom we have failed to reflect. He bore the guilt of our passivity, our anger, our neglect, and our pride. At the cross, the Father did not overlook sin; he judged it fully in his Son. And in the resurrection, God declared that forgiveness is real, cleansing is complete, and renewed obedience is possible.

Brother pastor, confess your sin. Turn from it. Ask for forgiveness where it is needed. Then, walk forward in faithfulness, trusting that God delights to restore broken fathers and families. He will use repentance as the instrument of lasting change in your children’s lives.

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Abstract: John Lee encourages single pastors to embrace their limits by being intentional about guarding their times of rest and by cultivating relationships in the church that can provide them with counsel and advice. Since single pastors don’t have some of the built-in guardrails against burnout, like regular interaction with their wife and kids, they must be intentional about letting other brothers and sisters in Christ speak into their life. Lee, a single pastor himself, acknowledges that despite the unique opportunities single pastors have to devote themselves to ministry concerns, they are still in need of rest and refreshment.

After a year and a half of sprinting in my first pastorate, I felt drained.

For a while, I thought that was totally fine. Ministry is supposed to be hard, right? And as a single man, there was nothing stopping me from leveraging my singleness to serve others. To be clear, I do think the undivided devotion Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 7 enables me to flex and focus in special ways. But an undivided devotion is not an unlimited one.

As the fog of exhaustion encumbered my soul, I found it difficult to focus on my work and my flock. My attempt to run harder had me running on fumes. Being a single man didn’t change the fact that I am just a man.

Advice to singles often swings from exhortations to productivity (“you’ll never have this much free time in your life again!”) to sympathy (“trust God to help you through this season”). But what isn’t talked about as often is the need for single pastors to rest. This can be more difficult than you think.

Limited EnergyGetting a smartwatch was a rude awakening. Mine tracks my sleeping, and I had told people that I was usually in bed by 11 p.m. and awake around 6 a.m. But my watch told a different story. The amount of time I was actually sleeping instead of doomscrolling or watching videos was around five to six hours.

My exhaustion had less to do with my day-to-day ministry load and more with my restlessness. You might say my “rest” wasn’t actually that restful. And by neglecting my rest, I was, in a sense, neglecting my work. Now I’m not saying there aren’t times where we have to embrace the long hours and chaos of ministry to address the needs of our people. But if that becomes our default rhythm, it’s possible that the primary cause of our fatigue isn’t the church’s problems but our own priorities. Like Martha, we may be “worried and upset about many things” (Luke 10:41) while neglecting the most important things.

This means we have a responsibility to guard the things that give us rest. Whether it’s our sleep, our private devotional life, or our days off, these gifts from the Lord are designed to refresh us and recharge us for the work we’ve been called to. It is not inherently selfish or lazy to take deliberate periods of rest.

Limited PerspectiveAs with many things in the Christian life, the need for rest wasn’t anything that I didn’t know already. I’ve heard countless warnings and exhortations about it. But I lacked the perspective to see the long-term effects of my being constantly on the go.

Of course, this is a danger for all pastors, but single pastors face a unique challenge. Having a family can be like a mirror to a pastor’s soul as it allows you to see the effects of your work on your spouse and kids. But without those guardrails, we may be heading toward burnout with very little warning.

Those risks are compounded with the inner anxiety of feeling like we’re not doing enough. There’s always more to do—more calls to make, more books to read, more lessons to prepare, etc. A savior complex without intervention is a lethal combination.

That’s why we need thoughtful brothers and sisters who can give us honest feedback. That is, we need a spiritual family. And this is precisely what God has given us in the church. 1 Timothy 5:1–2 exhorts us to treat older men as fathers, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters.

Who knows you well enough to know your limits? Who has permission to look at your schedule and your life and ask honest questions about how you’re doing?

Honest feedback helps me on two fronts. First, it helps expose areas of idleness. Gentle nudges have propelled me further than I would have gone on my own. Second, it helps me see when I need to pull back. And when I do decide to pull back, I can rest assured that it’s not a decision I’ve made in isolation. I’ve received the counsel of wise family members who know and love me.

For many single pastors, getting this kind of feedback will be something we have to intentionally cultivate. Whether it’s inviting our fellow pastors or church members to examine the rhythms of our life or pursuing mentors who can speak into our lives, we need the perspective of others.

Personally, I’ve confessed to church members that I’m close with when I’m lacking in commitment, energy, and encouragement. I’m so grateful that these saints have heard, loved, and prayed for me while pushing me to be more like Christ.

Embrace Your LimitsWhen I asked Vaughn Roberts, himself a single pastor, what advice he’d give other single pastors, he said, “Be willing to tell your friends that you’re lonely.” Years of pastoral ministry had taught him to stop maintaining facades of strength and to embrace his limits.

A few months later, I found myself discouraged and tired, so I texted a few friends and asked for prayer. I also asked if anyone was free for dinner that evening, and an evening of melancholy was prevented by Christian fellowship. I wonder how many assaults from Satan would be thwarted if we were more willing to ask for help.

Embracing our limits isn’t an admission of defeat. It’s a recognition of reality. For it’s in our weakness that God’s power is made perfect (2 Cor. 12:9).

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Abstract: Matt Emadi offers pastors four suggestions for handling ungodly criticism from members in a way that honors Christ and builds up his church. Drawing from Scripture and pastoral experience, Emadi reminds us that pastors should desire the good of those who criticize them, know their people well, learn from criticism, and stay near the cross.

“You speak with the voice of the Serpent.” “You preach the doctrine of demons.” Ouch. These are some of the criticisms I have received over the past twelve years of pastoral ministry. Of course, not all my critics have aligned me with Satanic forces of darkness. Much, if not most, of the criticism has been quite helpful for my growth and sanctification.

Anyone in a public office is going to face some level of criticism, and that includes pastors. Not everyone will agree with our decisions, our exegesis and applications, our actions, or our advice. And at times, our people will let us know why they think we’re wrong. Criticism is inevitable.

In a fallen world, ungodly criticism is also inevitable. Sometimes ungodly criticism will come our way from unregenerate people. I am convinced that the person who told me that I speak with the voice of the Serpent was one of those people. Such criticism from unbelievers is easier to handle. It can even be encouraging. Jesus himself said, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). People who love darkness hate the light (John 3:19–20). Criticism leveled against us from the domain of darkness is often a reminder that we are doing something right.

In this short article, I’m not going to address the ungodly criticism that comes from unbelievers. Instead, my aim is to help us think carefully and biblically about how to handle the ungodly criticism that comes from godly people—that is, fellow saints indwelt by the Spirit and loved by Christ. Such people still sin against each other and, at times, against us.

We should not expect that our people will always package their criticism with encouraging affirmations, deferential language, and balanced nuance. Sometimes they will bite. Sometimes their words will be intended to hurt. Sometimes they will falsely judge our motives. We should be ready for this kind of ungodly criticism lest, on the one hand, we become arrogant, untouchable, angry, and uncorrectable; or, on the other hand, discouraged, defeated, and afraid to lead. We don’t want to find ourselves like Elijah retreating to a “juniper tree” to wallow in self-pity (1 Kgs. 19:4, KJV). We want to receive ungodly criticism with humility, patience, resilience, and wisdom. Toward that end, I have four suggestions.

Genuinely Desire the Edification of the CriticizerGiving criticism is hard. Giving criticism in a mature, reasonable, dispassionate way is even harder. Let’s be honest, most of our members have not thought carefully about what it means to give and receive godly criticism before coming to us with a concern. People often bottle-up their frustrations internally, and when they finally talk about them, their passions get the best of them. Of course, I’m not excusing ungodly behavior. I’m simply making an observation that can help us be more compassionate and less defensive.

Even when we are the object of ungodly criticism, we must desire the spiritual good of the criticizer. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Rom. 15:1–2). He says something similar to Christians in Galatia: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1). These two passages are not addressing the exact same issue, but they both highlight a relevant principle: the “strong” and the “spiritual” should proactively work for the good of the “weak” and those “caught” in sin. A posture of the heart that genuinely desires the good of others is necessary for handling ungodly criticism.

We must also remember that we are under obligation as undershepherds not to please ourselves but to build up God’s people, including the criticizer. In other words, we need humility. Paul exhorted the “spiritual” among the Galatians not to become proud when restoring a brother or sister caught in sin: “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Gal. 6:3). Frustration and resentment grow in the soil of pride. If our hearts are proud, we will seek our own good instead of the good of the criticizer when his or her ungodliness is evident. We should ask ourselves: Do we care more about winning an argument than shepherding this person? Do we care more about justifying ourselves than helping a brother or sister grow in spiritual maturity?

Ungodly criticism often comes from Christians who do not yet exemplify mature Christian virtues, at least not in this particular area. We do believe that sanctification is progressive, after all. Even our harshest critic is loved by the Good Shepherd and has been given the same righteousness that justifies us, which means we need the grace of God as much as they do. Remain humble, then, and remember that the critic is not a hindrance to your ministry—he or she is your ministry. Your job is to work for their good. You and I will need wisdom to know when to push back and when to listen, when to bear patiently and when to confront and correct. But the aim is the same: to build them up in their walk with Christ.

Know Your People WellPeople have different personalities, struggles, weaknesses, hobbyhorses, influences, and interests. Before we let ungodly criticism cripple or calcify us, we should ask questions like: Does this person have a persnickety personality? Does he perceive himself to be the church’s theological watchdog with the spiritual gift of sniffing out heresy? Is she prone to emotional highs and lows? Does he come from an abusive home and have a history of unrighteous anger? Is she hypersensitive because the leaders of her previous church did her great spiritual harm? Is this person a new believer? Do they have a history of assuming motives?

Of course, recognizing the weaknesses or idiosyncrasies of others should not be an excuse to dismiss their criticism as illegitimate (more on this below), but it should help us respond to criticism with appropriate poise, maturity, and compassion. To be clear, we are not people pleasers, so we must not flatter or compromise the truth. However, knowing people well may help us discern whether someone simply needs to be heard or whether their criticism calls for a response. A wise and loving husband will not get drawn into a meaningless argument when he knows his wife has had a hard day. Likewise, a good pastor will not become overly affected by criticism if he knows the criticism is, in part, the fruit of other variables in that person’s life. Sometimes losing an argument is a win, and sometimes winning an argument is a loss.

Learn from the CriticismJust because criticism is given in an ungodly manner or with an ungodly motive doesn’t mean there is no truth in it. Pastors must be open to correction. We need the help of God’s Spirit to cultivate humility so that we do not think more highly of ourselves than we ought (Rom. 12:3). Like all members, we have our own idiosyncrasies, weaknesses, and blind spots. God may use clunky, and even ungodly, criticism to edify us.

The book of Proverbs reminds us repeatedly that the wise man learns from reproof, but fools despise correction:

• Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Prov. 12:1)
• The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Prov. 12:15)
• The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. (Prov. 15:31)
• Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. (Prov. 25:12)

A wise pastor will not swiftly dismiss criticism because of the way it was packaged. Instead, he will give due consideration to the substance of the critique.

Brothers, let us not reject rubies because they are wrapped in toilet paper! Maybe God is using the exegetical watchdog in your church to keep you theologically precise. Maybe God is using the hypersensitive saint to help you grow in patience and gentleness. Maybe the church member wrongly impugned your motives, but did the critique reveal a weakness in your leadership? Next time you get criticized, even in an ungodly manner, ask yourself if the substance of the criticism is true or if there is something you need to learn from it. A plurality of elders is useful here, as faithful, mature brothers can help us discern if the criticism is justified or unfounded.

Stay Near the Cross In his excellent article, “The Cross and Criticism,”Alfred J. Poirier, “The Cross and Criticism,” The Gospel Coalition, July 28, 2019, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/cross-criticism/. Alfred Poirier reminds us that the key to handling all types of criticism is “understanding, believing, and affirming all God says about us in the cross of Christ.” The cross simultaneously declares the heinousness of our sin and the reality of our forgiveness and justification in Christ. The cross has “criticized” us and “judged” us “more intensely, deeply, pervasively, and truly than anyone else ever could,” and yet the cross is also the rock-solid assurance of God’s love for us and the basis of our justification (Rom. 3:23–26). By understanding the meaning of the cross, we can rightly say with Poirier: “I do not fear man’s criticism, for I have already agreed with God’s criticism. And I do not look ultimately for man’s approval, for I have gained by grace God’s approval.”Ibid. Meditating regularly on the gospel will prepare us to handle ungodly criticism without sniveling or sneering, but instead with humility, patience, resilience, and wisdom. In fact, how we respond to ungodly criticism might prove to be one of our most profound opportunities to emulate the love of Christ. For “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Christ reconciled us to God even while we were enemies (Rom. 5:10). We can work for the good of our criticizers because Jesus cared about the ultimate good of his crucifiers, and that includes you and me.

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Abstract: Samuel Parkison and Ryan Currie review Paul Sloan’s Jesus and the Law of Moses, a book arguing that central to Christ’s ministry in the Synoptic Gospels is his role as the eschatological Messiah who comes to bring about the restoration of Israel. While Parkison and Currie acknowledge some strengths of the book, they offer some significant critiques of Sloan’s work, particularly in regard to: his representation of the gospel-law distinction in the Reformed tradition; the implications of his views for Christology; the claim that Jesus expects Jewish believers to continue keeping the law as an expression of allegiance to him; and the question of whether Jesus’s death should be viewed as an atoning sacrifice. Sloan’s claims about Jesus and the law misunderstand the Bible’s teaching about the newness of the New Covenant and the way in which Christ fulfills the Old Testament.

Paul T. Sloan, Jesus and the Law of Moses: The Gospels and the Restoration of Israel within First-Century Judaism. Baker Academic, 2025. 288 pages.

Scholars hope their work will receive a wide readership and have an impact on the status quo, but it’s often difficult to tell which works will make a splash. One recent work that fits that description is Paul T. Sloan’s Jesus and the Law of Moses: The Gospels and the Restoration of Israel Within First-Century Judaism (Baker Academic, 2025).

On one level, it is not difficult to understand why many have received Sloan’s work so warmly. Rather than boring and stilted academic writing, Sloan offers lucid prose with humor and personality. You almost want him to be right. The book breathes with eloquence and ease.

But Sloan’s strengths are not merely stylistic. He holds up Jesus as the interpreter of the Mosaic law and the one who restored Israel from exile. In the process, he provides insight after insight into Jesus’s handling of the law. However, the insights and eloquence are mixed with serious errors. Sloan’s analysis is problematic in its presentation of the law-gospel distinction, in its Christology, in its insistence on continued law-keeping for Jews, and in its denial of Christ’s death as a sacrifice of atonement. We will consider each of these shortcomings, but first we’ll highlight some of the book’s strengths.

Strengths of the BookSloan’s thesis is that central to Christ’s ministry in the Synoptic Gospels is his role as the eschatological Messiah who comes to bring about the restoration of Israel. Christ is an authoritative interpreter of the law who adjudicates debates on how to apply the law’s ordinances in light of the eschatological Jubilee (see Lev. 25) he brings in with Israel’s restoration. If Sloan is right, then some of the more popular presentations of Jesus’s disputes with the Pharisees are misleading. Sloan takes umbrage, for instance, with the notion that Jesus’s criticism of the Pharisees is something like, The Pharisees love the law too much. Rather than minimizing or disparaging the law, Sloan insists that Jesus is often correcting the Pharisees’ misinterpretation of the law (whether that’s because they fail to recognize who he is, or because they fail to recognize the eschatological significance of his coming).

In other words, many of the showdowns between Jesus and the Pharisees are not debates between those who love the law too much (the Pharisees) and someone who loves God more (Jesus); rather, they are intramural debates between those who love the law yet disagree on how to interpret and apply it. According to Sloan, Christ’s main criticism of the Pharisees is not that they idolized the law but that they didn’t know “what time it was” and therefore didn’t interpret the law rightly. The eschatological restoration of Israel was upon them, but they were seeking to apply the law in ordinary times. Sloan writes, “It seems that Jesus treats the Sabbath as a microcosm of the Jubilee he heralds, and thus he claims that it is not just permissible but necessary that on the Sabbath he do what the Sabbath qua Jubilee requires” (131). What Sabbath and Jubilee require is the release of bondage from the domain of Satan and death. This is why, as Sloan convincingly demonstrates, Christ’s healings all correspond to the reversal of Levitical curses.

Some of Sloan’s best moments are nestled in this demonstration of Jesus as the divinely authorized teacher and interpreter of the law. This is seen especially in his treatment of the “permitted profanations” of the law, as when his disciples plucked heads of grain on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1–8). Jesus’s actions have precedence: “David and the priests have ‘violated’ the law, but they show that in some cases violations are permitted” (159). Just as David and the priests may profane the Sabbath or violate the law because of a greater or situation-specific command, so also Jesus’s “mission takes precedence over otherwise good rituals and commandments” (149). Sloan goes on to argue that Jesus’s work is “commissioned and that such a commissioning is at least on par with the temple” (138). The “something greater than the temple” (Matt. 12:6) does not refer specifically to Jesus himself but to Jesus and the disciples’ mission.

The strength of Sloan’s argument comes with a necessary caveat. It is not simply that Jesus’s commissioning is on par with the temple and parallel with David’s, or the priests’, commissioning, as Sloan emphasizes; Jesus is also Lord of the Sabbath and the fulfillment of the temple. He is inaugurating a new eschatological reality and era in the New Covenant, which the law pointed to all along. Sloan agrees. However, he goes on to argue that Jesus, as Lord of the law, reestablishes the law and restores God’s people to a form of law observance. And this brings us to a few serious criticisms of Sloan’s work.

The Law-Gospel Distinction MisrepresentedOur first objection, though by no means the most significant, is that Sloan sets up a false foil when he contrasts his approach with the law-gospel distinction articulated in the Reformed tradition. The kind of false contrast described above—between a laid-back Jesus and the uptight Pharisees—may be more common at a popular level (or for certain strains in the Reformed tradition), but it does not characterize the best articulations of the law-gospel distinction. Yet Sloan uses these crude portrayals as his foil to dismiss the notion that Jesus dealt with legalism in his ministry.

But the law-gospel distinction has never been about maligning or rejecting the law. What the Reformers rejected—following Paul and Jesus, they believed—was not the law per se, but rather the attempt to establish one’s righteousness by adhering to the law. The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith is representative of this Reformed approach to the law:

Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof.The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), 19.6

The law reveals and condemns sin, but it also instructs people in righteousness. The law is not powerless, then, but it is completely powerless to justify (e.g., Gal. 2:16).

So while some mistakenly call a high view of the law “legalism,” and while this so-called form of “legalism” is by no means in Christ’s rhetorical crosshairs in the Synoptic Gospels, this does not mean that Christ never challenges a form of legalism in the Synoptic Gospels. It is difficult to imagine, for example, how the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:9–14 (which receives only a footnote on page 31) can be read as anything but an indictment against legalism: “He told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous” (Luke 18:9). Mark 2:17 is also relevant here, where Christ offers a summary of his entire ministry: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” This cannot mean that Jesus thinks there are some who are truly righteous and therefore not in need of him. Rather, he’s referring to those who think they’re righteous and will thus be deaf to his message. Jesus is saying that he came to call those who know that they lack righteousness. Again, claiming a righteousness before God based on personal adherence to the law may not be at the heart of every dispute, but this misuse of the law wasn’t altogether absent during Jesus’s ministry either.This mischaracterization of the law-gospel distinction is not unique to Sloan, particularly when it comes to scholars who work in the area of “Biblical Studies.”

If Jesus and the Law of Moses had simply stopped here—with a modest recalibration of how to understand Christ’s disputes with the Pharisees, along with a couple shots below the belt at traditional Reformed theology—there would only be little to complain about. But Sloan is far more ambitious in his proposed “recalibrations,” and herein lies our main concern with this book.

Diminished ChristologyOne of the consequences of Sloan’s recalibration of Christ’s role and his relationship to the law is that it leaves him with a rather diminished Christology. Christ seems to be reduced to little more than an authoritative interpreter of the law. And while this may in part address his prophetic office, one is left with the impression that his priestly and kingly offices find little purchase in the Synoptic Gospels (e.g., the typical proof texts for Christ’s kingly and priestly offices, as well as his divine authority as “God from God,” are used by Sloan to bolster his thesis about Christ’s role as the eschatological Messiah).

Even more pointedly, Christ’s obedience to the law does not appear to be, for Sloan, vicarious in any way. When Christ “fulfills” the law, he is merely “upholding” the right standard—a standard he expects his people to live up to for themselves. There is no category in Sloan’s proposal for something like Christ’s passive obedience, that is, his entire life of suffering that culminated in his death, which renders his people “not guilty” on account of his propitiation, or atoning sacrifice. Nor do we hear of Christ’s active obedience—his fulfillment of God’s law, which renders his people “righteous.” For example, Sloan writes, “Jesus’s point in Matt. 5:17, then, seems to be that he came to do what the Law and the Prophets require, and such commandments perdure at least until ‘all is accomplished’ (5:18)” (81). Christ, apparently, does not meet the standards of the law on behalf of his people so much as he upholds and clarifies those standards for them to then meet on their own. He, in this sense, accomplishes little more than emboldening them to do better.

Even the death of Christ, for Sloan, is not vicarious in the strict sense:

Knowing his fate, Jesus goes to the cross willingly, interpreting his death as an endurance of the covenant discipline through which it will be exhausted for those who repent and follow Jesus’s instruction. Through his resurrection, the restoration is inaugurated, and (now summarizing just Matthew and Luke) having received authority from his heavenly Father, Jesus commissions his disciples to spread this news to the rest of Israel and the nations, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20; cp. Luke 24:46–47). (75)

By “repent and follow Jesus’s instructions,” Sloan seems to mean something along the lines of “live in keeping with the Law as Jesus teaches it” (79, 209). In other words, continued law-keeping and observance is, for Sloan, an essential component of the repentance upon which Christ’s death as “covenant discipline” is predicated.

Law-Keeping and Dividing the People of GodAnd this raises a fundamental problem with Sloan’s argument. Sloan’s proposal is that Christ’s work of restoration in the New Covenant effectively reaffirms the law. In this, Sloan follows the approach of E.P. Sanders, who held that Second Temple Judaism was not legalistic but rather a grace-based religion. Many of the assumptions of Sloan’s work are indebted to Sanders’s covenantal nomism.E.P. Sanders used the phrase “covenantal nomism” to characterize Israel’s perceived relationship to the law during Second Temple Judaism. According to Sanders, God had graciously brought Israel into a covenant relationship. Keeping the law, then, was not a way of getting into the covenant but rather the way Israel was expected to maintain, or stay in, this covenant relationship. The Pharisees, contrary to popular opinion, were not legalists but too lenient in their grace-based approach. For instance, Sloan critiques N.T. Wright, who said, “Jesus was replacing adherence or allegiance to Temple and Torah with allegiance to himself. Restoration and purity were to be had, not through the usual channels, but through Jesus” (138).N.T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, Christian Origins and the Question of God, Vol. 2 (Fortress, 1996), 274. Sloan responds that Jesus’s debate was not with “the Pharisees over matters of food, purity laws or the Sabbath” or Jewish law observance (171). The issue for the Pharisees is that Jesus made himself “not just the herald, but the executor of the restoration, divinely authorized as the Son of God to teach the law and to serve as Israel’s authoritative prophet endowed with the authority to summon Israel to God through himself” (171). This was a battle over authority, not over perceived threats to the law. In other words, Sloan agrees with Wright on the need for allegiance to Jesus, but he sides with Sanders that this allegiance to Jesus is expressed through continued careful “grace-based” law observance in the New Covenant era.

We believe that this approach to the law misunderstands Jesus’s teaching. Jesus fulfilled the law, and at the same time, he ushered in something completely new in the New Covenant. It is noteworthy that Jesus’s followers were accused of teaching that “Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us” (Acts 6:14). This is a question of authority, but it is more than that. The religious leaders saw Jesus and his work as a threat to their place (temple), cultic institutions, and overall understanding of the law. Jesus was ushering in something new and unprecedented. He inaugurated the time of fulfillment that brought about the end of Mosaic law observance as covenantally binding.

There are endless debates about the law (Titus 3:9), and the debates over discontinuity and continuity will continue. But Sloan’s emphasis on the continuity of the law and the necessity of law observance within the New Covenant era invites misunderstanding that hits close to the very heart of the freedom offered in the gospel. Sloan argues that Jesus requires Jews to continue observing the law as part of the New Covenant (209). Sloan’s emphasis on the necessity of continued law observance even under the New Covenant is a shocking claim.

Sloan’s interpretation leads him to sympathize with the law-keeping demands represented in the Judaizers’ perspective. They claimed, “It is necessary to circumcise them [the Gentiles] and to direct them to keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15:5). Sloan comments sympathetically, “Circumcising them and directing them to observe the law of Moses need not be interpreted as a sign of ill will but can be seen as a desire for their full inclusion: Gentiles are really joining the family, and so they must do all that the family does” (222).

Judaizers argued at least two things: (1) Belief in Jesus includes following the Mosaic law as an essential ground for one’s righteous standing (Acts 15:1); (2) Gentiles must become Jewish in order to be brought into the covenant (Acts 15:5). Unlike the Judaizers, Sloan does not argue that Gentile Christians should observe the law as though they are now Jewish. He also is clear that law-keeping is not required for salvation. However, Sloan does argue that as a result of salvation, Jesus “teaches his fellow Jews to keep all aspects of the Law, from the Ten Commandments and the love of neighbor to the purity regulations and tithing requirements” (215). In other words, Jews are to continue to observe the law.

Sloan also argues that Gentiles should keep aspects of the Levitical laws that apply to them (not circumcision or dietary laws) (230). Of course, the typical interpretation of Christ’s teachings—which Sloan critiques in his work—places significant emphasis on the fact that Christ’s death and resurrection are the means of ushering in the New Covenant and inaugurating a new age. This New Covenant does not push for strict observance of the Mosaic law but rather obedience to the new “law of Christ,” which is the fulfillment of the Mosaic law (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2). Sloan acknowledges this as a potential problem for his suggestion that Christ reestablishes the law in the New Covenant, but he dismisses it (84–85). For our part, we do not believe Sloan’s rebuttal is adequate and maintain that he does not give enough weight to the monumental shift that takes place between Christ’s obedient life and his resurrection.

So, while Sloan’s view is not that of the Judaizers that Paul faced, his argument for continued law observance is subject to some of the same critiques that Paul issues in Galatians and elsewhere. Arguments for continued law observance misunderstand the purpose of the law and its place in redemptive history. Sloan’s thesis misunderstands the time of eschatological freedom of the New Covenant in the gospel. In this new era, to call people to ceremonial law-keeping is akin to submitting again to the “yoke of slavery” and puts one under obligation to keep the whole law (Gal. 5:1–3). Yet Sloan argues that Jewish believers are still called to law observance. They should be circumcised and follow the cultic rituals, Sabbaths, festivals, and dietary laws of the Old Covenant as a part of their New Covenant discipleship. This flies in the face of the New Testament’s consistent argument concerning the fading away of the Old Covenant shadow, which was confirmed in the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

The teaching of the New Testament, especially the books of Galatians and Hebrews, undermines the necessity of continued ceremonial law observance. Hebrews clearly teaches the fading away of the Old Covenant with its laws and institutions as it gave way to the New Covenant. To be clear, Hebrews does not have a negative view of the Old Covenant but instead teaches that it was a temporary, external covenant. In Jesus, the time of reformation has come (Heb. 9:10). The pressing issue in the book of Hebrews is: How do believers (likely Jewish believers in particular) interact with the cultic institutions and liturgy in Jerusalem at this point in redemptive history? The destruction of the temple was a definitive affirmation of the theology of Hebrews. The Old Covenant and its shadows preach Christ, while its rituals and law-keeping are becoming obsolete. This means the Old Covenant “is ready to vanish away” (Heb. 8:13).

Sloan’s approach offers a fundamental misunderstanding of the New Covenant’s newness and binds the conscience of believers (especially Jewish believers) to law-keeping, which has been abolished and is passing away (Eph. 2:15; Heb. 8:13; 9:9–10). It also divides the one people of God, the “one new man,” into two men again (Eph. 2:11–22). Sloan explicitly names this concern and responds by saying that distinctions do not equate to disunity (209–212; 221–231). But Sloan’s vision of the Jew-Gentile relationship is much more than a mere ethnic distinction: it is a fundamentally separate program for obedience. Jews and Gentiles, in Sloan’s argument, are saved through Jesus, but they have fundamentally different ways of pursuing sanctification and holiness. Indeed, some of Israel’s laws—which believing Jews must ostensibly obey today, according to Sloan—were explicitly intended to distinguish them from the Gentiles. How, in such a framework, are Jews and Gentiles to function in a single flock under a single Shepherd (John 10:14–18)?

Sacrifice of Atonement?Sloan’s gospel confusion comes through not only in his emphasis on law observance but is especially seen in his understanding of the cross. He argues that “Jesus’s blood shedding is not presented as an atoning sacrifice in the ‘technical’ sense” (201). What he means is that Jesus’s death does not meet the stipulations set up in the law. Therefore, it is not technically a sacrifice: “Clinging to the metaphorical domain of ‘atoning sacrifice’ to interpret Jesus’s death in the Synoptic Gospels signals a misrepresentation of both sacrifice and Jesus’s death” (203). We, for our part, will indeed cling to this “atoning sacrifice” language. But we don’t do this as though the sacrifice of Christ were operating in a metaphorical domain. Just the opposite: every sacrifice of the Old Covenant was in the metaphorical domain of this more real sacrifice of atonement in the death of Christ.

Sloan’s wording in this section of Jesus and the Law of Moses (200–206) moves beyond the Synoptics’ presentation of the death of Christ to a more categorical theological statement. He is clear in his emphasis that, in the theology of the Synoptics, it is a categorical error to understand Jesus’s death as an atoning sacrifice. Given his more limited focus in this book, it is understandable that Sloan addresses neither Paul nor Hebrews nor John. But is the Synoptic understanding of the death of Christ fundamentally at odds with the rest of the New Testament? Are John, Paul, and the author of Hebrews guilty of “misrepresentation of both sacrifice and Jesus’s death” when they present Jesus’s death as an atoning sacrifice? The rest of the New Testament is also engaged in the same work Sloan gives himself to in Jesus and the Law of Moses: interpreting the work of Christ—including his life and death and resurrection—in light of the law of Moses.

But it’s not only John, Hebrews, and Paul that present Jesus’s sacrifice as an atonement; the Synoptics do as well. In fact, Jesus’s death is understood as a sacrifice of atonement in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.For example, see David Garland, A Theology of Mark’s Gospel (Zondervan Academic, 2015), 472–506. Isaiah’s second exodus theme and his prophecy of a Suffering Servant could be called the theological foundation of these Gospels. Isaiah 53 is alluded to in Mark 10:45 (including the idea of exchange, Isaiah 53:10–12; see also Matt. 20:28) and Mark 14:61 (“like a lamb. . .silent,” Isaiah 53:7), and it is (explicitly) quoted in Luke 22:37 (“he was numbered with the transgressors,” Isaiah 53:12). The Synoptics describe Jesus’s sacrifice of atonement in the framework of the Suffering Servant and thus invite further theological reflection and articulation, which is provided in the rest of the New Testament.

Similarly, Sloan draws a sharp contrast between Christ’s death as “the blood of the covenant” and his death as “atoning sacrifice” with an extended reflection on Exodus 24 and 29 (200–201). But we find this sharp bifurcation befuddling. Why must we choose between Christ’s death as either a sacrifice or an atonement or an enactment of a covenant? Why can’t the blood shed in Exodus 12 (Passover), Exodus 24 (the confirmation of the Old Covenant), and Exodus 29 (the consecration of the priests), together with the blood shed in Leviticus 16 (the Day of Atonement) all point forward to the same referent (Christ’s Pascha)? Sloan does not seem to have much of a category for compounding typological fulfillment. To be fair, he might retort: “To identify Jesus’s shed blood with sacrifice . . . fallaciously collapses comparable purposes (forgiveness) into identical means (sacrifice) and mistakenly collapses a bloody execution performed by non-priests in a profane space into sacrifice” (202). But we would simply respond, Take it up with the author of Hebrews, because that is precisely what he does over the course of some six chapters (i.e., Hebrews 4:14–10:18).

To say that Jesus’s death is not a sacrifice of atonement because it is performed in a profane space by non-priests is to require too much of texts that were intended to anticipate a greater reality. In Sloan’s argument, the shadow of the law dictates the way the substance of Christ’s sacrifice must take place. But this gets things backwards. Sloan emphasizes, “The death is nonsacrificial in nature, being a profane execution performed by nonpriests in common space” (206). This is a grievous error and an example of Sloan forcing the Synoptics’ presentation of Christ’s sacrifice to fit into his own theological formulation. Christ’s death is indeed sacrificial in nature. It is a sacrifice pointed to by the law and its prescriptions for sacrifice, but it is also infinitely and qualitatively different. Christ’s sacrificial death is the fulfillment of all other sacrifices. This sacrifice is put forward by God the Father (Rom. 3:25) in the heavenly holy place (Heb. 9:24), and it involves the blood of the Son of God (Heb. 9:12) who offered himself through the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14). It is not sacrificial only if you judge it according to the letter of the Mosaic Law. For the law in its sum and substance bears witness to this sacrifice of Christ.

Not only that, but Matthew’s account of the climactic tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom immediately after the death of Jesus signifies that this sacrifice was infinitely more powerful and effective than any sacrifice ever offered in the temple (Matt. 27:51). The tearing of the curtain shows that the way to God has been opened and that the temple and its laws are no longer necessary. The claim that the death of Christ is nonsacrificial should be rejected outright. Sloan rightly notes that Christ’s blood restores the covenant, but it does so through the unparalleled and climactic sacrifice of atonement.

Conclusions: The Implications of a Paradigm ShiftSloan and others might insist that we are critiquing the author for the book that he should have written rather than the book that he did, in fact, write. The defense may come along these lines: “This is a book about the Synoptic Gospels. To demand that the author wrestle with his thesis’s relevance to John or Paul or Hebrews is unreasonable.” And, to be fair, there is surely room for focusing on one’s area of expertise. But while deciding to focus on the Synoptic Gospels may be well and good, that also means one’s theological conclusions should be as modest as the area of focus is narrow.

The moment one begins to extrapolate the theological consequences of (in this case) Christ’s teaching in the Synoptic Gospels to the whole Christian life—down to the particulars of what Christ’s death does or doesn’t mean, how Jews and Gentiles relate to one another in the church, and what Christ’s death and resurrection mean for the law of Moses—one can rightly be expected to consult the rest of the New Testament. Sloan may object that he hasn’t given himself (in this work) to the tasks of New Testament Theology or Systematic Theology, but that is precisely what he has done when he leaps from modest observations and recalibrations to paradigm-shifting proposals for what constitutes the gospel, the Christian life, and the church.

However much Sloan may wish to stay in the Synoptic-Gospel academic silo, he has placed a high burden on himself with his far-reaching conclusions. He cannot have his “specialized focus on just these three books” cake and eat his “fundamentally paradigm-shifting proposal” too. A thesis like this has to answer questions like, How is the meaning deepened, extended, and further revealed in the broader storyline of God’s redemption in Christ and in other passages? To be sure, Sloan makes a modest attempt at this kind of work (213–230)—but only selectively (for example, he avoids the New Testament examples that present Jesus’s work on the cross as an atonement). Sloan’s argument about continued law observance becomes a hermeneutical principle that requires him to reinterpret the rest of the New Testament. It also assumes a congruity with Pauline theology (231). This hermeneutic is evident in his (unconvincing) reinterpretation of Mark 7:19 and Acts 10 texts that Sloan insists do not set aside dietary restrictions. This also means that he needs to reinterpret Paul in passages like Romans 14 (for example) such that the apostle is addressing something besides Jewish food laws. It is one thing to say that the New Testament permits some ritual law observance in some form in the New Covenant. It is another thing altogether to say that the New Testament requires continued law observance. We suspect that many of Sloan’s interpretations will be sympathetic to E.P. Sanders, as that is the trajectory set in Jesus and the Law of Moses.

On a related note, Sloan may have put himself in the difficult position of leaning over his theological skis. For example, if Jewish followers of Christ are commanded to observe the law, what does this mean in a post-AD 70 situation in which the temple has been destroyed? Does it look like Rabbinic Judaism? Does it look like the way the Israelites were to observe the law in their years of exile? This would seem to be a strange conclusion in light of the fact that Christ, according to Sloan, has come to end exile and inaugurate the eschatological Jubilee. It would be an odd providence indeed if Israel’s “restoration” and the reestablishment of the law looked identical to Israel’s time of exile.

Many more questions could be asked. For instance, if Jews who follow Christ are required to observe the Mosaic law, does this also prohibit intermarriage with Gentiles? Or, again, is it even possible—in this schema—for Jews and Gentiles to be members of the same local church if “Christian obedience” means something altogether different for these two groups? Does the pastor have two sets of exhortations in his sermons: one for the Jew and another for the Gentile?

These kinds of concerns are anything but peripheral. In our judgment, the apparent difficulties they pose to Sloan’s ambitious theological conclusions would be enough to rule it out, even if it didn’t have the logical, theological, and exegetical shortcomings highlighted earlier. For these reasons, we consider Jesus and the Law of Moses to be a book full of many thought-provoking observations, but one that is ultimately undermined by its failure to take its own views to their logical conclusions and deal with their theological and real-life consequences.

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Abstract: Dan Miller helps pastors think through how to serve their wives by setting expectations for that are biblical and realistic when it comes to serving in the church. Pastors need to be clear about what the Bible does (and doesn’t) say about the role of a pastor’s wife, and they need to guard against unhelpful expectations placed on her by the church. Ultimately, pastors and their wives should fix their eyes on eternal realities as they serve the church in this present age.

Shepherding God’s flock is one of the most exhilarating, enriching, and rewarding stewardships a man may undertake on this side of glory. Pastoral ministry is not, however, a safe enterprise. The office exposes a man to an array of enigmatic trials, haunting questions, deep disappointments, searing heartaches, and a daunting cluster of responsibilities essential to the care of souls. In all this, we bear the weight of our accountability to God for the oversight of a flock for which the Good Shepherd laid down his life.

We are not sufficient for such a calling. Thankfully, God is rich in mercy. Thankfully, Jesus has sent the Comforter to aid us in our frailty. And thankfully, for most pastors, God also provides a flesh-and-blood helper—a woman to walk beside us and to bear the burdens of ministry with us.

The pastor’s wife is a rare species with a peculiar calling. She is one flesh with the pastor. If he is worthy of his office, this means she is one flesh with a difficult man. If she is worthy of her calling, this means she has slit the throat of anything akin to a “normal life” on the altar of sacrifice to God. A faithful pastor’s wife seeks no pity in response to the sacrifices she makes. But she is owed the pastoral watch care of her husband as she navigates ministry expectations and determines the shape and scope of her service in the assembly that he shepherds.

How may a pastor love his wife by helping her set life-giving, and not life-draining, expectations for her ministry to God’s people?

1. See Straight on Your Wife’s Biblical Job DescriptionScripture delineates specific qualifications for pastors and details their job description. No such text is found for a pastor’s wife. The implication is that Christ’s expectations of a pastor’s wife are identical to his will for every other woman in the assembly. Like them, she is called to grow in godly living (1 Tim. 2:9–10, 5:9–10), to excel as a faithful mother (Titus 2:3–5, Prov. 31:28), and to prosper as a suitable helper to her husband (Gen. 2:18–19; Prov. 31:28; 1 Tim. 3:4–5). Like them, she is also called to use the unique gifts with which Christ has sovereignly equipped her for the purpose of edifying the blood-bought body she serves as a member (1 Cor. 12:4–7, 18–20; Eph. 4:1–7).

At one end of the scale, Scripture does not assign to your wife the role of lead shepherdess of the women. Nor, at the other extreme, does Scripture position your wife as queen bee whose relationship to you insulates her from sacrificial ministry amidst the lowly worker bees. So, first and foremost, you must align your wife’s ministry with biblical expectations. The next step is to know your wife.

2. Shepherd Your Wife to Minister Within the Sphere of Her GiftingConsider the relationship of your wife’s unique gifting by the Holy Spirit and the ministry she is presently fulfilling in the assembly. Is she currently weighed down with responsibilities that lie outside the pale of her gifting? If so, improper expectations are likely hindering her from running the race Christ intends for her to run in the service to his body.

If, for instance, your wife mostly dreads teaching the Bible or overseeing women’s ministries yet feels obligated to shoulder these duties, it is your responsibility as her pastor to free her from whatever expectations conscript her to fulfill them. If her gifting is behind-the-scenes service, free her to do that. Do not abandon her to languish under a burden of teaching or administrative oversight simply because someone expects her to serve in those roles. If your wife is not a teacher, not a leader, not a courageous recruiter, it is a mistake to lay such expectations upon her primarily because she is married to you.

In assessing how your wife’s spiritual gifting will best serve the ministry you lead, remember that she is not the previous pastor’s wife. She is not the pastor’s wife of the church in which you were raised. She is who she is by the grace and ordination of the church’s head. Loose her to take on ministry responsibilities that correspond to how the Spirit has equipped her. He did not situate her in the membership of your church haphazardly or mistakenly. He has a purpose for her that he expects her to discover and leverage for his glory and the edification of the covenant community (Eph. 4:15–16).

As you strive to harmonize your wife’s ministry with her spiritual gifting, you may encounter resistance. Your efforts may collide with the expectations that some church members have of her. How can you help her navigate these shoals?

3. Do Not Permit Church Members to Place Ministry Expectations on Your WifeThere are biblical expectations that every member of the church will rightly have for every other member of the church. But some members tend to press unnecessary expectations on pastors’ wives. It is your duty to shield your wife from pressures of this nature.

This caution may apply most directly to younger pastors who take the reins of smaller churches with established ministry patterns. It is common in such settings for an unwritten job description to meet the new pastor’s wife at the door. You must, of course, listen to the wisdom of church members as you seek to understand the assembly’s needs and practices. But it is vital you shield your wife from all ministry expectations that she sees more as pressure to please others and less as an invitation to serve that she truly welcomes. That said, it is also possible for such pressure to be self-imposed, thus a parallel admonition is in order.

4. Do Not Abandon Your Wife to Set Ministry Expectations for HerselfA pastor can passively stand aside, leaving his wife to determine ministry expectations on her own because he is “so busy.” But the Spirit’s call to know and love your wife includes shepherding her toward ministry involvement that interfaces with her gifting and your need for her support as a husband-pastor.

It also involves helping her determine proper load management. She will take on tasks she does not relish, but do not stand in the shadows while she is pressed to serve as a safety net for all manner of duties others care not to assume. It is your responsibility to ensure that the ministries she commits to do not wear her down. Loving her may even involve relieving her of certain responsibilities and shouldering any fallout from church members whose expectations of her are disillusioned.

A sweet spirit and a servant’s heart enable many pastors’ wives to shoulder tremendous pressures with stoic resolve. But it is another matter when pastors’ wives are pressured to perform duties they are ill-equipped to handle, under expectations they could not possibly satisfy. When your wife is weighed down by expectations, the inevitable consequence is deep-seated frustration and spiritual fatigue. These, in turn, invariably diminish her effectiveness as a wife and mother, fueling her sense of inadequacy and failure. It also tends to diminish her husband’s capacities to pastor, which harms the very church she is struggling so hard to serve. Her husband-pastor must protect her from falling into such a downward spiral.

5. As a Couple, Keep Your Eyes Fixed on EternityYour wife’s job? She is a pastor’s wife, nothing more. She is a pastor’s wife, nothing less. As she learns to fulfill her high and noble calling, as she runs her race to enhance her husband’s effectiveness in ministry, as she pours out her life in service to her Lord, she will receive no accolades from the world and few, if any, from believers whose unfounded expectations she disappoints along the way. But as she honors her Maker’s will, faithfully employing her gifts for the advancement of the church for which Jesus died, she will come to sense God’s pleasure.

In the throes of her race, you must both look long. Remember that when she stands in eternity, the one speaking, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” will be no opinionated church member checking off a list of expectations. These priceless words will be spoken by her Lord. His assessment is all that will matter on that day. It is all that matters today. His desire for her is joyful fatigue in ministry, not joyless exhaustion. So lovingly lead her there, and do so with an eye fixed on the day when joyful fatigue will give way to pure joy.

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Abstract: Scott Daniel offers three clarifying questions and some related reflections to help churches evaluate whether a young person is ready to be baptized. This decision ultimately falls to the church, which must consider whether a young person is prepared to follow Jesus, whether they can fulfill the responsibilities of church membership, and whether they would be willing to remove the young person from membership as an act of discipline. It is wise to move slowly when making such decisions.

Have you discovered that it’s often difficult to know when a young person is ready to be baptized and partake of the Lord’s Supper? Granted, there are a variety of factors to consider for each individual, and faithful churches and Christians may disagree on how to approach this question. Regardless, I’d like to propose three questions and some related reflections for your church’s elders to consider as you examine younger baptismal candidates

1. Can This Young Person Count the Cost of a Life of Following Jesus?Jesus makes it clear that before someone makes the public commitment to follow him, that person needs to know and embrace what a life of following Jesus will require from him (Luke 14:25–33). Just think of the temptations you’ve faced as a Christian and to which you’ve had to say no: love of money, sexual sin, idolatry, etc. There’s a cost to a lifetime of saying no to these things.

Remember, Jesus isn’t like the credit card company that sets up shop on a college campus trying to get students to sign on the dotted line without reading the fine print. No, Jesus forces potential converts to stare at the fine print before signing on (Luke 9:57–62)! We tend to think that there’s not much difference between the one who never claimed to follow Jesus and the one who claimed to follow Jesus but then later reneged. But the Lord tells us differently: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (Luke 14:28–30). In other words, don’t start what you can’t finish.

Jesus’s response to the crowds at the end of John 2 is also helpful in this regard, as there were “many” who “believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing” (John 2:23). A huge crowd says they want to follow Jesus! We might be tempted to go ahead and fill the baptismal tank, but Jesus does the opposite: “. . . [he] did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man” (vv. 24–25). Many in the crowd thought they wanted to follow Jesus, but he had reason to doubt that they “counted the cost.” So to return to the original question, Can this young person count the cost of a life of following Jesus?

2. Can This Young Person Fulfill the Responsibilities the New Testament Gives to Church Members?The Lord’s Supper signifies that all the individual partakers are part of one body (1 Cor. 10:17), and being part of his body brings with it certain responsibilities (1 Cor. 12). And, significantly for this conversation, these responsibilities are “one-size-fits-all.” That is to say, these responsibilities pertain to all members. As far as the New Testament is concerned, there’s no “kid’s meal” version of church membership. Therefore, elders should clearly communicate the New Testament’s commands about church membership to all potential members to see if they are willing and able to fulfill these commands.

Some questions to consider: Will this person be able to deliberate over and affirm the decision to remove a fellow member on account of adultery? Less dramatic but more common, Would she be able to point out to a fellow member when she sees a pattern of sin? What about voting to dismiss the long-time pastor because he’s decided to deny justification by faith alone in Christ alone? If someone isn’t ready to carry out these biblically mandated responsibilities, then they’re not yet ready for membership. Can this young person fulfill these kinds of responsibilities?

3. Would (and Should) Our Church Excommunicate a Young Person if Necessary?The worst-case scenario for any church member, regardless of age, is that he or she would fall into unrepentant sin. In such cases, the church must obey Jesus’s instructions for church discipline (Matt. 18:15–20). Thus, in the same way that a medical doctor shouldn’t take on a patient unless he’s willing to give her the news about her cancer, the church shouldn’t take in a member to whom they won’t give the news about her unrepentant sin (see 1 Cor. 5:5). If, out of love, you’re willing to give someone the Supper, then you must be willing, out of love, to withhold it. Ask yourself, Would our church practice church discipline on this particular young person?

Then related to this is a second question: Should our church practice excommunication on this young person? Every culture recognizes that there are certain processes and consequences to which minors shouldn’t be subjected—for the simple reason that they are not yet adults! It’s worth considering, then, whether the instant transformation of this young person’s relationships with the adult Christians in his life should be reserved for a time closer to adulthood (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:9–13; 2 Thes. 3:14).

A Church DecisionNone of the above points would matter much if God had told us that each individual was supposed to be the final authority on their spiritual standing before him. If that were the case, when an elder met with someone for baptism and membership, the only question would be, Do you think you’re ready for this? But this is exactly what John the Baptist doesn’t do when he refuses to baptize the crowds who come out to him (Luke 3:7–17). It’s what Jesus doesn’t do in John 2 when he refuses to entrust himself to the crowd that “believes” in him (John 2:23–25). In short, the decision to publicly recognize someone as a Christian involves more than just that individual and the Lord. Matthew 18:15–20 makes it clear that it takes a church to “bind” and “loose.”

Moving Slow Is Better than Moving FastI’ll close with two reasons why, when it comes to young people, moving slow is better than moving fast. First, there is an explicit warning against someone taking the Lord’s Supper when she shouldn’t (see 1 Cor. 11:29–30). Therefore, we need to be confident that those who come to the table will be able to come in a right manner.

Second, one’s righteous standing before the Lord is in no way based on baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or church membership—much like it isn’t based on any aspect of our obedience (Gal. 2:15–3:14). Our relationship with the Lord is built entirely on God’s saving work in Jesus Christ, which we receive through faith. So when wisdom requires, we can wait on baptizing a young person without fearing that we are putting them in spiritual danger, for we know that it’s God who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

The post Is This Young Person Ready to Be Baptized? Clarifying Questions and Considerations for Churches appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Jeremy Todd reflects on the painful experience of being fired for his preaching, even as he recounts the invaluable lessons the Lord taught him in the process. Pastors should find their identity in Christ, not in a ministry position. And they must not assume that the church understands or agrees with them on important biblical truths. Instead, they must consistently and patiently explain the truth, even as they continue to love the flock.

I will never forget the phone call from the chairman of the search committee informing me that the church had overwhelmingly voted to call me as their next senior pastor. I was excited, and the church was too. The future seemed bright.

Three years later, I received another unforgettable call while on vacation: a significant number of families within the church were demanding my removal.

I am now twelve years removed from the ill-fated business meeting that followed, and I can still recall nearly every detail. The line indelibly engrained into my psyche came from an older gentleman sitting center right, eight rows back, who stood to his feet and exclaimed, “Pastor, I don’t care what that book says, that’s not how we do things here!”

“That book” he referenced was the Bible I held open in my hand. And his declaration, affirmed by many others in the room, instantaneously changed my life forever. The church was more concerned for their traditions than God’s Word preached and practiced. Upon that revelation, I knew my ministry within this church was done.

Scars That Remain In the years since, my wounds have mostly healed, though scars remain. Emotional scars, much like physical scars, have a way of marking us for a lifetime. They become perpetual reminders not only of the pain experienced but also of lessons learned.

The days immediately following a termination or forced resignation are lonely. Feelings of failure, regret, and uncertainty are overwhelming. My pride was shattered, as were “my” plans for life and ministry. The Evil One tempted me to think of my situation as unique, yet sadly I continue to hear from many who share a similar story. Many of us are now brothers initiated into a fraternity we never requested to join.

Like anyone else, pastors can understand being terminated for justifiable reasons. However, when the sheep reject the shepherd for the truths he has taught, the pain goes deep. Initially I felt relief, like a giant weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The secret meetings, back-channel messages, and anonymous letters ceased. Yet, in my grief, I soon had to acknowledge that I lost more than a job; I lost the local church that the Lord had entrusted to my care. Regardless of who was at fault, this realization cut deeply. The body had been severed, leaving wounds that do not quickly heal.

It was difficult to resist the urge to immediately pursue a new pastorate. However, an immediate return to ministry would not have been fair to me, my family, or any future congregation. Instead, I set my pride aside, joined a healthy local church, and took a job outside of pastoral ministry. I decided it would be better to decline preaching opportunities and forego the interview process than to expose my wounds for all to see.

I wrestled with whether the reward was worth the cost, and I often wondered if I would ever return to pastoral ministry. As days turned into months, and months turned into years, I faced the growing possibility that a return to full-time pastoral ministry may not be the Lord’s plan for my life. This realization was devastating.

Finding My Identity in ChristYet, by God’s grace, the Spirit began to open my eyes to the reality that, for far too long, my identity was found in my professional title, not in my being a Christian. Through the sanctifying lessons of this season, Christ convicted me of my sin. I could not faithfully follow him—much less lead others—if my identity as a pastor hindered my ability to trust him as my only hope in life and death. Over time and through many tears, he brought me to the point where I could honestly say that if I never pastored another church or preached another sermon, Christ is enough.

Waiting was difficult, but it was not without purpose. This season provided me the opportunity to experience ministry from a different perspective. I had time to examine the various ways I could, and should, have served the church better. Culpability is rarely one-sided in a broken relationship, and there was much to learn from even my strongest critics. Each of these realizations not only made me a better pastor, but most importantly, a more faithful follower of Christ.

A Question I Had to AnswerIn the days leading up to the ill-fated business meeting, I was tempted to compromise my teaching to keep my position. For the first time in my life, I had to truly grapple with the question of whom I would fear more, God or man. It wasn’t merely a theoretical question, but one that required practical obedience. Would I compromise my teaching and keep my position, or would I stand firm and find myself unemployed?

As I was brought face-to-face with my fears, I not only developed thicker skin, but the Lord also grew in me an unwavering commitment to expositional preaching and deep discipleship.

In hindsight, I wish I had been a better expositor, as well as a more seasoned pastor. The church that forced me out needed both. What I did provide, and for this I have no regrets, was consistent and faithful preaching of the gospel. I strove to make the point of the passage the point of the sermon and to direct my listeners to the hope found in Christ. I was (and still am) committed to the belief that sound doctrine must drive the methodology, missiology, and doxology of the local church. Whether it is how we receive members, how we fence the Lord’s Table, or how we determine which songs to sing, our theology must drive our decision making—not tradition or personal preference. We must preach Christ crucified. We must declare the whole counsel of God. We must care deeply about what “that book” says, because that’s all we have to say.

Lessons LearnedThis painful experience, along with my subsequent years in pastoral ministry, taught me never to assume every member of my church understands these foundational truths in the same way. A shared statement of faith, though extremely helpful, is not a guarantee that your entire congregation will always agree on doctrine, the ordinances, or church membership. Perhaps this assumption proved to be my biggest mistake.

The words we use may not be received or understood as we intend them to be. Therefore, when our members ask questions, we must patiently answer them and slow down if necessary. When doctrine appears to lead to division, hold fast to the truth, but also resist the urge to see congregants as your “adversaries.” God loves them in Jesus and so must you.

Looking to ChristPastors will continue to face unjust criticism, people will reject our teaching, and sometimes those closest to us will betray us. Regardless, we must look to Christ. Jesus, in his suffering, never dismissed his opposition; rather, his love for them compelled him to go to the cross. Oh, may this same love compel us to love those whom he has called us to lead!

James tells us that the testing of our faith “produces steadfastness” and that the full effect of steadfastness is that we might be “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jas. 1:3–4). While I am far from perfect, the lessons learned through my termination did produce in me steadfastness, a steadfastness that continues to have its effect as the Lord reminds me each day that in Christ I have all I need. By God’s grace, I am now able to look back upon this trial with joy. My scars not only serve to remind me of lessons learned, but of the faithfulness of God and the hope I have in Christ.

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Abstract: Sam Koo reviews Vermon Pierre’s Dearly Beloved, a book that emphasizes the analogy of God’s marital love for his people as the kind of love that ought to characterize the love God’s people have for one another. While Pierre helpfully communicates the reality and depth of God’s love, Scripture does not emphasize God’s marital love as the basis for our love for other believers. We need to be reminded of the many ways Scripture speaks of God’s incomparable love without always feeling the need to draw a one-to-one analogy to our own love.

Vermon Pierre, Dearly Beloved: How God’s Love for His Church Deepens Our Love for Each Other. Moody Publishers, 2024. 176 pages.

Jonathan Edwards writes, “Love to God, love to Christ, and love to saints for God and Christ’s sake, and the enjoyment of the fruits of God’s love in holy communion with God, Christ, and holy persons—this is what [Christians] have a relish for; and such is their renewed nature.”

According to Edwards, love to God and Christ marks the Christian’s “renewed nature,” but Christian love is not only vertical. It’s also horizontal, for love is integral to the corporate identity of God’s people. We become children in God’s household by the free and infinite love of the Father given through the Son and applied by the Spirit. Christian community, then, is not ultimately built upon shared affinity but upon the Triune love of God.

As such, Vermon Pierre’s thesis in Dearly Beloved is absolutely right: “If we are united to God most especially in love, so also we are united to one another in love. God’s love for us in Christ is the only force strong enough to bring us together to God. And God’s love in Christ is the only force strong enough to keep us together with God as one community in Christ” (11).

So how does the Bible describe the love of God’s people for one another? After all, if we want our church members to be united in a polarizing world, we need a love that’s both different and compelling.

The Most Powerful Expression of Love According to Pierre, the Bible emphasizes marital love as the kind of love that should be displayed in a local church (12, 14). This is the book’s main thread, and it’s woven throughout. Since God’s love for us is compared to the love of a husband for his wife, we ought to show the same kind of (marital) love to one another in the church. Pierre uses the word “beloved” to describe this marital love of God.

Pierre reminds us that God’s covenant with Israel was sustained by his exclusive love for them, much like a husband’s love for his wife. More importantly, the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus at the cross broadens God’s loving commitment to include the Gentiles. So how does God’s love affect his people—both Jew and Gentile—today? “[God’s] love, and specifically the beloved love of God, unites people to God and unites them to one another. Because we are beloved to God, we become beloved to one another. And as we are beloved to one another, we will be united to one another” (36–37).

After focusing on how we are “beloved” in Part 1, Pierre explores in Part 2 how we are to live “beloved” toward one another in a variety of areas: initiative, words, delight, intimacy, presence, commitment, passion, conflict, and perseverance.

Commendations Pierre makes God’s love for his people come alive. God really loves them, and he’s committed to them despite their wandering and betrayals. And Pierre rightly points out that we ought to love one another despite our differences in personalities, cultures, and backgrounds. As God offers us grace, Pierre encourages us to “jump on the chance to be favorable and do good to each other, knowing such chances steadily chip away at whatever concrete blocks of conflict are dragging down our relationships” (149).

One practical example of how our love for one another should show itself is in the way we speak to one another. “Instead of the trends of harmful, divisive words, we want to speak words that commit us to each other, to nurture and sustain each other. . . . In Jesus, we see people as Jesus does, which leads us to speak to people as Jesus does” (63). We need this exhortation injected into our own churches today.

Cautions Despite the book’s strengths, it seems that Pierre has wrongly emphasized God’s marital love as the primary analogy for our love for one another. The logic of the book goes like this: Christ loves the church like a husband loves his wife. Therefore, we should imitate Christ by showing that same kind of love to fellow church members. We love one another, Pierre says, “not only out of [God’s] familial love; we love one another also out of his spousal, beloved love” (40). This is the “strongest way to love one another” (39).Here is Pierre’s full statement: “To be united together like the Bible calls us to, we must love one another. And the strongest way for us to love one another is to see and treat others as being beloved to us” (39). A couple additional examples of similar statements by Pierre: “The same marital love that bound us to the Lord binds us to one another and fuels our ability to be united together as one people, as His beloved bride” (41); “For long one another, we have available to us, necessary to us, the most passionate, fervent, committed dimension of God’s love–His marital, ‘beloved’ love” (43).

Most Christians would likely agree that marital love best pictures God’s love for the church. But the Bible rarely speaks of our love and unity for one another using the analogy of a marital relationship. Instead, it emphasizes other relational themes, namely, friendship and family. For example, the new covenant love that Jesus establishes and then commands of his disciples is likened to the love that friends have for each other (John 15:12–15). Our Lord himself said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, emphasis added).

The New Testament is also brimming with commands to love one another as brothers and sisters, which is how Paul commonly addresses the readers of his letters (e.g. Rom. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1:10). Herman Bavinck notes that “fraternal love” is the “hallmark and proof that believers are Jesus’s disciples.”Bavinck says that Christians “are bound to each other through intimate love, like children of one family. . . That fraternal love is therefore also the hallmark and proof that believers are Jesus’s disciples. . . . It is proof that we have passed from death into life, obligating us to give our life for the brothers and sisters, a love that is rooted in God’s love for us.” Herman Bavinck, Reformed Ethics, Vol. 2 (Baker Academic: 2021), 447–448.

More broadly, we should be careful about elevating certain analogies of God’s love over others. Nowhere does the Bible teach that God’s spousal love triumphs over his love as a father, a brother, a friend, a Savior, etc. Nor should different pictures of God’s love be pitted against each other. Rather, we should be in awe that God loves—yes, loves—sinners like us and that this love can be expressed in many different ways.

A Word for Pastors Pastors, this is yet another reason to preach from various parts of Scripture, as it allows your members to see God’s love in different ways. Hosea compares God’s love for his covenant people to a faithful husband who compassionately pursues an unfaithful wife. Revelation teaches that God loves his people like a King who defeats evil in order to bring them back into his kingdom. Isaiah displays God’s love as redeeming and holy.

We don’t need to draw a one-to-one comparison between God’s love and ours. After all, we don’t and can’t love others in precisely the same way that Christ loves us. He alone is our Redeemer and King. Instead, we should preach the multi-faceted and incomparable nature of God’s love and then urge people to respond by loving him and loving others.

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Abstract: Kevin McKay points pastors to the reality that suffering in pastoral ministry is often quiet and slow, taking place in small increments rather than in one dramatic act. A pastor’s role and responsibilities make him particularly vulnerable to being underappreciated or even opposed. After McKay identifies the kinds of trials pastors are likely to face, he then offers suggestions for persevering faithfully amid what he refers to as a “slow death.” Ultimately, pastoral suffering is for God’s glory and the eternal good of the pastor and his people.

Following Jesus means suffering, and this is especially the case if you’re a pastor. Satan wages war against Christ’s church, unbelievers slander and persecute the godly, and the godly sin against each other. And the pastor? Well, he is in unique proximity and leading amid all this action. Suffering is part of the job. But pastoral ministry rarely ends in one dramatic act of suffering. Instead, we are faced with the uncomfortable question: are we ready for the quiet, often unseen, and slow death that comes from shepherding the sheep for whom Christ died?

In my experience, the temptation to bail out of ministry hasn’t come from one major trial that seemed impossible to overcome. Instead, it’s been the feeling of death by a thousand cuts that threatens my joy in this work. Are you like me in this, brother pastor? Does the almost imperceptible, unrelenting, and incremental suffering make you wonder, Is this worth it? Wouldn’t a simple nine-to-five job be better?

Trials that Make Up a Slow DeathLet me share just a few examples of the kinds of trials that require long-suffering on the part of shepherds.

A Shepherd’s Kindness May Be Taken for Granted

Sheep can take for granted a shepherd’s patience and grace. It’s the pastor’s job to bear with their faults and sins, even when they sin against him. The pastor knows he must love and forgive, but that responsibility isn’t always acknowledged going the other way. If the shepherd has weaknesses or sins against the sheep, he doesn’t always receive the same grace or forgiveness. Instead, the sheep run away.

A Shepherd’s Commitment May Not Be Reciprocated

The shepherd gives his life for the good of the sheep, but the sheep don’t seem to care. We pour ourselves out all week meeting with people, praying for them, and crafting the best sermon we can for their good. Our families may even have to regularly make sacrifices so that we can serve the church. As a shepherd, you’re always on call. Yet many sheep seem to think that attending church once or twice a month is sufficient. The church simply falls way down on the priority list.

A Shepherd’s Responsibilities May Make Him Susceptible

Sometimes, the closer the sheep are to the shepherd, the more likely the shepherd is to get bitten. That’s how sin and brokenness work; the people who are given the most care and attention often have the strongest complaints. Pastors are pulled away from the study, and from other sheep, to give many hours to the weaker sheep, the ones who feel like you’re not doing enough.

A Shepherd’s Counsel May Be Ignored

Often, sheep don’t let the shepherds care for them. A pastoral meeting can go really well, and you’re encouraged by the initial response. But sheep end up doing what they want to do. In fact, they often only show up to get advice after they’ve reached their own conclusion. You would love to guide them with Scripture, but they’re only coming to you as a formality. They might not admit it or realize it, but many sheep are basically their own shepherd. It leaves you feeling used or useless, and it breaks your heart for them.

A Shepherd’s Oversight May Be Rejected

Sheep often find their own shepherd somewhere else. It’s not really God’s Word they’re wanting to hear. No, they’re looking for confirmation regarding their own decisions or affirmation regarding their own concerns. So rather than listening to you, their pastor, who knows them, sees them, and will give an account to God for them, they turn to the preacher or podcaster online, or someone else with even less credibility, and they turn against you in the process. It grieves us not because our (relative) authority is threatened, but because pastoral care is inherently relational, and we’re the ones who will be held accountable for their souls (Heb. 13:17).

Any pastor could easily come up with additional scenarios because there’s one consistent pain point: you’re committed to the good of the sheep, but they’re often not committed to you. You’ll deal with conflict and stay put. They’ll leave. Of course, that doesn’t mean we never give them reason to leave. We sin against our people in a variety of ways, and some of the cuts we receive come as a consequence of our own mistakes. But by and large, even the most faithful shepherds will bear some scars given to them by those they serve.

How to Die a Slow Death WellIf the pastor is called to lay down his life for the sheep, then scenarios like the ones above cannot be completely avoided. No matter how healthy the church is, all sheep carry the weakness of their own sin; they’re vulnerable to the dangers of this world; and they’re prone both to bite and to wander. How, then, can a pastor die a slow death well?

First, we need to remember whom we’re ultimately serving. If we make our work all about the sheep or all about ourselves, then we’re likely going to be miserable in suffering. But we must remember: we’re under-shepherds of Christ. They’re his sheep. He died for them to bring glory to himself. So he must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30). I have found much peace by simply telling myself, “It’s not about me.”

Second, it’s good to die. It’s part of following Christ. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). In dying for the good of others, God is making me more like his Son. And it’s not in vain, for Jesus goes on to say that those who lose their life for him will ultimately “find it,” and his Father will “reward” them on the last day (vv. 25, 27).

Paul’s letters reveal a pastor who understood Jesus’s words and applied them to the struggles of gospel ministry. Paul likened his ministry to a woman in labor until Christ was formed in the church (Gal. 4:19). And he said what every pastor dying a slow death well can say: “For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. So then, death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Cor. 4:11–12). Likewise, at the end of his ministry, he could say,

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing. (2 Tim. 4:6–8)

Brother, if you feel like your suffering goes unseen by many of your sheep, rest assured that it doesn’t go unnoticed by the Chief Shepherd. If we can die to ourselves for the sake of Christ, even if it’s by a thousand cuts, then we can be sure our life of service was worth it.

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Abstract: Pastor Joshua Chatman outlines four essential responsibilities of pastors based on Scripture’s teaching in passages such as John 21:15–18 and 1 Peter 5:1–3. As shepherds of Christ’s flock, pastors have the privilege and responsibility to lead, feed, protect, and care for the people Christ has put under their oversight.

If you click on a job posting at ziprecruiter.com, you’ll find the job overview, the specific responsibilities, and the required qualifications. This information clarifies what the job entails. But when it comes to the work of a pastor, it’s Scripture that lays out the job.See John 21:15–18; Acts 20:28; Col. 1:28–29; 2 Tim. 4:1–2; 1 Pet. 5:1–3.

If you’re a pastor, your work can be summed up in one biblical word: shepherding (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1–3). And, I would argue, shepherding includes four main responsibilities: leading the flock, feeding the flock, protecting the flock, and caring for the flock. I hope this short article helps you, pastor, to evaluate how you’re doing in each of these areas.

Leading the FlockSheep need shepherds to lead them precisely because they are prone to wander. Pastor, you have the privilege and responsibility to lead the flock (1 Thes. 5:12–13), and the primary way you lead is through the public ministry of the Word. You speak Christ’s words to the flock, guiding and directing them as they follow him. Without your leadership, the church may be ill-equipped to understand and fulfill its mission.

For example, your members may affirm that the church’s mission is to make disciples but remain unsure about how to carry it out. They may reduce the mission to inviting friends to church or doing mercy ministry in their city. But as you patiently and intentionally instruct them through the Word, you can guide and equip them to fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18–20).

Feeding the FlockSheep need to be fed, which is also the pastor’s job (John 21:15–17). The primary way a shepherd feeds is through his teaching and preaching God’s Word. In feeding from God’s Word, God’s people remember and are reinforced in truths such as that they are loved by Christ, forgiven of all their sins, commanded to live according to his precepts, helped by his Spirit to do so, and promised life in the world to come.

Pastors may neglect their duty to feed in at least two ways: by refusing to feed or by replacing the healthy food the sheep need with something that lacks substance. Assuming you’re not outright refusing to feed your flock (which would look like a pastoral strike!), consider the latter kind of neglect.

Substituting Christ with anything—moralism, life-coaching, political agendas—is a failure on the shepherd’s part and detrimental to the flock. It’s worse than giving your children Cheetos and Skittles as their main meal for the day. Your church needs heavenly food. That is, they need Christ himself, the bread of life, who alone nourishes and satisfies the soul (John 6:35). So as you preach and teach Christ from the Scriptures, you invite the flock to feast on him. He is sweeter than honey and more satisfying than a medium-rare steak. Week after week, you have the privilege of helping your church taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8).

Protecting the FlockSheep are defenseless and vulnerable. They are not predators but prey. Therefore, they need shepherds to protect them, particularly when it comes to false teachers who prey on the flock (Acts 20:29; Eph. 4:14). These teachers make lies sound like truth; they make slavery look like freedom; they offer poison as candy. They present the pathway to destruction as if it’s the road to a full life. And your church members are susceptible to these forms of deception.

Christ doesn’t want any of his blood-bought sheep to be deceived or devoured. That’s why your head must remain on a swivel and your shepherd’s staff must remain at hand. Your weapon for protection is Scripture, and the primary way you wield it is through upholding sound doctrine. As you rightly divide the Word, you expose deception, refute heresies, and present the pure gospel. This helps protect the flock from being captured by empty philosophies (Col. 2:8–9).

Caring for the FlockSheep require oversight and care. The Chief Shepherd knows and cares for his flock (John 10:14–15), and he commands you to follow his example (1 Pet. 5:1–3). Do you know your church members’ names? Are you aware of ways to pray for them? Do you have a general sense of how they’re doing, either through personal interactions or through updates from another elder?

Much of your pastoral work is done publicly, but caring for the flock often occurs through personal interactions behind the scenes—after services, in your office, in their homes, or at hospitals. Though less visible, this work is no less valuable. Members of your church are vulnerable to despair, discouragement, and doubts, and you can speak directly to their needs by applying the gospel and strengthening their faith (Acts 20:20; Rom. 15:13). You can also be present to rejoice with them during their happiest moments, like the birth of a child. Or you can be there to mourn with them during their darkest hours, as when they receive a devastating diagnosis or experience the loss of a loved one. Through this kind of pastoral care, weary souls are renewed and the church tangibly experiences the care of the Chief Shepherd.

ConclusionPastors, Christ has called you to devote yourselves to the care of souls, ministering the Word in all your duties.Martin Bucer, Concerning the True Care of Souls, trans. Peter Beale (Banner of Truth, 2009), 33. Your job responsibilities are weighty and worthy of the utmost diligence. On that final day, when Christ the Chief Shepherd evaluates your work, what will he say? By God’s grace, may he commend your faithful labors and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).

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Abstract: Brian Sayers argues that Christians should continue to carry out their family duties toward family members who have been excommunicated. After identifying the biblical aims of church discipline from passages such as Matthew 18:15–20 and 1 Corinthians 5, Sayers explains the relationship between the God-given institutions of family and church. He cites support for his position from the Reformed tradition and then closes by offering practical guidance for Christians seeking to navigate these difficult situations.

How should Christians treat family members who have been excommunicated from their local church? The Bible clearly instructs believers to avoid close fellowship with those under church discipline (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:9–11; Titus 3:10; Rom. 16:17; 2 John 10). However, God has also commanded us to carry out certain responsibilities in our family relationships (Eph. 5:25–33; 6:2), even in relationships with unbelieving family members (1 Pet. 3:1–2; 1 Cor. 7:12–16). These situations can create a tension: How can Christians affirm the church’s decision regarding excommunication while still fulfilling their duties as spouses, parents, or children?

In short, Christians must continue to fulfill their God-given family responsibilities while also honoring (as best as possible) the divinely intended consequences of church discipline. To demonstrate this point, I will briefly summarize the aims of church discipline, examine the nature of the family in comparison to the church, and then provide examples of how this issue has been addressed historically by Reformed churches. I will close by suggesting some practical ways for Christians to fulfill both their family obligations and their responsibilities as church members toward those who are under church discipline.

The Aims of Church DisciplineJesus outlined the process of church discipline in Matthew 18:15–17, and Paul gives similar instructions in 1 Corinthians 5 regarding the church’s responsibility toward an unrepentant member. The church is also called to deal with false teachers in a similar manner (Titus 3:10; Rom. 16:17; 2 John 10).For a brief and helpful treatment of the practice, see “A Step-by-step Primer for Church Discipline,” by Geoff Chang. https://www.9marks.org/article/a-step-by-step-primer-for-church-discipline/. For a more thorough treatment, see Jonathan Leeman, Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (Crossway, 2012). From these passages, we can deduce five aims of church discipline:

1. Declaration: The church declares that the unrepentant sinner is behaving like an unbeliever (Matt. 18:17).

2. Purification: Discipline protects the church from being corrupted by sin, which, as a consequence, protects every member from confusion regarding what behaviors God disapproves of (1 Cor. 5:6–7, 13).

3. Alienation: The sinner is excluded from the fellowship and safety of the church community (1 Cor. 5:11).

4. Rejection: False teachers must be rejected and avoided so that they do not spread error (Titus 3:10; Rom. 16:17; 2 John 10).

5. Motivation: The sinner’s exclusion from the church is intended to lead him to repentance (1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20).

The family members of those under church discipline are called to respect these aims, even as they continue to fulfill their obligations at home.

Family and Church as Separate InstitutionsTo understand why Christians should fulfill family responsibilities toward those who are excommunicated, we need to recognize that the family and the church are separate institutions, each established by God with its own respective purposes and attending duties. The church is a special grace institution comprised only of those whom God has redeemed through faith in Christ. The family, on the other hand, is a common grace institution established before the fall (Gen. 2:18–24), and it is designed to be a source of stability and love for all people. And because the institution of family is rooted in creation and common grace, its duties are not dependent on someone’s spiritual standing before God. Family duties are therefore binding even when a family member has been excommunicated from the church.

Paul uses similar reasoning when addressing marriages between believers and unbelievers. A Christian husband, for example, is not freed from his marital duties if his wife is an unbeliever. Instead, he is to remain married, for his marital duties serve as a sanctifying influence (1 Cor. 7:12–16). By extension, when a spouse is excommunicated, the marriage covenant remains intact. The believing spouse must fulfill his marital responsibilities, even as he acknowledges that the other is living as an unbeliever. Neglecting family responsibilities under the guise of church discipline would undermine God’s common grace design for the family (see also 1 Tim. 5:8). In turn, the church’s disciplinary action does not dissolve relationships or responsibilities within the family.

Historical PerspectivesRecognizing the continuing obligation of family duties in cases of excommunication has been the predominant view in church history, particularly in the Reformed tradition.Some Mennonite traditions from the sixteenth century differed from the predominant Reformed position. For instance, Menno Simons, the founder of the Mennonites, taught his followers that even spouses and children should avoid those who had been excommunicated (this was called “the ban,” or shunning). Even within Mennonite traditions, however, there were more moderate views (like the Waterlander Mennonites) that encouraged marital and family relationships to continue in a normal manner. For a survey of the early representations of this tradition, see Joe L. Coker, “‘Cast Out From Among the Saints’: Church Discipline Among Anabaptists and English Separatists in Holland, 1590-1620,” Reformation 11, 1 (2006). Arguing from the limited grounds for divorce given by Jesus in Matthew 19:9, English separatist John Smyth states simply, “excommunication does not dissolve the [marriage] union.”Ibid., 20. Smyth’s words come from his “Defense of de Ries’s Confession,” cited in James Robert Coggins, John Smyth’s Congregation: English Separatism, Mennonite Influence, and the Elect Nation (Waterloo, Ontario: Herald Press, 1991), 56. If it does not dissolve the union, then it cannot alter marital responsibilities. English Puritan William Ames agrees that avoiding the excommunicated “refers not to moral and other necessary duties.”William Ames, The Marrow of Theology, trans. John Dykstra Eusden, Reprint (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1997), 201. Family duties commanded by God would certainly qualify as moral and necessary. John Owen also clarifies, “No duties arising from or belonging unto any of these [family] relations are released, or the obligation unto them weakened, by excommunication. Husbands may not hereon forsake their wives . . . nor wives their husbands.”John Owen, The Church & The Bible, The Works of John Owen 16 (Edinburgh, Scotland, Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), 180. Likewise, John Gill asserts that “excommunication does not . . . break in upon the natural and civil relations between a man and wife, parents.”John Gill, A Body of Practical Divinity (Christian Classics Ethereal Library, n.d.), 313.
Jonathan Edwards is also clear on this point. “Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 2, 2nd ed (Edinburgh, Scotland, Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1974), 120.” Similar examples could be cited from the nineteenth century.Nineteenth-century American Baptist, Eleazer Savage, advocates excluding and shunning those who have been excommunicated, yet he carefully clarifies that Jesus’s command not to eat with such persons does not “signify the avoidance of common family meals, which might be quite as impossible, in point of fact, as inconsistent with certain scriptural relations and duties.” Eleazer Savage, “Manual of Church Discipline (1863),” in Polity: Biblical Arguments on How to Conduct Church Life, ed. Mark Dever (Washington, D.C.: Center for Church Reform, 2001), 509.

This brief survey represents a historical consensus in Reformed thought: family obligations remain binding even when a relative has been removed from the church.

Applying Discipline Within the FamilyUsing the five aims of church discipline identified above, I will provide some brief guidance for practical application. Granted, these are complicated situations, and I do not intend to establish absolute rules for every case. If you find yourself in such a situation, seek pastoral counsel to help you think through the particulars of your situation.

Declaration — Acknowledge the church’s judgment and communicate clearly to your loved one that they are living as an unbeliever (1 John 2:3–4). You should also take providential opportunities to speak with concern and evangelistic clarity (Jas. 5:19–20). At the same time, though, excommunication shouldn’t be all you talk about. In every conversation, you should season your words with love (Eph. 4:15) and “give grace” (Eph. 4:29). Your love for your family member should always be evident and demonstrable even in these difficult circumstances.

1. Purification — Believing family members must not approve of or participate in the sin of a disciplined relative. Therefore, avoid situations that compromise your witness or go against your conscience (Eph. 5:3–4; 1 Thes. 5:22). For example, you might celebrate the birthday of a homosexual family member, but you should refuse an invitation to attend that individual’s “wedding.” In some cases, parents may need to limit an excommunicated adult child’s presence in the home if it influences or endangers younger siblings.

2. Alienation — In some situations, it may be wise to limit the frequency of certain social activities to reinforce your concern and the seriousness of the sin. Your decision on this matter, and how you carry it out, will likely depend on whether you’re dealing with a spouse or some other relative.

3. Rejection — If the excommunicated person is a false teacher, you should be absolutely clear on why you reject their errors (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 10). Show them from Scripture where their error lies and plead with them to believe the truth.

4. Motivation — Avoid shielding loved ones from the consequences of their sin, which can prevent them from feeling the need to repent. Posting bail if a son gets arrested is probably more acceptable than spending tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers to clear him of a crime you know he has committed. We should remember that repentance is the goal, not relief from all earthly consequences (Eccl. 8:11). Like the prodigal son, the person needs to feel the consequences of his sin deeply before he knows to repent (Luke 15:13–17).

Honoring both sets of obligations — family and church — to an excommunicated family member can be done without contradiction, though it requires wisdom and courage. Again, it is highly recommended that you seek pastoral guidance to help you think through your specific situation.

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Abstract: Geoff Chang uses the teaching and example of Charles Spurgeon to help pastors see why they shouldn’t be surprised when they battle discouragement or depression. Chang notes four reasons why discouragement is normal for pastors: because they are merely human, because of the weighty nature of their work, because leadership is lonely, and because of the inactive nature of the pastor’s work. Spurgeon also offers us hope in our weakness, pointing us to God’s good purposes for us and for our people as we walk through dark valleys.

J.L. Thompson graduated from the Pastors’ College in 1880 and took a pastorate in Esher, southwest of London. But within a few years, he found himself struggling. He writes,

I was completely broken down in health, not able to put a couple of thoughts together, and hadn’t preached for months. Thinking, in my depressed state, that I should never be able to take a charge again, I applied for an insurance claim, to which I considered myself to be entitled. I was examined by the physician, who cheerily told me that six months of complete rest at the seaside would restore me to health.

Thompson decided to write to his former pastor and college president to see if he knew of any seaside homes that he might apply to. He wrote back,

Dear Mr. Thompson,—I don’t know of any Ministers’ Rest. Mr. Brown’s House at Herne Bay is more general. I am sorry you suffer from depression, for I know how heavy an affliction it is. Get to the seaside as soon as you can, and I will find you £5 towards the expense. The Lord bless you!—Yours heartily, C. H. Spurgeon.C. H. Spurgeon, The Sword and the Trowel: A Record of Combat with Sin & Labour for the Lord. (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1892), 378-379.

With Spurgeon’s encouragement and support, Thompson was able to take six months off for rest, saving not only his ministry but his life.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the most famous preacher of the Victorian era, understood the discouragement and depression that accompany pastoral ministry. Spurgeon had a remarkably fruitful ministry. Thousands were converted under his preaching; his sermons were being sold weekly by the thousands; church ministries were growing. It would be easy to think that Spurgeon was constantly encouraged and joyful.

But when you read his letters and listen to his sermons, you realize that Spurgeon was often deeply discouraged. He bore the “daily pressure of anxiety” (2 Cor. 11:28) for his many church members, for the orphanage, for the pastor’s college, and for much else. As a result, he often fell into a dark “melancholy,” what some today might call depression.

In his classic Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon gave a lecture on pastoral discouragement (“The Minister’s Fainting Fits”). Whether you call it discouragement, depression, melancholy, or “fainting fits,” Spurgeon’s point is that this experience of spiritual and emotional darkness is a part of pastoral ministry. It’s not something unusual but rather something to be expected. And as Spurgeon read church history, he saw that many other pastors had experienced something similar. From Martin Luther to John Calvin, from David Brainerd to Adoniram Judson, and to many others today, many of God’s servants have had to walk through dark valleys. But there in that darkness, they encountered God’s faithfulness.

Here are four reasons from Spurgeon why pastors should expect to encounter pastoral discouragement:

1. Because We Are HumanThe first reason we should expect to be discouraged in the pastorate is that we are mere men.

Is it not first that they are men? Being men, they are compassed with infirmity, and heirs of sorrow. Even under the economy of redemption it is most clear that we are to endure infirmities, otherwise there were no need of the promised Spirit to help us in them. It is of need be that we are sometimes in heaviness.C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students: Addresses Delivered to the Students of the Pastor’s College. Vol. 1. (Passmore & Alabaster, 1875), 168.

This is easy to forget. As those who regularly handle the things of God, we can forget that we are still mere men. We have the privilege of preaching, advising, counseling, and leading, and sometimes we can begin to feel that we are somehow above our people. But these times of discouragement come to humble us, to remind us that we are mere men who live in a fallen world.

Part of being human means living in a fallen body. So often our lowness, or depression, can come as a result of health challenges. Spurgeon writes,

Most of us are in some way or other unsound physically. Here and there we meet with an old man who could not remember that ever he was laid aside for a day; but the great mass of us labor under some form or other of infirmity.Ibid.

Spurgeon was frequently sick due to issues with his kidneys. Later in life he developed gout, which afflicted his feet and joints. These illnesses were extremely painful, and because they were compounded by overwork, Spurgeon was sick for weeks at a time. Often, the physical illnesses led to deep discouragement.

But Spurgeon also had a category for mental illness.

As to mental maladies, is any man altogether sane? Are we not all a little off the balance? Some minds appear to have a gloomy tinge essential to their very individuality . . .Ibid., 168–169.

Some people are more prone to depression and discouragement than others. Spurgeon was naturally very optimistic, but once, when he was 22, he was preaching to a large crowd of about 10,000, and some troublemakers yelled “Fire!” which led to a stampede. Seven people died from being trampled, and many more were injured. Spurgeon was never the same after that event. He was traumatized by it and, for the rest of his life, he would occasionally sink into depression.

And yet, Spurgeon believed that the Lord could use even these kinds of weaknesses to make us better pastors.

These infirmities may be no detriment to a man’s career of special usefulness; they may even have been imposed upon him by divine wisdom as necessary qualifications for his peculiar course of service.Ibid., 169.

Pastor, your weaknesses and discouragement do not inherently disqualify you. Rather, they highlight God’s grace as you persevere. Spurgeon’s people would watch as their pastor persevered and preached through pain, and that helped them persevere, too. Many pastors have battled serious discouragement, and yet the Lord has used that struggle to make them into skillful and tender counselors.

Good men are promised tribulation in this world, and ministers may expect a larger share than others, that they may learn sympathy with the Lord’s suffering people, and so may be fitting shepherds of an ailing flock.Ibid., 168.

God could have sent angels to be pastors. But angels are unable to suffer like us. They would never understand our pain. Instead, he sent frail humans like us. Why? Because our frailty makes us ready to show compassion to fellow sufferers. Pastoral discouragement allows us to identify with our people.

2. Because of the Weighty Nature of Our WorkIf pastoral ministry were simply reading books, preaching sermons, and attending meetings, there would be no reason to be discouraged. But when we consider the weighty calling of shepherding souls, of leading God’s people, of preaching to the lost, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Who can bear the weight of souls without sometimes sinking to the dust? Passionate longings after men’s conversion consume the soul with anxiety and disappointment. To see the hopeful turn aside, the godly grow cold, professors abusing their privileges, and sinners waxing more bold in sin—are not these sights enough to crush us to the earth?Ibid., 170.

As a pastor, dealing with sin is discouraging. You preach and you counsel, but unless the Spirit brings repentance, you are helpless. So you pray, and teach, and wait for God to move. This is a burden, a daily anxiety we feel for the sake of our people.

Sometimes the more earnest you are about your work as a pastor, the more liable you are to be discouraged as you see how feeble and fruitless your efforts can be. Not only that, but pastoral ministry feels endless. Until we bury people, the work of shepherding them to the Celestial City will be ongoing, and we will be anxious for their souls.

Ours is more than mental work — it is heart work, the labor of our inmost soul. How often, on Lord’s-day evenings, do we feel as if life were completely washed out of us! After pouring out our souls over our congregations, we feel like empty earthen pitchers which a child might break.Ibid.

Pastoral ministry is different from being an engineer or an accountant. You can compartmentalize your life from your work in those vocations. But as pastors we have to engage our hearts, our minds, and our bodies in the work. We have to be present with our people and give of ourselves to them. The ongoing toll of this will wear anyone out.

3. Because Leadership Can Be LonelyThe more a pastor gives himself to the things of the Lord, the more likely he is to find himself alone. Spurgeon describes his experience:

A minister fully equipped for his work, will usually be a spirit by himself, above, beyond, and apart from others. The most loving of his people cannot enter into his peculiar thoughts, cares, and temptations. Men of God who rise above their fellows into nearer communion with heavenly things, in their weaker moments feel the lack of human sympathy.Ibid., 170-171.

As those who have been set apart by the congregation to prayer and the ministry of the Word, pastors can find themselves isolated. You want to cultivate godliness in your people, but this takes time, and it’s hard to be patient. Additionally, as those who have authority, your people will probably treat you differently. People feel like they can’t act normally around you. As much as you try to relate to them, they will still view you as their pastor.

So, Spurgeon advises, make sure you build fellowship with other like-minded pastors.

This loneliness, which if I mistake not is felt by many of my brethren, is a fertile source of depression; and our ministers’ fraternal meeting, and the cultivation of holy intercourse with kindred minds will with God’s blessing, help us greatly to escape the snare.Ibid., 171.

Spurgeon was intentional about spending time with other pastors. His day off was Wednesday, and he would often spend the day with another pastor. And he was part of several pastoral fellowships around London. This was not simply because Spurgeon was an extrovert; this was about persevering in the ministry.

4. Because of the Inactive Nature of Our WorkIt’s a privilege to study, to read, to write, and to meet with people. But the lack of physical activity can also be a challenge. Spurgeon, who was probably overweight for most of his life, can attest to this.

There can be little doubt that sedentary habits have a tendency to create despondency in some constitutions. To sit long in one posture, poring over a book, or driving a quill, is in itself a taxing of nature; but add to this a badly-ventilated chamber, a body which has long been without muscular exercise, and a heart burdened with many cares, and we have all the elements for preparing a seething cauldron of despair, especially in the dim months of fog.Ibid.

I’ve known pastors who have poured themselves into their work—studying, counseling, and preaching—while neglecting their bodies. And some have cut short their ministries because of ulcers, back pain, and all kinds of other problems. As those who focus on spiritual matters, it’s easy to think that our bodies are unimportant. Spurgeon probably had that attitude for most of his younger years. Sadly, he died at 57. I wonder what the Lord might have done if he had lived to be 70!

As Paul says to Timothy, physical training is also of “some value” (1 Tim. 4:8). If you want to prolong your ministry, Spurgeon would encourage you to look for opportunities to be active, especially out in nature.

A day’s breathing of fresh air upon the hills, or a few hours’ ramble in the beech woods’ umbrageous calm, would sweep the cobwebs out of the brain of scores of our toiling ministers who are now but half alive. A mouthful of sea air, or a stiff walk in the wind’s face, would not give grace to the soul, but it would yield oxygen to the body, which is next best.Ibid., 172.

As those who spend much of our time in front of a computer screen and in books, this is a good reminder: go for a hike, plant a garden, take evening walks. These sorts of tasks not only keep me active, but they also end up being some of the best times for spiritual meditation.

ConclusionBrothers, don’t be surprised at your discouragement. It’s part of the burden you carry as a pastor. When you experience these dark seasons, trust that God will accomplish good through it, in you and in your people. Turn to him, believe his promises, receive his comfort, and then minister out of the comfort you’ve received.

The lesson of wisdom is, be not dismayed by soul-trouble. Count it no strange thing, but a part of ordinary ministerial experience. Should the power of depression be more than ordinary, think not that all is over with your usefulness. Cast not away your confidence, for it hath great reward.Ibid., 178.

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Abstract: Andrew T. Walker defines natural law based on Psalm 19, arguing that it is the objective moral order established by God and woven into the fabric of creation. Though sin has impaired our ability and willingness to conform to God’s design, and though God’s revelation in Scripture is necessary for salvation and Christian obedience, God has made known certain moral norms to all people, and these norms help provide the context for why the gospel is needed. Understanding natural law, which has historically been taken for granted in the Reformed tradition, helps the church to properly embrace God’s moral order and to bear witness to him amid an unbelieving world.

Within certain corners of the evangelical and Reformed world, natural law has sometimes been viewed with suspicion—as though appealing to nature and reason undermines the authority of Scripture, or as though it represents a concession to Roman Catholic moral theology that downplays human sinfulness and hesitates to speak from the Bible in public life. The suspicion is understandable, at times, but it is historically uninformed.

For most of the Christian tradition—including the Reformed tradition—natural law was simply taken for granted as a moral theory. It was situated within the doctrine of creation, and it was assumed in the works of Luther, Calvin, the Reformed Orthodox, and the broader tradition of Reformed Scholasticism.John T. McNeill, “Natural Law in the Teaching of the Reformers,” The Journal of Religion 26, no. 3 (1946): 168–82. Even where the term itself has fallen out of favor in contemporary Protestant thought, the concept persists under alternative labels: creation order, general revelation, creation ethic. The conceptual substance remains even when the vocabulary changes, mostly because Christianity will, inexorably, rely upon its tenets if it hopes to engage secular society.

The real problem today is not that natural law is misguided or unbiblical. The problem is that it has largely disappeared from our theological vocabulary. And when it disappears, several consequences result. Our arguments in the public square become weaker, which goes a long way toward explaining why evangelicals were caught flat-footed in the marriage debates. Our doctrine of creation becomes thinner. In its outward-facing interactions, the church can begin to look as though it inhabits its own moral ghetto, as though Christian ethical claims are believable only by faith and untethered to reality as it actually is. Worse still, we end up with a truncated understanding of how God reveals himself and a narrow account of Scripture’s sufficiency—one that leaves us scrambling for Bible verses when confronted with questions like IVF that the Bible does not directly address.

But natural law is not a threat to Scripture. Properly understood, it is one of Scripture’s own teachings. And the place to begin making that case is Psalm 19.

What Is Natural Law? Before turning to our anchor text in Psalm 19, a working definition is in order: Natural law is the objective moral order established by God and woven into the fabric of creation. It reveals the orderly design of creation, the goods toward which human beings are ordered, and the moral norms that distinguish right from wrong. Theologically, this moral order reflects the wisdom and character of the Creator. Anthropologically, human beings—made in the image of God—possess rational faculties that allow us to recognize aspects of this moral order through the exercise of reason.

A qualification is immediately necessary. Because of sin, our perception of this order is darkened. Human beings suppress the truth. But our rational capacities are not destroyed. Historic Reformed theology holds that the intellect is wounded, not extinguished. Through God’s common grace, people remain capable of recognizing basic moral truths—which is why societies can still distinguish between good and evil, make laws, condemn injustice (think of the Nuremberg trials), and pursue the common good. Sinful humanity suppresses the truth in unrighteousness, not in total ignorance. Scripture portrays humanity’s opposition to the natural law not primarily as a knowledge problem but as a problem of the will.

In short, creation speaks morally because creation was designed morally. And as rational creatures, we are endowed with capacities to know basic truths about the moral order.

Psalm 19: A Map of Moral Knowledge Psalm 19 is often read as a beautiful poem about nature and Scripture. But it is doing something much deeper. It provides a map of how moral knowledge works. David structures the psalm in three movements: creation (vv. 1–6), in which the moral order is revealed; covenant (vv. 7–10), in which the moral law is specified in inscripturated form; and conscience (vv. 11–14), in which the moral law is internalized. The psalm moves from cosmic revelation to covenantal legal revelation to personal application. Or we could categorize God’s revelation as visual (creation), verbal (law-code), and visceral (conscience). All told, Psalm 19 offers a remarkably sophisticated moral theology, and we should marvel at how the Bible speaks about the way God reveals himself and makes us capable of receiving that revelation. Psalm 19 shows us how God reveals moral order in creation, clarifies it in his Word, confronts the human heart, and how visual, verbal, and visceral revelation all harmonize as expressions of God’s moral law.

Creation as Moral Revelation David begins with creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The psalmist describes creation as a kind of universal proclamation. But there is a fascinating paradox: verse 3 says, “There is no speech, nor are there words.” Creation speaks—but without words. It communicates through what we might call visual revelation. And note the language of verse 2: “Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” Creation is not whispering. It is pouring forth speech—an abundance of revelation. Consider the manifold ways that even sinful human beings marvel at creation and act intelligibly within it.

Some evangelicals today, out of good intentions, are hesitant to say that natural revelation actually conveys moral knowledge. They want to protect God’s special revelation and uphold the doctrine of sin. But David has no such reticence. He explicitly says that night after night reveals knowledge. He is speaking declaratively and descriptively about what is true objectively. This revelation is universal. No language or cultural barrier prevents it. It reaches everyone by virtue of their humanity participating in God’s order. It is what C.S. Lewis called the “Tao” in The Abolition of Man—a cosmic moral reality pervades human existence.

This is what theologians call general revelation—the idea that creation itself testifies to the Creator’s moral law. Genesis 1–2, together with the Noahic Covenant, grounds and then reasserts the normative intelligibility of creation toward its proper ends. Human beings thrive when they live in harmony with their natural state as created beings, utilizing their abilities effectively for their intended purposes. A fish, for example, is most free in water rather than on land. And the same is true for human beings: the propensity to push against the created limits of our nature may feel like freedom, but in time those limits have a way of reimposing themselves—often at great cost to those who believed the elimination of limits was liberation, when in fact it leads to bondage.

Paul echoes this idea of creational witness in Romans 1: “What can be known about God is plain to humanity, because God has shown it to them. His invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly perceived in the things that have been made” (vv. 19–20). And Paul’s point is not how little people know. It is how much they know. Humanity is “without excuse” (v. 20). The problem is not ignorance. The problem is suppression. Sinners suppress the truth in unrighteousness (v. 18). They push it down, but the truth keeps resurfacing—like trying to hold a beach ball underwater. We see this today in our society’s growing unease with the consequences of transgender ideology and the fallout that comes from the dissolution of the family.

Scripture does not teach that nature fails in its task. Scripture does indeed testify to the fallenness of sinners, but the problem is not that nature fails to reveal. The failure lies with the creature. We refuse what is plainly visible and morally binding in what has been revealed.

Psalm 19 is not merely praising nature’s beauty. It describes moral design embedded in reality. The sun follows its course. The heavens operate with regularity and purpose. Creation is ordered. And the same God who orders the heavens orders human life. Creation is therefore normatively thick—not morally neutral; universally intelligible in that believer and unbeliever alike can access it; and ontologically grounded in that morality corresponds to reality. What Christians insist is true is not merely true for Christians but for everyone. This is the basic insight of natural law: moral norms track with creational design.

Covenant Law Specifies Creational Law At verse 7 of Psalm 19, the psalm suddenly shifts. The name of God changes from Elohim, the God of creation, to YHWH, the covenant Lord. The focus moves from the heavens to the Torah. The implication is clear: if creation provides moral order, the written law—special revelation—provides moral clarity. Creation shows us that a moral structure exists. Scripture specifies what obedience looks like.

David describes the law with six attributes: perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true. These words describe more than rules. They describe the moral character of divine revelation. If the first movement of Psalm 19 concerns visual revelation, this second movement concerns God’s verbal revelation. And crucially, special revelation does not contradict creation or general revelation. It presupposes both and clarifies them.

The Decalogue (or Ten Commandments) illustrates this principle. Many of the commandments assume creational realities. The prohibition of murder presupposes the image of God as established in Genesis 1 and 9. The norms of marriage—complementarity, exclusivity, permanency—point back to Genesis 2. Sabbath observance points back to creation itself. The written law does not invent morality. It codifies what is present in creation. It was not permissible to murder before the sixth commandment was given; the sixth commandment merely makes explicit what the creation order already implies.

Psalm 19 therefore corrects two common errors. The first is natural law without Scripture, which leads to vagueness and distortion—Aristotle, after all, used natural law reasoning to defend slavery. The second is Scripture detached from creation, which risks portraying moral law as arbitrary, as if God imposed rules without reference to human nature. But Scripture repeatedly teaches that God’s written law reflects the same wisdom that structured creation. The law is not arbitrary. It is the verbal expression of the wisdom that made the world.

Conscience as Moral Witness In the final movement, the psalm turns inward—it turns toward the visceral, felt reality of the moral witness located within our interior recesses, the conscience. The focus shifts from the cosmos and the law code to the human heart. “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults” (v. 12). David recognizes that the law confronts the inner life. He speaks of hidden faults, presumptuous sins, the words of the mouth, and the meditation of the heart. Here we encounter the moral law applied to the conscience.

Paul describes this reality in Romans 2:15: Gentile non-believers “show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness.” Conscience does not create moral law. It registers moral law. It is a moral awareness system. And so Psalm 19 gives us a remarkably coherent framework: creation reveals that a moral order exists; Scripture clarifies that order and names our duties before God; and conscience, coinciding with both creation and the written law, applies moral knowledge to the human heart.

Faith and Reason from the Same Divine Source Beneath this framework lies a deeper theological truth. God created human beings in his image with rational faculties capable of perceiving the moral structure of the world. Reason is therefore not autonomous—it is a creaturely faculty dependent on God’s design and subordinate to his revelation. But subordinate to Scripture does not mean contradictory. Faith and reason come from the same divine source. Scripture clarifies and corrects what reason perceives and misperceives in creation. When reason functions properly, it recognizes the moral truths embedded in creation. Scripture then authoritatively articulates those truths. Faith and reason are not rivals. Special revelation and general revelation are not rivals. They are gifts of God, designed to work together and emanating from one divine source.

This is precisely where natural law fits. Natural law simply describes how human beings, using reason, can recognize aspects of the moral order woven into creation. God is not schizophrenic. There is not one moral code for non-Christians and another for Christians. There is one moral order known through three distinct modes: creation, the law code, and conscience. The God who authored Scripture is the same God who authored creation. Truth discovered by sound reason and truth revealed in Scripture cannot ultimately conflict, because both proceed from the same divine Author. Which means that when Christians speak about morality, we are not proposing something strange or unnatural. We are not imposing an alien ethic on the world. We are telling the world what is true about itself.

And there’s a warning for when we depart from the natural law: All secular and progressive moralities are not only violations of Scripture, but they are also absurd and irrational. Paul says that persistent rejection of the moral law leads individuals to become “futile in their thinking” (Rom. 1:21) and to social destruction (Rom. 1:22–31).

In contrast, our moral claims are not alien to the world. They are fitted to the world we actually live in. Christian morality is morality. Christian morality is reality. Period.

The major point is this simply this: Psalm 19 refuses both natural law without Scripture and Scripture severed from creation.

Why Natural Law Still Matters What difference does this make for the church?

First, natural law provides a shared moral grammar. When Christians argue for justice, human dignity, or the sanctity of life, we are not introducing foreign ideas into public life. We are appealing to truths embedded in creation itself.

Second, natural law helps us articulate the moral logic of Scripture. Behind the prohibition of murder lies a deeper moral reality—human life is a basic good, grounded in the image of God. Natural law helps us see and articulate the underlying structure often embedded within Scripture’s commands.

Third, natural law exposes cultural contradictions. A society that loudly proclaims fairness and equality while allowing biological males to dominate female athletic competitions, for example, has abandoned the very principles it claims to defend. When our culture says we may take the life of a child eighteen weeks inside the womb but that a child eighteen weeks outside the womb deserves protection, we can name that for what it is: an absurd, irrational conclusion. Life is life at every stage. Natural law exposes bad arguments.

Fourth, natural law deepens discipleship. When we teach ethics, we should not merely present a list of prohibitions. We should teach the goodness of God’s design. Sexual ethics is not merely a series of negations; it is about learning to steward a good gift within the design God created.

Fifth, natural law reminds us that joy and human flourishing follow from aligning ourselves with the moral order. God did not design his law as an arbitrary burden. He designed it for our joy. Obedience to God is not the suppression of our humanity—it is its fulfillment.

Sixth, natural law undergirds civil society. Even fallen societies establish laws, punish injustice, form families, pursue knowledge, and build civilizations, because creation itself presses toward order.

Seventh—and I save this for last deliberately—natural law may persuade unbelievers, but it may not. The fundamental human problem is not merely intellectual; it is volitional. Sinful wills resist moral truth. If someone has not arrived at their moral conclusions by way of reason, they will not be reasoned out of them. This means our use of natural law is not primarily apologetical.

It is first catechetical. Natural law trains Christians to recognize the moral order of God’s world and to understand why God’s commands are good. It forms moral imagination. It teaches believers to see reality rightly. And in doing so, it prepares us to speak truthfully and confidently in a confused age.

The Gospel and the Climax of Natural Law Natural law does not replace the gospel, but it prepares the ground for it.Andrew T. Walker, “The Gospel and the Natural Law,” December 8, 2020, First Things, https://firstthings.com/the-gospel-and-the-natural-law/. As theologian David VanDrunen writes, “If a contemporary world tempted to nihilism is to hear the gospel—really to hear it—it needs to understand that the world actually has a purpose and that the evil and suffering surrounding us are not the way things are supposed to be. There is nothing more important for the church than proclaiming the good news of salvation for the world in Jesus Christ. Far from undermining the message, natural law provides the scaffold.”David VanDrunen, “Natural Law for Reformed Theology: A Proposal for Contemporary Reappropriation,” Journal of Reformed Theology 9, no. 2 (2015): 129, https://doi.org/10.1163/15697312-00902018.

Natural law helps supply the framework that makes the majesty of the gospel intelligible to a broken world. It helps people recognize that something in the world is wrong. And once they see the moral mess of the world around them and their own moral debt as a violation against the law of God that saddles the conscience with guilt, the gospel becomes intelligible. The gospel announces that the Creator has come to redeem his creation.

And here we arrive at the climax. The moral order of creation is not upheld by an abstract principle. It is upheld by a person. Christ is the one through whom all things were made, in whom all things hold together, and who upholds the universe by the word of his power. The moral order of the world is not an impersonal system. It is sustained by the living Word of God.

Natural law can establish that a moral order exists. But it cannot explain why that order will ultimately prevail, why it is worth defending at personal cost, or why human beings—broken as we are—keep trying to give our lives a purpose. For that, you need the news that the Author of the moral order has entered history, has borne the accumulated weight of human moral failure, has assuaged divine wrath, and has walked out of a tomb a living, breathing human being. The resurrection is thus not an accessory to natural law. It is the reason for Christian moral confidence, because it tells us that creation is not evacuated of substance or purpose.

C.S. Lewis once called the moral structure of the universe the “Tao.” But later in life, he reflected on that concept and asked a remarkable question: “Is not the Tao the Word Himself—considered from a particular point of view?”Letter to Clyde S. Kilby, January 11, 1961, quoted in Michael L. Peterson, C.S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview (Oxford University Press, 2020), 74. And Lewis is exactly right. The natural law is not an abstraction. It is the imprint of Christ upon creation.

Conclusion When we speak about natural law, we are not talking about something foreign to the Christian faith. We are talking about the moral structure God built into the world. Psalm 19 shows us that creation declares it, Scripture clarifies it, and conscience registers it. And ultimately, Christ fulfills it. Christians should not be embarrassed to speak of natural law—we should put it in its proper place. The natural law is not a summons to de-center the Bible in our public pronouncements, nor is it an invitation to a Christless moral law—it is an entry point that leads people to the question of who the source of that moral law is. We should want the world to recognize moral truth because the world and its creatures were designed to do so. And when we speak about morality in public life, we are not introducing something strange. We are pointing people back to the order that God placed in his creation from the beginning.

This essay will be published in a forthcoming volume by the author. Crossway has granted permission for it to be published in this format.

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Abstract: Matt Smethurst offers nine practical suggestions to help pastors improve their writing. While not all pastors aspire to be published authors, all pastors should seek to communicate clearly and compellingly, including in their writing. God has chosen to use the written word to communicate truth in ways that are powerful and beautiful.

Pastor, you may have no intention of ever publishing a book or an article, and that’s fine. But you’re already a writer.

You write sermons, emails, Sunday school lessons, elder updates, notes of encouragement, and maybe the occasional devotional or article for your church. (Did I mention emails?) Some of your writing is public. Most of it is ordinary and unseen. But all of it uses words to serve people. And each of us can grow in that.

So let me offer nine marks of a healthy paragraph—shorthand for words people will want to read. Writing is an art form, which means taste and judgment are involved. So these are not laws. They’re simply lessons I’ve picked up through editing, practice, and making plenty of mistakes along the way.

I’m aiming especially at pastoral writing—not literary fiction, academic prose, or the generic thing we often call “content.” In other words, the kind of writing that’s targeted at serving people’s souls.

1. Be ClearIf people don’t know what you’re saying, it doesn’t matter how stylishly you say it. Cleverness can be a gift, and a memorable phrase can help something stick. Just think of famous written phrases like “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose,”This saying is taken from the writings of Jim Elliott, a missionary who was martyred while attempting to reach the Auca Indians with the gospel in the jungles of Ecuador in the early days of 1956. or “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”This saying from John Piper figures prominently in his preaching and writing, including especially his book Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Crossway, 2025). But cleverness can also take over and overwhelm clarity. This happens when you use a phrase because it sounds good, even if it sends the paragraph sideways.

Before you write, simply ask, What am I trying to say? If you can’t answer that clearly, then your reader certainly won’t be able to either. As pastors, we often write from an overflow of concern. We see the angles. We anticipate objections. And feeling the need to say everything, we can fail to say something—or at least fail to say it well.

2. Get ConcreteOne of the easiest ways to improve a paragraph is to ask, How can I make this more concrete? Pastors can drift into religious language that’s accurate but abstract. We write about “faithfulness in the Christian life” or “gospel-centered community” or “a culture of this or that.” Those phrases are fine—but just know they hover above the ground. Try naming the actual thing. “A tired mom opening her Bible before the kids wake up.” “A member choosing not to repeat what he heard.” “An older saint writing a note to a discouraged college student.” Concrete words are your friends. They give the reader something to see.

This is why examples are crucial. If you write, “The redeemed people of God should encourage one another,” that’s true. But if you write, “So walk across the room after church. Send the text. Write the note. Tell the weary saint, ‘I see God’s grace in you,’”—now people are visualizing obedience.

3. Deploy VerbsOften the best way to make a sentence stronger is to make the action clearer.

If you write, “There is a need for Christians to have a greater awareness of the importance of prayer,” that sentence is true—and stilted. Just try: “Christians need to pray.” Maybe that’s too blunt for your final version, but at least it’s crystal clear.

Much clutter hides inside phrases like “there is,” “there are,” “it is important,” “we need to be aware,” “in light of the fact that,” and so on. These phrases aren’t always wrong, but they often signal too much scaffolding. Find the actor. Find the action. Put them near each other. “Christ comforts sinners.” “Members bear burdens.” “Shepherds know their sheep.” Or as Jamie Dunlop has written, “Elders lead ministry. Deacons facilitate ministry. The congregation does ministry.”Jamie Dunlop, “Deacons: Shock-Absorbers and Servants,” 9Marks, March 31, 2010, https://www.9marks.org/article/deacons-shock-absorbers-and-servants/.

Perhaps you worry that active verbs will make your writing feel simplistic. In truth, they’ll simply help it move. And that matters in pastoral writing because we’re often dealing with weighty truths that need clean sentences, not inflated ones.

4. Stay OrganizedOnce you know what you’re trying to say, you still must decide how to arrange it. This is where a lot of pastoral writing gets messy. We care about the topic. We see every side road. We keep finding one more illustration, one more quote, one more paragraph to squeeze in. Soon the piece has more furniture than the room can hold.

Outline what you’re writing, even if it’s loose. What comes first? What must be explained before the next thing will make sense? What belongs here, and what belongs somewhere else—some other paragraph, some other piece, or maybe just between you and the Lord?

A good paragraph should have one job. If you’re trying to explain the problem, answer an objection, give an illustration, and land the plane, it probably needs to be broken up.

5. Get MovingSo much writing takes too long to start. You can almost feel the writer warming up on the page. “In our day and age, there are many important issues that Christians need to think through carefully.” Okay, sure, but that sentence could introduce almost anything.

Consider starting closer to the pressure point. Instead of, “The reality of the matter is that it’s easy for many Christians to struggle with prayer,” maybe write, “Most Christians feel guilty about prayer.” Instead of, “Conflict is, without doubt, one of the most difficult realities that local churches face in a fallen world,” maybe write, “Some church conflicts begin with sin, but many begin with unclear expectations.”

I’m not saying every opening sentence needs to grab the reader. But it should do something: create interest, establish direction, or put pressure on the question you’re trying to answer. Sometimes your real beginning is buried in paragraph two or three because you had to write your way into the piece.

6. Vary the RhythmThere is a musicality to good writing. You may have seen an image of Gary Provost’s paragraph about writing, with each sentence color-coded based on length. Even without the colors, his point is worth hearing:

This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals—sounds that say listen to this; it is important.

So write with a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Create a sound that pleases the reader’s ear. Don’t just write words. Write music.This illustration is taken from Gary Provost, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing (Penguin Random House Australia, 1985).

That may be a little overwrought, but the point is: mix it up. One of the best ways to check rhythm is simply to read your writing out loud. Your ear will catch what your eye excuses. You’ll hear the repeated word. You’ll feel the sentence that starts to drag. You’ll notice the phrase that sounds officious and stuffy rather than pastoral and clear.

Here’s a little tip. If you’re going to list two or three or four things—adjectives, for example—try putting the one-syllable word at the end. It helps the sentence land with a little more force. A few sentences ago I said, “You’ll notice the phrase that sounds officious and stuffy rather than pastoral and clear.” I could have switched the last two adjectives and said, “rather than clear and pastoral.” But that kind of fizzles since you’re moving from one syllable to three. Instead of “clear and pastoral,” say “pastoral and clear.” Or rather than writing “Jesus is full of love, compassion, and mercy,” say “Jesus is full of compassion, mercy, and love.” Do you hear the difference? It’s not an ironclad law, but it’s usually a good instinct.

7. Be WarmThis one matters a lot for pastors. We write on behalf of elder boards, churches, and ministries—and before long, we can start sounding more institutional than pastoral.

Of course, careful language is vital. But careful doesn’t have to mean clinical. Instead of saying, “The elders are prayerfully initiating a process of member care in response to prolonged disengagement,” you might just say, “The elders are trying to care for members we haven’t seen in a while.” Instead of, “Your attendance at our regular gatherings has been inconsistent,” you might say, “We’ve missed you, and I wanted to check in.”

The warmer sentence may not be the final sentence. Sometimes you do need more precision or punch. But start by trying to sound conversational, like a human being.

8. Revise HumblyGive yourself enough time to come back to what you’ve written. Most first drafts are too long. Mine usually are. The magic is in the edit, because it forces you to ask, Did I already make this point? Is this sentence doing anything? Could I say this with fewer words?

When you edit, look for words that aren’t earning their keep. “At this point in time” can become “now.” “Due to the fact that” can become “because.” “In the event that” can become “if.” You can even shorten individual words to enhance flow. Instead of “however,” you can say “though.” Instead of “nevertheless,” you can say “nonetheless” (one syllable shorter!), or even better, “still.”

I’ve felt this most often as an editor. So many articles aren’t wrong; they’re just bloated. They carry one more illustration, quote, qualification, or paragraph the writer couldn’t bear to lose. Honestly, a lot of modern Christian books would be better if they were simply shorter—like, a quarter to a third shorter. (And don’t assume “shorter” means “thinner.” Not the same thing. Less is often more.)

When a piece of writing matters, ask someone to read it. Ask, Is the main point clear? Did anything feel confusing, too sharp, too long? Faithful are the wounds of a friend—especially the one who edits you. Good editing preserves a writer’s voice while saving a writer’s face.

9. Write to ServePart of serving readers is learning to sound like yourself. Learn from writers you admire, but don’t become a bargain-basement version of them. If you’re funny, be funny when it fits. If you’re not, don’t force it. As with preaching, some of the worst writing happens when you’re trying to sound like someone else.

Immerse yourself in good writing. I’m not sure I’ve ever known a good writer who wasn’t a voracious reader. Read authors you find compelling. Listen to communicators who hold your attention. Ask, What about this works? Then adapt one or two things in your own way.

And then write. There’s no substitute for reps. Write out your sermons, even if you don’t bring a manuscript into the pulpit. Write Sunday school classes, devotional reflections, journal entries—even articles if you have the opportunity.

Don’t wait until you have something grand to say before you practice saying ordinary things well.

ConclusionWe traffic in words because God has chosen to work through words. From creation to salvation, from his perfect Word to our fallible ones, God loves to turn the lights on through written truth. That’s why we care about words: because we care about souls.

So let’s grow in being those who steward our sentences with care and humility. (And maybe you’re thinking, He should’ve ended with humility and care.)

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Abstract: Trent Hunter offers biblical principles and practical suggestions to help pastors care for members with particularly sensitive consciences. Whether it’s through knowing their people well and proclaiming God’s grace clearly, through preaching, through a team of elders, or through one-on-one counseling, pastors should be intentional about speaking the truth in love to those who are pestered by their conscience.

“How do you pastor members who have extremely sensitive consciences?” Our elders asked this during my pastoral candidacy. They loved and knew their people. I made good use of Romans 14 in reply. But experience did not inform my answer.

Today, after eight years, it does.

Conscience is our moral faculty that assesses what is good and badThis definition is from Kevin DeYoung, The Art of Turning: From Sin to Christ for a Joyfully Clear Conscience, pp. 13–14.—a unique feature of our humanity, not a bug. But the conscience can be buggy. A conscience may be seared so that an alarm does not sound when it should (1 Tim. 4:2). Or it may go off needlessly.

I’ve met church members who are hard on themselves. Like radar that mistakes birds for bombers, their consciences hold them in a state of emergency. They live under the threat of God’s judgment. They apologize a lot. Some are hard on others, too. Like air traffic controllers with defective equipment, they cry danger when there is none. They accuse a lot. They may mean well. Or they may despise rather than welcome their brothers and sisters (Rom. 14:10). The issues are many. Intensity levels vary.

How do we pastor members with extremely sensitive consciences? Our mind may jump immediately to the counseling appointment. We’ll get there. When we do, we’ll make good use of Paul’s model and instruction in Romans 14. But as I thought about my own pastoring, the whole of the ministry came into view.

Here are four venues for pastoring especially sensitive consciences.

1. Pastor the Conscience at the Front Door We meet all kinds of consciences at the front door—that is, the membership class, a newcomers’ reception, or conversations after the service and over coffee. Each conscience is shaped by a different upbringing, the preaching they’ve been under, and the part of the country they’re moving from. Those with especially sensitive consciences are usually new believers or Christians deeply shaped by people who played a key role in their salvation or growth.

Here are a few ways to pastor the conscience at your church’s front door.

Speak Joyfully of God’s Liberating and Transforming Grace Our pews are lined with stories of burdened consciences set free by grace through the Word. This includes many who traveled in especially strict fundamentalist circles. You never know what the Lord will do in the life of your next guest. Let the joy of this good news be the first note you strike. Everyone needs to hear it, especially those with sensitive consciences.

Tell Guests What to Expect and What You Expect This is just good hospitality. Teach on your Confession of Faith (what you believe together) and your Membership Covenant (how you live together). Get specific. Use Albert Mohler’s “Theological Triage” to illustrate why your church does not treat all differences alike.Albert Mohler, “Theological Triage.” 9Marks, 2010. https://www.9marks.org/article/theological-triage/. Explain and illustrate how you guard the gospel by granting differences on tertiary matters.

Know Your Region and Run Allergy Tests “I don’t like the music” was something I was used to hearing in church work. But “God doesn’t like the music” was new to my ears after moving to my region.

We speak with guests about the priority of the congregation’s voice and the enhancing role of music. One guest asked, “Would the elders be willing to sign a statement stating they would never change the music at the church?” With love and candor, I replied, “No, we would not.” I explained, and he joined. He made no trouble when change came.

Distinguish Between Your Church Culture and Your Church’s Convictions The topic of music illustrates this point as well. For years, we were well-led from the piano. In our search for a vocational director for congregational singing, we were flexible to be led by piano or guitar. We needed the right man with the right convictions. Understanding the sensitivity of some guests to what’s appropriate for the church’s worship, I’d say this in our receptions: “At Heritage, we are jealous to guard the congregation’s voice in our singing on Sunday. We’re led by piano. Down the road, we could be led by guitar. But our commitment to singing will remain.”

Speak Lovingly to, for, and About Your Congregation—Tough Love Included I don’t let my children condescend to one another. Neither do we despise one another as church members (Rom. 14:1, 10). We want our guests to pick up on a spirit of love and mutual affection in their earliest interactions with our church. This may require tough love at times. This doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a member lets their guard down with the pastor and makes a joke about members who take issue with alcohol (or vice versa). I don’t laugh. Sometimes I correct the attitude on the spot. They usually thank me later.

2. Pastor the Conscience in the Pulpit God sanctifies consciences through his Word, primarily through the pulpit. As James Montgomery Boice is famous for saying, church leaders overestimate what they can achieve in a short period but underestimate what can be done over the long term. That applies to shaping consciences as well.

Here are a few ways to pastor the conscience from the pulpit.

Talk About, Teach on, and Speak to the Conscience We don’t preach to rocks. Or animals. We preach to people with consciences that can both accuse and defend them—accurately or inaccurately (Rom. 2:14–15). So, let’s take our cues from the apostles who spoke about their own consciences in pursuit of a hearing: “My conscience is clear” (2 Cor. 1:12). Warn the flock by speaking of the “insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,” unable to feel (1 Tim. 4:2). Appeal for purity by warning against a “defiled” conscience that approves what is evil and rejects what is good (Titus 1:15). Finally, preach the joy of a conscience cleansed by the blood of Jesus with which we draw near to God (Heb. 10:22). In short, be sure the conscience gets airtime in your preaching.

Understand Your Context but Never Underserve the Text Do you have members who are teetotalers? Your audience should inform how you preach on Jesus’s transformation of water into wine in John 2:1–11. But don’t fail to preach the joy of the kingdom captured in the gift of wine. Be careful to avoid embracing strained interpretations to avoid touchy topics. Yes, the wine Jesus made was an alcoholic beverage, miraculously well-aged even. He saved the best for last (2:10).

Manage Your Church’s Overton Window by Working Through Books of the Bible Every community has an Overton window—a window of acceptable ideas and speech.This idea is commonly used in discussions of what is politically possible at any moment based on what ideas are acceptable to the voting public. Joseph Overton suggested that politicians stay inside this window of acceptable ideas to avoid coming off as too extreme. Politicians will also strategize for how to move the Overton window to make currently unacceptable ideas seem attractive. By way of application, expositional preaching is the way we seek for God’s Word to define what is right and wrong, good and bad. Are there taboo topics in your church? If you’re doing book-by-book exposition, God eventually brings them up. Thankfully, when your text puts you outside the Overton window, you’re in good company. Here’s a suggestion: when you find your text outside the window, slow down. For my church, I slowed down in our series through Colossians. In four sermons through 2:16–23, we defined legalism, considered the various ways we undermine Scripture’s sufficiency, and mapped the path for deep inward change.The following four sermons are an example of slowing down in a series to deal more surgically with a subject raised by the text. “The Problem of Add-On Christianity,” Colossians 2:16–23; “The Problem of Ultra-Biblical Christianity,” Colossians 2:17–18; “The Problem of Super-Spiritual Christianity,” Colossians 2:18–19; “The Problem of Extra-Pure Christianity,” 2:20–23; “Union with Christ, Power for Life,” Colossians 3:1–4.

Take Responsibility for the Emotional Temperature of the Church Around Specific Issues The regular preacher also bears responsibility for the spirit of these discussions. How you talk is how they will talk. How you feel is how they will feel. Are you walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting people? That’s the kind of church you’ll have. Alternatively, are you feisty and dismissive toward those with more sensitive consciences? In the long term, that’s the kind of church you’ll have.

Don’t Discount the Value of a Little Humor Don’t make fun of your differences. But do have some fun with them. One friend’s church was preaching through Genesis and tackled the age of the earth. Church members took different positions, and the topic could have gotten contentious. Here’s what those pastors did. The older pastor taught a lesson titled, “An Old Man for a Young Earth.” The younger pastor—say his name was Joe—taught by a different title, “A Young Man for an Old Earth.” The next week, a church member brought a sign, “Joe is not young, and the earth is not old.” There was nothing malevolent about it. These pastors effectively led their church to hold essentials and get along despite this difference.

3. Pastor the Conscience Around the Elder Table Preaching is central, but not enough. Healthy churches need a stable of elders who shepherd the flock of God among them (1 Pet. 5:1–2). If the elders are not getting along on a topic broached by the Sunday sermon, the sheep will know. Elder teams do well to pursue the same mind on specific subjects as well as an overall approach to getting along with differences where they remain.

Here are suggestions for pastoring the conscience around the elder table.

Work Through Your Own Issues First Elders are to be examples to the flock, which includes how they relate with one another. Large teams like ours—pushing fifteen to twenty men at times—have a natural disadvantage in dealing with touchy topics. But eventually, taboo topics eat trust. It’s worth the work to get on the same page. Or if you can’t, work to agree on how to relate given your differences.

Know Your Sheep and Know the Scriptures, in That Order Every church has its issues. Elder teams can’t master every subject. But teams can get a working handle on the topics that keep coming up among their flock, or don’t but should. Our elders differed on the moral status and practice of alcohol, a reflection of our church’s differences. This was a taboo topic for us. So, we surveyed ourselves as a team to chart the spectrum of convictions and practices, then shared our experiences with alcohol personally and pastorally. Next, we read the relevant Scriptures and summarized our shared observations and differences. Third, we discussed and agreed on a way of relating to one another and the church, given our study. Differences remain, mostly in practice, but this is a non-issue now.

Don’t Let So-called “Matters of Conscience” Sabotage Ethical Discussions Elder teams should be able to discern the difference between a debatable matter and a matter of moral significance. A movie that depicts a murder is different than a film that displays a woman’s naked body. Those who object to the latter are not “weaker.” They’re seeing God more clearly, for the pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8). “Pure in heart” is a thing.

Understand the Bible’s Teaching on Worldliness What is worldliness? Should the church avoid cultural expressions that come from the world, whether clothes or music? John tells us, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:16). Worldliness is loving only those who love you back, being anxious about your life, and bickering about who is the greatest (Luke 6:32; 12:22–31; Mark 10:42–44). That kind of thing. Moses came down the mountain and found idolatry, which is worldliness. The music and dancing at the foot of the mountain were problematic because they were to the wrong god (Exod. 32:19).

Equip the Saints for the Work of Ministry in a Body with Diverse Consciences In addition to teaching and godly counsel, good books go a long way. I’ve used three. Andy Naselli and J.D. Crowley’s Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ offers a careful unpacking of its title. Our elders used this book to anchor our discussion on conscience issues. For a shorter treatment, try Kevin DeYoung’s The Art of Turning: From Sin to Christ for a Joyfully Clear Conscience. For a longer treatment, read Rediscover the Joy of a Clear Conscience by Christopher Ash. And for children, That Little Voice Inside Your Head by Andy Naselli.

4. Pastor the Conscience Across the Table Finally, we reach the one-on-one conversation—across the dinner table, the coffee table, or the table in your office. Here we take our lessons from Paul’s letter to the Romans, his famous fourteenth chapter. I’ve organized these lessons with five words for easy recall when you need them.

Before you head into your next meeting with a sensitive conscience, remember these five words.

Welcome With love for sensitive consciences, Paul commands us, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him” (Rom. 14:1). Not everyone will. Because of their own over-accusing conscience, they may impose a sense of alienation on themselves. With great hesitation, one brother met with me to ask if it was okay if he stayed in our church even though he was bothered in his conscience by a certain church practice. With a little instruction and a lot of warmth, he remains with us today. Their conscience may condemn them. Others may despise them. Make sure they’re welcome with you.

Warn With concern for sensitive consciences, Paul commands them, “Let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him” (Rom. 14:3). This means they cannot leverage Paul’s command to the strong to manipulate the entire church to live just as they do. Neither should they leave the church because someone else has different thoughts or practices on a matter of conscience. This will require maturity on their part and instruction from you on how to discern a debatable matter. One of our elders is fond of asking, “Could a reasonable Christian read the Scriptures and take the other position?” Use that question.

Train On one hand, train this brother or sister to honor the Lord by obeying their conscience (Rom. 14:6, 12, 14). Remind them, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (14:23). On the other hand, train them to know when it’s time to disobey their conscience.Andy Naselli, “Don’t Always Follow Your Conscience.” Desiring God, 2016. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/dont-always-follow-your-consciencePaul’s choice of the word “weak” indicates that this is not a desirable condition (15:1). Where the conscience is misaligned with God’s Word, the Christian does well to recalibrate their conscience with uncomfortable obedience to Scripture. Concerning bacon, Jesus told Peter to “take up and eat.” Peter replied, “By no means, Lord” (Acts 10:14). But Jesus had the final word: “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:15). Jesus is Lord over all, including the conscience.

Refrain Paul tells us to welcome the weak in faith, but added, “Do not quarrel over opinions” (Rom. 14:1). Reason with them from the Scriptures, but do not legitimize every opinion with debate. It is tempting. Some claims provoke. Some arguments are downright fanciful. Ask God for wisdom to know when to correct and when not to engage. Paul seemed to know what many of us have learned, that there is no end to such discussions.

Remain This is not a condescending command: “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). Or, as one friend put it, “Love them more than you hate where they are at.” Hang in there with them. Members with especially sensitive consciences are not in the way of ministry; they are your ministry. And they are partners in ministry. Learn from their obedience to what they believe the Lord requires.

One Foot in Front of the Other on the Path to a Joyfully Clear Conscience The goal in all our efforts is a congregation marked by peace with God and one another.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience. (Heb. 10:22)

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Rom. 14:19)

This takes time. Consider the placement of these exhortations in their respective letters, ten and fourteen chapters in.

So, brothers, mind the front door. Shepherd your people from the front on the Lord’s Day. Pursue a unified front as elders. And get in front of your people one-on-one when they need you. Some with a pestering conscience need help, others need encouragement, and still others need rebuke. Be ready to administer the right medicine for the soul of each patient. And as Paul said, “Be patient with them all” (1 Thes. 5:14).

Walk with these sensitive—and sometimes over-sensitive—souls, one foot in front of the other.

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Abstract: Johnny Lithell explains why he and others launched a new seminary in Sweden. Not only did Sweden lack a Reformed theological seminary with Baptist ecclesiology, but the country’s humanistic and secular worldview has influenced even Christian institutions so that it has become difficult to pass on the Christian faith to the next generation. Sweden needs congregations that hold to the teaching of Scripture and are led by faithful pastors.

We launched Wiberg Seminary in Sweden in January 2026—a very humble beginning—with six students in our first course, an introductory course on the Old Testament. And yet I came to this day with great joy and a sense of fulfillment, because this is a vision I have carried for the nineteen years that have passed since I myself was a theology student and first heard of the doctrines of grace—though I didn’t hear about them in the classroom.

Don’t misunderstand me: I loved studying theology, and I thrived at school. I still think of my teachers with affection and gratitude, even though I eventually came to hold different theological convictions than them on many topics. Nor do I claim to know much about what is taught at other theological institutions in the country or about their approach to theological education.

So why was it so important to begin a new seminary in Sweden?

The short answer is: there is no theological education in Sweden that trains men who will lead congregations that hold to the doctrines of grace and the continuity of the Old and New Testaments— particularly from the standpoint of historic Baptist ecclesiology. Nor do I know of any Swedish program that shares our church-centered philosophy and realist epistemology. This justifies the hard work of building something new from the ground up.

There is, of course, a longer answer as to why Sweden needs a new seminary. Like the rest of the West, Sweden continues to reap the consequences of the philosophical shifts coming out of the Enlightenment. Under the influence of people like René Descartes (1596–1650), the center of reality shifted from outside authorities (like divine revelation) to the self. The result today—after many philosophical twists and turns over the last few centuries—is a worldview in which people see themselves as autonomous creators of their own reality. Such a worldview presents challenges when it comes to passing on the faith to the next generation.

A Faith to Receive and Hand Down Even as Christians committed to the authority of God’s Word, we are shaped by the autonomous, self-actualizing individualism around us. Therefore, we often struggle with Scripture’s emphasis on the objectivity of our faith and the idea of transmitting it from one generation to the next. Scriptural concepts such as “remembering” are virtually synonymous with holding to right doctrine, whereas verbs such as “forgetting” are associated with defiance, faithlessness, and apostasy (Ps. 78:3–8).

The apostle Paul speaks of the gospel as something he “received” and “delivered” in a formal transmission from teacher to student (1 Cor. 15:3); he exhorts Timothy to “continue in what you have learned” (2 Tim. 3:14); and he urges the Thessalonian church to “stand firm and hold to the traditions” they were taught (2 Thes. 2:15). Likewise, Jude urges believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Biblical faith is not an individual construction but something received, guarded, defended, and handed down, all in communion with preceding generations. In turn, we have a responsibility not to forget or distort the faith but to hand it down to the next generation.

The Faith That Is Constructed Westerners—and statistics suggest Swedes are the worst of all—struggle to understand the Christian faith as something received from preceding generations. We are suspicious of anything that smells of authority, and we assume that everything our fathers believed is false until proven otherwise. So instead of receiving our faith within a confessional tradition, Christians in our society tend to construct and articulate their individual faith through unwritten scripts that govern their behavior and are developed within their social communities. In Sweden, these scripts are unwritten because churches reject all written confessions of faith. The pastor or some other group in the church sets the tone for what is believed. Christians also listen to friends or pick up ideas from famous preachers and digital influencers, yet without any grasp of a coherent theological system.

The result is that nearly everyone who identifies as an “evangelical” in Sweden holds to a faith informed by something other than historic Christian orthodoxy—Hollywood, therapeutic deism, Sabellianism, hyper-dispensationalism, antinomianism, Marcionism, or process theology—even as they remain convinced that they have no creed but the Bible. They denounce confessional traditions as human inventions but lack the ability to distinguish between “matters of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3) and tertiary theological matters. The faith they profess is only superficially related to the Christianity of the Bible.

The Remedy: Confessional Congregations If I have described the problem correctly, then the solution for Sweden cannot simply be a new theological seminary. Rather, the solution is confessional congregations that engage in discipleship guided by the Word of God as it has been taught over the centuries and articulated within a given tradition. The planting of such congregations is the highest priority for those of us who long to see a reformation in Sweden.

These congregations—which today number only a handful in Sweden—will be small and subjected to great pressure from established churches and traditions. Therefore, a new theological seminary is needed to serve these congregations by training pastors who can lead them faithfully. To be sure, the most fundamental aspects of training a pastor—especially their character and pastoral competence—take place within the context of a local church. Yet a congregation may be greatly helped by a seminary that understands and supports the church in its difficult and glorious mission.

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Abstract: Rich Penix offers fifteen diagnostic questions to help us see where we need to grow in terms of corporate worship. These questions deal with three areas: how we prepare for corporate worship, how we participate in corporate worship, and how we depart from corporate worship. By answering these questions thoughtfully and honestly, we can identify ways we need to grow in this crucial area of discipleship.

This is the third article of a 3-part series. Read Part 1 and Part 2.

If corporate worship is one of God’s primary means of discipleship for his people, how can believers grow in this area? This is a particularly important question given the threats to corporate worship and our discipleship.

One of the most overlooked tools for growth is honest self-examination—asking ourselves where our habits, patterns, and expectations fall short of the biblical vision for gathered worship.

With that burden in mind, the following fifteen questions serve as a diagnostic instrument for our liturgical discipleship. These questions are not intended to induce unnecessary guilt or promote an unhealthy form of introspection that prompts us to look more to ourselves than to Christ in worship. Nor are they meant to imply that certain (extra-biblical) practices or habits are binding when it comes to corporate worship. Rather, the goal is to grow in the way we participate in God’s gracious means of gathered worship.

These questions fall into three broad categories: preparation for worship, participation in worship, and departure from worship.

Preparation for Worship The kind of discipleship that happens in corporate worship—what we might call “liturgical discipleship”—begins long before we enter the church building. Scripture repeatedly urges God’s people to “prepare your hearts” (1 Sam. 7:3, KJV), “set your mind on things above” (Col. 3:2), and “consider how to stir up one another” (Heb. 10:24). Yet preparation is often the most neglected part of worship. Here are four questions to help us see how intentionally we approach the privilege of gathered praise.

1. Prior to Sunday morning, do I orient my heart and my schedule so that I am as prepared as possible—mentally, spiritually, emotionally—to worship with God’s people?

True worship requires intentional recalibration. Preparation is not accidental; it is deliberate, reflecting love for God and his people.

2. Do my Saturday evening activities compromise my ability to worship well on the Lord’s Day?

Careless Saturday nights can lead to careless Sunday mornings. When it’s within our power, we should try to be rested and fully engaged on Sunday morning.

3. Before Sunday, do I make an effort to read the sermon text, familiarize myself with the songs, and plan my giving so that my heart is prepared to worship?

Being well acquainted with the sermon text, songs, and other elements of worship can help truths encountered in the service go deeper into our hearts and minds than they would otherwise.

4. Do I pray for an undistracted mind and a focused heart in anticipation of corporate worship?

Because we live in an age of distraction, intentional prayer is needed for our minds and hearts to stay focused on the Lord.

These questions expose an important reality: worship is not something we merely attend but something we must prepare for.

Participation in Worship Corporate worship is not, and must not become, a spectator event. Scripture calls believers to “offer a sacrifice of praise” (Heb. 13:15), “sing to the Lord” (Ps. 98:1), “attend to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim. 4:13), and “receive with meekness the implanted word” (Jas. 1:21). The next nine questions help Christians assess how fully they engage during public worship.

5. As worship begins, do I listen attentively to the call to worship, recognizing the privilege of being summoned by God himself?

Worship begins with God’s initiative, not ours. He calls us to listen to his voice and to respond in faith and obedience. Are we freshly amazed at such authority and mercy?

6. Do I actively fight distraction by resisting intrusive thoughts about responsibilities, worries, and upcoming tasks?

Attention to God and his Word is an act of love. May we give him the reverence and awe he deserves.

7. Do I resist cultivating a critical spirit about things I find distracting, distasteful, or personally undesirable?

A critical, judgmental spirit is a worship killer. We must labor to make sure small (non-essential) matters remain as small matters.

8. During corporate prayers, do I track with the flow of thought, adding my “Amen” as I pray along with the person who is leading?

Corporate prayer is not intended to be a performance by a single church leader. Rather, it is an invitation to every member to pray along with the church as a whole as together we enter into the joys, burdens, and petitions that are voiced.

9. During congregational singing, do I offer a joyful noise to the Lord—even when I feel timid or self-conscious?

Singing is not an optional extra; it is an act of obedience that provides mutual encouragement and instruction to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

10. While singing, do I allow the beauty of the music to enhance truth without allowing it to overshadow the truth?

Music serves doctrine, not the other way around.

11. Do I resist judging those on the platform as “performing,” choosing instead to assume the best about their motives?

Charity protects unity in worship.

12. During the sermon, do I listen carefully, asking the Spirit to help me obey while still thinking humbly and critically through the passage being preached?

Preaching is not a one-dimensional exercise by a man who enjoys the sound of his own voice. Nor is application automatic; it must be purposefully pursued in humility before the Lord.

13. During the Lord’s Supper, am I thinking only of my own experience, or am I also remembering that Christ died to create a people—the brothers and sisters beside me—who will one day share together in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

Personal introspection at the Supper is necessary and important, but we must not forget that communion is a communal meal. Treasure the corporate nature of Christ’s command to proclaim the Lord’s death as a worshiping community.

These questions remind us that worship is active, not passive. As a kingdom of priests serving Christ Jesus amid his new covenant temple, God forms us as we participate in such priestly service—with mind, voice, body, and heart.

Departure from Worship Corporate worship is not complete when the final “Amen” is spoken. Scripture’s benedictions are not dismissals but sendings: God blesses his people and sends them out into the world to live as witnesses to the power of the gospel. These final two questions help believers consider how Sunday shapes Monday.

14. As the worship service concludes, do I receive the benediction as God sending me into the world to live out the truths I’ve received?

The benediction is a commissioning, not merely a closing remark. Am I listening and heeding God’s closing word of blessing?

15. As I depart, do I intentionally build up the body through purposeful fellowship, prayer, or words of encouragement?

Avoid a speedy exit from corporate worship. Lingering with God’s people after a service can be a disciplined mark of sacrificial love for them.

Conclusion Again, these fifteen questions are not meant to burden but to sharpen. We don’t want the focus to be on “how we’re doing in worship” instead of on Christ, the object of our worship. However, when we answer these questions honestly, they can help expose how deeply we need to be reminded of the significance of Lord’s Day worship. And they remind us that corporate worship is not merely about an event we attend but about God’s wisdom on display in Christ. It’s by looking to Christ that we are increasingly formed into his character and likeness.

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Abstract: Rich Penix identifies threats to corporate worship and its role in our discipleship. These threats include unbelieving hearts, Pharisaical hearts, experience-hungry hearts, performance-oriented hearts, distracted hearts, uninformed hearts, passive hearts, and naïve hearts. By God’s grace, we should seek to worship him in spirit and truth while recognizing that corporate worship is a spiritual battlefield in which Satan attempts to take our focus off Christ.

Corporate worship is not neutral ground. It is, as we explored in a previous article, integral to every Christian’s discipleship. It’s not surprising, then, that spiritual opposition abounds in corporate worship. That’s why believers should approach Lord’s Day worship prepared to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12).

To help in this fight, we need to be alert to ways in which our corporate worship is spiritually threatened. The threats listed below all relate to the heart, and they can occur at various levels. Furthermore, many of the threats overlap. Regardless, we need to address these threats because they significantly affect our discipleship.

Unbelieving Hearts The most serious threat to corporate worship is an unbelieving heart. The gathered church is not merely a crowd; it is God’s worshiping community—those regenerated by the Spirit, reconciled to the Father through Christ, and adopted into his family. Yet Scripture warns repeatedly that some can draw near with their lips while their hearts remain far from God (Isa. 29:13).

The worst-case scenario is a room full of people singing, praying, and listening, yet lacking the new birth. Without regenerated hearts, worship cannot be offered in spirit and truth (John 4:24), for the most impressive outward display of worship is futile if it does not flow from hearts that genuinely treasure Christ. This sobering reality should compel pastors to preach the gospel clearly and call people to humble self-examination, not merely to outward participation.

Pharisaical Hearts Another threat to corporate worship is the Pharisaical heart, a heart that’s content to get the externals of worship “just right” while the inner life is marked by pride, hypocrisy, or self-righteousness. Jesus sharply rebuked this posture in the Pharisees who outwardly projected well-manicured spiritual lives but inside were little more than white-washed tombs (Matt. 23:27).

We still face this danger today. One can love doctrinal clarity, song lyrics that are theologically robust, and biblical depth, yet still fall into the deadly trap of worshiping the form rather than the Father. God desires “truth in the inward being” (Ps. 51:6). Therefore, we must cultivate humility, repentance, and dependence on God—not merely competence in our rituals—when we gather for worship.

Experience-Hungry Hearts We also have to be on guard against the experience-hungry heart—the worshiper who is less interested in God than how worship makes them feel. These longings take many different forms:

• the desire to be emotionally swept away in the euphoria of a high-energy worship setting;
• the desire for a light-hearted, country-club atmosphere characterized by joking, casual banter, and good vibes;
• the desire to experience something ancient or transcendent through the use of incense, chants, and aesthetically pleasing pageantry.

Not all these desires are inherently sinful. But when worshipers seek a particular mood, vibe, or aesthetic instead of God himself, they approach worship the way one might search for the perfect restaurant: “The menu and ambiance were just right!” Worship is not about curating an experience; it is about encountering the living God through the means he has ordained.

Performance-Oriented Hearts The danger of performance cuts across the entire congregation, and we see it in . . .

• preachers who deliver sermons to impress rather than feed;
• musicians who use the worship service like a recital or concert to showcase their natural talents;
• Scripture readers and prayer leaders who focus more on delivery than genuine service to Christ’s body
  ;
• hyper-critical spectators who evaluate each element of the service like judges on a panel.

Critique has its place; in fact, it’s necessary and vital, but not at the expense of true worship. Corporate worship is not a competition or a concert. It’s a holy assembly where every servant seeks to decrease so that Christ may increase.

Distracted Hearts On any given Sunday, many Christians resemble Jesus’s friend Martha—overly concerned with logistics, details, and responsibilities, all while failing to treasure the gift of the Lord’s presence with them (Luke 10:38–42). A distracted heart may be busy for Jesus yet inattentive to Jesus.

Distraction during worship—wandering thoughts, anxious concerns about less important matters, constant interior multitasking—gradually forms believers who find it difficult to concentrate long enough to behold the glory of Christ. This is especially a danger for church leaders who preside over various elements of the service. By God’s grace, they should seek to be examples to the congregation of what it means to worship with an undistracted heart.

Uninformed Hearts Some hearts are eager to worship but simply lack understanding. They don’t know what a worship service is, why Christians gather the way they do, or how the biblical elements of the service hold together. This is (understandably) where many new believers begin, but they shouldn’t remain there. It’s also why churches must commit themselves to what might be referred to as liturgical discipleship: teaching the biblical, historical, and practical foundations of Christian worship so that God’s people understand what they are doing and why it matters.

One way to carry out this kind of discipleship is through the use of rubrics. Here’s how Bryan Chapell defines rubrics and their purpose:

. . .rubrics are the little directions that appear in the bulletin or are voiced by the worship leader to lead the congregation through the conduct of worship. The rubrics are not the major elements of the worship service, but rather are the instructive transitions that tell the congregation what to do and why. Rubrics verbally tie together key aspects of the worship service, explaining their purpose and sequence in relation to the theme(s) of the entire service. Skilled use of rubrics helps the worship service to make sense and move along with clarity, purpose, and attitudes appropriate for each element.Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Worship (Baker Academic, 2017), 203.

By using rubrics, or simple directions, churches can disciple their members to better understand the meaning and purpose of each element of gathered worship.

Passive Hearts Some attend worship like spectators. They enjoy the atmosphere, the music, the message, and the people around them, but they don’t actively participate. Their minds are elsewhere. Their voices are faint. And their passive hearts remain unengaged.

Such people watch worship happen but fail to offer themselves as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). But for those transformed by the gospel, active participation in corporate worship is not optional. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Ps. 107:2) as they behold the splendor of God’s mercy in Christ each Lord’s Day!

Naïve Hearts One of the most dangerous threats to corporate worship is the naïve assumption that Sunday morning is spiritually safe, peaceful, and insulated from temptation. Many Christians don’t realize that they may face more temptation, more distraction, and more spiritual opposition during the corporate gathering than at any other time during the week.

Worship is warfare. The evil one, as he did throughout the New Testament, works to oppose the ministry of the Word. And it seems that he works overtime when God’s people assemble for worship, seeking to distract, deceive, distort, and dislodge every edifying thought. Therefore, Christians should prepare for spiritual warfare when they gather.

Conclusion Each threat listed above has the potential to undermine God’s gift of corporate worship and its role in our discipleship. Therefore, we should ask God to make us a people who are alert, humble, attentive, joyful, and ready to contend for the faith each and every Lord’s Day.

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Abstract: Rich Penix emphasizes the integral role of corporate worship in discipleship by highlighting the Bible’s story (biblical theology), the church’s story (historical theology), and our own individual stories (practical theology). More than a mere add-on, corporate worship is at the heart of God’s purpose in creation and redemption.

For many Christians, corporate worship and discipleship appear to have little connection. Though it’s called corporate worship, many churchgoers think of it in individualistic terms—“Sure, there are other people in the room with me, but we’re all here for our own experience with Jesus.” Discipleship, meanwhile, is reduced to one-on-one relationships as fellow members spur one another on in Bible reading and prayer (which are obviously good things).

Given how myopically we tend to view worship and discipleship, it’s not surprising that many churches fail to connect the two. But since corporate worship is so spiritually formative, churches should view it as part of a comprehensive approach to discipleship. This is best accomplished through three interrelated stories: the Bible’s story (biblical theology), the church’s story (historical theology), and our own stories (practical theology).

Biblical Theology and Corporate Worship Scripture reveals that corporate worship is not peripheral to God’s people but woven into the very purpose of creation and the goal of redemption. Adam is not only created in the imago Dei, or image of God, but also as homo liturgicus, a worshiping person. And Adam’s worship was never intended to remain private. His commission to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28) implies the expansion of worshipers to the ends of the earth (cf. Hab. 2:14).

Yet this commission is almost immediately threatened by sin’s entrance onto the scene. After the fall (Gen. 3), the biblical storyline reads like a history of worship under assault: sacred purpose distorted, sacred space defiled, and sacred service redirected toward false gods. But God does not abandon his design. Instead, he initiates a long reclamation project to build a worshiping people through successive covenants. From Noah to Abraham to Moses to King David, God progressively reestablishes access for his people to himself with a renewed call to faithful worship.

Access to God reaches its fulfillment in our Lord Jesus Christ. In him our sacred purpose of enjoying communion with God is restored through his atoning grace and intercessory work at the Father’s right hand. Sacred space is reclaimed as Emmanuel—God with us—tabernacles among us (John 1:14). Sacred service is renewed as believers minister as a royal priesthood and a kingdom of priests (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10), following the lead of our chief liturgist, the Lord Jesus (Heb. 8:1).

Finally, Revelation tells of redeemed saints from every nation gathered around the throne in a cosmic “holy of holies,” praising Jesus the Lamb for all eternity. This is the end toward which the entire storyline moves: God glorified through a redeemed community worshiping him together forever.

To neglect the corporate character of worship is not merely to misunderstand a church practice—it is to misunderstand the purpose of creation and redemption. Corporate worship is the divinely intended arena where God forms, nourishes, and gathers his people for his glory. Therefore, churches must help their members grasp the glorious privilege they have each Lord’s Day.

While corporate worship is integral to the Bible’s overarching story, the church’s story reveals how believers through the ages have embraced—and at times forgotten—this sacred calling.

Historical Theology and Corporate Worship Nick Needham writes, “Any serious consideration of worship must take into account the history of worship, as a sort of running commentary on Scripture—embodied in practice and preserved in literary monuments, especially liturgies.”Philip Graham Ryken, Derek W. H. Thomas, and J. Ligon Duncan III, ed. Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2003), 375.

For instance, the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus gave his life to recover the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. This doctrine helps Christians understand why we can pray and sing directly to God rather than through human mediators. Or consider how the clergy-dominated medieval Mass reveals the recurring danger of performative worship. Perhaps recognizing this danger could change our perspective on modern services where a handful of musicians on a stage overshadow or silence the congregation’s voice.

In our day consumerism, individualism, and digital distraction produce their own powerful liturgies that shape worshipers long before they arrive on Sunday. When church leaders ignore this, they leave congregations vulnerable to these competing influences.

Practical Theology and Corporate Worship As church members grasp the Bible’s story of worship and the church’s story through the ages, they should increasingly see that congregational worship is God’s gift to them. They are entering the sacred space of Christ’s new covenant temple—his church—where their holy calling is “to proclaim the excellencies” of the One who called them out of darkness and into his marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9).

This grand vision of worship affects our discipleship in many practical ways. For example, when a believer comes to worship with a heavy heart and sees a brother across the aisle praising Jesus even as he’s suffering from an incurable disease, his own hope is rekindled. Or when a hymn written centuries ago stirs our affections, we remember that a day is coming when we will stand beside its author in the great congregation of the righteous.

May church leaders disciple their flocks to understand and gladly participate in God’s gracious provision of Word-saturated, gospel-adorning corporate worship that magnifies God’s mercy in Christ. And may the Lord’s Day continue to forecast the eternal joy we will one day share around God’s throne.

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Abstract: Ryan Curia encourages new elders to take the “low seat” based on Jesus’s parable of a wedding feast in Luke 14:7–11. Rather than asserting or trying to prove themselves, new elders should be eager to listen and learn from their fellow elders. As under-shepherds, elders should imitate Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, who used his authority to serve and bless others.

Editor’s Note: The following article originally appeared at TGC and is used here with TGC’s permission.

I’m a new elder.

For years, I’ve aspired to the office. I’ve memorized 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. I’ve read books on eldership and attended elder meetings. But until recently, I’ve never actually served as an elder.

I’ve especially been reflecting on one parable as I begin. It’s probably not at the top of your “Scriptures for elder training” list—it certainly wasn’t on mine. But take a look at Luke 14:7–11, the parable of the wedding feast.

Not Just Banquet EtiquetteLuke 14 isn’t merely about banquet etiquette. Jesus exposes the quiet desire to seek honor from others and asserts that in his kingdom, the way up is down.

If you’re a new elder, you may feel tempted to prove yourself. Taking the low seat means resisting that urge. Here are three ways new elders can do that.

1. Speak Less; Listen MoreOne of the most practical ways a new elder can take the low seat is with his words.

You’re likely eager. You finally sit at the table. You finally have a vote. Perhaps you’ve aspired to this for many years. As you listen, you notice things that could be improved. You have ideas. You have energy. You want to contribute. That desire isn’t wrong. But it can drift into something else: the urge to prove yourself.

Proverbs 18:13 warns, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Take time to hear—because you need time to understand. Don’t lose your eagerness. Just let your ears be more eager than your mouth. Hold back your “answers.” Listen long enough to learn.

In Jesus’s parable, the man who takes the high seat risks being told, “Friend, move down.” That’s not what you want to hear in your first year of eldership. You don’t want to be pulled aside after a meeting for responding too quickly, speaking too sharply, or offering solutions before you fully understand the problem.

If anything, you want the opposite. You want the other brothers to tell you, “Friend, move up higher. We’d like to hear what you think.”

In my previous church, a veteran elder advised new elders not to say anything in elder meetings for their first six months. That’s not a universal rule. Every elder board is different in size, experience, and culture. But the instinct is wise: As a new elder, assume you should speak less and listen more.

You may be more trained than some other elders, but they’ve been in the trenches of your church for years. They carry battle wounds you haven’t yet seen. They’ve buried members, counseled struggling marriages, and wept over prodigal children long before you sat at the table.

New elder, take the low seat—and for now, let your ears do the work.

2. Learn Context, and Assume the BestYour elder work didn’t begin with you. And that’s a gift.

From ministry practices to staffing structures to budget lines, you’re stepping into decisions you didn’t make. Some of it may seem unclear to you. Perhaps even unwise.

But taking the low seat requires humility. Before you critique, learn the context. Before you propose a change, understand the history. Assume there are good reasons behind the decisions you’ve inherited, even if you don’t yet see them.

C. S. Lewis writes, “If you join at eleven o’clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said.” You’re entering a conversation that began long before you arrived. Learn what happened at eight, nine, and ten o’clock, and assume the best when you don’t yet understand.

In a recent meeting, a fellow new elder modeled this well. At several points, he asked, “Have we dealt with this in the past?” It’s a simple question, but it communicates humility. It says, “I may not know the whole story yet.”

In time, you may propose a change, and your ideas may prove helpful. But for now, take time to learn the context, and assume the best.

3. Remember Your RoleYou may be tempted to put too much weight on elder meetings. You may think of them as “the room where it happens,” to borrow a phrase from Hamilton.

But remember your role. Elders are shepherds, not shareholders. A shareholder walks into the meeting thinking, Now my work begins. But a shepherd walks out of the meeting thinking, Now my work begins.

Peter exhorts elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among [them]” (1 Pet. 5:2). The meeting is only a small part of the work. Pray for the flock. Feed them God’s Word. Pursue the wandering. Protect them from wolves. At the end of the day, the most important work in an elder meeting doesn’t concern the budget or the building. It concerns souls.

As a new elder, you’re not there to win arguments. If you’re there to feel important, you’ve already taken the wrong seat. Take the low seat by asking, “How are Joe and Mary doing?” Even more, by praying for them and inviting them over for dinner.

Care for souls. Be a shepherd. The meeting serves the ministry, not the other way around.

Look to the Chief ShepherdYou’re a shepherd, yes. But don’t forget: You’re an under-shepherd. The church doesn’t belong to you. The honor isn’t yours to claim. Beware of self-exaltation. Jesus says, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” (Luke 14:11).

Taking the low seat doesn’t mean ignoring biblical conviction or becoming a “yes man.” It means choosing humility rather than grasping for honor. It means seeing your fellow elders as gifts, not rivals. It means remembering that the church belongs to Christ and acknowledging the price he paid for her.

Jesus didn’t merely teach us to take the low seat. He took it himself not at a banquet but at the cross. Though honor was rightly his, he didn’t grasp for it. If the Chief Shepherd took the lowest seat, how can his under-shepherds reach for the highest?

In Christ’s kingdom, the way up is down. It’s true at wedding feasts. And it’s true in elder meetings.

To learn more about TGC’s virtual cohort for elders and deacons (May 20–June 24, 2026), go here.

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A.C. Loizos reviews Gathered for Good: God’s Good Design for the Local Church by Jonathan Griffiths and highlights the book’s ability to speak to a wide range of believers about the beauty and benefits of belonging to the local church. Though Loizos notes certain areas where the book could be strengthened, he concludes that it is a helpful resource for Christians who want to grow in their love for and commitment to the body of Christ.

Jonathan Griffiths, Gathered for Good: God’s Good Design for the Local Church. B&H Publishing, 2025. 176 pages.

“God gathers us to one another for our good and for his glory” (10). A fine claim, is it not? It’s not particularly controversial or provocative. Most Christians agree that gathering together is good—and yet, how easily can these words come out of our mouths without ever resting in our souls.

Audience The truths in Gathered for Good by Jonathan Griffiths are not merely intended to convict the nominal Christian or the new believer; they help even the most mature believer see God’s beauty and providence in the fellowship of his people.

Perhaps you’re a pastor who has found your heart growing dull due to creeping thoughts that there’s little you can receive from those whom you serve. Exhaustion and burnout inevitably set in as you pour into one-sided relationships with other members. If this sounds familiar, take heart! Not only are you there for the good of your local church, but your local church has been given for your good—and ultimately for God’s glory. And Griffiths has graciously reminded us of this truth.

Scope and Voice Prospective readers should note what this book is and what it is not. Do not expect a deep dive into ecclesiological blueprints. The tagline does contain the word “design,” but the focus is more on the “purpose and principles” that characterize the church. While other books focus on the nuts and bolts of the local church, Gathered for Good focuses on the heart of God for his gathered people, and it aims to draw the hearts of God’s people to one another in their gathering.

Griffiths weaves the gospel into every page, even as he follows a formulaic flow for each chapter. He introduces the topic with an engaging anecdote or question, tracing its root to a passage of Scripture, and then he provides three or four subpoints. Griffiths seems to have a good grasp on the ways a wide range of people perceive the local church. He speaks as comfortably and graciously to the person lingering on the edges as he does to the pastor who preaches fifty Sundays a year. And he connects with the reader not by making legalistic appeals or inducing guilt, but by appealing to their own personal good. These tender instincts undoubtedly spring from a heart seasoned by years of faithful shepherding.

Content Overview Griffiths is aware that intentional, meaningful, and consistent involvement with the local church can be difficult. As such, it is fitting that his first chapter provides four reasons from Scripture why believers should devote themselves to their local church. Next he discusses the uniqueness and beauty of corporate worship in engaging a person’s eyes, ears, and mouth (chapter 2) before painting a picture of biblical service that flows from one gospel-redeemed individual to another (chapter 3).

In chapter 4, Griffiths demonstrates how grace-filled giving contrasts with the world’s version of charity. He later builds on this point by using Matthew 6 to lay out a framework for holistically investing in heavenly things (chapter 6). Sandwiched between these two chapters is an invitation to take a seat at the table (chapter 5). Griffiths shows how communion offers more nourishment for the growth of the believer than the stale customs we are accustomed to.

Chapter 7 addresses prayer, and the author’s pastoral insight, wisdom, and relatability are on full display as he diagnoses common deficiencies in prayer habits and prescribes their scriptural remedies. In chapter 8, Griffiths discusses society’s understanding of “family” and then tries to capture the biblical meaning of the concept, effectively pressing it into the life of the local church. He closes the book by demonstrating the need to grow the gathering through the proclamation of the Word, faithful parenting, personal evangelism, and a corporate witness.

Thoughts and Recommendations The logical flow of Griffiths’s arguments and their connection to the book’s overarching argument are not always as tight as they could be. For example, the section on parenting as evangelism seems to blur the distinction between individual and corporate actions. Some chapters overlap in their content (i.e., “Giving” and “Investing”). Further, the book can seem a bit sermonic in both rhetoric and rhythm, which means some readers will want more stylistic variation.

A curious omission is the lack of a discussion on baptism as one of the key elements of the church’s gathering. While Griffiths devotes the entirety of chapter 5 to communion, its sister ordinance is not given the same emphasis. Additionally, it may have been helpful to discuss the role of church discipline within the gathered body. Granted, chapter 1 touches on the individual’s need for accountability, and chapter 8 exhorts members to move toward those who are struggling. However, neither of these exhortations is connected to the necessity and benefits of church discipline.

Despite these critiques, Jonathan Griffiths has given the church a gift. Given his ability to speak to Christians at various maturity levels, the book can be useful for a wide range of individuals, as well as for small groups, one-on-one discipleship, or studies for the entire church. I’m especially eager to place this book in the hands of those who have yet to think carefully about church membership.

The post A Book for Church Members on the Fringes . . . and the Ones Who Pursue Them appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Katie Decker is a pastor’s wife who offers encouraging exhortations to other pastors’ wives based on the truths of Scripture and her own struggles during difficult seasons of ministry. She points pastors’ wives to God’s grace and faithfulness, and she reminds them of Christ’s love for the church despite its sins and weaknesses.

For fifteen years I have held a position that doesn’t have an official title, a job description, or a definitive role. I’m a pastor’s wife. I’ve found being alongside my husband in ministry to be simultaneously a beautiful privilege and an incredible burden.

My husband began formal ministry at twenty-three years old, just months before we were married. We had big dreams for how the Lord might use our family, but none of those dreams included a long journey through the school of suffering. We never wanted a megachurch. We thought ministry would look a lot more like committing to an ordinary means of grace ministry and then trying to be faithful for a long time. The Lord had other plans.

Of course, we wept with friends in ministry who told stories of the deep sorrow caused by persistent, unrepentant sin among church members, but in our naivety, we thought the Lord would tell a different story through us.

In the School of Suffering Fast forward ten years, and it felt like ministry was out to get us. All those stories we’d heard from others were becoming our reality. I watched as my fun-loving, tenderhearted husband grew exhausted and took on a solemn look of defeat. I spent hours praying for the Lord to sustain us in those hard days. During every sermon he preached, I prayed for clear thinking, clear communication, and Spirit-filled encouragement, despite the sleepless nights. And I watched in awe as God continued to give my husband favor in the pulpit. But I also watched as his shoulders were visibly saddled with the overwhelming weight of ministry as he made his way back to the pew after each sermon. We were sinking together under the burden.

As God always does, he used that season in our lives to sanctify and teach us. He sustained our marriage, our children, and our souls, even when it felt like the sea of suffering was crashing in on us. But when we finally packed up our house and moved to a new area, it took years for me to see how truly broken I was.

On our last Sunday at that little church, I wept as the congregation around me sang, “When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’” I wept for the agony we had endured, for the sin we had seen, for the dreams that were dying before my eyes. I wept for my own loss of sweet friends I would no longer worship alongside weekly; for the beauty of what God had accomplished in the lives of these precious ones through his Word; and for the many wonderful saints who ached at our departure. I didn’t understand why we had to walk away from our dreams of a healthy church in this city; I didn’t understand why we had to say goodbye.

I had long been learning in this school of suffering, and I felt like I was ready to graduate.

Blessed While Walking with a Limp Because our God is so incredibly faithful, he continues to teach me through the painful process of healing. He is too good to waste even an ounce of our suffering. Like Jacob, who wrestled with the Lord, I have begged of him a blessing through the pain, and I have gleaned more than I could have asked for or imagined. But I now walk with a limp.

The beauty and pain of being a pastor’s wife is wrapped up in the fact that this role isn’t actually an office in the church. It comes with a myriad of blessings, like getting to know much of what is happening among the Lord’s people. As Erin Wheeler put it, “I treasure these things in my heart like Mary.”Erin Wheeler, “The Privilege and Power of a Praying Pastor’s Wife,” 9Marks, https://www.9marks.org/article/the-privilege-and-power-of-a-praying-pastors-wife/.

But this “job” also comes with unique, and often unseen, sorrows. The limp I walk with comes from hours on my knees. Yet, even in the pain, I have received more of God himself. When the sorrow has weighed heaviest, I have been most keenly aware of Christ’s strong arm sustaining me. When the ugly words that spewed from the saints were harshest, I saw more sweetly the beauty of my Savior’s gentle call to “come.” When kind encouragement came like water in a parched land, I felt keenly the embrace of Jesus through the welcome of his people. Now I consider my husband’s calling a joy, because my Lord has gently been applying balm to my soul through the Word and the fellowship of the saints.

Encouragements for Difficult Seasons If you are a pastor’s wife walking through a difficult season, hear this: God sees, knows, and cares. Your unseen limp is seen by him. As you beg him for a blessing in your own life, consider the encouragements.

Rejoice in Your Sorrow

There is nothing like pain to make you seek a doctor. There is nothing like sorrow to send you to the Great Physician. This is why you can, with James, “count it all joy” when you fall into “trials of various kinds” (Jas. 1:2). God can reveal his kindness and faithfulness to you in ways you have yet to imagine. Sorrows can become joys as you walk with the Savior.

Remember Who You Are

You are a wretched sinner in need of a great Savior. But there is good news! In Christ, that is exactly what you have. Jesus has borne your sin and shame and extended to you, through faith, the only real solution to your eternal problem. You have a great Savior, and in him you are chosen, beloved, adopted, redeemed, rescued, and justified. You don’t need the approval of others—because you have his! I recall Rico Tice once saying:

When we know we are children of God, we don’t fear the rejection of others—we’re loved by our Creator! We don’t fear their mockery—the Maker of the cosmos thinks well of us! We don’t fear the withholding of a favor or a promotion or anything else—we’re heading to glory in heaven.Rico Tice, “Who Are You?” The Good Book Company, https://www.thegoodbook.com/blog/interestingthoughts/2015/03/31/who-are-you/?srsltid=AfmBOoqF9oZ7o5mvomqVW1_xrIOdytI2OleEDTEkTkgT9H-dud5ndE1S.

So when someone says that you or your husband are rotten, you can say with joy, “We are! But we have a glorious Savior, and I’d love to talk with you about him.”

Find a Friend

Find one or two trusted sisters and share with them the whole truth. Tell them the pain you’re feeling. Tell them when it’s hard for you to love others. Tell them when you’re straying from regular time in the Word and prayer because of discouragement or busyness. Pursue honesty even when it means you just weep. If this feels impossible in your own local church right now, ask a pastor’s wife from another church to grab coffee. She’ll likely understand and could probably use the same encouragement.

Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Good

When Paul gives us the instruction to “not grow weary of doing good” (Gal. 6:9), he doesn’t give any exceptions. Instead, he tells us to favor those who are of the “household of faith” (v. 10). But what about when the household of faith is causing your pain? There is wisdom in establishing boundaries for certain circumstances and that should be done prayerfully and with counsel from others. But Paul’s admonition remains. We are called to do good to fellow Christians whenever we have an opportunity and to never grow weary in this task.

I wish I could say I’ve done this perfectly, but I am not Jesus, and I’ve failed here more than I’ve succeeded. But if it was always easy to do good, then we wouldn’t need the reminder to not grow weary. At times, people will assume that you have poor motives, or they will gossip about some little detail you’ve forgotten. Sometimes they will simply be unmoved by your kindness. Do good anyway. God has commanded it, and he only commands what is good.

Don’t Give Up on the Church

We naturally try to stay away from the things that hurt us. When other Christians cause us pain, we can be tempted to think, I love Jesus, I just don’t want anything to do with the church. But Jesus is not a brideless groom. His bride is the church, and he has called every believer to be a part of her and to fiercely love her because he loves her.

The church is made up of sinners this side of heaven. You will hurt others, and others will hurt you. Therefore, meditate on the beauty of Christ’s unrelenting faithfulness to a bride who often gives herself to other lovers, and see yourself in that picture. Then have that same compassion for his people. Don’t give up on the church. Jesus hasn’t, and he has been with her much longer than you have.

Draw Near to Jesus

Jesus loves you and he will not leave you. He sees your pain, and he works through sorrow to reveal himself in the midst of the storm. He may not immediately stop the waves of sorrow from crashing in, but he will be a safe place to hide as they roll over you. Draw near to him. Meditate on his Word. Learn his heart. Seek him diligently.

The pain of a pastor’s wife is often as unseen as her work. And yet, God is faithful. He only wounds in order to bring about a greater healing. He is too good and too faithful to allow your suffering to be fruitless.

The post Walking with an Unseen Limp: God’s Enduring Faithfulness in the Private Pain of a Pastor’s Wife appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: This article is an actual letter from a pastor to his congregation as the congregation was transitioning from an elder-rule polity to an elder-led congregationalism. Six implications are outlined for the congregation as they prepare to exercise the “keys of the kingdom” by receiving and releasing members in a manner consistent with Matthew 16:16–19 and Matthew 18:15–20.

Editorial Note: 9Marks has published many articles about the congregation’s biblical authority over a church’s membership in the context of an elder-led polity. What follows is one pastor’s attempt to teach his church on this topic in the process of the church’s transition from an elder-rule polity to an elder-led congregationalism. This article was written to the congregation in the week leading up to their first vote to receive and release members.

Who doesn’t love a new set of keys—keys to a new car, a new house, or a new office? This Sunday we turn a set of keys that are new to us, but they belong to an institution that is as old as our faith.

In September we worked through a set of texts in our New Testament that outline Jesus’s plan for building his church. In Matthew 16, Peter confessed that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Jesus responded,

You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. 16:18–19)

If it’s crucial to make sure the right people have the keys to your house, Jesus takes the question no less seriously for his own kingdom. Three sermons in September answered the question, Who Holds the Keys? From our first sermon, “The King and His Kingdom,” we learned that Jesus is heaven’s king who manifests his reign in churches that confess his name (Matt. 16:13–18). In week two, “The Keys and the Keepers,” we learned that it is every member’s job to guard Jesus’s name (Matt. 16:19; 18:15–20). In our third week, “Turning the Keys Together,” we examined three case studies to show how the apostles instructed the churches on the basis of Christ’s teaching—how they applied his blueprint for church membership (Gal. 1:6–9, 1 Cor. 5:1–13, and 2 Cor. 2:5–11).

In the weeks following, we reviewed and then agreed together on a handful of changes to our Constitution. These changes focused on how we receive and release members at Heritage Bible Church. That’s what the keys are about: church membership.

Here we are now a few days away from our Family Meeting where we’ll exercise the keys together for the first time. It’s a big moment.

With a new set of keys typically comes some instructions and reminders. So, let’s gather our gains from our three-week study and answer this question: What happens when we turn the keys this Sunday?

Here are six answers to help us pray, prepare, and celebrate together. A handful of pertinent additions from the new Constitution are quoted with bold text.

First, We Agree in the Lord by Vote to Receive and Release Members Very practically, this is what we are doing. By means of a congregational vote, we will make decisions together regarding our membership rolls. Under our Constitution, until about one month ago, our elders made this decision. Our elders were the final authority for decisions on members—who were added to the rolls or removed by discipline. Members were officially added when we voted at an elders’ meeting on a Wednesday night. Then members were presented to you at a subsequent Family Meeting when we reported on their testimony of faith in Christ.

So many good things going on there! But consider that, constitutionally, our elders did not even have to tell you the names of these new members. Yikes. Even so, our instincts have pulled us more and more over the years in the direction of congregational involvement and responsibility—for example, the addition of a membership class years back, and later a membership covenant and regular members’ meetings. When we share the testimonies of new members, we communicate our shared responsibility to acknowledge a true confession of Christ. And by presenting these members to you in public, we highlight your responsibility for them and their responsibility for you.

So, what changes? This Sunday, we will not report to you that you now have new brothers and sisters for whom you are responsible. Rather, we will “recommend” individuals to you for membership on the basis of their credible confession of faith in Christ. To see that we arrive together ready for business on Sunday, two weeks ago we sent you an email with the names, images, and testimonies of these dear souls. You’ve had the chance to bring to our attention any concerns. The difference might feel subtle, even simple. That’s a good thing. That’s because we’ve been going about this as “together” as we can, short of you making the final decision. Sunday, we’ll turn the keys together when we vote to receive new members.

A small change procedurally. In principle, a big deal. Let’s consider why that is so.

Second, We Declare What Heaven Has Already Decided Concerning These Souls What could be more powerful than “the keys of the kingdom of heaven”? Jesus picks his metaphors with purpose. Keys open and shut, lock and unlock. But did Jesus really mean to give to the church the power to decide if people go to heaven or hell?

If that doesn’t sound quite right, you’d be right. When Jesus said, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matt. 16:19), he used a strained grammatical construction—“shall have been bound in heaven” (emphasis mine). He could have been more simple and direct. But this is how he spoke.

Here’s what this means: we are ambassadors who discern true kingdom citizens and declare them in (by receiving a new member) or out (through church discipline if necessary). When we receive a member into our church, we declare that brother or sister to be a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. By this corporate act, we vow to treat them as a brother or sister with all of the privileges and responsibilities that membership entails. In short, we want our church rolls to match the roll of heaven.

We’re not deciding who gets in the kingdom, but our declarative responsibility is no small part of our church’s gospel witness. We want to get this right. How can each of us as members arrive at a responsible decision this Sunday when we turn the keys? Must each of us have the same firsthand, personal knowledge of these individuals? No. But that doesn’t mean our vote is a mere formality. Rather, our votes are based on evidence.

The testimony of witnesses was crucial to Israel’s legal system (Deut. 19:15). Witnesses substantiate claims. This substantiation was the basis for Timothy’s encouragement concerning the genuineness of his own faith when Paul wrote to him, “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12). That likely refers to Timothy’s baptism. Witnesses were also essential to the process of identifying false confessors in Jesus’s instructions for church discipline: “Take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (Matt. 18:16).

This Sunday, on the basis of good evidence, let’s declare on earth what is true in heaven concerning these souls.

Third, We Guard Christ’s Name and One Another—the What and the Who of the Gospel Our new Constitution puts a profound truth in simple terms: “The members of this church possess the responsibility to guard its gospel teaching and to guard one another as gospel confessors.” This profound truth has practical, formal, and informal entailments.

Heritage has always been ordered so that the members make formal decisions regarding our church’s confession of faith—the what of the gospel. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16), and Jesus affirmed that profession as the foundation for the church he would build. About ten years ago, the elders proposed a handful of changes to our confession, and the members accepted those changes by a vote. It makes sense that the congregation should bear this formal responsibility, as the apostles held congregations responsible for the gospel they preached and professed (Gal. 1:6).

Informally, we have always taken care of one another—the who of the gospel. We do this whenever we speak the truth in love, encouraging and exhorting one another in Christ. This Sunday we do so formally together for the first time, making a decision together on who will bear the name of Jesus with us in this congregation. This is what Jesus means by his imagery of “binding” and “loosing.” Think including and excluding, attaching and detaching, receiving and releasing. As an “elder-led congregational” church, this authority is now vested in our members.

How precious is the name of Jesus! That’s the measure of the preciousness of his people, for he puts his name upon them. How sacred, then, is our membership roll. There is no greater responsibility. Most of the time this will be a happy decision to receive new members.

But sometimes it will involve mourning as if for the death of a loved one (1 Cor. 5:2). This is the only response fitting when we exercise the keys of the kingdom by “loosing” a member through church discipline, excommunication being the last step in that process. In doing so, we obey Matthew 18:15–20, as did the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 5:1–13. Difficult as it is, “loosing” a member is an act of loving guardianship: we love the unrepentant individual by not endorsing their self-deception (1 Cor. 5:5, 11); we love one another by protecting our church from the leaven of sin (1 Cor. 5:6); and we love our neighbors by not confusing the name of Jesus with a member who confesses Christ with their lips and denies him with their life (1 Cor. 5:1).

Given the stakes involved here (Jesus’s name) and the limitation of our knowledge concerning any one member, how can we do this in a unified way with confidence? Let’s consider now the process we—that is, the congregation—have put in place and what you as church members can expect from your elders. If we’re all doing our jobs, then there should be no surprises when we assemble to vote.

Fourth, We Fulfill Our Biblical Responsibilities with the Help of Our Biblically Appointed Leaders If leaders don’t turn the keys on behalf of the church, where do leaders fit in this process? Let’s spend a little more time on this one.

Jesus said to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 16:19). But Peter is dead, and there’s no basis in this text or any other for a succession of Peters (Popes!) who possess the keys of the kingdom of heaven. So, who holds the keys? I’ve assumed an answer in this article. It’s an answer that we argued for from Scripture in our second sermon, “The Keys and the Keepers.” In short, the church possesses the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Specifically, local churches.

Here’s the argument in two parts. First, in Matthew 18, Jesus uses the same imagery of binding and loosing to interpret what local churches do through a process of church discipline. In other words, Jesus says to Peter, “I give you the keys of the kingdom,” but two chapters later, he teaches the church how to exercise them. Read Jesus’s instructions and keep track of who is doing what.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matt. 18:15–19)

There is a biblical order to this sensitive process. “The process moves from private to public and from individual to corporate when the person who has confessed Christ refuses to listen.” Our goal is the “spiritual restoration” of a brother or sister. But if unrepentance persists, the church agrees to treat them as a Gentile or a tax collector. Notice that it is the church that does so. Elders are not even mentioned here. Thus, the process of “loosing” is fundamentally the responsibility of the congregation. So it is with “binding,” or receiving members.

A second argument for the congregation holding the keys comes from our New Testament letters. As we explored in our third sermon, “Turning the Keys Together,” the apostles assumed congregational authority. In the same way that the apostle Paul held the whole congregation accountable in the church at Galatia for the gospel they preached and believed—the what of the gospel—he put the onus on the whole congregation at Corinth to handle the discipline of an unrepentant member—the who of the gospel (Gal. 1:6; 1 Cor. 5:1–13). Then, when the excommunicated brother returned, Paul again put the responsibility on the church to receive him back. “I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. . . . Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive” (2 Cor. 2:8–10, emphasis mine). Even as an apostle, Paul did not decide the matter for the church. Paul did not write to the elders to receive this man back. He wrote to the party with the proper biblical authority: the church at Corinth.

What, then, is the role of leaders?

We don’t see them mentioned in Jesus’s instructions for discipline in Matthew 18. It seems like a glaring omission given the prominent place that priests and prophets and kings played in the story of God’s people to this point. To be sure, the church still has leaders, elders who shepherd and oversee the flock. But elders do not occupy the same role in relationship to the church that Israel’s leaders played in her life. Elders do not mediate God’s Word or presence or rule. Elders in the New Covenant rather lead God’s people to fulfill her God-given role as a royal priesthood and holy nation. We are—all of us—a kingdom of priests, ambassadors of Christ’s kingdom on earth. Together, we bear responsibility for Jesus’s name in this place.

Here’s where leaders fit: as a local church under the authority of Jesus, we “recognize and install elders who will teach [us] the gospel of Jesus Christ and who will lead [us] to carry out [our] responsibilities under Christ.” By the structure of the Constitution we have adopted at Heritage, we appoint biblically qualified elders for the purpose of teaching the congregation to identify the true gospel and true gospel confessors. As part of this, we have outlined a process by which our elders interview prospective members and recommend them to you.

This Sunday we as elders conclude our part of the process you’ve entrusted to us when we recommend these individuals for a vote into membership. As a member joined to this body in support of your elders, it is not necessary for you to know every applicant personally. By voting to receive a new member, you agree with the elders’ recommendation on the basis of the testimony we’ve published and the process we’ve undergone with them.

Fifth, We Entrust Some Brothers and Sisters to the Care of Other Churches There are two ways we release members at Heritage. When necessary, we remove someone from our rolls as a matter of church discipline. After a process that involves witnesses and eventually the whole church, we agree to remove someone from our membership and treat them as an unbeliever.

We renew our agreement to this process every time we recite our Membership Covenant:

I will endeavor to watch over others in brotherly love; to humbly give and receive admonishment lest I become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin; and to consider how to encourage others to love and good works (Heb. 3:13; 10:24). If I ever continue in my sin without biblical repentance, I implore this body to seek my spiritual restoration and purity (Matt. 18:15–20) and will submit to this process for my spiritual well-being.

But what about those who are leaving our church for any number of other reasons? I quote our Membership Covenant on the matter of discipline in order to draw a contrast with every other kind of departure. This is important: we are not “loosing” them, marking them out of the kingdom. But we are releasing them from our church so that we no longer bear responsibility for one another. A brother or sister may leave because they are leaving the state. They may leave because they are marrying a believer from another church. Or for any number of providential or prudential reasons, they may decide to join another church. Sometimes these departures will be discouraging. At times, these departures are mixed with sin. But not all sin is disciplinable. So we joyfully release members to other churches when they leave to join a church that preaches the same gospel they professed with us.

Resignations should not be a surprise: “Members are encouraged to speak with an elder if ever they are considering resigning their membership.” And most of the time we should know what church that is. Our word choice indicates that this is not binding. But it should encourage confident and mutually edifying transitions to safe pasture: “Generally, a member should wait to resign their membership at Heritage until they have become a member at the new church.”

We work with resigning members to time the vote for that kind of hand-off of care. This should be normative, as it best honors what we recite together from our Membership Covenant: “I will, when I move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with a church where I can carry out the articles of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.” To be “entrusted to the care of a specific church” is something we should want and work for where we can. At times we will not know the church but are willing to trust a departing member to seek safe pasture.

When you vote in these instances, you need not worry about knowing the details nor even agreeing that an individual should or should not have left our church. The question at hand is straightforward. With these votes “members decide that the individual leaves in good standing, agreeing with the elders’ judgment that church discipline is not necessary.” In the case of those leaving the fold here, the elders whom you have appointed have spoken with the departing member and recommend that you receive their resignation. Put positively, now we get a public opportunity to say with one voice that this brother or sister leaves in good standing with us. That should make for healthier departures and the kind of good-bye that strengthens those going and those staying. For our relationship as church members ends as it began, with the gospel.

Sixth, We Manifest Jesus’s Power and Presence among Us Jesus has great encouragement for us as we carry out this sober responsibility, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matt. 18:20). Jesus wants us to know where he is when we gather as a congregation (which, by the way, is what he means by “two or three”) to exercise the power of the keys. He is powerfully among us.

Yes, he is powerfully among us even if our votes are not unanimous. When Paul appealed to the church at Corinth to receive a repentant brother back, he said, “this punishment by the majority is enough” (2 Cor. 2:6, emphasis mine). We should not be surprised in the years ahead if there are painful discipline decisions over which we are not all in agreement. But even then, the Lord Jesus is powerfully among us (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 5:4).

Yes, insofar as the Son is omnipresent as God, the Lord Jesus is everywhere in the universe. Insofar as Jesus sent his Spirit to live within us, Jesus himself is with each Christian wherever we go. But he is with us in a special way when we gather as a local congregation to worship his name (1 Pet. 2:4–10) and to do the work of guarding this name through church membership (Matt. 18:20; see also 1 Cor. 5:3–5).

This is our sweet and sobering responsibility.

May the Lord bless this humble embassy of his heavenly kingdom.

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This article is taken from Church Matters, the 9Marks journal for pastors, in the issue titled “The Pastor and Suffering.”

Abstract: Travis Rymer shares about the painful experience of pastoring while suffering with two forms of cancer. Rymer is honest about his own struggles, acknowledging that trusting God in this trial has often been difficult. He offers biblical and practical suggestions, as well as encouragement, to pastors who are seeking to persevere in faith and lead their people well amid their own suffering.

How do you get two cancers at the same time? I didn’t know it was possible. Neither my doctor nor I expected to find anything. However, the shock and worry on his face when he walked into the room indicated that he had found something—and it was serious.

On my 43rd birthday, I learned I had rectal cancer. Soon after, I would find out it was stage 3. I was scared, but the real kicker came when we met to review the scans and the doctor told me they had found another cancer—lymphoma. All I could think was, Game over.

I’ll spare you all the details of what happened next: a port in my chest, twelve rounds of chemo, surgery, and numerous humiliating situations that humbled me severely. And just for fun, I took a golf ball off my left eye at 100 mph during my first three rounds of chemo! I (literally) ended up flat on my face with blood pouring from my head. I cried out, “Are you serious right now?”

The physical circumstances were hard, and I pray I never have to go through that again. What was worse than that, though, was the fear of dying young and leaving my family behind.

How Suffering Has Affected Me Most people recognize that there are different kinds of suffering, but they might not realize that each kind of suffering has its own sharp edge. Suffering under injustice, for example, exposes our vulnerability, while suffering due to our own sinful mistakes often produces regret and shame.

Our theology also shapes our experience of suffering. For instance, those like me who hold to a “Big God” theology believe that God is in control of our suffering. Scripture teaches us that he uses trials to grow our faith and that he works all things according to his good pleasure (Eph. 1:11). Yet knowing that God decides what happens in our lives can itself become part of the trial.

In my experience, suffering has brought a sense of abandonment—a divine face-punch, if you will. It can leave you writhing in pain and looking for answers. God can seem distant at best and cruel at worst. Ultimately, he chose this trial at this time for you. Your walk with God becomes a personal fight to trust in him. “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10)

When the trial begins, you might think, Okay, here we go. It’s time to put my money where my mouth is. It’s an opportunity to see if your faith is real. You expect God to show up, and you anticipate growth. But as the trial goes on or the seriousness of it hits you in a fresh way, it gets harder. You start to wrestle with the deep things.

In your private prayers, you cry out, “Where are you, Lord? Why are you doing this? Why now? Are my kids really going to see me die? Will they learn that you don’t answer prayer? Don’t they need me? I need you to show up! Does this mean you’re done with me?”

Then, as time goes on, you begin to question whether God’s promises are true for this life or only for the future. Is Psalm 34:17 true? Does God really deliver the righteous from “all their troubles”? Paul was confident he would be delivered (2 Cor. 1:10). Can you have that same confidence? Sure, ultimate deliverance will come through death and all types of rescue in this life are only temporary precursors to the final rescue to come (2 Tim. 4:17–18). But what about when you need rescue here and now?

What’s worse is that when you pray, God doesn’t speak. Like Job, you cry out for answers, but nothing comes. Like so many psalms, you plead with God to come near. “God, do not be far from me; my God, hurry to help me!” (Ps. 71:12). And then you realize that there are countless passages just like this one. “Lord, do not abandon me; my God, do not be far from me” (Ps. 38:21).

It can get dark. Many times, I have wept with my face on the floor, begging God not to take my life. I have cried in bed in the darkness of night grieving my own death. While watching my son play basketball, I could only think about how I might not be here next year.

When you’re a pastor, there’s no place to hide. While you suffer, other sufferers are asking, “Where is God?” They’re watching to see how you make it through. It’s your role to help them answer these kinds of questions. The only thing is, you’re asking the same questions yourself! What they need is what you need.

So how are you supposed to help others when you need that same help?
And how do you fight while you feel beaten down?

Suggestions for Leading in the Midst of Suffering Based on my own experience, I’ll offer some suggestions for how you can lead your people as a fellow sufferer.

Let the Trial Work on Your Soul and Allow Others to See It The truth is, there’s no other way to suffer well and help others at the same time. Only Jesus has the words of life. And unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it cannot bear fruit (John 12:24). At least part of the purpose of this trial is to refine your faith through fire (1 Pet. 1:7), and that too is part of God’s ministry to others through you (2 Cor. 1:6). As hard as it might be, when you let others into your trial to see you wrestling with these things, their faith benefits as well.

Do the Next Thing in Front of You I don’t know who said it, but it’s good advice: Do the next thing in front of you. Today has enough troubles of its own (Matt. 6:34). You don’t know if the Lord will let you survive this, but today you have an opportunity to serve. Take it.

Pastor by Faith Pastoring while suffering forces you to pastor by faith. Sure, this should always be our prerogative. Unfortunately, suffering forces the issue when we are otherwise all too prone to rely on ourselves. The hardest part is helping others fight for faith during their own trials by pointing them to promises that you are praying for yourself—promises that seem unanswered thus far. In the back of your mind, you may be reserving judgment on whether or not the promise is true for you, which can make you feel like a hypocrite. But isn’t this how we fight for faith? We listen to the Scriptures speak that which our eyes cannot see.

This too is a gift because being a pastor forces you to face questions you might otherwise avoid or respond to superficially. When you have to get up and preach next week, you don’t have the luxury of spiritual lethargy. Admittedly, it can feel like a burden. Am I faking it? Is there anything real in me? I don’t feel like doing this. Yet this is another grace. As you exhort the person in your office to trust in God and wait on his timing, you are exhorting yourself. You are living by faith while pastoring by faith. Faith is working overtime in you and through you.

Be Transparent about Your Struggles and Limitations I have tried to be honest with people during this trial, and most people have been surprised by my struggles. That surprises me. How can I not struggle? This is an aspect of genuine faith, and it’s all over the Bible. But some people don’t seem to understand this.

Obviously, if you are struggling to put one foot in front of the other, you may need to take a step back from at least some of your pastoral responsibilities. Such decisions should be made with the counsel and prayer of your fellow elders, your wife, and those who know you well. But the fact that you are fighting to trust God’s promises is important. People need to see that you’re wrestling. So be as transparent as you can in appropriate ways. This will help you avoid feeling like a hypocrite.

I have written Psalm 25:16–18 and Isaiah 30:20–21 on my wall. I also grabbed Psalm 71 along the way, in addition to 2 Corinthians 1:8–11. Like a young child picking up shells at the beach, I’ve collected an armful of such verses. They are written there as open prayers. More than once, I’ve pointed to these and said to someone, “The Lord hasn’t yet answered these passages for me, but they are promises. So I’m calling on God to answer them. Let’s pray them together for us both.”

Become Acquainted with Parts of the Bible that Address the Reality of Suffering There are passages I “knew” but had no experiential knowledge of. I have become aware of an entire category of passages that express what I’ve called “the divine face-punch.” While these passages might seem discouraging at first glance, they will help you in the long run. More than that, they’re really helpful for your people. Think about it. How many places in Scripture are asking “Why?” or “How long?” How many are pleading with God to arise and do something? How many lament God’s silence? I had heard of these passages, but now I truly know them!

Develop a Theology of Rescue I don’t have space to elaborate fully here, but one thing God has been teaching me is that trials are largely about learning to believe in the resurrection. Paul said that he and his co-workers felt that they had received the sentence of death, but this sense of despair had a particular purpose: “to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9).

Brother pastor, there’s rich nourishment in the connection between the promises of rescue and the realities of affliction. As you work out how these two things relate, you will be strengthened and your people will be helped. This is an important way to watch your life and doctrine during a season of suffering.

Encouragement in the Midst of My Suffering I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but it has been encouraging to hear from people about how my suffering has helped them. Perhaps these examples can encourage you too.

Toward the end of last year, a friend wrote, “I want you to know you’re one of the main reasons my faith is strong.” A sister afflicted by many troubles told me after one sermon, with tears, “I believe you now. I believe you.” Another brother was comforted to hear that I had felt abandoned at times because that’s how he felt too. Someone else told me that when he first heard about my cancer, he became angry at God. However, it forced him to rethink his understanding of God’s sovereignty. I received an unexpected note after counseling a young couple about their second miscarriage. They shared about how they had experienced firsthand how someone can offer comfort with the comfort that they had received from God.

My trial isn’t over yet, but I am doing better. I will never be the same. I am still finding my way forward and praying the verses on my wall. When I experience noticeable “chemo brain,” neuropic aches and pains, hurting feet, or when I deal with the side effects of surgery, I am reminded of my frailty. As I approach the next scan, I fear I’m about to be thrown right back into the fire.

I walk with this daily, but so do many of my people. In all of it, God is teaching us not to rely on ourselves but on him who raises the dead.

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Abstract: Mark Redfern commends R.B. Kuiper’s book The Glorious Body of Christ as a resource that can help pastors and all Christians see how God’s glory is displayed in the church.

R.B. Kuiper, The Glorious Body of Christ. Banner of Truth, 1967. 416 pages.

I’d memorized the first part of the verse more than twenty years ago, as a young Christian, but it was today that I connected it to the verse that immediately follows it.

The verse I am referring to is Paul’s well-known benediction in the middle of his letter to the Ephesian church: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Eph. 3:20).

No doubt you’re familiar with this promise. It reminds us that our God is the God of more—far more. There are no limitations on his ability or power to do good in us and for us as his people. We are weak, but he is strong.

But to what end is this promise given? The following verse clues us in: “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

So, yes, God is able to do far more than all that we ask or think. And, yes, he is more than willing to exercise his power on our behalf.

But for what reason? So that his glory might be seen in his church.

The church is a place where God intends for his glory to be made visible, and though in itself the church is weak, God has everything at his disposal to make his name great among us. And this is something he’s committed to do, beyond all that we can ask or imagine.

If God is so committed to seeing his glory displayed in the church, we ought to be as well. That’s why The Glorious Body of Christ by R.B. Kuiper deserves a careful reading by a wide audience. Kuiper seeks to share “the teaching of Holy Scripture concerning the church of Christ . . . specifically its glory.” He writes in the introduction that his “chief concern is to give the reader some glimpses of the marvelous glory of the body of Christ.” This he does in 53 concise chapters. These chapters were originally published as monthly articles in the Presbyterian Standard between 1948 and 1952.

Kuiper was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, though his aim in this book is broader than Presbyterianism. He doesn’t want to appeal only to those who share his particular ecclesiastical convictions. Rather, he writes as one who “did not have in mind any particular denomination but rather the church described in the Apostles’ Creed as ‘catholic.’” He largely accomplishes that goal, though his presbyterian polity does show up from time to time. However, even those who remain unpersuaded by his views on matters of church government will benefit from what Kuiper says concerning the identity, holiness, leadership, preaching, and mission of the church.

For pastors, this book could work well as a one-chapter-a-week read over the course of a year, perhaps on a Saturday night before preaching. Church members might also find it useful to read one of these chapters each week prior to gathering with their local church. The book can help any Christian grow their love for and dedication to the body of Christ.

“Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God” (Ps. 87:3). This book will help you rediscover those “glorious things,” or perhaps hear them for the first time.

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Abstract: Caleb Davis encourages pastors to consider God’s good purposes in not growing their church rather than being discontent with their church’s size. God may be helping a church’s leaders to focus on the flock that is there and equip them to carry out his mission. A season that feels stagnant may be an opportunity for self-reflection, and it should lead to greater dependence on God.

I hadn’t seen him in years. After small talk, he asked the question many pastors dread: “So, how big is your church?” If you pastor a small church, you know the feelings that come: insecurity, defensiveness, the temptation to exaggerate, and a desire to highlight the strengths of your church.

The average church has sixty people in attendance. But many pastors still feel like failures. They can live in a low-grade state of discontent, watching other churches double or triple in size while theirs feels stuck. They wonder why God hasn’t answered their prayers. Isn’t it a good thing we’re asking God for? Didn’t Jesus promise to build his church, or did he just mean theirs?

Along with spiritual confusion comes practical challenges: thin volunteer teams, tight budgets, limited staff. Small church pastors watch people they love leave for larger churches with more programs and services, creating a revolving door.

I’ve pastored at a megachurch with everything pastors dream of, and now for over a decade I’ve pastored a church of under two hundred people. I’m not against growth. I have longed for it. Prayed for it. Worked for it. But my current church has never seen the overnight growth that some churches experience.

I have hated this. I’ve been discouraged. Disappointed. Confused. And, over time, I have come to thank God for this mercy.

Though it’s good and reasonable to desire growth, I have learned to rejoice in the fact that God has chosen not to grow my church at the speed I once envisioned.

Focused ShepherdingProverbs says, “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox” (Prov. 14:4). Growth brings abundance, but also a messier barn. I learned that lesson in my first job working on a ranch. More horses meant more mouths to feed, more stalls to muck, more wheelbarrows of manure to haul. At times, I wished for only one stall to clean.

Church growth can have a similar effect. Right now, you may have one counseling session, one critical email, one couple walking through infertility. Now multiply that based on how much you want your church to grow. More people can mean more problems, more needs to meet, and more strain.

That doesn’t mean we should fear growth. After all, the abundance of crops is a good thing! We want to see more people discipled. We shouldn’t intentionally try to keep things small so that we have fewer problems. Yet it’s easy to fantasize and miss the realistic picture of growth. The lack of growth may be God’s mercy to help you focus on the flock he has given you right now. Diligently shepherd the sheep God has given you today instead of dreaming about the sheep you wish you had.

Engaged LaborersI used to pray, “God, bring people to our church.” Then I realized this kind of prayer isn’t really in the Bible. Jesus said the harvest is “plenty”; the problem is that there are few people willing to enter the harvest, which is why we should “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37–38). We are not called to pray that God would send people to our church. We are called to pray that God would send us to them.

Some growing churches can easily become complacent in evangelism. This is particularly the case when much of their growth comes through Google search rankings, visibility, or “transfer growth.”

But I’ve talked to many dying churches that once had full auditoriums, schools for growing young families, and national radio ministries. Some confess that over time they became inward-focused, reliant on past success, and content to preserve their comfort.

A season of stagnation offers an opportunity for a church to examine itself. It forces us to ask: Are we truly engaged with our neighbors, coworkers, and city? Are we showing hospitality, building friendships, and proclaiming the gospel? Do we share God’s heart for our community? Perhaps God is choosing not to give growth until there is a radical reorientation of our hearts to be like Jesus who came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Deeper DependenceWhen growth stalls, pastors often scramble for solutions: courses, Facebook groups, cohorts, books, consultants, or new and innovative methods. I’m not saying all these things are worthless, but what if God wants to bring us to the end of what our best resources can do? What if he is giving you a fishes-and-loaves season where you bring the limited people, dollars, staff, and resources to him and say, “God, do what only you can do. Glorify yourself.”

He leads us to depend on him not only for his power but also as our true source of joy. Like all trials, God’s purpose is to shape our character, draw us close to him, and build in us greater endurance. It forces us to ask crucial questions: Is my greatest joy in God or in a popular church? Is my righteousness in a number, or is it in Christ? Am I preaching to be faithful to God and love people or to feel better about myself? Am I living faithfully to fulfill the ministry he has given me?

This is an opportunity not to grieve what you lack, but to remember what you already have in Christ.

Numbers rise and fall, whether by thousands or by dozens, but our calling is the same. We worship God, preach the gospel, form community, train and equip members to do the work of ministry, and carry out Christ’s mission.

Your church enjoys the same purpose in Christ’s mission as every other Christian church in the world. And Jesus is just as much the head of your church as he is of the one with the new building. He cares for your church and has purchased it with his blood. He is not withholding any good thing from you.

Pastor, don’t miss the good God has given you by focusing on what he hasn’t yet given. Slow growth is not God’s neglect. It is his goodness.

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Abstract: Scott Corbin encourages young men to aspire to be lay elders rather than viewing the role as unimportant because it is unpaid or not an “official” staff position. For those who are biblically qualified for the role, serving as an elder is a great blessing to the church and a worthwhile use of your time and gifts for the sake of Christ’s kingdom.

My journey to pastoral ministry wasn’t a straight line.

For some, the journey is relatively straightforward—discern a call, go to seminary, work an internship, become a staff pastor, etc.—but mine was a series of fits and starts. The initial idea came from a mentor who asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I sheepishly said, “Maybe be a teacher,” and he replied, “I think you want to be a pastor.” He was right. Yet, I had no idea what pastoral ministry might look like for me.

In seminary, I came across many brothers whose calling seemed sure. When talking about the future, it was evident that their burden was to be in the pulpit every Sunday. For me? I enjoyed preaching occasionally, but the thought of a weekly pulpit ministry was frankly a little overwhelming.

Later, after having some success in my classes, I began contemplating the idea of doing a PhD, with the hopes of teaching in a classroom environment or—even better—starting a training program in a local church. However, that plan was derailed before I could even begin as my wife and I were expecting our first child. The PhD would have to wait—I needed a job!

In God’s providence, I began a career in Christian publishing. Things finally made sense. I loved books, reading, and telling others about books. Why not do it for a career? It was a great fit for my personality too, as I love to meet new people and have conversations with strangers—something I was doing a lot of.

But what about my aspiration to pastor? Was that something I’d have to give up on? No, far from it! In fact, in God’s kindness, the fits and starts of my journey made my pastoral aspirations even more clear. My aspiration was to be a lay elder.

All Churches Need Good Lay EldersIf we’re going to have healthy churches, we need faithful lay elders eager to shepherd the flock and build up the body. The apostle Paul understood this well when he told Timothy to “entrust” what he had been taught “to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). All churches need faithful men to help lead. And while we should labor to pay pastors for their work, especially those who preach and teach (1 Tim. 5:17), many churches may only be able to pay a handful of such men. This is especially true in newly planted churches, churches undergoing revitalization, or churches in contexts where financial or demographic constraints limit staff size.

I was reminded of how vital the need for lay pastors is while visiting a downtown church in a large metropolis. The church was undergoing revitalization and couldn’t support a large staff. In fact, the lead pastor shared with me how difficult it is to labor in this bustling city because of how transient it is. Like most cities in America, it’s hard for folks to stay.

The morning I visited, I attended a Bible study before the service led by a faithful lay elder who was teaching through the book of Esther. The lead pastor remarked what a blessing it was to have faithful lay elders like this man because it eased the burdens of his ministry.

Lay elders are like Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’s arms in battle against the Amalekites (Ex. 17:10–13). They help bear the burden of ministry when the load seems overwhelming.

Lay Eldering Is ElderingBased on my many conversations with aspiring brothers all over the country, I know that many wrongly think that “being a pastor” necessarily means receiving a paycheck from a local church. Some of these men desire to be lead pastors while others desire to be “staff guys” at a church. While I thank God for men who desire to serve the church full-time, I also feel the urge to remind them that pastoring doesn’t require a paycheck.

The distinction between “lay elder” and “staff elder”Presbyterian churches distinguishing the office of “teaching elder” from “ruling elder.” I prefer the lay and staff distinction because of the specific responsibilities given to all elders. For the distinction within a Presbyterian context, see PCA BCO 8:5, 8:8. is helpful as we pursue the biblical principle of paying pastors (from 1 Tim. 5:17). Nonetheless, Scripture recognizes only two church offices: elders (also called pastors or overseers) and deacons. Fundamentally, there isn’t a tiered system of greater elders and lesser elders—just elders!I do not deny Paul’s recognized parity in any given eldership in 1 Tim. 5:17. Some elders are worthy of more honor based on their responsibilities. My point here is simply to say that all elders start from the same baseline. No elder is more an elder than another even if he receives more “honor” (i.e., pay) for his labors in preaching and teaching. The qualifications and expectations for lay elders are the same as those for all elders (see 1 Tim. 3:1–7, Titus 1:5–9, and 1 Pet. 5).

Practically, this means that as an elder in my local church, I share the same responsibilities as my fellow elders: exercising oversight, teaching God’s Word, providing pastoral counsel, praying for the sick, mediating disagreements, making hospital visits, discipling younger Christians, and shepherding our members. These duties belong to all the elders, regardless of whether we receive a paycheck. And while we must recognize that there are differing capacities for different men, the overall thrust is the same: elders are elders, whether they be lay or staff.

Consider a Vocation to Help You Become a Lay ElderIn light of the need for faithful elders, I often challenge young men with this question: What might it look like to structure your life and vocation around serving as a faithful lay elder in your church?

All of us must consider a variety of factors when choosing a vocation. The obvious ones are things like compensation, opportunities for growth, the job market, skills and interests, work-life balance, personal fulfillment, and more. But what would it look like for aspiring lay elders to choose their career based on their desire to serve in their local church and, more specifically, to serve as an elder?

This might mean choosing a career where the compensation is lower but the schedule provides more flexibility to shepherd the flock. It might mean choosing a job with less travel. Or, as in my case, it might mean picking a career that “stacks” well with pastoral ambitions. Working at a Christian publisher and serving as a local church pastor actually work together in great harmony!

Consider Getting Training to Be a Lay ElderIn some cases, aspiring (or current) lay elders might consider pursuing theological training with the goal of serving more faithfully. Not every man needs to attend seminary, and in some cases it may even be unwise. Men who have a full-time job, a family, and church responsibilities have multiple factors to consider. Yet, because theological training is now available in diverse forms—seminary, church-based programs, internships, distance learning—aspiring lay elders can more easily pursue the education that best fits their situation.

Lay Eldering Is Not a FailureSadly, I often hear young men say they’ve “failed” to use their seminary degree if they aren’t serving on a church staff in some capacity. What was the point of going to school, paying for classes, and graduating if I’m not going to “use” it?

My counsel is, rather than see a vocational “zag” as a failure, see it as God’s providence refining your aspirations. Might such a “zag” mean not being on a church staff? Possibly. Does it mean never getting to pastor? Not by a long shot.

Brothers, if you love the church, love God’s Word, and aspire to the pastoral office, don’t limit that calling to a paycheck. Instead, consider structuring your life around serving Christ’s church as a faithful lay elder. The church needs elders, lay and staff alike. Lay elders aren’t backup options—they are faithful shepherds of the church that Christ laid down his life for.

The post Brothers, Aspire to Be Lay Elders appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Jeromy Blomquist recounts the story of how God used two churches separated by thousands of miles to display his grace in the lives of a couple that was previously living in an immoral relationship. This story of repentance highlights God’s sovereign grace in salvation, and it should encourage churches to practice the ordinary means of grace through preaching, discipleship, and church discipline.

Sabrina burst into tears as she sat on our couch. This was the first time my wife, Amanda, and I had Mante and Sabrina over for dinner. They had recently moved to Bellingham—a few blocks from our church. “What is the name of the church you were at in San Diego?” I asked moments before. “Are you going to call my pastor?” she asked fearfully, her voice choked with sobs.

As it turned out, Sabrina had been excommunicated by her previous church. While this was only the beginning of our journey with Mante and Sabrina, God had been orchestrating this beautiful story for years. This is a real-life example of God accomplishing his will through the ordinary means of grace in local churches thousands of miles apart. Several churches in different states unknowingly became “fellow workers” in caring for Sabrina and Mante (1 Cor. 3:9).

Putting the Pieces TogetherThe first time they attended Legacy Church in the summer of 2023, they both had a thick ESV MacArthur Study Bible. They were living together, and we suspected they weren’t married—neither wore rings. The next Sunday, they didn’t return. Instead, they explored a few other churches in the area. To our surprise, they returned five months later. That’s when we invited them over to dinner. After dinner, we sat in the living room and asked them questions to try to learn more about them. They’d been dating for two years and had met in San Diego before moving across the country to Pennsylvania. While in Pennsylvania, they bought a bus and started converting it into a camper. They then drove cross-country to where we live in Bellingham, Washington.

Bewildered by these contradictory pieces of information, I asked why they came back to Legacy and what they were looking for in a church. Mante, a newly professing Christian, explained that he liked the other churches they visited because of their worship, but Sabrina, who seemed to have a healthy church background, convinced him that preaching the Bible was more important than the production quality of the music. They may not have known the right terminology, but they returned to Legacy because of expositional preaching and a culture of evangelism and hospitality.

We grappled with their incongruent choices, sensing God’s hand was at work. They knew what good preaching was, and they knew we preached the Bible. And both of them had theologically conservative Study Bibles. Yet they were living together while unmarried. How did Sabrina know what to look for in a church? Who taught her about expositional preaching? More to the point, wouldn’t they have known that we would confront them in their adultery? And why would they return to Legacy instead of attending one of the other churches that didn’t practice meaningful membership? They could have remained unknown with their sin unconfronted.

It was around this time that I asked the question about Sabrina’s previous church. The question clearly struck a nerve. After Amanda comforted her, Sabrina shared that she had attended San Diego Reformed Church (SDRC). The pastor had told her that she couldn’t be a member there any longer, nor could she share in the fellowship of the Lord’s Table with her beloved SDRC friends. In other words, she was excommunicated—the final stage of church discipline that Jesus taught about in Matthew 18:15–20. At this point in our relationship, we didn’t know why she was excommunicated, nor did we know if SDRC was a faithful church. What we did know is that the formal act of discipline stung Sabrina. After months of patient shepherding, she told us the story.

Back in April of 2021, Sabrina had become a member of SDRC, where she sat under the expositional preaching of Pastor Zack Gilman for more than a year. She was also being discipled by various women at the church and seemed to be growing in her faith. But Sabrina was in the San Diego restaurant industry, which was notorious for its sensual and immoral lifestyle. It was there that she met Mante, a scientifically minded atheist at the time, and Sabrina became the wandering sheep of Matthew 18:10–14. She seemed to have tasted the goodness of the Word of God, yet she walked away.

She formed a romantic and adulterous relationship with Mante, and several close friends confronted her. By that fall, she had confessed the relationship to her best friend, Janet, yet Sabrina refused to end the relationship. On January 11, 2022, Janet, along with Pastor Zack and another friend, met with Sabrina again to call her to repentance. After months with no signs of repentance, they were forced to “tell it to the church” (Matt. 18:17). In July, Pastor Zack sent a painful email to the members of SDRC in which he explained the next stage of discipline according to Matthew 18 and the responsibility of the members at their next members meeting.

At that meeting on July 17, Pastor Zack exhorted the church to commit to praying for Sabrina, and he urged them to call her to repentance. Sabrina recalls being bombarded with love. The members pursued her. They pleaded with her. They warned her. She said, “It felt terrible, like I was being stalked. I didn’t want to hear any of it.” The fleshly desires of the world pulled her away and hardened her heart to the calls of repentance. That August, the members of SDRC formally removed Sabrina from their membership as an act of church discipline.

The apostle Paul, addressing intolerable sexual immorality, told the church in Corinth to deliver a man “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:5). He then went on to tell them “not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother [or sister] if he is guilty of sexual immorality” (v. 11). The members of SDRC were to “cleanse out the old leaven” so that they might be a “new lump” (v. 7). Sabrina was the leaven, and the church was purified by excommunicating her. This act of discipline also communicated the judgment of God that she would receive if she did not repent.

If, on the other hand, the church hadn’t taken this step, Sabrina might have continued believing she was right with God, the church would have been infected with immoral behavior, and outsiders who knew that Sabrina was living with her boyfriend would be confused about what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

God’s Sovereign Grace in PennsylvaniaIt was after being removed from SDRC that Sabrina moved to Pennsylvania. She had severed relational ties to the church and become hardened to the gospel. Mante, however, had started having spiritual conversations with Sabrina’s dad, Izzy, a long-time, faithful Christian. Mante had a scientific background and studied wildlife biology, and he was absolutely confident in the theory of evolution and the idea of a world without God. Yet these conversations challenged him.

“I was so sure in what I believed,” he said, “but Izzy was so sure in what he believed too.” Mante was perplexed at how this could be. “If he believed it so much, then maybe I should look into it,” he said. Izzy was able to apply biblical truth to real life in a way that struck a chord with Mante. He was becoming curious about the claims of Jesus Christ. The tables were turning.

While Sabrina was running from God toward Mante, God was drawing Mante to himself. Eventually, by God’s grace, Mante put his faith in Christ. And, by that same grace, Sabrina would later repent of the sin that she had been confronted with long ago by her church in San Diego.

Shortly after this, Mante and Sabrina got an itch for adventure and googled “most adventurous place to live in the United States.” That’s why they had moved to Bellingham, where they eventually found our church.

A month after bursting into tears on my couch, on Sunday, December 31, 2023, it became obvious that the Lord was at work in this couple as they approached me after the service. Mante began, fumbling as he searched for the right words, “We know that we are not honoring the Lord in our relationship. Can you help us?” It wasn’t supposed to be this easy. Where was the difficult confrontation about their sin? Where was the loving plea from other church members to repent and believe the gospel afresh? Unbeknownst to us, that work had already been done. The Lord had been at work through the faithful labor of the saints of San Diego Reformed Church.

The Discipleship Journey in BellinghamI met with Mante and Sabrina later that week and walked them through the gospel and Ephesians 1–2. They wanted to start living a life that honored the Lord, but they didn’t know how. They didn’t want to simply “check the box” on marriage by going to the courthouse to make it “legal”—they wanted to repent!

But there was a lot to untangle. They lived together in a city where they had no family or friends, and they ran an Airbnb out of their home. This is where the members of Legacy Church stepped up. One member was in Brazil on a long-term business trip, and without meeting the couple, he gave Mante the keys to his house and let him live there until he returned. Another member, a mother of four, started discipling Sabrina through the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John. Together, Amanda and I discipled them on what it looked like to live a gospel-centered life.

Before long, Mante joined the Army Reserves. Attending basic training for eight months was part of their plan to live faithfully. This time of separation was also a catalyst that propelled Sabrina to build relationships with other women in the church. Additionally, church members provided a place for her to live when Mante returned from basic training. Legacy Church was living out Christ’s love for Sabrina and Mante (Acts 2:42–47).

Reconciliation in San DiegoOn May 12, 2024, Brian MacSwan, our lead pastor, preached a sermon on church discipline. This was an opportunity to follow up with Sabrina about how she had been disciplined by her previous church. She admitted that SDRC had done the right thing and that they had carried out the process faithfully.

Providentially, on May 19, 2024, right after hearing the sermon on church discipline, Sabrina had a trip to San Diego planned. We encouraged her to attend SDRC and reconcile with them, and she did. That Sunday she met with Zack and his wife, Taylor, for dinner. They wept tears of joy as they celebrated her repentance. On Sunday, June 16, 2024, Pastor Zack again wept as he reported her repentance to the church. He made it clear that Sabrina was in right fellowship with Christ and his body. The members of SDRC rejoiced alongside the host of heaven at this wandering sheep who had been found (Luke 15:3–7).

The Joy of RepentanceEarlier this year, Sabrina went through Legacy Church’s membership class while Mante was away at basic training. She was baptized into our membership on January 5, 2025, having realized her prior baptism as a child preceded her actual conversion.The members of Legacy Church voted to affirm Sabrina into membership on December 1st, 2024, contingent upon her being baptized as a believer. On May 31, Mante and Sabrina were married. Then, on June 29, Mante was also baptized and welcomed into membership at Legacy Church.

This is a story of God’s extravagant grace and mercy displayed through the local church. However, we do not exercise church discipline because of stories like these; things don’t always turn out this way. Many congregations weep bitterly as those whom they have excommunicated never show signs of repentance. Rather, we exercise church discipline because the Bible commands it for the purity and witness of the church and for the eternal good of those who are excommunicated.

In the case of Sabrina, we rejoice! The joint work of two churches thousands of miles apart embodies Paul’s words to the church in Corinth. One church “planted,” another “watered,” but “God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6).

The post A Tale of Three Cities: A Testimony of Grace Through Church Discipline appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Marc Sims encourages pastors to follow the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, based on John 10:10–11. Christ remains faithful to his sheep in the face of danger because of his care for them. Likewise, pastors who care for their people will be motivated to remain faithful rather than simply leaving when they face the trials and challenges of ministry.

Being a pastor is a tremendous privilege, but it’s also hard. It always has been. Pastoring requires a strange mixture of skill sets and a high standard of holiness. And the internet age has only added new challenges, as pastors are expected to weigh in on any and every topic. Add to all that the burden of the “weight of souls”This phrase is taken from Charles Spurgeon, Encouragement for the Depressed. that lies on pastors, and it’s easy to see why pastoring presents a unique temptation—the temptation to leave.

In light of these challenges and heavy responsibilities, what compels a pastor to stay and remain faithful to his flock? To answer that, we need to hear the words of the Good Shepherd.

The Good PastorIn Jesus’s famous teaching on “The Good Shepherd,” he identifies a difference between good pastors and bad pastors. (The Greek word for “shepherd” can also be translated as “pastor.”)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. (John 10:11–12)

Jesus is the Good Pastor, the Pastor that you and I cannot be. You and I are limited, sinful, and expendable, while Jesus is a bottomless fountain, perfect and irreplaceable. Yet Jesus’s model of shepherding serves as a good picture of what we should be like as pastors.

We can distinguish between good pastors and pseudo-pastors by what they do when danger and difficulty arise. The pseudo-pastor uploads his resume to job boards and hits the road. The good pastor stays, exhibiting courage, grit, and love. He lays down his life to fight off a wolf, even when the wolf arises from within the flock (Acts 20:29–30).

But why would he do that? Once again, contrast him with a shepherd who: “flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:13). The good pastor stays because he cares for those whom he leads. This doesn’t mean that there are never good reasons for a pastor to leave his flock. It may even be a loving thing to step aside and let another shepherd provide the care and leadership a church needs during a particular season. But the ordinary posture of a pastor toward his church should not be to run just because things get difficult. We preach, pray, love, and stay.

In short, being a good pastor means you must care about your flock, but caring will cost you.

The Cost of CaringWhile I am still relatively young when it comes to pastoral ministry, I have done this long enough to see that many men who are put into the pressures and disappointments of ministry adopt the attitude of the hired hand—not because they are mercenary or cruel, but as a survival tactic. They start out with warmth and enthusiasm, but in time a calloused cynicism settles in. And, in a way, it makes sense. If you open up your heart to a congregation only to have them take a shot at you, maybe for something trivial and unfair, it can be easier emotionally to simply back away, to slide a piece of armor between you and them, and to stop caring so much. If you don’t care about me, fine, I won’t care about you.

But that isn’t what a good shepherd, or pastor, does. Think, for example, about the apostle Paul and the Corinthian church. He set aside his right to be paid by them and instead worked the double-shift of bi-vocational ministry so as not to put any hindrances on this fledgling church. Yet some in the church used that very act of service as a point of attack in an attempt to delegitimize Paul’s entire ministry and accuse him of not being a true apostle (2 Cor. 11:7–11). And though Paul was clearly hurt, notice the one thing he does not do. Close his heart to them. No, he says, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open” (2 Cor. 6:13).

The Power of Caring

I still have much to learn as a pastor, but one thing that has surprised me is how powerful it is to genuinely care about people. People are incredibly lonely, suspicious, and often deprived of encouragement. To be clear, caring about your members will not solve all their problems. Showing up at the hospital in the middle of the night to be with a crying wife will not bring her husband back to life. But it will show that you care.

While meeting with a man recently, he mentioned how years ago when his family was first visiting our church, I spoke a word of encouragement, telling the church how proud I was of them. He said that alone compelled him to stay at our church, because he had never heard a pastor praise his congregation for something before.

You may be just an “okay” preacher. You may not be a visionary leader; you may not know how the social-media game works; and you may not know the next program your church needs to reach the next generation. But if you care about the sheep, that will go a long way. It was said of John Newton that his “preaching was often not well prepared, nor careful or ‘graceful’ in delivery.” However, he had “so much affection for his people and so much zeal for their interests, that the defect of his manner was little consideration with his constant hearers.”Taken from John Piper, “John Newton: The Tough Roots of His Habitual Tenderness,” Desiring God, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/john-newton-the-tough-roots-of-his-habitual-tenderness.

Pastor, you will continue to make mistakes and fall short, and you’ll even be a bonehead from time to time (I certainly have). But when your words come out sideways or you drop the ball, hopefully your members will be able to say, “We know he cares about us.” And if they don’t, if they turn around and try to take a bite out of you, you have two choices: take your ball and go home or choose to be a good pastor who stays. In those moments, you must rely on the Great Shepherd, who is watching over you and all his other wounded sheep.

But remember, your jet fuel in ministry isn’t that everyone appreciates you and sees all the hard work you are doing. It is that Jesus cares about you. He sees not only your hard work but also all of your sin. And, wonder of wonders, he still cares about you. Even though this care cost him dearly.

So, pastor, while it’s right for you to care about your congregation, you and I should always care more about Jesus. I am reminded of Ray Ortlund Sr.’s last words to his son, Ray Ortlund Jr.: “Tell Bud, ministry isn’t everything. Jesus is.”

The post Caring Enough to Stay: What Pastors Can Learn from the Good Shepherd appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: David Graham shares his testimony of God saving him while serving a life sentence in prison. Following his conversion, Graham came to understand the importance of a healthy church and sought to plant one behind bars. He shares about the unique challenges of ministry in this context as well as how churches on the outside of the prison system can encourage and support churches within it.

“You just threw your life away.”

I heard these words many times during the two years I awaited trial in a Fort Worth jail. The words missed the point. The life I threw away was not my own.

Thirty years ago, as a high school senior with two military academy appointments, I bludgeoned and shot a harmless sixteen-year-old friend. I am confused to this day as to what motivated me to do it. I still shake my head in disbelief. Somehow, I thought her death would placate another girl, my fiancée and partner in crime.

Nine months later I was arrested and charged with murder. Inexplicably, I pled not guilty. Despite my refusal to take responsibility, the victim’s parents graciously refused to request the death penalty. I was convicted and sentenced to a minimum of forty years in prison. Four years later I ended my appeals and admitted my guilt. I was a twenty-four-year-old atheist with a life sentence and a striking resemblance to the unbelievers described in Romans 1:30–31: “slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

God’s grace and my family’s prayers protected me from further self-destruction through the following decade. While I earned a B.S. in sociology and worked in a prison factory as a draftsman, I selfishly pursued relationships with the curious women who wrote to me.

Drawn by the SpiritIn 2009 I met Charlotte, a witty, pretty, and vulnerable professing Christian who was undeterred by my atheism. I encouraged her advances, and within months we were in love and talking about marriage. My sister was the lone voice of opposition to a union that served my interests with little benefit to Charlotte. Although I ignored wise counsel and married her, the time before and after our 2010 wedding was a season of spiritual awakening for me.

Three clues emerged that the Holy Spirit was drawing me to place my faith in Jesus Christ. First, my praying mother persuaded me to start reading the Bible, if only out of love for Charlotte. I did. Unlike my childhood exposure to God’s Word, which was mandatory and led me to try to manipulate God to my advantage, this time I was sincerely and hopefully seeking.

My second clue came when I read a pamphlet that defended the historicity of the Gospels. Previously the claim that Jesus lived, died, and rose again fell on a hard heart. Now I was awakened to the reality and reliability of God’s Word.

My third clue came when I began to be more sensitive to Charlotte’s needs than my own. During the weeks following our marriage, I realized how little I had to offer her. With my worldview of humanism and materialism, I was cynical and selfish. I had left behind a series of broken lives and relationships, and I had little hope that the future would be different. Something had to change. It had to be me.

Charlotte and I married in August, and in September I went to the prison chapel where I heard the gospel proclaimed. I went freely, silently praying for help to overcome unbelief, aware of the futility of my atheism, and hopeful that in this surrender the God who made both me and my new wife would mercifully remake me into a loving husband and son. In that moment, I was not aware of the scope of my depravity, nor did I have every doubt answered, nor did my heart grow warm inside. I simply knew I needed the mercy of Christ’s cross.

I prayed, “God, I have denied you for ten years. If it takes ten years to get my answers, I’ll still follow Jesus.” I called Charlotte and said, “I’m ready to build our marriage on the Word of God.”

Baptized and Building Healthy ChurchesThe next month I was baptized by the prison chaplain and began a year of discipleship under inmate elders. That same month state prison officials announced a partnership with the non-profit Heart of Texas Foundation and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Under this arrangement, forty prisoners per year were selected for a bachelor’s program that would prepare them to serve as “field ministers.” Two years after I turned to Jesus in faith and repentance, I was selected to attend this seminary. In May 2017, I graduated and was sent to preach the gospel at a prison near Wichita Falls.

I threw my life away in sin, but Jesus gave it back to me when he saved me.

My first ministry assignment lasted eight years. Along the way I experienced many challenges that come with building a healthy church in prison. Since I was convinced that 9Marks resources were biblical, I began to examine our weekly gathering against each mark of church health. Though it’s an unusual context, my experience has proven to me that healthy churches can be built even within the walls of a prison.

Allow me, then, to identify three traits of prison churches, and then I’ll share some ways that I’ve tried to promote the biblical marks of a healthy church in this unique context.

Prison Churches Have Ecumenical GatheringsTexas prison chaplains must facilitate one weekly service for Protestant inmates, which means that Baptists worship alongside our brothers from Methodist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational backgrounds. Resident inmates serve as music ministers and ushers, while guest volunteers, inmates, and the chaplain himself handle the preaching. Already you see how a prison church looks different than most other churches on the outside.

However, what may seem like a recipe for confusion can provide these churches an opportunity to display unity in their core beliefs. To build a church in this setting, I appeal to the congregation’s shared convictions concerning their love for God’s Word and their reverence for the gospel.

The Effectiveness of Expositional PreachingExpositional preaching in particular allows ministers to present God’s Word in a clear and straightforward manner. Prisoners in our church know the difference between text-driven and testimony-driven sermons, and they want the Bible. Sadly, the men (and women) who volunteer to preach in prison must pass security checks, not theological ones. Although the chaplain is responsible to screen the guest volunteers, the sermon’s method and content typically receive little oversight. And the prisoners rarely know the text beforehand and often don’t know the preacher.

While this situation is far from ideal, I have worked for chaplains who are open to showing greater discernment regarding who comes in and what they say. I’ve even found chaplains enthusiastic about expositional teaching through books of the Bible, a practice that transcends denominational differences. When an elder Christian brother named Randy was dying of liver disease several years ago, he said, “My only regret is that I won’t get to hear the end of our series on John’s epistles.” To promote sound preaching, I have taught my fellow inmates, spoken gently to volunteers, pleaded with chaplains, encouraged fellow inmate ministers, and volunteered for every preaching opportunity that arises.

The Centrality of the GospelWhen I have the opportunity to address the congregation, I explain that we aren’t held together by race, where we’re from, gang affiliation, or any other trait that prisoners usually value. We are people united by a shared commitment to the gospel. And because of the gospel, our prison church should entail relationships that contrast relationships typical in our segregated prison population.

To promote gospel literacy, I have passed out dozens of copies of Greg Gilbert’s What Is the Gospel? along with a study guide I made. In my discipleship and pre-baptism classes, in meetings with the inmate ministry team, and in my preaching, I advocate a gospel-centered culture that “knows nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Since I’m responsible for serving all professing Christians, and not only the Reformed ones, the central truths of the gospel give me a “home base” to which I can safely return after venturing into secondary doctrines. Gradually the congregation learns to live in the prison like a people defined by the gospel.

The Importance of Conversion and EvangelismWhile I’ve found a willingness to unify around the gospel, I’ve noticed some confusion about how to share the gospel with others. Prisoners are accustomed to guests who lead the entire congregation in the “sinner’s prayer,” and we know at least one despondent man who tearfully gives his life to Jesus every Sunday. Any verbal profession is celebrated as a genuine conversion, with most ministers being hesitant to ask whether the inmate is credibly converted.

Like all Christians, those ministering in prison need to be reminded that conversion is a sovereign work of God’s Spirit and it comes about through the proclaimed Word. Ministers and Christian inmates should be encouraged to share Christ in their daily interactions, not merely to invite others to attend chapel (though this can be a good start). As with any church, building this culture of evangelism requires teaching from the pulpit, in smaller settings, and in one-on-one discipleship. Many Christian prisoners will adopt a biblical approach to evangelism if shown the way.

Prison Churches Are Allowed Little Formal StructurePrison rules prevent inmate-led organizations in which one inmate has authority over another. To many chaplains, this means the weekly gathering is not a church and the inmates who teach and preach are not elders. Other chaplains, realizing that spiritual leadership is voluntary and non-coercive, allow some formal structure under their direct supervision.

The Emergence of Church LeadersDespite disagreements over what to call them, church leaders typically emerge organically in the prison church. When I arrived at my first ministry assignment, I had the title “field minister,” but I had no informal influence. The true pastors were the men who lived there before me and who lovingly discipled the congregation. After a few years, men began calling me their pastor, not because my formal title changed, but because I fed and cared for them. Anywhere there is a church, there will be “young men” and there will be “fathers” (1 John 2:12–14). These “fathers” should carry out their responsibilities even if they have no formal recognition.

The Privilege of Church MembershipAnother challenge for a healthy prison church structure is identifying church members. At my last prison, the chaplain allowed anyone, whether Christian or not, to attend an “open call” Sunday service. At my current prison, on the other hand, churchgoers must request a pass to be added to the list of approved attendees. In either case, the de facto church elders must learn the regulars’ names, visit them, and provide pastoral care. With the chaplain’s support, the congregation can gradually be organized around a covenant and a statement of faith, a process that was started and abandoned at my current prison before I arrived. God willing, we will resume this practice, allowing those who affirm a covenant the benefits of accountability and church identity. Those unwilling to affirm our covenant would be free to continue in attendance, though ministry positions would only be offered to covenant members and the Lord’s Supper would be fenced.

The Safety of Church DisciplineWithout the structure of church membership and formal leadership, church discipline often looks very different in prison churches, as it is dependent on the strength of the relationships among these brothers in Christ. I urge our more mature men to cultivate relationships that can withstand gentle correction. And while I cannot expect another inmate to listen to me simply because I work for the chaplain, I can persuade him through my daily care that I love him and want what’s best for him. While excommunication is (legally) difficult to enact, a form of discipline can take place through interpersonal relationships. For instance, when a member is caught getting high, the initial “between you and him alone” is often the point of restoration. If necessary, the chaplain can take formal action to suspend or remove someone whose behavior is bringing harm to God’s reputation or the church.

Ultimately, the guardian of the prison church is the Good Shepherd, who will expose sin, raise up undershepherds, and gather his flock wherever they are found. Whether through a conscientious chaplain, the tender care of accountability partners, or the convicting ministry of the Spirit, I’ve seen the prison church survive these structural challenges.

Prison Churches Are Made Up of Relationships Marked by Time and TransparencyOddly enough, the material deprivation and close quarters of prison can be a spiritually edifying environment. How healthy it is to share a cellblock with a spiritual elder, to be under their accountability when you are struggling with sin, or to have an abundance of time to spend with a new believer you are discipling! For its transparency and the time together it allows, the prison environment is fertile ground for deep discipleship.

The Intimacy of DiscipleshipI try to build discipleship relationships primarily within my housing unit. As a new convert in 2010, I received constant watchful care from a half-dozen brothers who lived around me. They offered counsel, correction, prayer, and daily Bible study, and their lives modeled for me mature Christianity. Teacher-student relationships can thrive as young believers may live only five feet away from a mature saint. And there is ample time to pray, study, and enjoy life together. Prison churches are strongest when more mature believers initiate these discipling relationships within their cellblocks.

The Opportunities for PrayerThe common areas of our cellblocks are our most accessible place to meet, and in every prison I’ve been in, there’s an openness to spirituality and a fear of the divine in a communal event known as the “prayer call.” An outspoken inmate will announce the appointed time, and men will stop what they’re doing to circle up and share their petitions. When this is done well, it can be evangelism-by-prayer, an opportunity for a believer to share the necessity of prayer through Jesus Christ and his call for all men everywhere to repent. The prayer call is but one venue for the prison church to share a biblical view of prayer.

Given the time we have for one-on-one discipleship, it’s possible for me to model prayer several times each day. In venues where corporate prayer is possible, I preface my prayers with short exhortations on the biblical priorities for prayer, such as the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–10). The proximity to my brothers means I am usually available to join them in prayer, and when my soul is weary, they are available to join me.

The Challenge of Carrying Out the Church’s MissionA final challenge for prison churches comes in the area of missions. Our local family of believers must look first to areas of the prison where people have not heard the gospel and are unable, often for security reasons, to gather with us. At my current prison, we view the main assembly for general population inmates as the home church, with its mission field being the more secure housing areas, including death row. The “home church” sends out ministers to preach and gather with believers in other parts of the prison.

Our mission also encompasses planting house churches with as few as three members, which is especially helpful at prisons where the main assembly is dysfunctional. This was the case in 2019 when the Lord led a group of ten of us to come into a covenant with one another in an eighty-man dormitory. By God’s grace, we established this church just in time for the year-long prison lockdown caused by COVID-19. Through 2020 and 2021, we gathered weekly for worship, prayer, and study; we served our neighbors through evangelism and charity; and we represented the hope of Christ in a difficult time.

A Closing PleaYou may not be reading this from a jail cell, but I wonder if you, pastor, have considered local jails and prisons like mine as one of your church’s mission fields? Across the security fencing and behind the high walls are men and women who may never experience the privilege of a healthy church if you do not plant one there. This will require a strong relationship with the chaplain, a time during which you teach the inmates basic ecclesiology, and the help of the Spirit to lead you and your congregation to gather these castaways as a church.

The biblical marks of a church highlighted by 9Marks have given me a barometer and a compass by which I measure the health of prison churches and plot a course forward. I do not believe prison’s restrictions make this important work impossible. In fact, I have explained that this context brings with it certain advantages to a faithful, Word-centered church. The Good Shepherd, who gathers and leads his sheep, will make a way. And as one minister among many who has been included in this display of my Savior’s grace, I am grateful.

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Abstract: Brad Wetherell encourages Christians to consider the corporate aspect of our union with Christ. Being united to Christ by faith is not merely a personal matter, for we are united to all God’s people. And though the church still has to deal with sin and division, we should be motivated to pursue greater unity based on our shared story, purpose, and future in Christ.

The other night I went to fill up a glass of water before bed when disaster struck. My aim was off as I reached toward the water dispenser on our fridge and the lip of the glass knocked awkwardly against the door. This caused me to lose my grip and drop the glass on the floor. My kitchen floor is mercilessly hard, so what happened next was inevitable. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces around my feet. I was stunned. It all happened so fast.

Over the past several years, many Christians have felt stunned by how quickly division can enter the church, shattering bonds that once kept believers close. We’ve seen it on macro levels as movements and institutions fracture and fray. We’ve seen it on micro levels as members leave and relationships rupture. Sometimes, we look back and recognize that the break was inevitable. But always, we grieve as brothers and sisters who once enjoyed fellowship now express hostility.

Division is not a new challenge for churches. Writing to the believers in Corinth, Paul says with a heavy heart, “I hear that there are divisions among you” (1 Cor. 11:18). As long as we live in this fallen world, unity will not come easily. But unity is possible as we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [we] have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1–3).

The question is: in this divided world, how can we foster this kind of unity within the church? And one answer is: by remembering our union with Christ.

Union with Christ refers to the believer’s position in Christ established at conversion, experienced in all of life, and enjoyed forever. It is a profoundly personal doctrine. But it is not merely a personal doctrine. God has united all his people together with Christ, and remembering our shared story, purpose, and future in Christ will strengthen our unity.

Our Shared Story in ChristConsider some idyllic small town in America on the Fourth of July. The members of the community, often isolated in the busyness of everyday life, come together for a morning parade. They smile and cheer for their school band and their veterans. Throughout the day, neighbors, friends, and families gather for backyard barbeques. And that night, everyone is together again for the fireworks. What’s causing this unusual display of camaraderie? A shared story. July Fourth is not just America’s Independence Day—it’s their Independence Day.

Union with Christ brings us into a shared story with all God’s people. Romans 6—which is all about union with Christ—makes this abundantly clear. In fact, it’s so obvious that sometimes we read right past it. Look at the first four verses and notice the pronouns:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:1–4)

Do you see the shared story? We, the church, have died to sin. We, the church, have been baptized into Christ Jesus. We, the church, have been buried with him and have risen with him to walk in newness of life. This is our story.

Remembering this story will help us foster the kind of humility necessary for unity. We were all once enslaved to sin. We have all experienced the same dramatic rescue. Despite our many differences, none of us has received any less saving than anyone else, because none of us needed any less saving than anyone else. Therefore, there’s no room for pride.

And we are all still struggling with sin. We are engaged in a warfare we cannot win on our own. We need all the help that God provides, including the strength that comes through his people.

Our Shared Purpose in ChristIn the church, we all have the same purpose: we are aiming to grow into the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Since we are united with him, we want to live like him. And Jesus never intended for us to do this on our own.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:15–16)

We are saved together, and we are sanctified together. As Sinclair Ferguson writes, “The fellowship of the church is the context in which sanctification matures.”1 God has called us to grow in Christlikeness alongside Christ’s people. And when we work properly together, we will grow together.

What does it look like to work properly together? Well, we don’t need fellow believers to kick us when we’re down or guilt us into insincere repentance. We need brothers and sisters who are willing to hang in there with us, to pray for us, and to remind us of the inexhaustible grace that is ours in Christ. We need fellow church members who will lovingly spur us on toward godliness until the race is complete.

Our Shared Future in ChristWe’re all headed somewhere. Apart from Christ, we were headed toward the grim reality of everlasting death. But in Christ, we are headed toward the glorious destiny of everlasting life (Rom. 6:23). And we will not enjoy eternal life on our own.

One day, we will stand together in the presence of our Lord, united forever. All the petty arguments and painful disagreements that divide us now will have come to an end. Every Christian relationship that broke apart in this life will come back together. A perfect unity of unending love is all that will remain.

We’re not there yet. But in Christ, we will get there. And knowing that we will spend eternity alongside all of Christ’s people should encourage us to pursue greater unity now.

So, as you gather with your church this Lord’s Day, remember your shared story, your shared purpose, and your shared future. Remember and rejoice, for all of this is yours in Christ.

Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from Brad Wetherell’s book Saved to Sin No More: How Union with Christ Empowers a Life of Holiness, (Crossway, 2026).

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Abstract: Nick Gardner explains from Scripture that the Lord’s Supper is intended for believers only, and that these believers should be baptized members of a local church. Gardner encourages pastors to clearly explain who should and shouldn’t partake of the Lord’s Supper, a practice referred to as “fencing the table.” He emphasizes the importance of preaching the Word and meaningful membership as we fence the table, providing examples from church history and his own church context.

My eyes were scanning and then I noticed my friend John. Almost immediately, my mind churned with thoughts and questions:

• How could I not have thought to warn him about this?
• He can’t do this; it will be terrible for him.
• What should I say? It will be awkward if I say something.
• Maybe if I don’t say anything at all, he just won’t do it.
• Am I culpable if I don’t warn him?

I resolved to say something. I leaned over and whispered something like this: “You shouldn’t do this. This is not for you. I can explain more later.” John acquiesced. He didn’t take the Lord’s Supper.

Should I have warned my friend not to take the Lord’s Supper? It’s a good question. But it raises several other questions: who exactly is the Lord’s Supper for? Who should say who can partake of the Lord’s Supper? How can churches properly ensure that only the right people take the Lord’s Supper?

In this article, I hope to answer these questions and provide some helpful examples from church history (and the present day) as to how churches might serve the Lord’s Supper to the right people. This is what people have often called “fencing the table.”

1. What Is the Lord’s Supper?The New Hampshire Confession of Faith defines the Lord’s Supper this way:

We believe that Christian Baptism . . . is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation; and to the Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Article 14)

So, baptism leads to membership and membership is displayed, in part, through participation in the Lord’s Supper. The Supper itself makes use of bread and wine in order to represent what Jesus secured for us via his death—union with himself and one another.

2. Who Should Take the Lord’s Supper?As we saw in the New Hampshire Confession, the Supper is only for baptized church members. But why? Three criteria help us break that down. First, the partaker must be born-again. Regeneration is the formal qualification for partaking because partaking is an act of faith. Without faith, one can’t receive Christ in the Supper.

Second, the partaker must be baptized. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant sign for those who have professed faith through baptism. Baptism is the front door of the church, and the dining room is where you feast on the Supper. You must walk through the door to get to the dining room.

Third, the partaker must belong.This point is shaped by Bobby Jamieson’s discussion of the relationship between church membership and the ordinances in Going Public (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2015), 138-139. That is, they must be accountable to a local church via something that looks like membership. The Lord’s Supper certainly strengthens the faith of individual believers, but it is not an exclusively individual event. Instead, the meal belongs to Christ’s gathered people—i.e., local churches. The local church, therefore, is the authorized agent for administering the Supper. Baptized believers have a right to the Lord’s Supper by virtue of their membership in the church.

So who is excluded from the Supper? Unbelievers, unbaptized believers, and unchurched believers should all be excluded.

3. How Can Pastors Wisely Administer the Lord’s Supper?At least two practices help pastors and churches properly fence the table.

First, preach the Word. The proclamation of the gospel is the foundation for the Lord’s Supper. Through a right understanding of the gospel which comes through preaching, the Lord’s Supper becomes a tangible, visible illustration of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—a visual sermon in itself. So, to properly fence the table, the gospel must be preached because the gospel is what explains the Table and qualifies who may come to it (Col. 1:13–14).

Second, practice meaningful church membership. Fencing the table begins in the interview process of a prospective member. That is where you, pastor, should ensure he or she understands the gospel, believes it, and has professed it through baptism. The other side of meaningful membership—church discipline—is also necessary in order to properly fence the table.

If your church is full of unrepentant sinners who Sunday after Sunday partake of the Supper as though it’s all okay, then you have a serious problem. This not only potentially deceives the partaker to their eternal detriment, but it also confuses the world on what it means to be a Christian. What lies between becoming a member and potentially disciplining members is discipling members. Through the ordinary means of grace, church members should grow to look more like Jesus.

You may be thinking, “Okay, Nick. I got preaching and membership, but what would it look like to actually fence the table?” To answer this, let’s survey three examples—two from the past and one from today.

John Calvin (1509–1564)In his Lord’s Supper liturgy, Calvin included words for both true believers and those who professed to believe but undermined their confession with their lifestyle. For the true believer, Calvin encouraged them to discern “whether he truly repent[ed] of his faults and is sorry for them.”John Calvin, “Forms of Ecclesiastical Prayers” in Reformation Worship, 327. For the deceived unbeliever, however, Calvin actually issued an excommunication of sorts to be individually administered. Here is a sampling of that excommunication:

In the name and by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, I excommunicate all idolaters, blasphemers . . . all those who rebel against their father and mother . . . quarrelers, fighters, adulterers . . . hoarders of wealth . . . drunkards . . . gluttons, and all those who lead a scandalous life.Calvin, “Forms,” 326.

From this, we may observe that Calvin rightly connects excommunication with the Lord’s Supper. That’s the essence of excommunication: public disfellowshipping through exclusion from the Lord’s Supper. This connection is in contrast with evangelical churches who have wrongly separated the Lord’s Supper from belonging to a church.

Also, it is interesting to note that Calvin loosely followed the Ten Commandments for determining who was disqualified from the Lord’s Supper. In other words, Calvin was not arbitrary in his judgments but rather adhered to biblical morality.

While Calvin is right in both regards, he wrongly assumed for himself and the other pastors the authority to excommunicate. This measure is inconsistent with the New Testament where the authority of the keys resides with the congregation (1 Cor 5:1–8).

So you may not want to follow Calvin’s model of publicly listing who may not take the Supper. And yet, his example does provoke us to think about how we might protect the Lord’s Supper from “pollut[ion] and contaminat[ion].”Calvin, “Forms,” 326.

Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556)The Anglican Tradition is well known for its liturgy, especially the Book of Common Prayer, which is largely the work of English Reformer Thomas Cranmer. Like Calvin, Cranmer also included a word for the spiritually deceived in his “fencing of the table.” He would say:

If any of you here is a blasphemer, adulterer, or is in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime (except he is truly sorry, therefore and earnestly minded to leave the same vices, and trust himself to be reconciled to Almighty God . . . ), let him bewail his sins, and not come to that holy table.Thomas Cranmer, “The Supper of the Lord, and the Holy Communion, Commonly Called the Mass” in the Book of Common Prayer (1549) in Reformation Worship, 366.

Here we see two distinct features in Cranmer’s “fencing” compared to Calvin’s. First, Cranmer speaks directly to the sinner and calls them to action. He doesn’t excommunicate them, but rather pushes them toward godly repentance. Secondly, Cranmer invites the penitent sinner who has committed such gross sins to be reconciled to God. The Supper is for repentant sinners.

Cranmer’s model here instructs us that no matter how scandalous the sin, if a sinner is truly repentant, he too can “take and eat.” So, the fencing of the table is an opportunity for you, pastor, to call the erring to repentance.

An Example from Our Local ChurchAt my church on Capitol Hill, we prepare for the Supper by reading 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 aloud. After this reading, we issue an invitation and a soft fencing. Below are the words I used to fence the table when I led the Lord’s Supper recently:

We understand that this means that this table is open to you this evening if you are a baptized member of an evangelical church in good standing. That includes members of this church and members of other churches where the same gospel you’ve heard here is preached. If you’re allowed to take the Lord’s Supper there, then you’re welcome here. If you’re not sure, then you don’t need to feel any embarrassment. It’s our custom not to come forward, but for the elements to be brought to you. As the plate is passed along, you can simply let it pass by and use the time for prayer and reflection.

You may notice some stark differences between my church’s practice and Calvin and Cranmer’s. For starters, our fencing doesn’t focus as much on what the individual has done (i.e., their specific sins). Instead, we highlight membership in a local church. That said, we do fence the table against wrong believing and wrong living. By wrong believing, I mean those who believe a different gospel. By wrong living, I mean those who are not “members in good standing”; that is, those who have been excommunicated in our church or another church.

We also provide a category for people who are not sure where they stand spiritually. In their case, we encourage them not to feel any embarrassment but instead spend that time in reflection and prayer.

Concluding EncouragementSo however you fence the table, let me encourage you to preach the gospel clearly, practice meaningful membership, and learn from church history as well as from other churches around you. Finally, remember that the fence must have a gate. Don’t build the fence so high and thick that weak believers feel unable to partake in the Supper. Calvin is helpful here:

And since we are conscious of our much frailty and misery in ourselves . . . let us understand, therefore, that this Sacrament is a medicine for poor, spiritually sick people, and that the only worthiness that our Lord requires of us is to know ourselves well enough to be displeased with our vices and to find all our pleasure, joy, and contentment in him alone.John Calvin, “Forms of Ecclesiastical Prayers” in Reformation Worship, 327.

Amen.

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Abstract: Raymond Johnson writes a letter to his congregation expressing the privilege he feels in serving as their pastor. While there are many difficult things that seminary can’t prepare a pastor for, it is also unable to prepare him for the profound affection he will feel for his people as he shepherds them through blessings, trials, and suffering of various kinds.

There are many things seminary doesn’t prepare a pastor to do.

I’ll concede, however, that much of what seminary doesn’t prepare a pastor to do is based on the context in which he serves. For example, in my early years of pastoral ministry at Christ Church West Chester (then The Journey), seminary didn’t prepare me for the reality that I’d have to shovel snow off the sidewalk on the same Sunday mornings I was frantically trying to finish my first sermons; it didn’t prepare me for the fact that I’d have to learn how to troubleshoot a boiler system via FaceTime with Terry Kraus so that we could assemble in a warm gathering space; or that I’d (literally) have to chase bats out of the sanctuary so they wouldn’t fly in circles over people’s heads during our evening services.

Today, though, I can happily say, nearly eleven years later, I’m prepared for (some of) what seminary didn’t prepare me for: we have interns to shovel our sidewalks; more competent men alongside Terry Kraus to service our building; and bats have been (mostly) chased out and are now (mostly) kept out, thanks to the wire fencing in our tower.

And yet, after all these years and on the other side of my sabbatical, I’m still learning about something that seminary didn’t prepare me for—understanding the privilege of pastoral ministry. Now, to be fair, I don’t believe seminary can prepare a pastor to understand this privilege, at least not in the way I’m thinking of here. This type of understanding is based on both the place and the length of a pastorate.

For example, seminary didn’t prepare me for the happiness I’d experience at Claire Baker’s wedding; for the anguish I felt when Terri Melloni’s daughter passed away; for the burden I sense for those afflicted by trials and temptations and delayed providence and broken promises and missed expectations and scary situations and uncertain futures; or for the distraught hopefulness I feel in the wake of Murray Mullins’s sudden death last Thursday. (There are many other examples I could share, but not all of them can be in a public forum).

Seminary didn’t prepare me to understand that this is the privilege of pastoral ministry—to be beside you, serving as your pastor at the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in your lives; to be with you from life’s first cry, when you welcome your child(ren) into the world, to life’s final breath, when you leave the land of the dying for the land of the living; and to be near you when life doesn’t work out the way you thought or expected or desired. And reminding you all along the way of the love of God the Father through God the Son in the power of God the Spirit, even as I’ve prayed that you would keep the faith and not lose heart.

Writing Murray’s funeral sermon last week brought these feelings to mind, as I had the privilege of exercising my final duty as his pastor. I smiled as I wrote, because I realized that it was a gift to remember the man, our beloved brother, Murray Mullins. (I even told Meghan that funeral sermons for our members are my favorite sermons to write and preach, not because I want you to pass, but because I get to think about you and serve you one last time).

As I continue to learn the privilege of pastoral ministry, I think for the first time I understand the apostle and can say, “For what is [my] hope or joy or crown of boasting before the Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you,” Christ Church West Chester. “For you are [my] glory and joy” (1 Thes. 2:19–20).

Faithfully,

Your pastor,

Raymond M. Johnson

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Abstract: John Sarver reflects on Zack DiPrima’s book Charles Simeon: Parish Pastor by focusing on Simeon’s ministry of mentoring future pastors and missionaries. Simeon invested deeply in these young men, and the influence of his preaching and his love for Christ spread in his own day and in the centuries that have followed.

Zack DiPrima. Charles Simeon: Parish Pastor. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2025.

If you’re reading this review on this site, you probably know Charles Simeon as a preacher—and for good reason. But what do you know about the man as a pastor?

Charles Simeon: Parish Pastor is Zack DiPrima’s treatment of this topic in a slightly modified form of his dissertation. While Simeon’s imposing preaching ministry and influence on Anglicanism in the eighteenth century are well documented, DiPrima’s research sheds light on the pastoral theology that undergirded his storied ministry (10). The book examines five aspects of the pastoral theology of the apostle of Cambridge: mentoring, churchmanship, personal piety, local parish ministry, and preaching (10).

DiPrima aims to give his readers a dead mentor. He writes as one whose spirituality has “been mostly shaped by evangelical Anglicans,” men such as Richard Sibbes, Charles Bridges, J.C. Ryle, and, of course, Charles Simeon. DiPrima also writes as one who would like to see a recovery of Simeon’s brand of ministry (ix), as we suffer from the lack of such models. “The broader evangelical movement today aches for a generation of pastors whose ministries are infused with the savor of Christ” (ix). I cannot help but agree. The pastors who rise to public prominence in our culture—and thus are the most accessible examples to follow—often do so because of their cantankerous extremity or pragmatic success.

Simeon, on the other hand, was not only zealous but warm, not only faithful but exceedingly fruitful, not only towering in his influence but committed to his local parish. He stands in contrast to the better-known evangelists of the eighteenth century who impacted the world by focusing on ministry outside their parishes. “By staying local and exemplifying an extraordinary commitment to ordinary ministry, he marshaled a multitude of zealous men ready to follow his model.” That is, “In order to reach people outside his parish, he molded pastors—and in order to train pastors, he cared for the people within his parish” (11). And the results were impressive: Simeon trained over 1100 ministers, placing pastors in a multitude of churches, sending missionaries, and inspiring the likes of Charles Bridges and John Stott. It’s Simeon’s commitment to simplicity and the ordinary means of grace that make his model of pastoring so magnetic and replicable.

Rather than offering a formal review of the book, I want to highlight a particular aspect of Simeon’s pastoral theology, his mentoring, in the hopes that it will inspire you to read the book and imitate the model and tenor of Simeon’s pastoral ministry.

Ministerial Mentor

Simeon understood that part of the pastor’s job is to replicate himself. Therefore, he generously gave his time to befriending and teaching young men at Cambridge. It’s important to situate Simeon in his own historical ecclesiological context to appreciate the significance of his approach.

Anglicanism was deeply hierarchical (30), yet Simeon, without eschewing his polity and tradition, treated all fellow Anglicans like peers. Of his curates (think lowly pastoral assistants) he remarked, “Not my curate” but “my brother.” Likewise, he gave the men he trained his time and affection, in part by hosting smaller gatherings—conversation parties and preaching cohorts. In the former, dozens of men (and some women) would pack into Simeon’s sitting room weekly to ask and learn about pastoral ministry. These “parties” were Socratic and uniquely “provided him an opportunity to address precise points of pastoral theology in an unhurried environment” (31). The preaching cohorts were smaller. “Simeon would offer a text for consideration and charged the men to produce a sermon outline for the text during the meeting” (31). Simeon would then provide feedback, allowing him to mold a generation of future preachers.

Simply put, Simeon gave these men his teaching and his life. It was the two in tandem that impacted them. Simeon’s view of pastoral ministry was deeply shaped by 1 Thessalonians 2:7: “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.” And as DiPrima demonstrates through the writings of the men Simeon mentored, they experienced his gentle nurturing firsthand and, in turn, gave him their hearts. Again, Simeon needs situating. Pastoral ministry in the state church at the time was often little more than a vocation. In fact, men regularly spoke of their evangelical conversions while they were in the ministry (157). Simeon’s burning zeal for Christ stood out against a backdrop of clerical mediocrity and malaise. He was passionate about the Word of God, the church of Christ, and the souls of the people, and so he drew young men to himself. However, as DiPrima notes, “Young Ministers did not just learn from Simeon, they longed to be like him” (93). When, for example, Thomas Thomason, a disciple of Simeon’s, served overseas, he carried a picture of Simeon because it “steeled his confidence through periods of anxiety” (109). Shortly before Thomason’s death, he shared the following about his mentor: ”To my very dear Mr. Simeon say, I feel unworthy of the great love he has had at all times honored me with. Oh may his bow abide in strength, and may he be, if possible, still more useful in his age” (44).

Such stories are manifold throughout the book. When William Wilberforce, the famous abolitionist, heard Simeon preach, he was left “undone by his total devotion to God.” He remarked, “Simeon with us—his heart glowing with love for Christ. How full he is of love, and of desire to promote the spiritual benefit of others. Oh! That I might copy him as he Christ” (159).Emphasis mine. And many men did copy his lifestyle and preaching.

Powerful Preacher

Readers familiar with Simeon will likely associate him with his preaching, and DiPrima highlights this aspect of Simeon’s ministry as well. The state church in his day produced preachers like it produced pastors. Sermons were manuscripted, sterile, and less than biblical. It was not uncommon, in fact, for men to read the sermons of others from the pulpit. Simeon, however, ascended into the pulpit as one standing as God’s ambassador. He preached as one with and under authority. He understood his task, then, as bringing out what is in the Bible, never being wiser than the text. His goal was to give his people an encounter with the Almighty God (177). It was earnest and powerful. Yet it was also simple and textual and, therefore, replicable. And replicate it he did.

Evangelicalism as a whole, and expositional preaching as one facet of it, was fringe at the time of Simeon’s appointment to Trinity Church. But it would spread through the whole of England by Simeon’s death, and even continue beyond his death. His model would be “immortalized in the writing of Charles Bridges,” who instructed another generation of preachers to make use of Simeon’s skeletal sermon outlines (188). Later giants like John Stott and J.I. Packer would also “trace their roots as preachers back to Simeon” (183).

I heartily recommend Zack DiPrima’s book both as an historical work and for the gift it gives: a dead (or should we say, living) mentor in Simeon. A man who was long-suffering, holy, humble, and zealously committed to the Word of God in the church of Christ. A man who not only preached faithfully but gave his life to his people. May God raise up more men like this.

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Abstract: Michael Lawrence helps pastors think carefully about how to minister to those with a scrupulous conscience. Both physical and spiritual factors may be affecting those who experience unusual levels of guilt, fear, and anxiety regarding their spiritual state, and pastors are encouraged to deal gently with them, pointing them to the truths of Scripture; praying with and for them; and bringing along other church members who can speak the truth to them in love.

The young man sitting in my office was clearly in distress and had come to me for help. He was convinced that he’d committed the “unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit,” which Jesus refers to in Matthew 12:30–32. When I asked why he thought he had done such a thing, he told me the thought had entered his mind, and he simply could not escape it. I gently suggested that those who had actually blasphemed the Spirit were unlikely to be concerned about it. He acknowledged this but could find no relief for himself. It was at this point that he told me a mental health professional had given him a diagnosis of “scrupulosity.” I had never heard of the term. But as I learned more about it, I realized I had encountered it often, and so had others.

In his book Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Puritan pastor Thomas Brooks addresses a panoply of pastoral counseling cases, including one he called a “sad, doubting, questioning, and uncomfortable condition.” What he had in mind were people whose consciences were wracked with guilt over sin, real or imagined, that left them in despair. While many causes could give rise to this, one was clearly what we would call an over-scrupulous conscience. Brooks described his counselees as those who “mind their sins more than their Savior,” those who “make false definitions of their graces,” and those who are convinced that “their graces are not true but counterfeit.” That is to say, their conscience either sees sin where there is no sin or fails to see the grace for sin that is theirs through faith in Jesus Christ.

Examples abound. The teenager who’s never sure their repentance was sincere enough and so confesses the same sin repeatedly in their nightly prayers. The child who’s never sure their profession of faith was genuine and so prays the sinner’s prayer for the umpteenth time. The missionary who’s paralyzed in his ministry lest he say something wrong that obscures the gospel he came to preach. The mom who’s convinced that her own failings are irredeemably damaging her children and only finds temporary relief from her guilt in their good behavior. These are just a few of the overly scrupulous consciences I’ve encountered. But they stand in good company. A young Martin Luther wearied his pastor so much with prolonged, detailed, and repeated confessions that his pastor finally told him to become a Bible professor, as if to say, “Physician, heal thyself!”

As pastors, how do we help those who suffer from an overly scrupulous conscience? Puritan pastors like Thomas Brooks, Richard Baxter, and Richard Sibbes, among others, wrote hundreds of pages on cases of a conscience like this. So what follows is not meant to be exhaustive and definitive, but suggestive and directional. I want to suggest two categories to explore, three resources to employ, and one posture to adopt.

Two Categories to ExploreFundamental to any biblical anthropology is a conviction that human beings are embodied souls. We are not Gnostics, who think the body does not matter. Nor are we materialists, who deny the reality of our spiritual nature. Some creatures that God has made are essentially one or the other. Angels are spiritual beings. My dog Hektor is alive but lacks an intelligent soul. But human beings uniquely possess both. And while body and soul are distinct, in this life, they are never separate. What happens to the body affects the soul, and what happens to the soul affects the body. Psalm 88 powerfully illustrates this. The author is clearly depressed, and it affects his body. He is like one without strength, abandoned among the dead, like the slain lying in the grave (vv. 4–5). But it also affects him spiritually and emotionally. A sense of God’s wrath weighs on him (v. 7). He feels alone, rejected, and abandoned, not only by his friends, but by God himself (vv. 8, 14). Thomas Brooks’s “sad, doubting, questioning, and uncomfortable condition” is simultaneously a spiritual and bodily experience, and we should address both categories of that experience.

This means that as pastors, we should never hesitate or fear to ask if they’ve talked with a medical doctor about what they’re experiencing. Some people suffering from overly scrupulous consciences are experiencing intrusive or perseverating thoughts and may resort to repetitive, ritualistic prayers or activities in a search for relief from their distress. These physical acts can even become compulsive, disrupting sleep and normal daily life. While no medicine can “cure” an overly scrupulous conscience, in some cases, there are medications that can help a person reassert control over what feels like thoughts and rituals that are controlling them. A doctor may also be able to help with issues that could be exacerbating their distress, like poor sleep or nutrition. It’s well known that when people came to him for counsel, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a former medical doctor, almost always started by making sure they were getting sleep, nutrition, and exercise. If the body is not well, the soul will feel it. So don’t forget to ask about it.

But we’re not just bodies, we’re also souls, and dealing with the troubled conscience, especially an overly sensitive one, requires us to pay close attention to spiritual categories like sin and doubt, repentance and faith. These are things that pastors are deeply familiar with, but in this case, an extra level of care is warranted. While the overly scrupulous often present the same—lack of assurance, a weight of unrelievable guilt, intrusive thoughts, and a restless, compulsive search for relief—not every instance of “scrupulosity” is the same. Brooks lists no less than eight “devices” or causes that the enemy employs to bring Christians into this “sad condition.” Several of them do not involve sin at all, but rather misunderstandings about the nature of providence, the nature of sanctification, or the role of emotions in the Christian life. For Brooks, each separate cause suggests one or more specifically tailored “remedies,” or pastoral responses. Just as hay fever requires an antihistamine rather than an antipyretic, different causes of scrupulosity require different spiritual remedies. While it may be tempting to tell the overly scrupulous to repent and leave it in God’s hands, such counsel might make their suffering worse by leaving the root cause entirely unaddressed. As pastors, our calling is the spiritual care of souls. We don’t want to commit spiritual malpractice. Bringing relief to the overly scrupulous requires us to do more than the pastoral equivalent of “take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” We need to take time to carefully diagnose the causes for the specific person under our care.

Three Resources to EmployWhat resources can we bring to bear to help the overly sensitive conscience? I want to highlight three means of grace that the scrupulous conscience needs.

ScripturePaul reminds Timothy that all Scripture is “profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,” and at least three of those uses, if not all four, are appropriate for the overly scrupulous. As he treated various cases of conscience, Thomas Brooks repeatedly turned to the Scriptures, not least because he understood that underneath and behind the wrong thinking about their relationship to God, the overly scrupulous were believing lies about God and themselves. Both distorted theology and anthropology needed to be corrected if comfort was to be received.

For example, to those who thought more of their sin than their Savior, he reminds them that though “Christ in this life will not free any believer from the presence of any one sin, he doth free every believer from the damning power of every sin.” Then he grounds that remedy in Romans 8:1, “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

We need to be quick to turn to the Scriptures with the overly scrupulous, not simply to comfort them but to correct their distorted views and remind them of the truths Scripture reveals about God, themselves, and the gospel. That way, when the lies of Satan and their own conscience assert themselves, they can counter those lies with truth.

At the same time, we need to be wise in the use of Scripture. The overly scrupulous can easily take the instruction offered and twist it into further proof of their doubts or turn it into another mechanistic means of relief that ultimately fails. It’s helpful at this point to remember that, ultimately, the Scriptures reveal not a system of truths, but the person of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for sinners. Sometimes, the best use of Scripture will not be to correct false thinking, but to direct them to the rest that’s found in the arms of Jesus.

In our preaching ministry, we need to remember that for every hardened conscience sitting in the pew, there’s at least one sensitive conscience, if not several, sitting next to them. So often our sermon applications lean toward correction and exhortation, perhaps because we’re preaching to ourselves. But the overly scrupulous conscience hears our exhortation as condemnation and further proof that they are not right with God. Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). We want to make sure that the overly sensitive conscience walks away from our sermons convinced that’s true.

PrayerTo whatever extent “scrupulosity” is a malfunction of the brain, medical remedies can help. But to whatever extent it is a spiritual affliction, whether of unbelief or Satanic attack, we must avail ourselves of the Spirit’s aid. One of the sad byproducts of the overly sensitive conscience is that the sufferer feels either that they cannot approach God in prayer, or they turn prayer into a mechanistic, ritualistic, and repetitive exercise. Either way, faith is lacking, and James reminds us that prayers offered without faith are not answered (Jas. 1:6–7). So it is especially important that we not only pray for but also with those who suffer in this way. And when we pray, we want to pray not only for comfort and relief, but for faith, for light, and for protection. Pray for faith to trust the gospel; pray for the light of truth to dispel distorted thinking and lies; pray that the enemy would not find a foothold.

The ChurchThe path to spiritual health for the overly scrupulous is long. The combination of deeply rooted lies and deeply ingrained compulsions is not quickly overcome. There will be many relapses along the way, and unexpected situations will trigger, or at least threaten to resurrect, old patterns of thinking and behaving. For this reason, the burden of “pastoring” the scrupulous cannot fall on just one counselor, pastor, or friend. The whole church is needed. So pull together a team of mature believers who can regularly but gently remind the sufferer of the truths of the gospel. Pull in friends or church members with expertise in mental health care as well as spiritual soul care. Include people whose main role is to help the suffering saint carry on with normal life. Simply having someone to take a daily walk or engage in a hobby with can be very helpful for the person paralyzed by guilt over what they may or may not have sinfully done. Trapped in their heads, they need friends who can help them escape the endless loop by simply reconnecting with their body. No one person can do all of this. It takes the whole church to do the work of the church, as “speaking the truth in love,” we “grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ” (Eph. 4:15).

One Posture to AdoptAs I sat and listened to the young man in distress before me that day, and as I began to reason with him out of the Scriptures, I confess that what I felt rising within me was frustration and impatience. No matter what I said, no matter what Scripture I brought to bear, his scrupulosity had an objection. It was as if he were invincible to the comfort of the gospel. And so I began to pray for compassion, patience, and a willingness to listen. All those things were important. But as I continued to work with him over the ensuing months, what I realized I needed most was to adopt a posture of gentle but joyfully confident faith. Faith for him that he was safe and forgiven, even though he didn’t feel like he was. Faith that the gospel was true for him, even though he thought it was only true for others. Faith that Jesus loved him, even delighted in him, even though he was convinced otherwise. Faith that grace was evident in his life, even though all he could see was his sin.

The sad irony of the overly scrupulous Christian is that they see in themselves what should drive them to Christ, and that’s their sin. And yet it drives them away. As pastors, we labor week in and week out to get people to take their sin more seriously, to see what they don’t want to see. The scrupulous see it all too well, and then some. But that’s all they see. And yet, as Richard Sibbes so famously put it, “There is more grace in Christ than sin in thee.” As a pastor, you will need to instruct and correct and exhort. But most of all, adopt a posture that lets them see Jesus in you, so that slowly but surely they will come to see Jesus, “full of grace and truth,” for them (John 1:16–17).

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Abstract: Raymond Johnson highlights Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission, a new docuseries that tells the stories of faithful missionaries through the centuries whom God has used to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Johnson commends this series as a way to introduce churches and families to the ongoing need for the spread of the gospel and Scripture translation in many places around the world today. Missionary is hosted by Brooks Buser and Chad Vegas.

“Dad, Mr. Brooks looks so old!”

[Insert snickering and agreement from siblings]

“But, dad, Mrs. Nina looks so beautiful!”

[Insert hysterical laughter and overwhelming agreement from siblings]

When Brooks Buser gave me the box set of Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission, I was honored and excited. Honored, because I know something of the hard work he and others put into the project. Excited, because I’m always looking for good ways to tell good stories to my congregation and my children, something each episode of Missionary’s original docuseries does incredibly well.

This docuseries tells the story of Christians who followed Christ’s call to “go” as it takes viewers through history and around the world to learn about some of the church’s most noteworthy missionaries. The real benefit, though, isn’t merely its historical accuracy or global scope but its ability to expand mission-related categories in the minds of God’s people.

In the ChurchAs the series takes you through the lives of William Tyndale, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, William Carey, David Livingstone, and John Paton, it’s striking to see their “common” faith. We’re reminded that God uses the faith of ordinary Christians to do the extraordinary work of bringing people into the kingdom of Christ and planting (or strengthening) local churches. This kingdom work often takes a painstakingly long time—time well invested since “we not only want to quickly light [evangelistic] fires, but we want to build [local church] furnaces that will last.”Mark Dever, Missionary, John Paton episode.

As a pastor, this series helps me teach my congregation that they don’t have to have a PhD or be widely read or well-spoken to be faithful to Christ’s call to “go.” They need the same thing those six great missionaries possessed—a common faith in the knowledge of the truth that issues forth in obedience to Jesus’s missionary mandate. This common faith is well-suited for missionary work that crosses geographical and linguistic boundaries.

This series also helps me prioritize the church’s role in our missionary endeavors, which affects the missionaries we support, the missions organizations we funnel missionaries toward, and the missions efforts we invest in. We want our missions efforts to be aimed at planting or strengthening local churches.

In the HomeI tested the storytelling capabilities of this series on my children first. They know Brooks, so I assumed they’d be at least marginally interested, particularly since we started with the “Bonus Feature: YembiYembi: Unto the Nations”—and I was right.

After observing how beautiful Mrs. Nina looked on camera (in contrast to her dear husband, Mr. Brooks), my kids watched with unflinching focus until one of them remarked, “That looks like a happy place, Daddy. I’d like to go there someday.” This observation opened the door for us to talk about why the YembiYembi people were so happy—they were getting a Bible in their own language! Like Namake, John Paton’s friend, they “knew that if there is a God and he had spoken to [them], but not in [their own] language, it would do [them] no good.”Mark Dever, Missionary, John Paton episode.

My kids got a sense of what it’s like to live away from home in a second language, and they saw the need for translation work because so many people still have no access to God’s Word in their own language. Introducing these missions-related categories helps me as a parent to teach my children how to leverage their life for the sake of what God is doing globally.

How We Did ItSo, practically, how do we expose our church and our children to a series like this? I assume there are a variety of good ways, but here are two things we did (one as a church, one as parents).

First, our church regularly meets on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. for a midweek inductive Bible study. Since we open the church building at 5 p.m. to let our members eat and fellowship in the lead-up to the study, we announced that we’d be watching the series from 5 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. each Wednesday night. It’s a simple way for our church to grow in its understanding of church-centered missions over dinner.

Second, as a parent, I took time to watch Missionary with my kids and to make each viewing special. Hot chocolate and popcorn did the trick in our home! Each viewing was followed by a brief conversation about what was striking and what they learned. My goal was simply to expand mission-related categories in their young minds.

ConclusionI chuckle now as I remember what my kids said about my friend “Mr. Brooks,” but I was surprised when my nine-year-old son realized he missed rewatching “YembiYembi: Unto the Nations” on a Wednesday evening and all but begged me to have it played again so he could rewatch it—a desire his pastor-father was happy to oblige. And I was surprised again when last night he sat beside me in our church’s sanctuary as “YembiYembi: Unto the Nations” came on and said, “This is my favorite one. They get the Bible for their church.” That’s right, my son, and that’s what makes Missionary different from National Geographic.

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Abstract: Matthew Bingham highlights the importance of a well-calibrated conscience for the life of every Christian. Since the conscience is not infallible, Christians should calibrate it according to God’s Word and allow it to be shaped in the fellowship of God’s people.

The nature and function of the “conscience” is something we often take for granted. In one sense, few things seem as immediate and obvious as the nature of this particular human faculty: a person’s conscience discerns right from wrong, approving the former and disapproving the latter. And yet, there is also a sense in which the precise nature of the conscience eludes us. Theologian Charles Hodge (1797–1878) describes the conscience as a “mysterious power,” a mental faculty that seems both to emerge from our inner world and stand outside of us as an external judge.Charles Hodge, Princeton Sermons: Outlines of Discourses, Doctrinal and Practical(Banner of Truth Trust, 1958), 170.

A further complication arises from the evident reality that one’s conscience can malfunction. As Hodge puts it, “It is not infallible in its judgments.”Hodge, Princeton Sermons, 170. Though usually a reliable guide, experience suggests and Scripture confirms that one’s conscience can both go strangely quiet in the face of sin and chirp too loudly about matters on which the Bible is silent. Paul illustrates both when he warns Timothy against “the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Tim. 4:2). Having lost all sensitivity to the real sin in their lives (e.g., they are untroubled by their dishonesty), these mencan still insist that Christians “abstain from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving” (1 Tim. 4:3). These two seemingly opposite faults stem from the same problem: a failure to correctly calibrate the conscience.

If this sort of miscalibration characterizes those who are on the wrong path, it seems reasonable to conceive the life of the believer as a lifelong attempt to calibrate the conscience correctly. Indeed, Paul does something very close to this in Romans 12:2, framing a godly life in terms of “the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” That is a fine definition of a rightly calibrated Christian conscience: thoroughly transformed and renewed by the Spirit, such that it is able to “discern what is the will of God” in every situation.

But how, exactly, do we do this? How do we perceive God’s perfect will for our lives while neither succumbing to an overly sensitive legalism nor an overly permissive license? For those in ministry, the need to understand these dynamics is impelled by a double burden. Pastors must both attend to our own consciences and look after the spiritual health of those set under our care. Indeed, as the Puritan William Ames put it, the minister’s “daily labor . . . is to deal with the consciences of men.”William Ames, Conscience with the Power and Cases Thereof (London, 1639), “To the Reader.”Another way to describe that “daily labor” is as a continual attempt to calibrate consciences so that they increasingly reflect God’s own character.

Let’s consider four key steps along that road.

1. A Properly Calibrated Christian Conscience Begins with Becoming a ChristianThis does not mean that non-Christians lack a conscience. The conscience is a constituent part of our humanity as made in God’s image, and Scripture teaches that even fallen sinners “show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Rom. 2:15). As Archibald Alexander (1772–1851) observes, “Though man in his natural state is spiritually dead . . . yet is he still a reasonable being, and has a conscience by which he is capable of discerning the difference between good and evil, and of feeling the force of moral obligation.”Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience(Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1844), 46. We observe this all around us every day; unregenerate people clearly experience guilt for some but not all of their actions, and that ability to differentiate demonstrates the reality of a conscience at work.

And yet, while the conscience remains after the Fall, apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, it cannot bring salvation or real growth in godliness. As Alexander goes on to say, “There is nothing in this kind of conviction which has any tendency to change the heart or to make it better.”Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience, 47. Moreover, while the conscience is still present in the unregenerate, it is prone to sometimes grievous malfunctioning, not only failing to differentiate right from wrong, but actually reversing moral categories outright: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isa. 5:20).

The first and most significant step for calibrating the conscience, then, is to receive the blessing of enlightenment that only the Spirit of God can bring. When Paul describes his conversion and commission in Acts 26, he recounts the Lord Jesus sending him to the Gentiles “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). This spiritual opening of the eyes through conversion is the sine qua non of conscience calibration, and thus, a minister’s first step towards helping people along this road is to make sure that he is regularly preaching towards conversion, clearly presenting the gospel, and communicating that apart from new birth in Christ all moralistic attempts to calibrate the conscience will fail.

1. The Conscience Is Rightly Calibrated Primarily Through Immersion in God’s WordIf the Christian life is one long attempt to calibrate our consciences, such that we are approving what God approves and disapproving that which he does not, then clearly the key factor will be steady exposure to and meditation on God’s will and ways. And the only place where we can learn about God like this is in Scripture.

Indeed, Psalm 119 can be read as an extended meditation on conscience-calibration through such continual engagement with God’s special revelation:

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart. (Ps. 119:2)

Here at the outset, we see that the psalmist prizes a well-informed obedience that flows out of a renewed heart, a heart that increasingly mirrors God’s own in its judgments and desires. Then, as the psalm unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that the God-given means for achieving this sanctified synchronization is to meditate on God’s own self-revelation:

I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules. (Ps. 119:7)

Note that learning God’s “righteous rules” is connected not just with obedience but with real praise that flows from “an upright heart.” That is the mark of a correctly calibrated conscience—a growing delight in approving and disapproving in accord with God’s own judgments:

How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way. (Ps. 119:103–104)

Here, as elsewhere, meditation on divine precepts yields a deeper understanding of God’s ways and a corresponding love of them. If our minds are not steeped in Scripture, they will be steeped in whatever our pop culture happens to offer on any given day, and the result will be a conscience calibrated according to the rhythms of the world, a movement that runs precisely contrary to Paul’s summons in Romans 12:2.

Practically speaking, then, believers must intentionally cultivate a Word-based piety characterized by hearing from God in Scripture, meditating on what has been heard, and praying God’s promises back to him. Such constant immersion is critical because the circumstances and challenges of life in a fallen world are too varied and multifaceted to be anticipated in advance. We need minds and hearts so saturated with Scripture that we reflexively think and feel in God-honoring ways. In other words, we need rightly calibrated consciences.

Pastors have a special responsibility to both encourage their people to be in the Word and to model it for them Sunday by Sunday. Services centered around and saturated with Scripture will both serve as a means of corporate conscience-calibration in the moment and as a way of showing people what it looks like to think biblically on the very sorts of difficult issues that most require a fine-tuned conscience.

1. A Right Calibration of the Christian Conscience Will Be Greatly Helped Through Fellowship with God’s People and Greatly Hindered by Neglecting ItOne of the most interesting aspects of the conscience is its susceptibility to the influence of other people, whether for good or for ill. In Romans 1, after explaining that fallen humanity willfully breaks God’s moral law despite knowing better, Paul highlights this corporate aspect of conscience-calibration by noting that sinners also “give approval to those who” commit similar sins (Rom. 1:32). What is it about our fallen hearts that causes us not only to sin but to actively cheer on others as they pursue sin themselves? In large part, this tendency reflects an intensification of the basic orientation of fallen humanity, “who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18). In rebellion against God, we suppress the truth about the wrongness of our own actions, thus deadening the conscience and relieving the burden of guilt. By encouraging others to join us in sin and celebrating when they do so, we engage in this same dynamic on a corporate scale and multiply its conscience-searing effects.

But thankfully, among the redeemed, this same corporate movement of hearts can work in a positive direction. Scripture urges God’s people to “exhort one another every day,” so “that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). This is precisely the opposite of the sinful dynamic Paul describes in Romans 1:32, and it highlights the role that the church plays in calibrating the Christian conscience. Sometimes the exhortations and example of others can cut through a deadened conscience and draw us back toward godliness.

Pastors must pay special attention to this, as the inherent power of community to mold individual attitudes regarding moral issues will always be operative. The question is whether that power will be harnessed toward God-honoring or destructive ends. We’ve all seen congregations where the collective conscience has been miscalibrated. Sometimes, this involves promoting third-order wisdom questions to first-order imperatives—think of a church context where homeschooling becomes the de facto norm and an unstated expectation. At other times, this same group power can foster a culture of license around a particular issue—think of a church context in which overindulging in alcohol is winked at. Our communities will shape our consciences, and thus, pastors should both encourage meaningful church membership and be intentional about building a healthy culture in which conscience issues are treated with care and biblical nuance.

1. The Christian Conscience Will Be Rightly Calibrated Through Intentional and Steady Self-ExaminationThough originally intended for Timothy in his pastoral work, Paul’s exhortation to “keep a close watch on yourself” (1 Tim. 4:16) applies to every believer who wishes to rightly calibrate the conscience. This is because calibration requires both listening to one’s conscience and then prayerfully correlating its judgments with what we find in Scripture. There is thus a reciprocal relationship between self-examination and biblical meditation. Through self-reflection, I call to mind the particulars of my conduct and give space for my conscience to comment on what it finds. And yet it’sultimately in God’s Word that I find the standard against which such inner self-judgments are to be measured. Without meditating on Scripture, my conscience is liable to drift, and yet without careful consideration of my life’s particulars, my Bible reading can detach from the circumstances into which God has placed me. This is why Puritan authors like Henry Scudder (d. 1659) insisted that “you should . . . be well read in the book of your conscience, as well as in the Bible.”Henry Scudder, The Christian’s Daily Walk (Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1800), 106. Each reinforces the other, and the synergy between the two serves as a key engine for calibrating the conscience.

For pastors, the sermon provides an opportunity to prompt and model self-examination from the pulpit. Effective application digs into the particularities of life in a fallen world, both illustrating the kinds of questions we should be asking ourselves in private and serving as an on-the-spot diagnostic for our hearers. The English Puritans were especially good at this, as illustrated by Joseph Alleine (1634–1688):

Be exhorted, O man, to examine yourself. What does your conscience say? Does it accuse? Does it pierce you as you go? . . . Does your conscience carry you to your closet and tell you how seldom prayer and reading are performed there? Does it carry you to your family . . . ? Does your conscience lead you to your shop, your trade, and tell you of some iniquity there? . . . O conscience! . . . Rouse yourself, and do your work. Now let the preacher in your bosom speak.Joseph Alleine, A Sure Guide to Heaven (Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), 48–49.

Calibrating the conscience, whether our own or that of our hearers, is not easy work. But it’s the essential work to which ministers of the Word are called, their “daily business” and deepest privilege. Through our preaching, teaching, and shepherding, we have an opportunity to help believers better understand what the conscience is and how it can be rightly calibrated for God’s glory and our good.

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Abstract: Mike McKinley encourages pastors and all Christians to remember the spiritual discipline of introspection, since even those closest to us cannot see the condition of our heart. McKinley highlights three aspects of the Puritan approach to introspection: first, it must be guided by Scripture; second, it should look for graces as well as sins; and third, it should be an integral aspect of preaching God’s Word.

Think for a moment about your outward appearance. How is your hair looking today? Are those Pilates classes paying off? Did you remember to take all the tags off the new shirt you are wearing? Is there something stuck in your teeth? These questions are hard to answer because most of the time we cannot see most of our physical selves, and so we often must solicit the input of a trusted friend. But even then, we all know that a friend’s input can be of limited value. Perhaps they didn’t take the time to look all that carefully, or they themselves are color-blind, or maybe they just said what they thought we wanted to hear so that our feelings wouldn’t be hurt. This is why we have mirrors in our world, so that we can look at ourselves and make corrections as necessary.

Scripture depicts humanity as a race of people who are under the reign of sin and death (Rom. 5:12–14) and whose hearts are deceived (Jer. 17:9). As it is with our physical appearance, so it is with our spiritual condition—we often do not walk around with an accurate picture of ourselves. This means that growth in godliness will require some input from outside of us. Like a good friend telling us that we are not, in fact, “pulling off” that new hairstyle, other people in our lives can often see things about us that we cannot perceive on our own. It is for this reason that the Bible encourages those who desire wisdom to encourage input and even rebuke from others (e.g., Prov. 13:18, 27:6).

But even our closest friends and keenest observers can only know so much about us, and so our understanding of ourselves cannot be totally dependent on outsiders’ perspectives. After all, others can only know what we tell them and what they see in public; they have no access (unless we give it to them) to some of the unattractive things that go on deep down in our hearts—our anger, fears, doubts, and temptations. They cannot see the ways that we have (often unknowingly) ordered our inner lives to make room for attitudes and behaviors that we do not wish to acknowledge or change.

Thus, it is no surprise that the Bible commends not only soliciting input from others in the church, but also the practice of introspection or self-examination. Believers are encouraged to keep their hearts “with all vigilance” (Prov. 4:23), which seems to demand at the very least careful attention to what is going on within them. Paul told Timothy that faithfulness would require him to “keep a close watch” on himself (1 Tim. 4:16), and he warned the Ephesian elders to “pay careful attention” not only to the flock, but to themselves (Acts 20:28). In light of these commands, Christians have long engaged in the practice of intently “looking in the mirror,” searching their hearts before God in light of the teachings of Scripture.

In 1962, J.I. Packer mourned the decline of introspection in the church, writing that believers in his day “constantly give evidence of our neglect of this secret discipline by unprincipled and irresponsible public conduct.”JI Packer, A Quest for Godliness (Crossway, 1990), page 108. I’d contend that the situation today is even worse. Ours is an age that does not encourage followers of Christ to engage in a careful examination of the state of their souls. After all, introspection involves patient attention and a willingness to participate in (sometimes) brutally honest self-criticism. We have been discipled by our entertainment culture to shy away from practices that confer their best gifts in response to steadfast effort over an extended period of time. Our instincts have been formed by popular psychology so that we are suspicious of any exercise that would suggest that there is something wrong with us “below the surface.” We are slow to believe that the bad habits, unkind words, and foul moods—and all the things that we would like to change about ourselves—are not the result of how we have been shaped and victimized by forces outside of us, but find their source in our hearts. As Packer noted, this neglect of self-examination is made evident in our lack of private and public holiness.

Lessons for Pastors If pastors are to help their congregations recover a healthy practice of introspection, there may be no better guides than the Puritans. They aimed to pursue self-knowledge in their personal devotional life, and their pastors sought to encourage the practice through their public ministry. John Owen wrote the following about the need for self-examination:

Many people live in the dark to themselves all their days; whatever else they know, they know not themselves. They know their outward estates, how rich they are, and the condition of their bodies as to health and sickness they are careful to examine; but as to their inward being, and their principles as to God and eternity, they know little of nothing of themselves as they ought, or are acquainted with the evils of their own hearts as they ought. Yet the whole course of their obedience, and consequently of their eternal condition, depends on this. This, therefore, is our wisdom; and it is a needful wisdom if we have any design to please God, or to avoid that which is a provocation of his glory.John Owen, Overcoming Sin and Temptation: Three Classic Works by John Owen. Edited by Kelly M Kapic and Justin Taylor (Crossway, 2006), pages 238-9.

Much of historical memory has saddled the Puritans with a reputation for sin-sniffing and hypervigilance that probably reflects more about how dull the church in our day has become when it comes to matters of the conscience. The Puritan sensitivity to the deceitfulness of sin and the danger of a neglected conscience is almost certainly closer to what we see modeled for believers in Scripture than the self-acceptance and self-esteem that flourishes in many churches in our day.

With that said, here are three aspects of the Puritan approach to the duty of introspection that can help us:

1. Introspection Must Be Guided by Scripture Scripture serves as the rails upon which helpful self-examination can progress. Under normal circumstances, our conscience is a gift of God, serving as his lieutenant in the human soul. But in this fallen world, even such a good gift operates under the weakening effects of sin, and so believers must be wary of the tyranny of a poorly calibrated conscience. Much of pastoral ministry is spent dealing with believers whose consciences are either too sensitive (and thus constantly plaguing them with guilt and shame) or not nearly sensitive enough (thus making room for behaviors that shouldn’t be tolerated).

Thus, for the Puritans, only the Word of God could serve as the final authority in all matters. Richard Baxter wrote,

Make not your own judgments or consciences your law, or the maker of your duty; which is but the discerner of the law of God, and of the duty which he maketh you, and of your own obedience or disobedience to him. There is a dangerous error grown too common in the world, that a man is bound to do every thing which his conscience telleth him is the will of God; that every man must obey his conscience, as if it were the lawgiver of the world; whereas, indeed, it is not ourselves, but God, that is our lawgiver. And conscience is . . . appointed . . . only to discern the law of God, and call upon us to observe it: and an erring conscience is not to be obeyed, but to be better informed.Quote in Packer, pp. 112-113.

2. Introspection Doesn’t Just Set Us Hunting for Sin When we think of careful self-examination in the Puritan tradition, we tend to think of time spent examining one’s attitudes and actions for signs of sin or moral compromise. And while that is a significant part of the work (because we tend to be most blind toward our failings), there are also works of grace that may be going on below the surface in a believer’s heart. It is hardly humble to fail to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit within us and give him the praise that he is due. After all, Paul’s oft-quoted instruction to the Corinthians that they ought to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5) anticipates that the conclusion will be that, in fact, they are. As Richard Sibbes reminds us, “We must have two eyes, one to see imperfections in ourselves and others, the other to see what is good.”Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed (Banner of Truth, 2021), p. 35.

3. Pastoral Ministry Can and Should Encourage Godly Introspection The high value that the Puritans placed on self-examination led them to be masters of application in their preaching. They knew that gospel propositions left sitting on the surface of the heart rarely bore good fruit, and so it was the job of the preacher to plant the truth deep down into the soil of their hearts through application. This, it seems to me, is the great labor of preaching. Understanding the message and grammar of a text may take some time, but it is normally not a monumental feat. But it is quite a task to proclaim the truth of a text to one’s hearers in such a way as to drive them to apply it to their own hearts, so that the text strikes them as God speaking to them, driving them to examine their beliefs and loves and conduct in light of it.

In conclusion, I would suggest two things to pastors looking to encourage the discipline of healthy introspection in their congregations. The first would be to give specific instructions to self-examination as part of your sermon application. Instead of saying simply, “God’s people should be patient,” try something like,

Christian, how do you lack patience? How can you more fully appreciate God’s patience with you, so that you might grow in patience toward others? Take time this week to prayerfully examine your life and ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify a few times when you’ve been sinfully impatient. Confess that sin and ask the Spirit to help you change. Do that each day this week and see what the Lord shows you.

This leads to the other thing that a pastor should do, which is to practice healthy self-examination in his own private devotional life. Our preaching will not drive people to deep examination if we are content to remain at a surface level in our dealings with our own hearts. Packer summarizes the matter with characteristic clarity,

Whence comes the skill to apply God’s truth appropriately in preaching? From the experience of having God apply his truth powerfully to oneself. Ordinarily, said the Puritans, it is those whose own consciences are more deeply exercised by God’s truth who have the most power to awaken the consciences of others by prudent and piercing applications.Packer, 117.

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Abstract: Salvador Blanco reviews Sean DeMars’s book Redemption Song: A Primer on Singing for the People of God, highlighting eleven insights from the book. Through an exposition of “The Song of Moses” in Exodus 15, DeMars seeks to help God’s people sing in a way that honors God and builds up the church.

Sean DeMars, Redemption Song: A Primer on Singing for the People of God. Christian Focus, 2025. 96 pages.

How many books on congregational singing can you think of right now? Five max?

Sean DeMars’s Redemption Song fills a gap for pastors and song leaders by providing a brief exposition of Exodus 15, in which he finds “a description of and prescription for corporate worship that has much to say to the modern church” (11).

Eleven Lessons DeMars shares eleven insights that this Old Covenant song teaches Christ’s New Covenant people about corporate worship.

First, God’s people sing (17). It is not their duty, but their privilege. The benefits of singing include the engagement of the intellect, imagination, and memory (20).

Second, God’s people sing in response. A good pocket-sized definition of worship is “the right response to the grace of God” (27). Worship is not a work that merits grace.

Third, God’s people sing together. DeMars points out that the Psalms use plural pronouns 346 times (34). However, one ought not equate the personal language of the Psalms with merely private practices. Some Psalms, after all, are both corporate and personal, as are some of our favorite hymns (see “It Is Well with My Soul”) (52).

Fourth, God’s people sing to God, about God. DeMars pushes back against worship services that “spend a great deal of time singing praises to themselves instead of God” (39).

Fifth, God’s people sing the truth. It does not honor God to sing false things about him. DeMars cites the chorus to Cory Asbury’s famous song “Reckless Love”: “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.” Why sing songs like this, DeMars asks, when there’s “an embarrassment of riches available to us when it comes to maximally God-glorifying music?” (44). Further, you don’t want your members teaching false things about God, much less singing them.

Sixth, God’s people sing the whole counsel of God. DeMars shows the breadth of emotions in the Psalms. Pastors and song leaders, how does your song bank compare? Do your songs reflect the emotional diversity of the songs we find in Scripture?

Seventh, God’s people sing history. “The Song of Moses teaches us that we must not forget the saints who came before us” (52). Sing songs that are five years old, five hundred years old, and five thousand years old (52).

Eighth, God’s people sing with a leader. Moses probably did not know music theory, nor is there evidence that he had a great voice, but he still led the people, and they followed joyfully. Likewise, Miriam led a song with a tambourine, and “all the women went out after her” (Exod. 15:20–21). Singing from the front is an opportunity to lead your people in their singing.

Ninth, God’s people sing to bear witness. DeMars describes the Song of Moses as a testimony set to music (61), and unlike some testimony songs today that are more generic in nature, Exodus 15 refers to an actual event in redemptive history.

Tenth, God’s people sing in wonder. This wonder comes from considering the magnitude of God’s redemption. Our singing often fails to reflect that magnitude, yet DeMars doesn’t shame readers. Instead, he instructs us to meditate on the gospel and “get back to singing to God with your whole heart” (66).

Lastly, God’s people sing with joy. DeMars helps us understand that we can sing with joy because we’ve been delivered like the Israelites. This chapter could be nuanced by a one-line concession that saints can be sorrowful yet always rejoicing (2 Cor. 6:10). At the same time, joy is rooted in the unchanging nature of the gospel.

The Regulative Principle The book has two appendices, one on the regulative principle and another on case studies exemplifying its flexibility. I appreciate that DeMars doesn’t enter into scholarly debates on the regulative principle but instead focuses on helping readers understand that God’s Word has something to say about the way we worship him. The Bible gives us rules about worship, not to take away from our worship experience but to “help facilitate strong, healthy, vibrant worship” (76).

The second appendix puts flesh on the bones of the regulative principle discussion. It speaks to many concerns pastors and song leaders have about the specifics of a service.

Food for Thought Redemption Song will help you reflect on and teach about Exodus 15 and its relationship to congregational singing. You’ll also get fresh considerations on the regulative principle. Finally, its brevity makes it more digestible than most books on congregational singing.

One unique aspect of this book is that it’s an exposition of an Old Testament text applied to corporate worship today, whereas some adherents to the regulative principle base their worship solely on explicit New Testament commands. Perhaps we should ask ourselves what other components of Old Testament worship could inform our corporate gatherings.

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Abstract: Zack DiPrima makes the case that children should be welcomed into the church’s corporate gathering based on the examples and instructions we have in the Bible. While including younger children may initially have its challenges, the opportunities it provides for evangelizing and discipling the next generation far outweigh any potential costs. The church’s gathering shapes children as they are exposed to God’s Word and the gathered worship of his people.

If you’ve ever worked in an office, you’ve probably heard of “Take Your Child to Work Day.” On this occasion, parents bring their son or daughter to the workplace to see what Dad or Mom do for a living. It’s a refreshing and sweet distraction from the day’s activities.

“Take Your Child to Work Day” also reinforces a basic notion—the office is no place for a child. Not only do children have limited ability to understand the activities of an adult workplace, but they also pose a threat of distracting adults from their main objective at the office: to work.

When it comes to our children, I fear many of us are tempted to view corporate worship like the workplace. From our children’s perspective, it’s possible for them to take interest in aspects of a Sunday gathering, but ultimately, it’s not for them. From the parents’ perspective, children—especially very young children—pose an impediment to adults engaging in the worship service. Though I see legitimacy in these perspectives, it’s important to affirm that corporate worship is not like the workplace. Rather, corporate worship is, in fact, for children. The goal of this article is to present a rationale for why churches should joyfully welcome children, even little children, into their main Sunday gatherings.

Why Children Should Be Welcome in Corporate Worship At my church, though we provide childcare for kids aged three and under, we expect those four and older to join their parents in our main service. Some parents choose to bring their kids into the service at younger ages. There’s a lot of freedom here. We also acknowledge that many healthy churches will have different sensibilities on this issue. Some churches don’t offer childcare, thinking all children, infants included, must be in the service. This is not my view. Meanwhile, it has become especially common for many churches to offer “age-appropriate” instruction for kids as old as eleven or twelve. Though these churches vary in the quality of such programs and are usually well-intentioned, I would like to gently encourage them to lower the age. The rest of this article will share some biblical and philosophical arguments for my perspective and then some closing applications.

The Bible Normalizes Children in Gathered Worship In the Old Testament, we’re frequently told of the involvement of children in corporate worship. We’re told “little ones” heard Joshua read the whole Law of Moses in the assembly of God’s people (Josh. 8:34–35). “Little ones” and “children” stood with their parents to hear the Word of God in 2 Chronicles 20. Young ones heard prophecy and confession of sin in the assembly in Ezra 10. In Deuteronomy 31, we see all Israel was expected to gather for the Feast of Booths:

Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. (Deut. 31:12–13, emphasis added)

As an interesting wrinkle to this pattern, when Ezra read the Law before the assembly in Nehemiah 8, he read to “both men and women and all who could understand.” Who could understand is unclear, but it’s reasonable to assume that this group excluded infants. Regardless, the Old Testament presents a rather vivid portrait of corporate worship as an environment that included children, even very young children.

The New Testament doesn’t seem to present a contrary picture. First, the Lord Jesus dignified children throughout his earthly ministry. Children were present when he fed the multitudes, the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The same children were present for the instruction that followed these feedings. Jesus used a child as a breathtaking illustration for trust in God (Matt. 18:1–4). He memorably charged his disciples, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). Though these examples are not in the context of gathered worship, they all occurred in the context of multi-generational ministry and discipleship.

For our purposes, Paul’s epistles might be the most instructive on this point. In Ephesians and Colossians, Paul addresses children directly: “Children, obey your parents in everything for this pleases the Lord” (Col. 3:20). Paul expects children to be present in the gatherings of these local churches as his letters were read. Further, given a first-century context where teenagers were generally viewed as adults, Paul would have likely had children twelve and under in mind. Clearly, the Bible normalizes the presence of children in corporate church gatherings.

Corporate Worship Should Be Multigenerational The inclusion of children in corporate worship is a part of a broader view of the local church: namely, it is to comprise a variety of generations and backgrounds. One of the problems with churches that overemphasize “age-and-stage” programs is that such ministries tend to divide the local church into disparate silos. A robust “children’s church” program, 9 a.m. traditional services, and 11 a.m. contemporary services tell the world that Christians unite around styles of worship rather than the object of worship. Age-and-stage programs certainly have their place in the life of most churches, but when they literally divide a congregation in the essential feature of its life (the main Sunday gathering), they damage a church’s witness.

The local church is where young and old thrive together as they share in the filling of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18–21). The apostle John exhorted both young men and fathers at the same time, acknowledging their respective strengths to benefit the whole body (1 John 2). The apostle Paul charged older women to teach younger women how to love their husbands and children (Titus 2). The Bible’s blueprint for the life of the local church––both gathered and scattered––is profoundly multigenerational. When we bar children from our gatherings, we imply that the church is not united in worship, nor is it for children.

Children Should See Their Parents Worship God The greatest charge given to parents is to raise their children in the fear and instruction of the Lord. One of the too often neglected means of accomplishing this task is children seeing Mom and Dad heartily entering into the gathered worship of God’s people. Children learn something about the Lord by how their parents listen to sermons, recite creeds, join in corporate prayer, and sing God’s praises. To put a finer point on this, children will discern what their parents believe by what they sing on Sunday, but they’ll learn if their parents believe by how they sing on Sunday. Authentic Christian worship is one of the most strategic tools of evangelism in our gatherings, especially when it comes to our children.

“Children’s Church” Programs Can Have Major Liabilities Historically speaking, the concept of “children’s church” as an “age-appropriate” alternative for a church’s main gathering is an invention of the twentieth century. Though well-intentioned, programs that separate children from the local gathering for years on end are fraught with problems. First, it’s a ministry that requires significant volunteer resources. It usually requires many adults to regularly give up time in the main gathering. Ordinarily, a strong children’s church program can only be sustained by a medium-sized or large church. This reinforces a cycle of commodifying the ministry of the church. We train people to come to church for the amenities of non-essential ministries. Over time, Christians shop for churches that will provide these amenities. Smaller churches then feel the need to develop fancy programs to attract people rather than emphasizing the ordinary means of grace. This vicious cycle has played on repeat for over a half-century in the wake of the church growth movement.

Second, children’s church has contributed to the juvenilization of churches. The instinct that divides the local church in favor of a ministry that children will find readily accessible and entertaining is the same impulse that often silos older students from the church’s life as well. As children age, parents think they need a youth ministry with peppier music and entertaining teaching to reach their kids. The trend shows that such kids, if converted, are won over to a more performative-based ministry. So what happens next? They seek out similar ministries when they go to college. On into adulthood, if they look for a local church, they usually try to find one that is high production and youth-oriented. This pattern has undoubtedly contributed to the watering down of so many local churches. Sadly, some evangelical churches feel more like a stage show followed by a self-help talk than anything rooted in a historical tradition. The fact that churches feel more like youth camps than a historically rooted faith community is downstream from a programmatic instinct that insists on age-tailored ministry. This has not redounded to the greater maturity of the church at large.

Application Though we think it’s wonderful to have children in our services, it is certainly not without challenges. Because of this, I want to close with some reflections on frequently asked questions and concerns.

“Won’t My Child Find It Difficult to Understand Everything in the Main Gathering?” Probably. However, the goal of a Christian worship service is not the total comprehension of all in attendance. In other words, it’s okay if children don’t understand everything. I encourage parents to highlight to their kids what they can understand. When we sing “Jesus, What a Friend of Sinners,” talk to them about what true friendship is. After taking the Lord’s Supper, explain the drama of the gospel displayed in the ordinance. When the preacher is explaining the basic elements of the gospel in a sermon, give a friendly elbow to your nine-year-old to lean in. Some parents challenge their children by giving them a list of words to listen out for in a sermon (“cross,” “gospel,” “Father,” “sacrifice,” “sin,” etc.). If their child checks off every word, they get a reward. Regardless of how you help your child understand the gathering, they will inevitably understand with greater depth the grandeur of Christian worship.

“Won’t My Child Find Corporate Worship Boring?” More than likely. They probably think many things that are good for them are boring––like chores and broccoli. It’s okay if children don’t find corporate worship readily entertaining. Frankly, many adults don’t find church gatherings entertaining. Thankfully, our chief aim in worship is not to be entertained; it’s to be edified to the glory of God. The Christian’s call in worship is to encounter God through the ordinary means of grace. We preach the Word, pray the Word, read the Word, sing the Word, and see the Word. Through all these means, the Word of Christ dwells in us richly. To the soul well-attuned to God’s will, corporate worship will be exhilarating. Of course, we don’t pursue experiences, we pursue God, and experiences inevitably follow. For this reason, I challenge parents to consider their physical and emotional posture in corporate worship. I’m not saying a Christian must raise his hands or emote in any way that’s inconsistent with his or her personality. But whatever one’s mode of showing reverence, awe, or excitement is, it ought to be manifested in public worship. Children will remember what excited their parents and moved their souls. Every church service is an opportunity for parents to inform the moral intuitions and shape the affections of their children.

“Won’t My Child Be a Distraction to Me or Others in the Service?” Possibly. But the local church is a family at the end of the day. I often exhort the church members to endeavor not to be a distraction and endeavor not to be distracted. Though we want to remove distractions from our gatherings as much as possible, they are inevitable and when they occur, we extend grace. If you’re a parent who’s deep in the trenches of pew-training, be encouraged that this is a season that will soon pass. Each Sunday is an opportunity to invest in the long-term spiritual health of your child.

“Should I Care about This If I Don’t Have Children?” Absolutely. Part of a local church’s responsibility is not merely to equip parents to disciple their children, but also to display a community of blood-bought saints who have been changed by the power of the gospel. Belonging to the family of God engenders a spiritual interest not only in one’s own biological children but all the children of his or her church family. This means if you’re a member of a local church, each Lord’s Day is an opportunity to evangelize and disciple the children in your gathering. You share a stewardship to help their parents train them for service in the kingdom of Christ and the enjoyment of heaven.

Conclusion Only the eternal ages of the New Heavens and New Earth will be able to quantify God’s marvelous grace accomplished through corporate worship. Which of us can tell what God is doing through every sermon, every song, every prayer, every confession of sin, every recitation of a creed, every celebration of the Lord’s Supper? God is doing great things through gathered worship, and children should be there as witnesses.

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Abstract: Deepak Reju helps pastors counsel their people when there is no passage of Scripture that explicitly addresses a particular question or issue. Though pastors should avoid binding someone’s conscience without biblical warrant, they should not give the impression that issues not explicitly addressed in Scripture are therefore morally neutral. Pastors are usually able to address complex questions in a more nuanced way outside of the pulpit. However, rather than merely stating their convictions, they should help their people understand how their reasoning has been shaped by Scripture.

Let’s say that Phil and Alice Jones, a young couple, come to you asking for advice on schooling their children. They’re sorting through options: public, secular private, Christian private, full-time homeschool, and a homeschool co-op. They’re bewildered by so many choices, and they’re not sure what’s the best fit for their growing family. So, you sit down with Phil and Alice, ask a lot of questions, sort through their conscience convictions, and then advise them as best you can. That’s a typical part of your private ministry of the Word—teaching church members how to wisely sort through conscience convictions and apply Scripture to their situation.

It turns out there are a lot of families in your congregation with preschool children who wrestle with similar questions. You talk this over with your elders. The elders feel like hosting a panel that represents the different schooling options would be helpful for your church. They also encourage you, their senior pastor, to preach on the conscience from Romans 14:1–15:7. That’s a normal part of your public ministry of the Word—teaching and preaching to edify and instruct your members on God’s perspective.

When most Christians (and many pastors!) sort through these conscience differences, they often assume moral neutrality. Christians believe that so long as there isn’t a Bible verse explicitly condemning a specific action, then that must mean that it’s morally solid. Now it’s true that my church members have freedom in Christ to choose from a range of schooling options—public, private, homeschool—so long as they don’t have bad motives in their choice. The apostle Paul tells us: “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).

But is that all there is to it? Not at all.

Here’s my assertion—not all options are morally equal simply because they are morally acceptable. What’s more, pastors have a responsibility to teach moral reasoning to their congregation in both their public and private ministry of the Word, though each of these ministries will likely look a little different. More on that in a minute. First, let me try and prove the assertion.

An Example of a Morally Significant Conscience Decision Phil and Alice let you know they’ve looked at all the schooling options. They like homeschooling a lot because it offers significant time for discipling their children. That’s attractive to them, but they’re not sure if Alice has the organizational skills to pull it off. They’re also very evangelistic and eager to see their children be a gospel witness in the secular public schools. They know there are challenges, but they feel like the risks are outweighed by the benefits. They inform you that they’ve sorted through their schooling options and plan to enroll their daughter in public school in the fall semester. At first glance, this seems like a fine decision for them to make.

However, you decide to investigate it further since you don’t live in the same neighborhood and don’t know their public schools. You ask Charlie, a longtime deacon, who lives a few blocks from Alice and Phil. He’s immediately alarmed. You can see concern written all over his face. “What? They’re going to put their kid in that school?” he says. His shock and tone have got your attention, so you ask him to explain why he’s so disturbed by Alice and Phil’s decision.

Here’s what he tells you: “The public school in our community is one of the most liberal in the country. They’re pro-LGBTQ and very aggressive about teaching this agenda in the classroom. Alice and Phil’s children will get extensive exposure and be brainwashed in this kind of environment.”

You are now more concerned. But you ask, “Can’t parents just opt their kids out of this teaching?”

Charlie shakes his head. “No, they’ve passed rules on the school board that strip all rights from parents. So, if Alice and Phil’s daughter Shirley starts to question her gender, the school won’t tell the parents. They’ll encourage Shirley to pursue a gender change if she expresses a desire. They won’t involve the parents. If the parents oppose it, the school will contact Child Protective Services.”

You now understand Charlie’s alarm. You’ve got no choice. To shepherd well (1 Pet. 5:2–3), you should talk to Alice and Phil and help them see the moral freight attached to the decision to put their children in this school system. Can you explicitly say that it would be sin for them to do it anyway? Maybe, maybe not. At the very least you can say that it would be very unwise, bordering on reckless, for them to take this path.Lest you think that I’m opposed to public schools, I could come up with scenarios in homeschooling and private Christian school that would also be unwise and bordering on sin. No option is excluded from this moral weight category, depending on the circumstances.

You see, saying that a decision is acceptable is not the same as saying that two acceptable decisions are morally equal in value. This is the case for at least two reasons. First, different options in any given conscience issue may come with different gradations of moral clarity. Our ability to discern the good from the bad is not always a black-and-white game. Sometimes we aren’t 100% sure, but one decision does seem to be better than another when we bring various biblical principles to bear on it. Pastor, you need to teach your people how to collate principles from Scripture that can help them weigh their options on a scale and then choose what is best.

Second, even if one decision seems to be equal to another, morally speaking, there is a second scale that we need to consider—the wisdom-foolishness scale. So you can do A or B and probably not be sinning in either case. But A seems to be the wiser of the two options for reasons one, two, and three. As a pastor, you need to be able to share why wisdom leans one way and not the other. Sure, the person is free to do either, but that doesn’t mean they should do either. Sometimes your counsel will be the difference between a wise option and a suboptimal, borderline foolish option.

The need to help members reason morally through various conscience issues is just one way in which pastoring is tough business.

The Private Ministry of the Word for Phil and Alice Let’s now consider how helping members privately takes a slightly different shape from instructing the entire congregation behind the pulpit.

Back to Phil and Alice for a second. After talking to Charlie, my next step is to sit down with Phil and Alice and talk to them about their decision to send Shirley to the public schools in their community. I text them and we arrange a face-to-face meeting.

Whereas preaching and teaching casts a large, generalized net because you face a large audience, the private ministry of the Word ministers to specific persons with specific circumstances and specific conscience convictions.

• As Phil and Alice’s pastor, I state my personal opinion for them while they sit on the couch in my office. I let them know what Charlie told me about their local public school and express my concern about their choice.
• Because of the specific details I now know about their public school, I can work out the nuances and implications for their situation. “While you may be free to choose this school for your children, I fear that you will be in danger of disobeying one of your chief responsibilities as parents—teaching your children to know God (Deut. 6:6–7; Prov. 22:6).”
• I can press into their specific situation and help them to recalibrate their consciences if needed. “You might reconsider given the school’s progressive ideology whether this is a good thing for your daughter. You’ve got a responsibility to educate her, but you also must protect her from lies as the school attempts to brainwash and confuse her. Does this lead you to reconsider your choice?”
• I can warn them what the consequences of their decision might be in order to help them make the right one. “If your daughter becomes convinced that she’s a boy or adopts a favorable attitude toward LGBTQ issues, it will put you at odds with her as her parent. It will be a long and hard road. How does that make you think about this decision?”

My conversation is meant to help them see the moral freight of this weighty decision. I think it’s unwise and potentially sinful to send their child to an aggressively pro-LGBTQ public school like the one Charlie described. It’s my responsibility to counsel them as best as I can based on God’s Word. That said, I don’t have the authority to make them do what I say, and I can’t go so far as to say that going with the public school is obviously sinful. At the end of the day, Phil and Alice must choose for their daughter and live with the consequences of their decision.

Be warned, pastor. If you start trying to force people to agree with you on these conscience issues—even those issues where you think one option is morally superior to another but you can’t say one is definitely sin—you’re flirting with authoritarianism. Share with your people your reasoning from God’s Word. Challenge them with the truth. But stop short of trying to make them do as you say.

My Public Ministry of the Word for the Entire Congregation Okay, so I can go pretty far in the counseling room with Phil and Alice. I think, given the details of their situation, I can basically say, “I wouldn’t recommend sending your kids to that school. It seems unwise at best and potentially sinful to do so.” Does this mean that I should stand in the pulpit and say to my congregation, “Don’t send your children to public school! To do so would be unwise at best and potentially sinful?” Uh, no, not quite. Here are a few reasons why speaking so directly would be a bad idea.

First, in the absence of explicit biblical teaching, you must be careful not to push your people to conclusions—even right conclusions!—before you teach them how to work those conclusions out based on various biblical texts and their application to our context. Fourth-grade math teachers don’t hand their students calculators before they’ve first taught them to do basic addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Similarly, you shouldn’t skip over the process of moral reasoning to quickly arrive at your conclusion. A habit of going straight for the right answer may lead people to assume that it’s your word they must follow rather than God’s.

Second, the Bible doesn’t condemn public school full stop. In the case of Phil and Alice, the problem was with their specific school district. I may have other members who have a much better school district. They may choose to send their kids there for evangelism reasons and that be morally right and wise.

Lastly, the Bible doesn’t hold out a specific form for how parents should educate their children. Let’s say that I do condemn public school full stop (I don’t and wouldn’t but keep going with the hypothetical). What do I then tell parents they must do with their children? The Bible doesn’t tell us private school is morally superior to or wiser than homeschooling! I must be careful not to prohibit what the Bible doesn’t because doing so may mean then having to require what the Bible doesn’t. One wrong begets another.

So there I am in my pulpit preaching on Romans 14–15. This section of Scripture clearly provides guidelines on conscience differences and prioritizes love. In my sermon, I’ll explain how the apostle Paul teaches us to navigate differences between believers charitably. I’ll instruct members on differences between strong and weak consciences and apply those to contemporary situations. I may even hold out specific case studies or examples and show the congregation how the moral math recommends one decision over another. But I stop short of drawing a universal that the text doesn’t commend.

After church, we host a panel on the different schooling options. (The schooling question is just one example of how to sort through differences between consciences, but it’s the area where my congregation needs help!) If I’m standing in front of a room full of parents, what should be typical of my teaching and instruction in this public setting?

• I must show consideration to those who have a conscience conviction: “You might feel convicted that homeschooling is a good fit for your family and struggle with public or private schooling options.”
• I should instruct and recalibrate more restricted consciences to show charity to those with a stronger conscience. “You might feel personally convinced that homeschooling is the best option because of how much time it gives you to disciple your children. But that doesn’t mean it is necessarily the best option for every family in the church.”
• I should teach the strong and weak consciences to show charity to one another. “Whatever schooling option you choose, you want to respect the conscience choices of other members. Christ gives us freedom to choose differently.”
• I should reflect the freedom of conscience that Scripture affords: “As a believer, you have freedom to choose any schooling situation that fits your family.”
• But I must be willing to trace out the moral parameters entangled with different options. Not all choices are morally equal. “Some of you might consider public schools in the Cheverly District, but I need to warn you of schools that will go contrary to our Christian values and strip the authority that God gives you as parents of your children.”

Public and private settings offer different challenges. But they also provide wonderful opportunities to shape the consciences of your church members and to be honest about the moral parameters that surround their decisions.

Pastor, don’t let your members assume that their freedom in Christ neutralizes the moral value behind their decisions. It doesn’t. Be wise and deliberate about your moral instruction, both in counseling and preaching, for the glory of God and the good of your church.

The post Can I Bind the Conscience More in the Counseling Room than in the Pulpit? appeared first on 9Marks.

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Abstract: Zach Cochran identifies operations as the unseen mark that often facilitates the more fundamental biblical priorities of a healthy church—things like expositional preaching, gospel doctrine, and church membership. The concept of operations is theologically grounded and can serve churches in a variety of ways. By giving attention to governance, finances, facilities, people, and systems and preferences, churches can free leaders and all members to carry out their primary responsibilities.

9Marks helps pastors and members build healthy churches by recovering nine biblical priorities: expositional preaching, gospel doctrine, conversion and evangelism, church membership, church discipline, discipleship, church leadership, prayer, and missions. These marks represent pillars of a faithful church—core commands God has given to promote life in the local body.

But anyone who has labored in the trenches of ministry knows that a church can be committed to these commands in theory yet still find its practice of these marks perpetually frustrated. When a church’s trellis is broken, its ministry vine can’t grow. This is why church operations—the daily management of people, finances, and processes—is so necessary.

While the Bible prescribes the primary marks of healthy ministry, it often leaves the “how” to the realm of biblical prudence. Operations is a stewardship ministry that applies godly wisdom to matters of church management and provides the essential infrastructure needed for a healthy church to function with integrity and endurance.

Order as a Theological Category We’re tempted to overlook the healthy management of resources, staff, and systems. After all, you won’t find church operations in an ecclesiology textbook. And this work doesn’t stand out like the key elements of a Sunday morning service. Yet I believe operations is a theological category, one that’s rooted in our doctrine of creation.

Scripture begins with God bringing order from chaos. The world was “without form and void” until God spoke and established form, sequence, and boundaries (Gen. 1). Later in the Old Testament, when the tabernacle laws were given (Exod. 25–27), they weren’t mere paperwork; they were instead an operational system designed to protect the holiness of God’s dwelling place. Then, after the exile, God used Nehemiah’s practical wisdom and administrative oversight to restore Jerusalem’s walls.

In the New Testament, too, the apostles acted with spiritual wisdom to bring order from chaos in a way that protected the church’s mission. In Acts 6, they appointed deacons to oversee the daily distribution of food so that their ministries of the Word and prayer wouldn’t be sabotaged by administrative neglect.

Pillars of Healthy Church Operations Healthy church operations function as a quiet servant of the Word in the following five ways.

Governance
This is where ecclesiology meets the law. Do your convictions about congregationalism and elder plurality actually live in your bylaws? Bylaws are so important for orderly decision making. They inform the elders, staff, and congregation about how the church should be led both biblically and legally.

Finances
How are the church’s resources stewarded? Financial systems protect the congregation’s generous investments and guard leadership against misconduct. A balanced budget and clear spending policies are matters of integrity.

Facilities
Ministry happens in time and space. Whether your church is renting a school or maintaining a century-old building, stewarding your facility well is essential. Buildings either facilitate (thus the name!) or hinder the local gathering of the saints.

People
Healthy policies for human resources and congregational care ensure that staff are employed in accordance with their gifts and that the congregation is well-equipped for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). Policies, handbooks, and job descriptions communicate clear expectations, and rhythms of regular communication about these matters guard against “management by assumption,” which can lead to staff and member burnout.

Systems and Processes
How does the work of the church actually get done? As a church grows, relying solely on informal and relational equity is dangerous. Clear systems and processes will move your church away from subjectivity and toward a shared understanding of how and by whom decisions are made.

How Healthy Operations Serve the Gospel When its operations are healthy, the church doesn’t become more corporate; instead, its leaders are set free. Robust church operations serve the Great Commission in a variety of ways.

They create more time for pastoral ministry. When you’re not chasing paperwork or untangling avoidable crises, you can invest more time in shepherding.

They help you disciple more consistently. When your church has clear systems for tracking members and connecting them to classes or groups, people will feel known and fewer will get lost in the shuffle.

They help you steward resources more faithfully. When your church manages finances well, its giving can be spent on the mission priorities, not on correcting avoidable mistakes.

They help you maintain peace among leaders. Clarity reduces conflict. Direction reduces tension. When you have clear management systems, it eliminates decision fatigue and emotional drain that arise when staff are always guessing how to respond to each new situation.

Healthy operations aren’t about efficiency for its own sake. They instead involve honoring God with what he’s entrusted to us in order to create environments where the ministry vine can put down deep roots, grow, and bear fruit for years. The operations categories don’t replace prayer, preaching, or shepherding, but they do protect these more visible marks. Healthy operations are a framework that ensures the visible marks of the church shine forth clearly.

Don’t Neglect the Invisible Mark We must be clear-eyed about the consequences of neglecting church operations. Poor operations can erode a church slowly from within. They’re frequently a factor behind the devastating headlines of church failure. When a ministry collapses, it’s often not due to a theological technicality. More normally, it’s due to moral failure or a failure in basic management practices and financial oversight.

God loves to bring order out of chaos, but that’s no excuse for us to invite disorder. There’s a healthier way. A church where the work of operations is well-stewarded before God is one where communication is clear, money is handled responsibly, and staff know what is expected. These are marks that church leaders have been set free to do what Jesus has called them to do—make and mature disciples.

If you found this article helpful, Zach through the ministry of TGC is offering an 8-Week cohort for executive and associate pastors where you can learn more about how to serve your local church through healthy church operations. Click here to register today.

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Abstract: Phil Howell offers a biblical framework for interpreting and responding to disagreements within the church, with a particular focus on elders. God uses disagreements to strengthen the church, as is evidenced in the book of Acts, and Howell identifies two pathways to unity—agreement and acceptance. He closes by providing reflection questions for elders and all members as they think through how to respond to disagreements in the church.

Picture this: a church member meets with an elder to wrestle with a significant moral or theological issue. Let’s say the issue is along the lines of someone pursuing remarriage after a complicated divorce, doing IVF to start their family, or trying to go to the mission field. The elder listens carefully, agrees almost entirely, and both leave the meeting feeling aligned.

A few weeks later, however, the rest of the elder board discusses the matter and takes the opposite stance. They conclude the member should not remarry, the couple should not pursue circumventive reproductive technology, and despite one elder’s affirmation, the hopeful missionary is told he’s not ready to go.

What now? For members and elders who disagree with a board’s decision, pressing questions arise: Can I serve alongside or be shepherded by someone I believe is wrong on a morally significant issue? How much difference can one board bear? How far should I go to reconcile ethical, political, or pastoral disagreements?

To answer these questions, this essay offers a biblical framework for interpreting and responding to disagreements, with a particular focus on those that arise with elders in the local church.The scope of this essay is intentionally limited to disagreements within the context of a single local church. It will not address broader questions of inter-church cooperation, partnership in parachurch ministries, or determining appropriate levels of separation or unity in relation to the wider body of Christ. These are significant issues but setting them aside here will allow for a more focused treatment of the dynamics and applications relevant to local church life, especially in the concluding applications of this essay. Drawing from the various disagreements among church leaders in the book of Acts, this framework unfolds along two pathways for preserving unity.Apart from Acts and Paul’s confrontation of Peter in Galatians 2:11–14 (which is included in this essay), the rest of the New Testament does not narrate conflicts among or with elders. The following Scriptures are also relevant to this study, even though Acts remains the primary focus: Romans 14:1–15:7; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17; 3:3–9; 8–10; Ephesians 4:1–16; Philippians 4:2–3; 1 Timothy 5:19–20; Titus 3:10–11; Hebrews 13:7, 17.

First, our hope, prayer, and effort should be that God will use our disagreements to display the unity of the Spirit. This can happen when we either reach a unanimous agreement or extend loving acceptance to one another despite our differences.

Second, when a disagreement escalates into a dispute that divides the membership or elder board, God protects the unity of the church through our responses: either by acknowledging his sovereignty as people separate or by admonishing the unrepentant.A survey of the disagreements that are recorded in the book of Acts reveals two broad categories of conflict within the early church: disagreements that display unity and disputes that divide. Understanding the difference between these is crucial for guiding how churches respond to conflict today. Christopher Landau also makes a distinction between “disagreements” and “disputes.” He defines disagreements as a “want of agreement or harmony; difference; discordancy, diversity, discrepancy” that does not inherently imply hostility or damage. Unlike a conflict or a dispute—which involve active contention, vehemence, and relational rupture—a disagreement marks a lack of unanimity but remains an opportunity for constructive engagement (Landau, A Theology of Disagreement, pp. 17–22). Landau emphasizes that disagreements are often fleeting moments where differences emerge but have not yet become toxic or divisive. His focus is precisely on these initial stages, encouraging the church to cultivate ethical practices that allow disagreements to be faced in a loving, respectful manner, thus preserving peace and unity. Additionally, several episodes in Acts (e.g., 4:1–22; 5:17–42; 12:1–25; 13:44–45) depict disagreements arising from outside the church—whether Peter and John’s Spirit-filled boldness before religious authorities or Paul and Barnabas’s response to Jewish jealousy and public contradiction in Pisidian Antioch. In both cases, the apostles modeled bold proclamation, steadfastness in prayer, and a willingness to move on from unfruitful disputes, showing that mission faithfulness does not require agreement from all hearers. While such passages provide valuable instruction for responding to external opposition, this essay focuses on disagreements within the context of local church relationships.

How God Used Disagreements in Acts to Strengthen the Church Even though disagreements are often discouraging, Luke records several in Acts that display the Spirit’s power to unite his people. In Acts 6:1–7, a complaint arose from Hellenistic widows who felt neglected in the daily food distribution. Unlike Israel’s wilderness grumblings, which bred deadly division, this concern became the catalyst for Spirit-led unity. The apostles appointed seven men to oversee the distribution, the whole congregation was “pleased,” (Acts 6:5) and “the word of God continued to increase” (Acts 6:7). In the post-Pentecost church, complaints that once destroyed God’s people now prompt solutions that strengthen the body.

In Acts 10–11, Peter faced criticism from Jewish believers for eating with Gentiles. Instead of withdrawing, he patiently explained the events that led him there. His clear account silenced critics and moved them to praise God for granting repentance to the Gentiles (Acts 11:18). Wrongly criticized because of misunderstandings, Peter answered with grace and clarity. As a result, the Spirit turned criticism into worship.

A weightier example appears in Acts 15, when “no small dissension and debate” arose over whether Gentile believers must be circumcised to be saved. The apostles, elders, and congregation heard testimonies from Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, followed by James’s scriptural reasoning. Together they reached a Spirit-led consensus that preserved unity without compromising the gospel. Even large disagreements can be resolved through biblical dialogue and submission to the Spirit.

Finally, in Acts 18:24–28, Priscilla and Aquila met Apollos, an eloquent preacher who knew only John’s baptism. They “took him aside and explained . . . the way of God more accurately,” enabling him to refute opponents even more powerfully (Acts 18:26, 28). This shows how correction, given and received humbly, can make preaching more fruitful and strengthen a church’s witness.

Two Paths to Unity When We Disagree 1. Agreement

As these examples in Acts show, God often works through local church disagreements to produce Spirit-empowered unity. Ideally, the Spirit unites us by bringing us to unanimous agreement, having all things in common (Acts 2:44) and being “of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32). In our day, amid widespread disunity and polarization, we need God’s Word to remind us that his Spirit is still uniting hearts and lives in deep fellowship and conviction.

Yet unanimity is not the only way the Spirit displays his unifying power.

2. Acceptance

At other times, unity comes through acceptance. Even when convictions differ, believers can embrace one another in love, refusing to divide unless God’s Word requires it. Acts 10–11 provides a prime example. After receiving a vision and being led by the Spirit to Cornelius’s household, Peter declared, “God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean” (Acts 10:28). Later, at the Jerusalem Council, Peter testified that God “made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9) and concluded, “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will” (Acts 15:11).

Therefore, the unity within local churches must not be based on ethnicity, education, or social status, but on the Spirit’s work of cleansing the hearts of all who put their faith in Christ. This radical redefinition of who is acceptable in God’s eyes requires us to embrace everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself (Acts 2:39). If we submit all our differences under the lordship of Christ, God’s Spirit will lead us either to full agreement or loving acceptance of one another, even amid a whole host of disagreements.

This should be especially true for elders in a local church. If strong disagreements about weighty moral and ethical issues exist on your elder board, this may not be a cause for concern. It can be healthy for elders to hold differing convictions while maintaining unity and modeling loving acceptance.

Some members may initially be troubled to learn that their elders disagree on significant issues (e.g., vaccines, child education, alcohol use, political views, or theological interpretations), but Paul’s exhortation in Romans 15:5–7 is critical. After a lengthy discussion about issues of conscience, he did not require agreement on his views about food sacrificed to idols; rather, he urged the Roman Christians to live in harmony and welcome one another amid diversity. Likewise, elders should exemplify love, unity, and patience, even when holding strong convictions on matters not explicitly addressed in the church’s statement of faith or covenant.

Reflecting on Disagreements: Questions for Elders and Members With that in mind, if you are an elder or member facing disagreement with your church leadership on significant issues like remarriage, fertility treatments, or missions, consider the following reflection questions:

• Do I believe the Holy Spirit can bring unity to the members of my church, despite our disagreements?
• Am I listening to both sides of the argument, recognizing that my disagreement might come from incomplete information, misunderstandings, or a need for further teaching from God’s Word?
• How do your church’s foundational documents (such as the statement of faith, church covenant, or constitution) and position papers written by the elders address the issue of disagreement?If your church has not adopted robust foundational documents, it should consider doing so. These documents provide essential guidance for handling disagreements, helping the church perform “theological triage” by distinguishing core gospel convictions from secondary or emerging issues. They also assist leaders in “finding the right hills to die on,” ensuring that unity is preserved without compromising the essential truths of the gospel.
• While divorce, remarriage, abortion, and missions qualifications have been discussed for generations, newer issues like IVF, embryo adoption, and artificial intelligence may take months or years for churches to understand and apply God’s Word faithfully. Is this issue likely to become added to or an amendment of your church’s statement of faith?
• Is the disagreement a direct application of your church’s official doctrines and documents, or does it involve several steps of interpretation or implication?In my experience, American members and pastors would benefit from deeper relationships with Christians from other cultures and should consider seeking their counsel. Many pastors and missionaries worldwide serve in contexts where faithful church options are scarce or distant, making transfers or moves impractical. In such settings, leaders must carefully discern which doctrinal or ethical issues are significant enough to warrant division. Observing how churches navigate disagreements under these constraints can help American believers prioritize unity, distinguish core gospel convictions from secondary matters, and exercise patience and humility in conflicts that might otherwise lead to separation.
• Before resigning my eldership or membership and moving to another church, am I willing to give this situation extra time, prayer, and patience?

God commands us to speak and act toward one another with grace and kindness, even amid disagreement. The New Testament repeatedly calls us to wage war against our sinful flesh, which produces strife, jealousy, and division that undermine the church’s witness (1 Cor. 3:3; Gal. 5:19–21; Eph. 4:31–32; Phil. 2:14–15; Col. 3:5–8). Yet when approached with humility, prayer, and love, God can use disagreements not only to preserve unity but also to strengthen the body of Christ. By pursuing agreement when possible and extending gracious acceptance when not, we reflect the Spirit’s power to bind the church together in genuine, godly unity.

God Works Through Disputes That Divide to Protect Church Unity While Acts encourages agreement and acceptance amid disagreements, it also offers sober examples and helpful instruction for when disputes escalate and divide the membership of local churches. As Paul warns in Acts 20:28–29, “fierce wolves” will arise from within to harm the flock, making vigilant and courageous shepherding essential to maintaining church health and unity.

Luke’s candid record of early church conflicts teaches that when sharp disagreements become divisive disputes, we must carefully discern whether we should acknowledge God’s sovereign purpose in the separation or admonish the unruly to protect the rest of the body. The following examples from Acts and Galatians 2 illustrate these two necessary responses to safeguard the unity and mission of the church.

First, in Acts 15:36–41, Paul and Barnabas experienced “a sharp disagreement” over whether to include John Mark on a missionary journey. No matter what we conclude about whether Paul or Barnabas was in the right, this dispute was not resolved and resulted in them parting ways. Yet it doubled their missionary effort. Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus, and Paul partnered with Silas to continue elsewhere.

Similarly, in Acts 21:10–14, Paul faced a difficult disagreement with his companions who warned him of impending danger in Jerusalem. When persuasion failed, his companions submitted to God’s sovereign will, recognizing their human limitations and trusting God’s providence. This account shows us that sometimes honoring God’s sovereignty means accepting that unanimity is not always possible and painful separations are part of God’s plans.

This story of separation reminds us that sometimes we need to simply acknowledge God’s sovereignty in sending, moving, and governing the affairs of his people. Therefore, when local church unity or fellowship is no longer possible—whether for good reasons like church planting or sending out missionaries, or because of less encouraging reasons like disputes dividing elders and members—we need to preserve the unity that exists in the broader body of Christ.

On the other hand, the early church also faced internal threats that required firm admonishment to protect its unity. In Acts 5:1–11, Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit regarding their offering threatened the communal unity of the Jerusalem church (Acts 4:32–37). The Holy Spirit’s swift and severe judgment served as divine discipline. This story should caution elders from avoiding necessary confrontations with the members of the church. To guard the body from further harm, God’s people need pastors who are filled with both courage and compassion. They need the very courage that Paul demonstrated when he publicly confronted Peter for withdrawing from fellowship with Gentile believers under pressure (Gal. 2:11–14). Peter’s hypocrisy compromised the gospel, and Paul’s admonishment was necessary to maintain the unity of the Spirit centered on the gospel. Therefore, preserving the church’s unity sometimes requires admonishing unruly leaders or members to prevent them from dividing the rest of the church.

When these examples of disagreement in Acts are considered together, they show that conflicts can become opportunities for the Spirit to display his unifying power. God may lead us either to agreement or gracious acceptance of one another despite our differences. When disputes escalate and threaten the church’s health, leaders must discern God’s will—whether by acknowledging his sovereignty in necessary separations or by admonishing those who undermine gospel unity.

In sum, elders and members facing significant moral, theological, or pastoral disagreements are called to patience, careful attention to Scripture and church foundations, and trust in the Spirit’s work. Rather than rushing toward separation, we are to pursue reconciliation, safeguarding the unity that both honors God and bears witness to the world.

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Abstract: In his review of Dan Darling’s book In Defense of Christian Patriotism, Pastor Sean Demars concludes that Darling has made a persuasive biblical case for the idea that patriotism is a fitting expression of gratitude for Christians in light of the people and place to which God has assigned them. Christians can give thanks for their country despite its faults, even as they give their highest allegiance to Christ and his kingdom.

Daniel Darling, In Defense of Christian Patriotism. Broadside Books, 2025. 288 pp.

Talking about patriotism in church can feel like stepping on a landmine. Some Christians grew up with flags in the sanctuary and participated in “God and Country Sunday.” Others were warned about Christian nationalism and the dangers of idolizing one’s country. Many younger believers today simply feel uneasy saying anything positive about America at all. To put it simply, many faithful Christians are confused about patriotism.

Daniel Darling’s little book In Defense of Christian Patriotism aims to clear up some of that confusion. His main point is this: Christians can love their country without worshiping it. We shouldn’t embrace nationalism, but neither should we be embarrassed to show gratitude for the nation God has placed us in.

Right out of the gate, Darling puts his finger on something important: our culture is discipling us toward cynicism, not gratitude, and that spirit has crept into the church. Many Christians today feel like they need to apologize before they say anything good about America. But Darling reminds us that Scripture encourages gratitude wherever God has shown common grace. Patriotism isn’t about pretending our country has no flaws; rather, it’s about thanking God for the good he has given us, even in spite of those flaws.

Darling roots his reasoning in Christian worldview thinking. God created nations, he works through history, and he assigns all of us a place and a people to belong to. Loving your country, then, isn’t idolatry. It’s part of loving your neighbor.

Darling also spends time pushing back on the idea that faith has no place in public life. He shows that public expressions of faith aren’t a weird modern invention; they’re woven throughout American history. For example, past presidents prayed publicly, political leaders quoted Scripture, and churches shaped civic virtue. America was never a Christian nation, if by “Christian” we mean founded explicitly on the truths of the gospel, but neither was it designed to be a strictly secular nation in which expressions of faith were suppressed or discouraged. Furthermore, removing Christian influence doesn’t create neutrality; it just means another worldview fills the vacuum.

To be clear, Darling isn’t arguing for civil religion or baptizing a particular political party. He warns against confusing America with the kingdom of God, and he acknowledges that Christians have sometimes spoken unwisely and acted foolishly in political moments. Most importantly, he reminds us that our greatest witness comes through the local church, not from winning the culture wars.

I appreciate the tone of Darling’s book. It’s calm. It’s charitable. It refuses the extremes: “America is the hope of the world” or, on the other hand, “America is a dumpster fire and always has been.”

Will every reader agree with every line? Probably not. Some may want a stronger warning against patriotism because they think it tends toward idolatry. Others may wish that more time was spent critiquing secular progressivism. But at a time when many Christians feel lost between Ditch #1 (nationalism) and Ditch #2 (cynical resentment of America), Darling provides a good middle lane: Gratitude without worship. Discernment without disdain. Hope in Christ, not in the Constitution.

If you want a book that shouts or rants, this isn’t it. But if you want a wise, careful nudge to thank God for where he has placed you in the world, In Defense of Christian Patriotism is worth reading.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack interview Sam Masters, Eric Abisror, and Jason Wright about God’s work in Argentina through seminaries and local churches.

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In 1 Kings 17, a new main character comes onto the scene. And he reminds us of someone we’ve seen before.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

Graphic: Elijah Receiving Bread from the Widow of Zarephath, Giovanni Lanfranco (1621-25)

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The post 1 Kings 17: On the Moses-Like Entrance of the Miraculous Elijah (Bible Talk, Ep. 127 appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Matt Smethurst, a pastor of River City Baptist Church, on the importance of ecclesiology for a church plant.

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The post On the Importance of Ecclesiology for a Church Plant, with Matt Smethurst (Pastors Talk, Ep. 276) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What does the Bible say about anxiety?Listen to the second episode of a mini-series on anxiety as Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell discuss.

Related Resource:

• Help, I don’t know where my anxiety is coming from by Mike Emlet and Winston Smith
• Hope in an Anxious World – Helen Thorne
• Overcoming Anxiety – David Powlison

The post On Anxiety Part 2 (Counseling Talk, Ep.15) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Can a preacher re-preach a sermon? If so, where and when? What might the benefits and pitfalls be of such a practice? Listen in as Dave, Ed, and Jeremy talk it out.

The post On Re-preaching Sermons (Preachers Talk, Ep. 77) appeared first on 9Marks.

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At first, 1 Kings 15 looks like a mostly chronologically organized list of mostly bad kings. But there’s more going on.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

Photo: Star Wars Episode Vi – Return of The Jedi,* Lucasfilm**, Albert Clarke (1983)*

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The post 1 Kings 15–16: On Entering into a Covenant with Darth Vader and then Re-Canaanizing the Land of Israel (Bible Talk, Ep. 126) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about our newest Church Matters: Seasons in a Pastor’s Life.

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The post On Seasons in a Pastor’s Life (Pastors Talk, Ep. 275) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Missions Talk is back for a new season! In this episode, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles talk with Andy Johnson about how the university students have the unique opportunities to share the gospel and fulfill the Great Commission overseas.

The post On Strategic Studies Abroad, with Andy Johnson (Missions Talk, Ep.38) appeared first on 9Marks.

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As the prophet looks at the future of Jeroboam’s dynasty, he doesn’t see excitement; he sees excrement.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 14.

Graphic: Ahijah Foretelling the Death of Abijah, the Son of Jeroboam, Francesco Bartolozzi (1975)

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The post 1 Kings 14: On Jeroboam’s Incrementally Increasing Excrement and Another Exodus Reversal (Bible Talk, Ep. 125) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Grant Borg, pastor of Church of the Risen King Jesus, about his spiritual journey and the state of Christianity in Australia.

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The post On an Unbelieving Australian’s Journey to Being a Baptist Pastor (Pastors Talk, Ep. 274) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Anxiety is the spiritual x-ray that God uses to reveal who or what you worship.In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell start the first of three episodes on anxiety.Related resources:1. John Henderson on anxiety at DRBC 2. Ed Welch’s Running Scared and When I’m Afraid

The post On Anxiety Part 1 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 14) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What do we do with the strange, gross, and just plain weird parts of the Bible? Why is playfulness an important element in the preacher’s pursuit of faithfulness to the text?

Listen in as Ed, Dave, and Jeremy revel in the need for obedience and playfulness in preaching.

The post On Obedient Playfulness (Preachers Talk, Ep. 76) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In 1 Kings 12, King Jeroboam sets up his bootleg religion at his satellite campus. It’s blasphemous. And then, in 1 Kings 13, a liar gets a prophet mauled by a lion. It’s bloody.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

Graphic: Jeroboam Sacrificing to Idols**, Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1752)

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The post 1 Kings 12:25–13:34: On Jeroboam’s Satellite Campus and Bootleg Religion (Bible Talk, Ep. 124) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Mark Feather and Alex Duke about how to lead youth group with the whole church in mind.

Related resources:

– Our Main Goals for Youth Ministry

– Youth Ministry and the Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

– LGBTQ+ Policies: What Do We Do about Youth Group?

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The post On Youth Ministry, with Mark Feather and Alex Duke (Pastors Talk, Ep. 273) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In 1 Kings 12, the new King of Israel sure looks a lot like the old Pharaoh of Egypt. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

Graphic: Rehoboam’s Arrogance, Hans Holbein the Younger (1530)

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The post 1 Kings 12:1–24: On Rehoboam’s Crass, Childish, and Pharoah-like Folly (Bible Talk, Ep. 123) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Dennis Boris, a pastor of Almaty Bible Church in Kazakhstan, about the state of Christianity and local churches.

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The post On Christianity in Kazakhstan, with Dennis Boris (Pastors Talk, Ep. 272) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak, Hayley, and Garrett talk about how pastors can work with other counselors.

Related resources:

• https://www.heartsongcounseling.org/
• C4 announcement
  • C4 is a group of like-minded Christian counseling centers across the country that are joining together to foster a spirit of mutual edification and encouragement among its members by providing opportunities for care, consultation, content collaboration, and continuing education. If you’re interested in learning more about C4, visit our website.

The post On How to Work With Other Counselors (Counseling Talk, Ep. 13) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What does one do once they have gotten to the heart of the text? How does one effectively wield the main point of a passage? This week Dave, Ed, and Jeremy tackle these important challenges.

The post On Preaching the Main Point (Preachers Talk, Ep. 75) appeared first on 9Marks.

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An axe has been swung at the trunk, and it’s only a matter of time before the tree begins to fall.

Bible Talk is back! Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 1 Kings 11 and the downfall of King Solomon

Graphic: The Idolatry of Solomon, Frans Francken the Younger (1622)

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The post 1 Kings 11: On King Solomon’s Downfall and the Problem with Living With Ourselves Every Day (Bible Talk, Ep. 122) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Aaron Menikoff, Greg Gilbert, Juan Sanchez, and Sebastian Traeger about a new network of like-minded churches: the ACME Fellowship.

Check out ACMEfellowship.org for more information.

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The post On ACME, with Aaron Menikoff, Greg Gilbert, Juan Sanchez, and Sebastian Traeger (Pastors Talk, Ep. 271) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Pastors Talk is back for season 9! In this episode, Jonathan Leeman interviews Phil Newton and Bob Johnson about pastoral transition and retirement.

Related Resources:

Articles:

• Preparing Pastors for Retirement by Brad Thayer
• There’s No Such Thing as “Retiring” From Ministry by David Gough

Journal:

• Seasons in a Pastor’s Life

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The post On Pastoral Transition, with Phil Newton and Bob Johnson (Pastors Talk, Ep. 270) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak, Hayley, and Garrett interview Esther Liu about shame and how pastors and counselors can view shame in the light of Scripture and the gospel.

Related Resources

1. Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection by Ed Welch
2. Shame: Being Known and Loved by Esther Liu

The post On Shame, with Esther Liu (Counseling Talk, Ep. 12) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Reconciliation after confessing a struggle of pornography can be difficult. In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell finish up a series on pornography as they lay out principles for godly reconciliation.

Resources for Show 3 – Dating and Marriage

1. Rescue Plan and Rescue Skills by Jonathan Holmes and Deepak Reju
2. Redeem Your Marriage: Hope for Husbands Who Have Hurt Through Pornography by Curtis Solomon
3. Reclaim Your Marriage: Grace for Wives Who Have been Hurt by Pornography by Jenny Solomon

The post On Pornography, Part 3 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 11) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What you retreat to for refreshment turns into love. For some Christians, that’s pornography.

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell share some of the practical tools that can be useful in helping someone fight this difficult battle.

Resources resources:

1. 31-Day Devotional on Porn by Deepak Reju
2. Hide & Seek by John Freeman
3. Rescue Skills: Essential Skills for Restoring the Sexually Broken by Jonathan Holmes and Deepak Reju

The post On Pornography Part 2 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 10) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell start a mini-series on pornography and how pastors and members can help one another fight the battle.

Resources resources:

• Making All Things New: Restoring the Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison
• Sexual Sin – The Wider and the Deeper Battle by David Powlison (article)
• Pure in Heart by Garrett Kel;

Strategies for Closing Off Access Points

Here are some practical steps to consider as you help an addict to get rid of his access points.

1. Ask the struggler about every e-device he owns.

2. Encourage him or her to get a software monitoring program, such as Covenant Eyes, and put it on all his devices.

3. Get rid of standard web browsers and rely on a browser that is carefully monitored.

4. Get rid of the applications store. If a new app needs to be downloaded onto a tablet or phone, provide access only temporarily.

5. Use special restrictions to cut out the web browser and app store, set time limits, and so on. Make sure the restrictions code is known only to an accountability partner. If the struggler knows it, he or she will remove the restrictions in a moment of weakness and act out.

6. Get rid of all apps that have an embedded browser.

What’s the principle behind these six points? We’re removing control from the believer who struggles with porn and giving it to others because he or she can’t steward the freedom of open access.

The post On Pornography Part 1 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 9) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this special episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri Folmar, Jenny Manley, Erin Wheeler are joined by Bev Berrus, Blair Linne and Natalie Brand for a live recording of Priscilla Talk at TGCW 24 Conference.

Related resources:

The Good Portion – Christ: Delighting in the Doctrine of Christ by Jenny Manley

The Good Portion – the Church: Delighting in the Doctrine of the Church by Erin Wheeler

The Good Portion – Scripture: Delighting in the Doctrine of Scripture by Keri Folmar

The Good Portion – Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation, for Every Woman by Natalie Brand

The post Special Episode: Living for I AM in a World of “I am” (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 40) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Seeing your children come to faith should be every parent’s desire. But what happens when they don’t? In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell interview Stuart Scott about his new book, Wayward Children: Finding Peace, Keeping Hope.

Related resources:
Wayward Children: Finding Peace, Keeping Hope

The post On Wayward Children, with Stuart Scott (Counseling Talk, Ep.8) appeared first on 9Marks.

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When the Queen of Sheba shows up, Solomon’s reign takes her breath away. His people are blessed, his coffers are full, and she seems to trust the Lord. But is this the beginning of the end?

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 10.

Graphic: Seaport with the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba, Claude, (1648)

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The post 1 Kings 10: On the Queen of Sheba Losing Her Breath at Solomon’s Blessed Reign and Burgeoning Roth IRA (Bible Talk, Ep. 121) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri Folmar, Jenny Manley, and Erin Wheeler interview Naomi about how a healthy local church fuels love for God and other members.

Related resources:

Discipling by Mark Dever

Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman

Deacons by Matt Smethurst

Conversion by Michael Lawrence

What Is a Church? by Matt Emadi

How Do I Get Started in Evangelism? by Mack Stiles

How Can I Grow in Hospitality? by Keri Folmar

The post Learning to Love the Local Church: Connection (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 39) appeared first on 9Marks.

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When we read the Old Testament, we’re tempted to see characters as either all good or all bad. But when we get to 1 Kings 9 and see Solomon’s interactions with Hiram the King of Tyre, well, it’s more complicated than that.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

1 Kings 9 PDF

Graphic: Hiram, King of Tyre, sends presents to King Solomon, John Murphy (18th Century)

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The post 1 Kings 9: On When Prophecy Becomes Past, Which Explains the Present (Bible Talk, Ep. 120) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Christians expect strict confidentiality when speaking of their own sins. But is that good for them?

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell discuss how to shepherd secrets for gospel purposes.

Related resources:

• Discipling by Mark Dever
• Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? Jonathan Leeman
• Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman
• You’re a Pastor, Not a Therapist by Jeremy Pierre

The post On Confidentiality (Counseling Talk, Ep. 7) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The glory of the LORD has filled the Temple. So . . . now what? How do God’s people actually use it?

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton about 1 Kings 8:31–66, which doubles as a kind of user’s manual for the temple.

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The post 1 Kings 8:31–66: On Blessings and Benedictions and Barbecues (Bible Talk, Ep. 119) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri, Erin and Jenny chat about learning to love the local church.

Register for the live recording of Priscilla Talk at TGCW Conference

The post Learning to Love the Local Church: Community (Priscilla Talk, Ep.38) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Mack Stiles and Ryan Robertson interview Sam Masters, the Rector of Seminario Bíblico William Carey, about William Carey

Related resources:

William Carey by S Pearce Carey

The Missionary Fellowship of William Carey by Michael Haykin

An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens by William Carey

The post On William Carey (Missions Talk, Ep. 37) appeared first on 9Marks.

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When members of the church suffer it provides a unique opportunity to show tangible love.

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Garrett Kell shares with Deepak Reju and Hayley Satrom practical ways of how God’s people loved his family during their season of suffering.

Related Resources:

• The Kell Story Part 1
• CaringBridge for Eden Kell
• A Do-It-Yourself Marriage Retreat by Deepak Reju
• Heart Song Counseling
• The Center for Biblical Living
• Fieldstone Counseling
• Cross Care Counseling
• Anchored Hope

The post Special Episode: The Kells’ Story Part 2 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 6) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The biblical storyline takes a leap forward when the LORD’s glory fills the Temple. While this moment is significant, it also becomes clear that the Temple isn’t the end goal.

Listen to Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 1 Kings 8:1–30.

Graphic: Bible Art

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The post 1 Kings 8:1–30: On the Glory of YHWH Filling the House of YHWH (Bible Talk, Ep. 118) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Kevin DeYoung on his new book, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation

In this concise booklet, bestselling author Kevin DeYoung presents 5 Christlike ways to effectively communicate the Christian faith and practice with the next generation. DeYoung reminds leaders that they won’t ultimately impact young hearts with cleverness, humor, or good looks but by walking with Jesus and following his ways—grab them with passion, win them with love, hold them with holiness, challenge them with truth, and amaze them with God.

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The post On The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation with Kevin DeYoung (Pastors Talk, Ep. 269) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri, Erin and Jenny interview Karen about how God used a local church to comfort her during a season of grief and sorrow.

Register for the live recording of Priscilla Talk at TGCW Conference

The post Learning to Love the Local Church: Comfort (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 37) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles interview Rachel Ware, the Director of Mobilization at Reaching and Teaching, about how local churches and pastors can help aspiring missionaries to discern their calling.

The post On Missions Mobilization with Rachel Ware (Missions Talk, Ep. 36) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The Lord’s presence has more or less been a nomad since Genesis 3. But with the temple, he’s about to have a permanent address (kind of). In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 6–7.

Graphic: Nineteenth-Century Architectural Model of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, Thomas Newberry, (1883)

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The post 1 Kings 6:2–7:51: On the Extraordinary Architecture of the Ark for the Ark (Bible Talk, Ep. 117) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Jeri Choi, Welton Bonner, and Bobby Jamieson about preparing to plant a church.

Related Resources

Books:

Revitalize by Andy Davis

Church Planting is for Wimps by Mike McKinley

Planting by Pastoring by Nathan Knight

Articles:

Church Revitalization: Surviving a Plane Crash

A Conversation about Church Revitalization with Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman

A Quick-Start Guide for Church Revitalization

Preparing to Plant Is a Whole Church Effort

Partnering Together to Plant

Church Planters, Make Sure Your People Know You Love Them

Podcast:

On Planting by Pastoring, with Nathan Knight

On How A Culture of Discipling + Lay Elders = Church Planting

On Church Planting, with Brian Davis and Nathan Knight

Journal:

Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How

Church Planting

Church:

Trinity Baptist Church

Subscribe and listen to this episode on Spotify and Apple Podcast

The post On Preparing to Plant with Jeri Choi, Welton Bonner, and Bobby Jamieson (Pastors Talk, Ep. 268) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Pastors are not excluded from suffering. When trials come they uniquely become in need of their own pastoral care.

In this episode of Counseling Talk, pastor Garrett Kell shares about trusting God amidst a season of his family’s suffering.

Related Resources:

Caringbridge for Eden Kell

The post Special Episode: The Kells’ Story Part 1 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 5) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Jenny, Erin, and Keri chat with Joanna about the importance of rightly understanding missions in a local church.

The post Why Women Should Rightly Understand Missions (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 36) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack interview Matthew Spandler-Davidson and Francisco Puente about planting, revitalizing, and pastoring churches in hard places.

Mentioned Resources:

• Church in Hard Places
• 20Schemes
• First Steps Series by 9Marks and 20Schemes

The post On Church in Hard Places, with Matthew Spandler-Davidson and Francisco Puente (Missions Talk, Ep. 35) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What covenant is the new covenant replacing? If your answer is the old covenant, what do you mean?

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Bobby Jamieson about the implications of biblical covenants in a local church.

Related Resources:

Books: Kingdom through Covenant by Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum, Covenant and God’s Purpose for the World by Tom Schreiner

Articles: How (Not) to Preach the Pentateuch
by David King, A Progressive Covenantal Perspective: Theonomy and Moses’s Law by Jason DeRouchie

Podcast: Genesis 15–17: On The Lord’s Covenant Ceremony, Sarah’s Covenant Scheme, and Abraham’s Covenant Sign, Exodus 19–20: On Thoughts, Words, Deeds, Deeds, Words, Thoughts, 2 Samuel 7: On the Mountain Top of the Old Testament Which Teaches Us, Yet Again, That the Bible Is Amazing

Journal: A New Christian Authoritarianism?

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The post On Biblical Covenants, with Bobby Jamieson (Pastors Talk, Ep. 267) appeared first on 9Marks.

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How can Christians best assess the seriousness of someone’s suicidal feelings? And how should we walk with those left behind after the suicide of a loved one?

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak, Garrett, and Hayley finish a mini-series on suicide.

Resources

• Assessment of Suicide by Deepak Reju
• Funeral Message for L.J. who committed suicide by Pastor Bob Johnson
• Evaluating a Person with Suicidal Desires by Aaron Sironi and Mike Emlet JBC vol. 26:2 (2012)
• I Just Want to Die: Replacing Suicidal Thoughts with Hope by David Powlision (NGP)
• Grieving a Suicide: Help for the Aftershock by David Powlison (NGP)
• Counseling Those Impacted by Suicide By Rachel Rosser
• When A Christian Dies of Suicide by Jeff Forrey
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

The post On Suicide Part 3 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 4) appeared first on 9Marks.

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So . . . Jim Hamilton had a wild idea: let’s do a whole episode on 1 Kings 6:1. Alex Duke was dubious, even aghast. But he and Sam Emadi obliged. This conversation is the result.

In this episode of Bible Talk, they talk about burn layers and interpretive priority and Indiana Jones.

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The post 1 Kings 6:1: Yep, A Whole Episode on Just One Verse (Bible Talk, Ep. 116) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What makes a good associate pastor? How can he complement a senior pastor’s weaknesses and extend his strengths?

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Deepak Reju, Bobby Jamieson, and Mark Feather about their experience as associate pastors.

Related Resources:

Books: How to Build a Healthy Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander, Understanding Church Leadership by Mark Dever, When People Are Big and God Is Small by Ed Welch

Articles: Dear Senior Pastor, Sincerely, the Associate Pastor by Andy Johnson, Dear Associate Pastor, Sincerely, a Former Associate Pastor by Michael Lawrence, Why Pastors Should Submit to Each Other by Jeff Wiesner, Pastors, Fight Against Fear of Man by Fighting for the Fear of the Lord by Dave Cook

Podcast: On the Role of Associate Pastors (Pastors Talk, Ep. 50), On When You and Your Boss Have Different Philosophies of Ministry (Pastors Talk, Ep. 263)

Journal: The Pastor and his Staff, Part 1, The Pastor and his Staff, Part 2

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The post On Raising Up Associate Pastors, with Bobby Jamieson, Mark Feather, and Deepak Reju (Pastors Talk, Ep 266) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri Folmar, Jenny Manley, and Erin Wheeler interview Megan Hill and discuss how women can bless their churches and benefit from prayer.

Megan has recently released a new book titled: ‘Sighing on Sunday: 40 Meditations for When Church Hurts‘

Is going to church more difficult than joyous? 40 thoughtful meditations on biblical truths encourage readers to understand the source of their struggle, express sorrow, and take appropriate steps forward.

Pick up your copy today!

The post How a Praying Church Benefits Women, with Megan Hill (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 35) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of missions talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles talk about the relationship between local churches and sending agencies.

The post On Local Churches and Sending Agencies (Missions Talk, Ep. 34) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The story of the Old Testament is the story of God’s people returning to God’s presence. The building of the temple significantly advances that story. In 1 Kings 5, we get Phase 1 of Solomon’s construction project. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

Graphic: Solomon Welcomes Hiram, King of Tyre, Jacob Van Zeunen (1650-1660)

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The post 1 Kings 5: On the Bible’s Memory Palace Which Prepares Us for Phase 1 of Solomon’s Temple-Building Project (Bible Talk, Ep. 115) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Pastors are called to lead their sheep, even the frustrated ones.

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about how pastors should care for frustrated sheep in the church.

Related Resources:

Books: Church Elders by Jeramie Rinne, Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy by Jamie Dunlop,

Articles: Live with Your Church Members in an Understanding Way, Am I a Noisy Gong?—Pastoral Reflections on Love, How Do We Recognize Quarrelsome People?, What should I do if I disagree with something my pastor said?

Podcast: On How to Disagree with Your Pastor (Pastors Talk, Ep. 241)

Journal: Shepherding: The Work & Character of a Pastor

The post On Pastoring Frustrated Sheep (Pastors Talk, Ep. 265) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Helping someone with suicidal thoughts can be overwhelming. How should we develop a care plan for someone struggling with on-going suicidal thoughts?

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak, Garrett, and Hayley offer practical help about caring for suicidal members.

Resources

JBC Article: One Churches Model of a Suicidal Care Plan By Kendra Fabel – JBC 2022 Vol. 36:3

https://www.ccef.org/jbc-article/a-suicide-care-plan-one-churchs-model

(This link requires a subscription to the Journal of Biblical Counseling or for you to pay for just volume 36:3)

“When Suicide Comes Close” by Ed Welch

https://www.ccef.org/when-suicide-comes-close/

“What Pastors and Congregations Need to Know About Suicide” by Kevin Carson

https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2019/09/13/what-pastors-and-congregations-need-to-know-about-suicide/

The post On Suicide Part 2 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 3) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Just how much of the text should a preacher read before he preaches it? What about rereading while you preach? And how do you deal with a text that has multiple popular interpretations?

These are just a few of the questions Jeremy found in the mailbag to discuss with Ed and Dave.

The post Preacher Mailbag #6 (Preachers Talk, Ep. 74) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Solomon is wise. Solomon is wealthy. Solomon is worth listening to. This is his Platinum Age, better than anything that came with his father David. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 3:16–4:34.

Graphic: The Judgement of Solomon**, Giorgione (1502-1505)

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The post 1 Kings 3:16–4:34: On a List of People, a List of Stuff, and Solomon’s Platinum Age (Bible Talk, Ep. 114) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman interviews Bobby Jamieson and Mark Feather about why pastors should care about studying the doctrine of the Trinity.

Related Resources:

Books: Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis by Bobby Jamieson and Tyler Wittman, The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything by Fred Sanders.

Articles: What the Doctrine of the Trinity Means for Our Corporate Worship, What the Doctrine of the Trinity Means for Prayer, Teaching the Trinity through Expositional Preaching

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The post On the Doctrine of the Trinity, with Bobby Jamieson and Mark Feather (Pastors Talk, Ep. 264) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts bring in special guests to talk about how biblical church leadership benefits women.

The post How Biblical Church Leadership Benefits Women with John Folmar, Brad Wheeler, and Josh Manley (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 34) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles talk with Brooks Buser and Michael Lawrence on the doctrine of conversion and how it relates to missions.

The post On Conversion, with Brooks Buser and Michael Lawrence (Missions Talk, Ep. 33) appeared first on 9Marks.

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We all know the story about Solomon pleading with the Lord for wisdom. But do you remember how it begins? It’s surprising.

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 2:12–3:15, which highlights Solomon’s shrewdness and his sinfulness.

Graphic: *Dream of Solomon, Luca Giordano (1694-1695)*

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The post 1 Kings 2:12–3:15: On Solomon’s Snake-Stomping Shrewdness and Snake-Handling Stupidity (Bible Talk, Ep. 113) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The temptation to suicide tricks us that death is better than life. So how should pastors and members help fellow believers who are struggling with suicidal temptations?

In this episode, Deepak, Garrett, and Hayley start a 3-part series on the weighty topic of suicide.

Resources:

Suicide: Understanding and Intervening by Jeffery Black

https://www.ccef.org/book/suicide-understanding-and-intervening

JBC Article: Making Sense of the Suicide of a Christian – JBC 2000 Vol 18:3

https://www.ccef.org/jbc-article/making-sense-of-the-suicide-of-a-christian

(This link requires a subscription to the Journal of Biblical Counseling or for you to pay for just volume 18:3)

The post On Suicide Part 1 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 2) appeared first on 9Marks.

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There is no denying it, preaching apocalyptic literature is tough, so why should we do it? What are the unique benefits and challenges to preaching it well? In this episode Dave, Ed, and Jeremy discuss this important genre of literature.

The post On Preaching Apocalyptic Literature (Preachers Talk, Ep. 73) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri, Jenny, and Erin chat with Bev Berrus about how a church with a biblical concern for discipleship and growth can supercharge women’s spiritual lives.

The post Discipleship and Growth Among Women in the Local Church, with Bev Berrus (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 33) appeared first on 9Marks.

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King David is on his deathbed. What does he say to his son? “Be strong. Follow the Lord and all his ways. If you don’t . . .”

Jim Hamilton, Alex Duke, and Sam Emadi chat about 1 Kings 2:1–12.

Graphic: *King David presenting the sceptre to Solomon, Cornelis de Vos (1601-1651)*

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The post 1 Kings 2:1–12: On David’s Deathbed Charge, Solomon’s Moses-Like Transition, and the Looming Threat of a Man-Less Throne (Bible Talk, Ep. 112) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson interviews the Whatleys about their work amongst the Moi people.

The post On Work Amongst the Moi with the Whatleys (Missions Talk, Ep. 32) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Bible Talk begins a new book! In this episode, Alex chats with Jim and Sam about 1 Kings 1.

Resources Mentioned:

• 1 Kings 1–2 Chiastic Structures
• 1–2 Kings Chiastic Structures

Graphic: Bathsheba Makes an Appeal to King David, Jan van Noordt (1646)

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The post 1 Kings 1: On David’s Decline, Adonijah’s Absalomization, and Solomon’s Donkey-Shaped Pattern (Bible Talk, Ep. 111) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What should you do when you disagree with your boss? Should you stay or leave? What are disagreeable philosophies of ministry? In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about what you should do when you disagree with your boss.

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The post On When You and Your Boss Have Different Philosophies of Ministry (Pastors Talk, Ep. 263) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Counseling Talk is here!

In this episode, Jonathan Leeman interviews the hosts—Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell—about the what and why of Counseling Talk.

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The post On Counseling Talk (Counseling Talk, Ep. 1) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Every pastor lives the majority of life outside the pulpit. How does it affect the preacher? How does the preacher embrace the moment they are in without it dominate the preaching? Dave, Ed, and Jeremy wrestle with the tension between life and the pulpit.

The post On Life and the Pulpit (Preachers Talk, Ep. 72) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The end of 2 Samuel is odd: it portrays the king at cruising altitude and then describes his bumpy descent. What’s going on here? Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the messianic finale of 2 Samuel 23–24.

Graphic: The Angel staying the sword at the Threshing Floor of Araunah, Alfred Bell (1856)

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The post 2 Samuel 23–24: On David’s Final Words, the Temple’s Future Address, and 1–2 Samuel’s Messianic Finale (Bible Talk, Ep. 110) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Connie Dever about children’s ministry.

Related Resources:

Books: Build on Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide to Gospel-Based Children’s Ministry by Deepak Reju and Marty Machowski

Podcast: On Children’s Ministry Part 1, with Connie Dever, On Pastoring and Parenting (with David Helm, Juan Sanchez, and Michael Lawrence)

Articles: Why a Pastor Should Care about Children’s Ministry by Ed Moore, Parenting Advice for Pastors by Ed More, Preacher, Don’t Forget to Speak to the Children by Ray Van Neste

Connie’s Book List

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The post On Children’s Ministry Part 2, with Connie Dever (Pastors Talk, Ep. 262) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri, Jenny, and Erin discuss the importance of church membership and discipline and how they bless and protect women.

The post How Biblical Church Membership and Discipline Benefit Women (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 32) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles interview Luke Womack and Matt Sonke from Airo Missions about the potential hurdles for future missionaries and how the church can help overcome them.

The post On Hurdles to Missions Mobilization, with Luke Womack and Matt Sonke (Missions Talk, Ep. 31) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Connie Dever about children’s ministry in a local church.

Related Resources:

Books: Build on Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide to Gospel-Based Children’s Ministry by Deepak Reju and Marty Machowski

Podcast: On Pastoring and Parenting (with David Helm, Juan Sanchez, and Michael Lawrence)

Articles: Why a Pastor Should Care about Children’s Ministry by Ed Moore, Parenting Advice for Pastors by Ed More, Preacher, Don’t Forget to Speak to the Children by Ray Van Neste

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The post On Children’s Ministry Part 1, with Connie Dever (Pastors Talk, Ep. 261) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Most of us who were trained in preaching were trained to preach Epistles. What are the challenges of preaching them? Why is preaching them beneficial for the church? Hear Ed, Dave, and Jeremy discuss this beloved section of Scripture.

The post On Preaching Epistles (Preachers Talk, Ep. 71) appeared first on 9Marks.

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We’ve entered 1–2 Samuel’s epilogue, which rewinds the clock to mighty deeds of mighty men and gives us a chiastic cheat code that reveals some fascinating connections between King David and all that’s gone before.

SHOW NOTES

1:51 / How do we know that chapter 21 begins a flashback in 2 Samuel? And why structure the book like that?

7:14 / Who are the Gibeonites, and should David have given into their vicious, bloodthirsty request? (21:1–14)

13:52 / Mighty Deeds of Mighty Men, Part 1 (21:15–22)

21:33 / How are 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 related?

23:27 / What does David assess is happening in the spiritual realm as enemies try to kill him? (22:5–6)

25:24 / How are David and Hannah’s song connected, and what do their similarities communicate?

26:33 / David knows his Bible and interprets his life typologically. (22:8–17, 20, 31, 41, 51)

35:13 / In what way did David “not turn aside” from the Lord’s statues? (22:21–25)

37:56 / “With the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.” (22:27)

Graphic: Rispah, Joseph Turner (1807-1808)

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The post 2 Samuel 21–22: On a Reincarnated Goliath, a Chiastic Cheat Code, and David as the “New Israel” (Bible Talk, Ep. 109) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat about seminary training.

Related Resources:

Books: The Path to Being a Pastor

Articles: Mailbag #21: Must Preachers Be Seminary-Trained?, How important is seminary training?, How can I do seminary well?

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The post On Residential or Online Seminary? (Pastors Talk, Ep. 260) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Megan Collins, a pastor’s wife in Singapore, and discuss how a church with a biblical understanding of conversion and evangelism helps women daily repent, entrust their children to the Lord, and share the gospel with their neighbors.

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The post Women Understanding Biblical Conversion and Evangelism, with Megan Collins (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 31) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack chat with Chad Ireland and Dylan Eagle about fundraising for missions.

The post On Fundraising with Chad Ireland and Dylan Eagle (Missions Talk, Ep. 30) appeared first on 9Marks.

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By now, David’s reign is beginning to unravel. In fact, these chapters are beginning to remind us not of 1–2 Samuel, but of the book of Judges. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 2 Samuel 19–20.

SHOW NOTES

1:54 / Why should 1 Samuel 19:1–8a have been part of the previous episode?

4:45 / Who’s divided over David’s return to Judah and why? (19:8b–12)

7:23 / Why does David replace Joab with Amasa? (19:13–15)

11:15 / Who is David magnanimous toward? (19:16–40)

16:08 / What do David’s acts of magnanimity accomplish? (19:41–43)

20:30 / What does Joab’s recklessness say about David’s rule? (20:1–10a)

24:51 / Joab pursues Sheba, and a wise woman intervenes. (20:10b–21)

33:39 / Why does 2 Samuel end chronologically where it does? (20:22–26)

Graphic: Joab pursues Sheba to the city of Abel, The Morgan Bible (1240-50)

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The post 2 Samuel 19–20: On David’s Unraveling Reign, Joab’s Bloodthirsty Lawlessness, and Subtle Details from the Royal Court (Bible Talk, Ep. 108) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Cheston Pickard, a pastor in Louisville, about corporate applications in preaching.

Related Resources:

Books: Preach: Theology Meets Practice

Podcast: Preachers Talk: On Application (with Michael Lawrence), Pastors Talk: On Sermon Application

Articles: The Easy Application Your Sermon Is Probably Missing
by Keith Collier, Moving from Programs to a Culture of Discipleship in an Immigrant Church by Mark Pakingan

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The post On Corporate Application in Preaching, with Cheston Pickard (Pastors Talk, Ep. 259) appeared first on 9Marks.

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A father should never have to mourn the death of his son. But that’s precisely what happens here. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 2 Samuel 17–18.

SHOW NOTES

3:36 / Ahithophel and Hushai offer Absalom competing counsel. (17:1–14)

7:32 / What do we learn from the narrator in verse 14 about the relationship between God’s sovereignty, prayer, and our actions?

9:25 / What’s the significance of the similarities between this passage and Joshua 2? (17:15–20)

15:52 / Ahithophel reacts to the rejection of his counsel. (17:21–23)

17:07 / How is David’s fleeing from Absalom similar to his fleeing from Saul? (17:24–29)

19:08 / Sam recommends the ESV Bible Atlas.

20:03 / Is David wrong for staying in the city like he was in 2 Samuel 11? And what should we think about his request for his army to “deal gently” with Absalom? (18:1–5)

26:14 / Absalom loses twenty thousand soldiers, then his mule—as his head with great hair gets caught in a tree—and then his life. (18:6–15)

31:00 / Whose side are we supposed to be on in the killing of Absalom? And is there a connection between Absalom’s death and Judas?

34:18 / Whose death is Absalom’s reminiscent of? (18:16–18)

35:39 / Ahimaaz and the Cushite race to deliver the news to David. (18:19–33)

Graphic: *David lamenting the death of Absalom, Carlo Cignani (1628-1719)*

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The post 2 Samuel 17–18: On the Son’s Demise, the Father’s Despair, and the Hunt for Meaningful Connections (Bible Talk, Ep. 107) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat with Jamie Dunlop about when a congregation should vote against its elders.

Related Resources:

Books: Authority by Jonathan Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case For Congregationalism by Jonathan Leeman, Leading One Another by Bobby Jamieson

Podcast: On the Use and Abuse of Authority (Pastors Talk, Ep. 9), On Authority (Pastors Talk, Ep. 244)

Journal: Authority: God’s Good and Dangerous Gift

Articles: When May a Congregation Vote Against its Elders? by Jamie Dunlop, Class V: Church Government by Jamie Dunlop, Mailbag #57: Pastors’ Limited Authority; Nominating Elders Who Will Move Soon by Jonathan Leeman, Church Members Must Watch Their Elders’ Life & Doctrine by Erik Raymond

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The post On When May a Congregation Vote Against its Elders, with Jamie Dunlop (Pastors Talk, Ep. 258) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Adrienne Lawrence, Bible teacher and pastor’s wife, about how a church with gospel doctrine benefits women’s lives.

Related Resources:

COMA Bible Study Method Pamphlet

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The post Women Thriving under Gospel Doctrine, with Adrienne Lawrence (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 30) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson interviews Mack Stiles about Great Commission Council and how pastors and churches could benefit from GCC.

https://www.greatcommissioncouncil.org/

The post On Great Commission Council (Missions Talk, Ep. 29) appeared first on 9Marks.

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A messenger comes to David and gives him bad news: “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” Then David flees—and in doing so he fails as both father and king.

SHOW NOTES

3:27 / Should David have fled Jerusalem to escape Absalom? (15:13–14)

5:30 / How is David’s exit related to the Exodus? (15:16–18)

9:34 / Why does David direct the ark of God back into the city? (15:25)

11:40 / How is David’s suffering a typological pattern? (15:30)

16:21 / David’s friends and enemies take sides. (15:31–16:14)

20:48 / How is this passage related to some psalms?

29:54 / Hushai fools Absalom; Ahithophel gives him wicked counsel.

Graphic: *Shimei curses David, Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld (1860)*

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The post 2 Samuel 15:13–16:23: On David’s Exodus Reversal and Accidentally Stealing from C. S. Lewis (Bible Talk, Ep. 106) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about congregational singing in a local church.

• Why do Christians sing?
• What kinds of songs should we sing at church?
• What is congregational singing?
• What does Colossians 3:16 mean?
• How can I help my church to sing?

Related Resources:

Podcast: On Singing, with John Piper, Music for the Church: Mark Dever Interviews Keith Getty

Journal: The Church Singing

Articles: Why We Sing by Jonathan Leeman, My Congregation Barely Sings; How Can I Help? by Jonathan Leeman, In Praise of Low-Budget, Non-Professional Music Ministries by Mark Dever, Sing to One Another by Matt Boswell

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The post On Congregational Singing (Pastors Talk, Ep. 257) appeared first on 9Marks.

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How should a preacher go about preaching long passages? Why should anyone do so in the first place? Dave, Ed, and Jeremy have a short conversation on long texts.

The post On Preaching Long Passages (Preachers Talk, Ep. 69) appeared first on 9Marks.

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Absalom is a smarmy guy who makes himself seem powerful and compassionate. King David, meanwhile, stays quiet while his kingdom nears collapse.

SHOW NOTES

3:12 / What does Joab want, and how does he attempt to accomplish it? (14:1–20)

8:53 / Does David respond rightly or wrongly to Joab’s scheme? (14:21–24)

13:46 / Who does the author of 2 Samuel implicitly compare Absalom with? (14:25–27)

15:25 / Is David and Absalom’s reunion worth celebrating? (14:28–33)

18:34 / How is Absalom like an unhealthy church member? (15:1–6)

25:06 / How does Absalom strengthen his conspiracy after his father declines to reprove him? (15:7–12)

Graphic: The Feast of Absalom, Niccolò Tornioli (17th century)

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The post 2 Samuel 14:1–15:12: On a Convoluted Conversation and a Kiss that Ends in a Coup (Bible Talk, Ep. 105) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interact with Tim Keller’s article, “Leadership and Church Size Dynamics”* Tips for leading my church well * What program should I start in my church? * How can I lead my church staff well? * What kind of leadership skill should pastors have? * What are some problems that small churches face? * What are some problems that big churches face?

Related Resources:

Books: How to Build a Healthy Church, Elders in the Life of the Church, Revitalize

Podcast: On Lay Elders, Part 1 (with Klon Kitchen), On Lay Elders, Part 2 (with Klon Kitchen)

Journal: The Pastor and his Staff, Part 1, The Pastor and his Staff, Part 2, Lay Elders: A User’s Guide – Part 1

Articles: Leadership and Church Size Dynamics by Tim Keller

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The post On Leadership and Church Size Dynamics (Pastors Talk, Ep. 256) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Erin, Keri, and Jenny chat with Colleen McFadden of Simeon Trust. They discuss how faithful expositional preaching from the pulpit can supercharge Word-centered women’s ministry.

The post Women Thriving under Expositional Preaching, with Colleen McFadden (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 29) appeared first on 9Marks.

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The story of Amnon, Tamar, and the subsequent terrible fallout is ultimately a story about two fake loves. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi talk through 2 Samuel 13.

SHOW NOTES

2:43 / At this point in the book, are we diving head first into the dark era of David’s reign?

4:06 / The sword never departs from David’s house after what evil? (13:1–14)

11:57 / How does Amnon hate Tamar so quickly after loving her so greatly? (13:15)

14:03 / How do Tamar and Joseph’s stories compare and contrast?

15:48 / How is Amnon’s second sin against Tamar “greater”? (13:16)

16:34 / David does no justice. (13:20–22)

21:38 / Why doesn’t David stop Absalom’s invitation to Amnon? (13:23–27)

24:42 / Absalom takes vengeance. (13:28–33)

30:45 / What does David’s longing for Absalom and comfort over Amnon’s death tell us about where he is spiritually? (13:39)

Graphic: Jonadab Counseling Amnon, Phillip Galle and Maarten van Heemskerck (1559)

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The post 2 Samuel 13: On the Hateful Misanthrope and the Hateful Milquetoast (Bible Talk, Ep. 104) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about transcendence in worship services.

• How did the Reformation change church services?
• What does it mean that God is transcendent?
• How did John Piper influence the Young, Restless, Reformed movement?
• What is corporate prayer?
• How should we pray in our churches?
• How can I evangelize effectively?

Related Resources:

Books: Prayer, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism,

Podcast: On How the Reformation Changed Sunday Gatherings (with Jonathan Gibson), A Conversation with Michael Reeves, On Preaching (with John Piper)

Articles: A Biblical Theology of Corporate Prayer, Transcendence and Immanence in Parenting, Pastoring, Evangelism, and Discipleship, The Five Points of Calvinism and Your Church’s Sunday Meeting

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The post On Transcendence (Pastors Talk, Ep. 255) appeared first on 9Marks.

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What makes Gospels/Acts so interesting and yet so challenging to preach? How can the preacher preach them well? Ed, Dave, and Jeremy answer these kinds of questions, providing examples from their own preaching.

The post On Preaching Gospels/Acts (Preachers Talk, Ep. 68) appeared first on 9Marks.

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At the beginning of 2 Samuel 12, King David is in a dark place. Even worse, he doesn’t seem to know it. By the end of 2 Samuel 12, he’s back where he belongs and he’s writing Psalm 51. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

SHOW NOTES

2:09 / “And the Lord sent Nathan to David. . .” (12:1)

3:38 / Nathan tells David a parable about David and then confronts him. (12:1–8)

9:54 / How does David become like the kings that Samuel warned Israel about? (12:9)

12:22 / To despise the Word of the Lord is to despise the Lord. (12:9–10)

13:15 / What does the Lord promise David will happen to his house as a consequence of his sin? (12:11)

15:02 / Is the Lord doing sinful things to teach David a lesson? (12:12)

15:35 / Don’t hide your sin. (12:12)

16:20 / How is David a model for repentance? (12:13)

19:04 / The Lord wants genuine repentance, not a list. (12:13)

20:38 / Our sin affects others. (12:14)

23:07 / What practical lessons can we learn from David’s mourning for his son? (12:15–23)

25:04 / Do we learn what happens to infants who die from David’s reply to his servants? (12:23)

30:50 / How does the chapter end fittingly? (12:24–31)

Graphic: Nathan Admonishing David, Rembrandt van Rijn (1650-55)

The post 2 Samuel 12: On Nathan’s Brave Parable, David’s Belated Repentance, and the LORD’s Merciful Response (Bible Talk, Ep.103) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about how we should interact with disciplined members.

Related Resources:

Books: Church Discipline, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love

Podcast: Church Discipline: A Difficult and Necessary Task, On Church Discipline, On How to Prepare a Church to Practice Discipline, History and Discipline of the Local Church (with Greg Wills)

Journal: Church Discipline: Medicine for the Body

Articles: A Church Discipline Primer, “Don’t Do It!!” Why You Shouldn’t Practice Church Discipline, A Biblical Theology of Church Discipline

The post On Interacting After Church Discipline (Pastors Talk, Ep. 254) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri Folmar, Erin Wheeler, and Jenny Manley interview Mark Dever about how the nine marks of a healthy church benefit women… and his love for ice.

The post Women and the Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, with Mark Dever (Priscilla Talk, Ep. 28) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Mack Stiles and Ryan Robertson interview Tim Hamer and Aaron Menikoff on visiting missionaries overseas.

The post On Visiting Missionaries Overseas, with Tim Hamer and Aaron Menikoff (Missions Talk, Ep. 28) appeared first on 9Marks.

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For a while now, we’ve been tracking the avalanche in the distance. Now, with the story of David and Bathsheba, it’s finally here. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi chat about 2 Samuel 11.

SHOW NOTES

1:46 / How do 1 Samuel 11 and 12 form a chiasm?

2:32 / How has the author previously foreshadowed David’s demise? What else is noteworthy entering into the chapter?

3:59 / What is the sin behind all the other sins in this passage? (11:1a)

5:44 / How does historical and literary context make David’s stroll on the roof sound worse? (11:1–3)

8:35 / Did David already know Bathsheba? (11:3)

11:35 / What should the language of David “taking” Bathsheba remind readers of? (11:4)

12:49 / Did David rape Bathsheba? (11:4)

22:02 / “Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.” (11:4)

22:48 / Sin is short-sighted and makes you crazy.

26:34 / A Gentile shows more devotion to the Lord than the king of Israel. (11:6–13)

31:07 / David’s insane callousness makes him enemies and spreads unfaithfulness. (11:14–25)

40:14 / Sam offers closing comments.

Graphic: David Gives Uriah a Letter for Joab, Pieter Lastman (1619)

The post 2 Samuel 11: On David, Bathsheba, and the Long-Awaited Avalanche (Bible Talk, Ep. 102) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about different criteria for discipline.

Related Resources:

Books: Church Discipline

Podcast: Church Discipline: A Difficult and Necessary Task, On Church Discipline, On How to Prepare a Church to Practice Discipline, History and Discipline of the Local Church (with Greg Wills)

Journal: Church Discipline: Medicine for the Body

Articles: A Church Discipline Primer, “Don’t Do It!!” Why You Shouldn’t Practice Church Discipline, A Biblical Theology of Church Discipline

The post On Criteria for Church Discipline (Pastors Talk, Ep. 253) appeared first on 9Marks.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex, Jim and Sam chat about the beginning of the end for Saul.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark interviews Jonathan Leeman about his new book, Authority.

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Preachers Talk is back! In this episode, Dave and Jeremy are joined by a special guest, Mark Dever.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex, Jim and Sam talk about 1 Samuel 13–14.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex talks with Jim and Sam about 1 Samuel 11–12.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan talk with Bart Barber, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, about pastoring.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts talk with Jenny’s mother-in-love, Tony, about thriving during the widow years.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi on 1 Samuel 8–10.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat about staffing titles in the church.

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From Dagon’s decapitation to Eli’s death, from Ichabod to Ebenezer, 1 Samuel 4–7 has a lot going on. What’s it all mean?

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan talk about how to disagree with your pastor.

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Part of being created as a female is to feel the effects of the Fall through hormonal change. In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts talk about seasons of hormonal change and how the local church can encourage women, even in their hidden trials.

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This passage in 1 Samuel is a yo-yo—or, as Sam likes to call it, a chiasm. It bounces up and down between the unfaithful priests (Eli’s sons) and the faithful prophet Samuel.

Listen to the latest episode of Bible Talk with Alex, Jim, and Sam.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan interview Mike McKinley about his new book, Friendship with God: A Path to Deeper Fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit

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Bible Talk is back!

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim and Sam about the strange opening of 1 Samuel.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts talk about thriving during the empty nest years with Joanne Parks.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Mack and Ryan interview Miller and Caleb Greggsen about the relationship between missionaries and sending churches.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Leia Joseph about how to thrive in the teenage years

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It's not uncommon for a pastor's preaching schedule to linger on the Gospels and epistles and look past the major and minor prophets. In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy chats with Dave and Ed about why they love preaching prophetic literature—and why your pastor should, too.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Mack and Ryan interview Scott Logsdon and Will Sutton on the strategic value of missions work in global cities

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Kristin Schmucker about thriving in times of loss.

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Weddings are wonderful for the bride, the groom, and all their friends and family. But for the preacher? It can be challenging. In this episode of Preachers Talk, Dave, Ed, and Jeremy offer counsel on how to preach well at a wedding.

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The hosts chat with Greg Gilbert and Bobby Jamieson about how to view the missionary calling biblically.

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Public school, homeschool, Christian private school? In this episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts apply wisdom to this thorny topic.

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Is it even possible to train preachers? If so, why is going to seminary only helpful but insufficient?

In this episode of Preachers Talk, Dave and Jeremy discuss all this and more with their guest Michael Lawrence.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack chat with two missionaries from Asia' sub-continent. Though they're both Westerners, they've learned the language and now serve as elders in indigenous local churches.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts chat with Hunter Beless about thriving as a Christian and a church member during the little years.

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Listen in as Ed, Dave, and Jeremy discuss preaching Old Testament History and share examples from their own pulpit work.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever explain why we published a new edition of Church Matters—formerly known as the 9Marks Journal—that addresses a few unusual topics: Christian nationalism, theonomy, and magisterial Protestantism.

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Twenty years ago, the Yembi Yembi tribe had no Christians and no written language. Today, they enjoy the ministry of a healthy local church and the Scriptures in their own tongue.

Hear the amazing story in today’s episode Missions Talk with special guests Nina and Brooks Buser.

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How should a Christian think about patriotism? Why should pastors especially be careful of both nostalgia and cynicism?In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with SBTS professor John D. Wilsey about all these questions and more.

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If it’s just you two and Jesus, then marriage—especially that first year—will be really hard. You need the church as your support system.In this episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts talk about thriving in the early years of marriage.

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How do you determine what to preach in the challenging, unique, and evangelistically-loaded moment of a funeral? Dave, Ed, and Jeremy share their wisdom on how to be sensitive to God’s word and the moment in a way that serves all who hear.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan chats with Mark about this under-reported aspect of a pastor’s job description.

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Young churches might be tempted to think they’re excused from the task of missions. Not true! In fact, there’s no better time to begin the discipline of sacrificial generosity. In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles chat with Thomas Gamble about building a missions culture in a young church.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Emily Davis on thriving during singleness.

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How should a preacher deal with people talking about football rather than the sermon after church? Just how artful should sermons be anyways? Jeremy digs into the mailbag once again to fire your questions at Ed and Dave

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about canonical order.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack chat with two missionaries in Central Asia about their ministry and work.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 19–21.

Graphic: Wives for the Benjamites, The Morgan Library (1244-1254)

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Mark and Jonathan chat with Dane Ortlund about the awful yet necessary doctrine of hell.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts interview Ruth and Chloe Folmar on how to thrive during the college years

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In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy, Dave, and Ed talk about preaching in an age of artificial intelligence.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 17–18.

Graphic: Micah confronts the Danites (1886)

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Did Charles Spurgeon care about ecclesiology? In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat with Geoff Chang about Spurgeon the pastor.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack interview Kevin DeYoung about his book, What Is the Mission of the Church?

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 15–16.

Graphic: The Blinded Samson, Lovis Corinth (1912)

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Yes, Charles Spurgeon preached—a lot. But he also gave tons of time and energy to social engagement. In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat with Alex DiPrima about his new book Spurgeon and the Poor.

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In this brand new episode of Priscilla Talk, the hosts —Jenny, Keri, and Erin— talk about how women can thrive in different seasons in life.

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There is no question that preaching is a labor. For some, it is exhausting. How can preachers avoid boredom in the preparation of sermons?In this episode, Dave, Ed, and Jeremy discuss how preachers could fight this weariness in their preparation.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat with Deepak Reju about pastoral responses to domestic abuse.

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan and Mack interview Matt Schmucker and Shawn LaCount, the organizers of the Cross Conference.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan talk with Matt Schmucker and Paul Billings about reaching, discipling, and mobilizing college students for missions.

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In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy Meeks chats with Dave and Ed about how to pick the size of a sermon text.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 13–14. They discuss Samson, Israel’s surprising, set-apart, and sinful savior.

Graphic: Samson Rendering The Lion, Albrecht Dürer (1497–98)

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It’s clear in Scripture: local churches should celebrate the Lord’s Supper. But there’s a lot about these celebrations that is up to us to decide. In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan asks Mark and Bobby a ton of rapid-fire questions about the Lord’s Supper.

Mentioned Resource:

1. On the Lord’s Supper (Pastors Talk, Ep. 73)
2. On Preaching, the Supper, and the Unity of the Church (Pastors Talk, Ep. 110)
3. On Why Is the Lord’s Supper So Important? (Pastors Talk, Ep. 174)

Related Resource:

1. “Can We Celebrate Communion Online?” by Bobby Jamieson
2. “How the Lord’s Supper Makes a Local Church” by Bobby Jamieson
3. Understanding the Lord’s Supper by Bobby Jamieson

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In this special episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts talk to Blair Linne, Courtney Reissig, and Natalie Brand about how doctrine supercharges women’s ministry.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat with Tommie van der Walt about the state of Christian publishing in South Africa.

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How should the preacher take the audience into consideration as he prepares his sermon? Hear Ed, Dave, and Jeremy wrestle with the joys and complexities of preaching with one’s particular audience in mind.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 11–12.

Graphic: A study of Jephthah’s daughter, Tom Roberts (1899)

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan and Mark talk about “red-dot churches” and “green-dot churches.”

1. “Discipling” by Mark Dever
2. “Evangelism” by Mack Stiles
3. “Elders–The Church’s Lead Disciple-Makers” by Jeramie Rinne
4. “A Foolproof Discipling Program: Corporate Worship” by John Sarver
5. “Cultivating a Culture of Discipling” by Mark Dever (video)
6. “How can I as a church leader help cultivate a culture of discipleship?“

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri and Jenny interview Erin about her book, The Church: Delighting in the Doctrine of the Church

Mentioned Resource:

1. The Good Portion – The Church: Delighting in the Doctrine of the Church by Erin Wheeler

Related Resources:

1. “The Sweet Rewards of a Quiet Ministry” by Erin Wheeler
2. “The Privilege and Power of a Praying Pastor’s Wife” by Erin Wheeler

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles interview pastors about why the local church matters for missions work.

Mentioned Resource:

• “Missions” by Andy Johnson

Related Resources:

• “Why Is It Essential for Missionaries to Join a Church Where They Live?” by Scott Logsdon
• “How Should Missionaries Relate to Local Churches Overseas?” by Matt Rhodes
• “What Would Happen if You Sent Your Best?” by Steve Jennings

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As we near the midpoint of Judges, the wheels are starting to fall off. Israel has long wanted a king. In Abimelech, they finally get what they want—and the results are disastrous. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 9–10. * * Graphic: A Woman Breaks the Skull of Abimelech*, James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902)

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman chat about how churches should care for their missionaries

Mentioned Resource:

• “Missions” by Andy Johnson

Related Resources:

• “On Funding Missionaries” by Mark Dever, Jonathan Leeman, and Tyler Markson
• “Stop Sending Missionaries: Why More Isn’t Always Better” by Steve Jennings
• “Seven Principles for Funding Foreign Missions” by Tyler Markson
• “How Can I Support International Missions?” by Mark Collins

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What’s biblical context? It refers to citations and quotations of other passages that are intentionally placed in your passage.

In this episode of Preachers Talk, our hosts explain this tricky category and help preachers use it well.

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The lesson of Judges 7 is not that Gideon is an amazing general, but that the Lord is their warrior. The lesson of Judges 8 is that the Lord topples proud men with a sneeze.Alex chats with Jim and Sam about these surprising chapters. * * *

Graphic: Gideon Checks His Army, Johann Heinrich Schönfeld (1641)

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about fear of man in pastoral ministry.

RESOURCES REFERENCED

• When People Are Big and God Is Small by Ed Welch (ed. 1) (forthcoming ed. 2)
• “Why Every Pastor-in-Training Should Read Ed’s Book” by Michael Lawrence

RELATED REFERENCES

• “Pastors, Fight Against Fear of Man by Fighting for the Fear of the Lord” by Dave Cook
• “Book Review: When People Are Big and God is Small, by Ed Welch” by Greg Gilbert
• “How Pastor Mark Passes Out Authority” by Jonathan Leeman

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What was it like as a Christian in Kabul when the Taliban invaded?

In this special episode of Priscilla Talk, Jenny, Keri, and Erin chat with Shamsia, an Afghan believer, about her conversion, her brave decision to switch IDs, and her escape.

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Without prayer, missions is impossible.

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Alex chats with Jim and Sam about Gideon, Israel’s next judge who is also a scaredy-cat.

Graphic: Gideon and the Fleece, with the Selection of Gideon’s Army, Austria (1420-30)

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Jonathan and Mark chat with four deacons about the ins and outs of their service to the church.

RESOURCES REFERENCED

• Deacons by Matt Smethurst
• The “Regulated Free Market” Approach to Mercy Ministry by Jamie Dunlop
• Evangelism by Mack Stiles

RELATED REFERENCED

• What Is the Church’s Mission? by Jonathan Leeman
• What Do Deacons Do? by Juan Sanchez
• Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons by Thabiti Anyabwile

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In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy Meeks chats with Dave and Ed about the underrated importance of homiletical structure.

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Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Judges 4–5.

Graphic: Jael and Sisera, Artemisia Gentileschi (1620)

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Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman interview Thomas Terry, the founder of Humble Beast, about creativity and beauty in the church.

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Listen to this episode of Priscilla Talk as Keri Folmar and Erin Wheeler interview their co-host, Jenny Manley, about the doctrine of Christ

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Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever and Bobby Jamieson about whether or not the New Testament presents a church structure that is both unified and prescriptive.

RESOURCES REFERENCED

Why New Testament Polity Is Prescriptive by Bobby Jamieson

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In this new episode of Missions Talk, our hosts discuss the importance of biblical leadership with three missionaries from around the world.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the first three judges: Othniel the golden boy, Ehud the left-handed “son of the right-handers,” and Shamgar the oxgoad-warrior.

Graphic: The Death of Eglon, Ford Madox Brown (1865–81)

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I wish I could somehow bottle up the cries and the agony that we heard that night and present it to folks and say, “This is what you will hear if you fail your congregation.”

Listen to Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk to Thomas Terry about shepherding in the aftermath of a pastor’s moral failure.

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The Bible was written a long time ago to people who were both very similar to and very different from us.

Listen to this episode of Preachers Talk as Ed, Dave, and Jeremy discuss how to use and not use cultural context.

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Bible Talk is back!

In this episode, Alex Duke chats with Jim and Sam about the ominous “double introduction” of Judges 1:1–3:6.

SHOW NOTES

1:21 / Where does the end of the book of Joshua leave us as we begin Judges?

1:50 / Is the book of Judges a sequel to the book of Joshua? Does it have the same author?

6:09 / What would help us wrap our minds around Judges as we’re introduced to the book?

13:26 / What’s worth highlighting in the list of names Israel defeats in its conquest of Canaan? (Judges 1:1-21)

17:11 / Is Adoni-bezek a type of Christ?

19:33 / Are Othniel and Achsah an anticipation of Christ and the church? Or related to other biblical texts?

22:53 / What’s the big idea of Judges 1?

26:39 / Pastoral application: little sins lead to bigger sins.

28:26 / What’s noteworthy about Israel’s failure to complete the conquest? (Judges 1:27-36)

31:23 / Israel experiences a new Fall.

35:12 / Why are we reading about the death of Joshua again?

35:52 / Why is Judges 2:10 massively significant?

37:26 / Judges 2:11 reverberates in Scripture.

38:47 / What pattern repeats itself throughout Judges?

40:55 / How does Judges 2:18 correspond with the exodus from Egypt?

41:42 / God’s glory . . . in salvation . . . through judgment

42:58 / Yet another instance occurs of Israel being led into idolatry through sexual immorality (3:6).

44:23 / Is there much happy in this book?

RESOURCES REFERENCED

Miles V. Van Pelt’s commentary on Judges in ESV Expository Commentary: Deuteronomy–Ruth

Graphic: The Judges Cycle, Kirk E. Miller (2022)

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What kind of women dance in the kitchen? Those who understand the lavish feast of salvation.In this most recent episode of Priscilla Talk, our hosts interview Natalie Brand about the doctrine of salvation and its connection to joy in womanhood.

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“Do you think Jesus cracked jokes?”

Listen to this episode of Pastors Talk as Mark Dever, Jonathan Leeman, and Ben Lacey discuss humor in pastoral ministry.

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Mack and Ryan chat with Anand Samuel—a pastor in the UAE—and Jeff Kelly—a pastor and former missionary to N. Africa—about discipleship and growth on the mission field. Is it all that much different?

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In this special Christmas episode, the Bible Talk crew chats with SBTS professor Steve Wellum about why the virgin conception isn’t incidental to but essential for our redemption.

SHOW NOTES

5:31 / When we refer the virgin birth of Christ, what exactly are we asserting?

7:58 / Is God’s miraculous work in Sarah and Rebecca a type of the virgin conception?

10:09 / Does Genesis 3:15 allude to a particularly remarkable conception of the “seed of the woman?”

10:52 / Where is the virgin birth explicitly taught in Scripture?

14:39 / What does a belief in the virgin birth preserve about Jesus that makes it so necessary?

21:26 / What’s the relationship between the virgin birth and the sinlessness of Christ?

26:46 / Is the “sinlessness of Christ” shorthand for he did not sin or he could not sin, and therefore, did not sin?

31:19 / How ought a ferocious belief in the virgin birth help us to worship in our daily lives as Christians?

RESOURCES REFERENCED IN EPISODE

• The first special Christmas episode of Bible Talk: On The Virgin Mary, a Hail Mary, and Casper the Friendly Ghost (Matt. 1-2)
• God the Son Incarnate, by Stephen Wellum
• The Person of Christ, by Stephen Wellum
• Christ Alone, by Stephen Wellum
• Christ Over All

Painting: Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, Caravaggio (1609)

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Churches on the mission field aren’t exempt by Jesus’ command to practice church discipline.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Keri, Jenny, and Erin chat with Rebecca Stark about delighting in the doctrine of God. They discuss the Trinity, aseity, and making time for deep study of the things of God.

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In the episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan chats with Mark and Bobby about how the elder selection process works at their church.

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Should the preaching calendar make room for holidays? If so, for which? If not, how should the preacher interact with the holiday in the normal course of preaching?

Tis’ the season so Jeremy, Dave, and Ed tackle these questions and many.

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The book of Joshua comes to the end, and through it all, its message has stayed the same.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark and Jonathan chat with a missionary in Central Asia about funding missions work wisely.

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Ryan and Mack chat with three pastors—from Central Asia, from the Middle East, and from East Asia—about the biblical principle of church membership.

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Scripture is inspired, authoritative, necessary, and sufficient. And as Christians, we should delight in it. In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Erin and Jenny chat with Keri about delighting in the doctrine of Scripture.

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When you get to Joshua 11–21, you’ll be tempted to speed-read. It’s just a long list of places and names you’ve never heard of. But the original readers? They would have read it slowly, with tears in their eyes.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan and Mark chat with a pastor from India about hard, but fruitful ministry in such an unreached place.

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Does the audience and author of a biblical book matter? How should such information be used in preaching?

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The Israelites get duped, Joshua gets mad, and the Lord ends up surprisingly defending a Canaanite people. What!?

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever chat with author Michael Reeves about his life and ministry.

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A poor understanding of evangelism and conversion will have disastrous effects, especially among cultures where there's little familiarity with the gospel. In this episode of Missions Talk, Mack and Ryan chat with two overseas pastors about this.

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In this episode of Priscilla Talk, Erin, Jenny, and Keri talk with Nancy Guthrie about how delighting in biblical theology ought to grow your love for Christ and his church.

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In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Joshua 7–8. They discuss the sin of Achan, the fall of Ai, and the "death and resurrection" of Israel.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Josh Manley interview two Afghan men who both served as pastors of an underground church.

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Israel has finally inherited the land by faith, and now they must keep it by faith. That's the story of the Battle of Jericho. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Joshua 5–6.

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Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever and John Piper about music in the church. They discuss manipulating emotions, raising hands in worship, mere musical accompaniment, and more!

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In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson and Mack Stiles chat with Brooks Buser and Matt Tyler about the necessity of sound doctrine—whether you're in the deep jungle of Papua New Guinea or a global city with 25 million people.

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In Episode 2 of Priscilla Talk, Keri Folmar chats with Erin and Jenny about how women can leave light and fluffy Bible studies behind and delight in doctrine instead.

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Way back in Genesis 12, God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land. And now—finally, after hundreds of years—they get to enter it.

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Jonathan chat with Jeramie Rinne, a pastor whose church building was destroyed by last month's Hurricane Ian.

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Should preaching be engaging? What does that even mean? How does it go overboard?

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Bible Talk is back! After more than 40 hours through the Torah, Alex Duke chats Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Joshua 1–2. They cover Rahab and the spies, bad biblical theology, and more.

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Pastors' wives and Priscilla Talk co-hosts Keri Folmar and Jenny Manley join Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman to discuss what pastors should know about their favorite church member.

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Does expository preaching matter in missions? Is it essential to a church's health among every language, people, and nation?

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Jonathan Leeman introduces the newest 9Marks podcast Priscilla Talk and its co-hosts Keri Folmar, Jenny Manley, and Erin Wheeler.

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Why a whole journal on admin? Is this even biblical? Or are churches just imitating the business world?

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Every text has a literary context. The question is how can we use it well in preaching? This week Dave, Jeremy, and Ed discuss the importance of literary context and give some examples of its importance in their own preaching.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever and John Piper about preaching.

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In this inaugural episode of Missions Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever chat with Mack Stiles and Ryan Robertson about why conversations about ecclesiology are so necessary in the missions world.

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Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever chat with Dave Gobbett, a pastor in Wales, about how to prepare for the long game of pastoral ministry.

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In a final act of kindness, the Lord takes Moses on top of a mountain to see the Promised Land. Then Moses dies, and he’s buried by his best friend. … keep reading…

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If you disobey, it will be as if the exodus never happened. If you do obey, it will be as if the fall in Eden never happened.

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Deuteronomy 18–26 covers a lot of stuff we've already seen. But it also sets up a series of prophetic laterals that eventually get to Jesus, the "prophet like Moses" whom Israel had long been waiting for.

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What kind of king must rule over Israel? One who fears the LORD by keeping all the words of his law so that he may continue long in his kingdom in Israel.

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Jeremy goes back to the mailbag to ask your questions to Dave and Ed about all things preaching. They cover everything from listening to other preaching to handling people who want to talk after the preaching.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever talk with an American Presbyterian and a British Baptist about the state of evangelicalism today.

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In Deuteronomy 12–13, Moses urges his fellow Israelites not to fall back into false worship—even if dreamers, their loved ones, and everyone around them tells them that it’s okay.

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We recently released a Journal on the difference between God-given revival and man-centered revivalism. In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan and Mark chat about why we published that Journal and which articles stood out to them.

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Should preachers concern themselves with cultural relevance? If so, how much?

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Jonathan Leeman chats with Ligon Duncan and Pat Daly about the Puritan Paperback books. Meanwhile, Nick Roark reads some of his favorite quotes.

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Is exposition a construct? Is it something all preachers should do regardless of their geographic and cultural location?

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Why did God choose Israel? How might the answer to that question change everything, even for us a few thousand years later?

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There is a world of difference between preaching on occasion, regular guest preaching, and the weekly ministry of the Word to a single congregation. How does one begin well?

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Faithful resources can help to start a theological revival. But for that to happen, we need to translate good books and partner with the right people.

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We have arrived at one of Scripture’s most well-known passages, the Shema: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

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In Deuteronomy 4, the Lord through Moses gives us "expositional history." He explains to them why God's character and faithfulness to them in the past should motivate their present obedience.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with Caleb Greggsen about the underestimated value of pastoring international churches.

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Most preachers are trained to preach discourse. What are the challenges to preaching the most well known parts of the Bible? How can we do it well? Dave, Ed, and Jeremy answer these questions and more.

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We’ve finally arrived at the last book of the Torah. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Deuteronomy 1–3, as the people of Israel are at the cusp of the cusp of the Promised Land.

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Missionaries must be able to communicate clearly, credibly, and boldly—which means they must learn the heart language of the people they are ministering to.

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As we arrive at the end of Numbers, Moses wants to remind God's people where they've been so that they will be prepared to be faithful where they're going.

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The prosperity gospel is wicked. It leads people on a path toward destruction. It lures people into a false sense of security.

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Sometimes, preachers have to preach hard texts—not "hard" in the sense of challenging to interpret, but in the sense that they'll challenging for our context. Jeremy, Dave, and Ed talk about how to preach these texts faithfully.

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What is “expressive individualism”? Why does something so abstract matter for everyday pastors and normal local churches?

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever chat with Matthias Lohmann about pastoring in Germany.

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As Numbers nears its end, Moses leads his people on a final military mission. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Numbers 26–31. * * * … keep reading…

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As pastors, how can you love people as they leave your church? Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever discuss.

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In Numbers 22–23, Balak the King of Moab hires Balaam, an international seer of the gods, to curse God’s people. In Numbers 24–25, we see just how disastrous that plan … keep reading…

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Some pastors have recently wondered, “Should I lead my church leave our association?” Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever about the various principles at play when trying to make that important decision.

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Poetry takes up a significant amount of Scripture. It can be of great help to the hearer and a gift to the preacher. This week Ed, Dave, and Jeremy explain why poetry is so useful and how they preach it.

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How can you tell if a church practices meaningful membership? Consider how it responds to those “members” who never attend. In this episode, Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever and Alex Duke about how this topic is more important than you think.

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The story of Balaam and Balak raises an all-important question: "What will win out—the might of Moab or the promises of God?"

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What are illustrations for? How can preachers use them to good effect in their preaching? In this episode Dave, Ed, and Jeremy seek to answer these questions and more while giving examples from their own work.

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Miriam and Aaron die, the people complain (again!), and Moses makes a grave error with even graver consequences. Oh, and there are also a fiery snakes.

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Elders should disciple their fellow elders. How? Jonathan chats with Mark about several practical ways.

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In Numbers 17–19, Moses makes it clear that these people need an appointed priest to stand between them and the holiness of God.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan and Mark chat with Matt Rhodes, the author of “No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions.”

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Everyone love stories. The Bible is full of stories. In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy Meeks chats with Dave Helm and Ed Copeland about how to preach the Bible’s narratives well.

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An old pastor and a kind-of-new pastor give some advice to a brand-new pastor.

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This episode covers Korah’s Rebellion, the absurdity of theonomy, and . . . more laws about purification and the priesthood? Why!?

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Who are the Puritans? How have they shaped Mark's ministry?

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This week, Jeremy and Dave sit down with Colleen McFadden to discuss how to train women to teach the Bible in complementarian settings.

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There’s no way around it: these chapters are grim. Moses’ siblings turn on him, the Israelites want to stone him, and the Lord seems ready to end the covenant.

How did we get here? Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Numbers 12–14.

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Last week, Collin Hansen reflected on the top stories of last year. So we had him and Garrett Kell on this episode of Pastors Talk to think through each of these stories pastorally.

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Every preacher begins a sermon, but most could begin them better. On this episode Ed, Dave, and Jeremy discuss what should be in our introductions and why.

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Mark Dever, Caleb Morell, and Ben Lacey chat with Swedish pastor Johnny Lithell about the ups and downs of ministry in a place with so few Christians.

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Things are going well for Israel . . . until the people start to grumble.

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How slowly should a pastor change things in a church? Jonathan chats with Mark Dever, John Folmar, and Josh Manley, in this second conversation about pastoral patience.

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Is preaching just a "young man's game"? On this episode Jeremy, Ed, and Dave consider the benefits to older preachers, both those who start late and those who have been at it for a while.

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In Numbers 5–8, Israel is still revving its engine, preparing to enter the Promised Land. For now, we read about a strange test for adultery, the genesis of the Nazirite vow, and Aaron’s blessing, one of the most well-known passages in the whole Bible.

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Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever talk to Josh Manley and John Folmar about Christianity in Afghanistan and the UAE, and the necessity of pastoral patience.

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By the time we get to the beginning of Numbers, Israel is poised to take the Promised Land. But first, they need to receive their marching orders.

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Church members ought to know their missionaries. How can pastors facilitate that relationship?

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Every pastor knows they should apply the text. How should we do it well? How can we do it better?

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In this episode, Mark interviews Jonathan about our new Journal—Sound Doctrine: The Foundation for Faithful Ministry—and, in particular, his very long Editor's Note, which focuses on the problems of the "deconstruction" project.

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In this Pastors Talk episode, Jonathan chats with Mark about "Nine Marks of a Healthy Church", and how this hardcover edition introduces two “additional” marks.

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“Jesus is not who you think he is.”

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In this episode Jeremy goes through the mailbag, asking a wide variety of questions submitted by listeners to Dave and Ed.

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We’ve come to the end of Leviticus.

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In a previous conversation, Jonathan chatted with Mark and Bobby about the value of going slowly down the road toward pastoral ministry, of being "filtered." In this follow-up conversation, they discuss a host of other topics: character qualifications, marriage, biblical knowledge, devotional life, and more.

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In the Old Testament, the Lord wants his people to be holy as he is holy (Lev. 20:26). That means sacred lives, but it also means he them to be marked of by sacred times and sacred places.

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The path to being a pastor is often slow—and that's a good thing!

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Leviticus 17–20 covers a lot: goat demons, the meaning of blood, Molech, the holiness of God, and loving your neighbor as yourself. How does it all fit together?

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Jonathan Leeman chats with Mack Stiles, Brooks Buser, Scott Logsdon, and Aubrey Sequeira about two diverging approaches to the obeying the Great Commission.

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Sermon listeners have objections to what preachers say, believer and unbeliever alike. Dave, Ed, and Jeremy answer the question: What should and can the preacher do in order to name and navigate these objections?

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For a while now, Jim and Sam have been saying that Leviticus 16—the Day of the Atonement—is the theological center of the Torah. In this episode, they finally defend their case.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever tells Jonathan Leeman and Adam Sinnett that having a building “turns a church into a time machine.”

What does he mean? Listen here to find out.

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Article: Are Buildings Essential to Building Healthy Churches?, by Adam Sinnett

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In Leviticus, uncleanness results from death. That’s the big idea of Leviticus 11–15 and its discussion of chewing the cud, leprosy, and bodily discharges.

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the next section of Leviticus.

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At the end of Leviticus 9, it’s almost as if we’ve fixed the problem of sin. But in the very next chapter, the Lord strikes down two priests—Nadab and Abihu—for offering “strange fire.”

In this episode of Bible Talk, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi chat about Leviticus 8–10.

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Image: Nadab en Abihu door vlammen gedood, by Jan Luyken

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The book of Leviticus isn’t just a bunch of random rules. It provides an answer to the problem that’s been swirling over God’s people since Genesis 3: How can a sinful people dwell in the midst of a holy God?

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What is it the preacher is trying to do when he preaches? David Helm, Ed Copeland, and Jeremy Meeks discuss the vital task of making an argument in preaching. They tackle what it is and how they go about doing it in their own work.

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How do you preach a Christ-centered sermon from the Old Testament? Jonathan Leeman chats with David King and Mike Bullmore about our new preaching book, Your Old Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved. Purchase here.

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In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever about gathering twice on Sundays, and why it might be good for your church to be “inconvenient.”

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Last August, Alex Duke, Sam Emadi, and Jim Hamilton recorded their first episode of Bible Talk, a weekly podcast by 9Marks. Their mission was simple: they wanted to walk listeners through the Bible.

In this short video, the guys share how Bible Talk began—and how it’s going so far.

Subscribe to Bible Talk on iTunes & Spotify.

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How do we pursue humility while we also pursue excellence in preaching? On this episode Dave Helm and Jeremy Meeks sit down with Mike Bullmore to wrestle with the task of preaching without pride.

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By the end of Exodus, our story has come full circle. Humanity has been exiled since the Garden. But now, God will dwell amidst his people and they will have access to his presence.

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Exodus 35–40.

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Image: ESV Study Bible

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In Exodus 34, Moses learns that the God who has saved and revealed himself to Israel is a God who has established his justice so that he can display the wonders of his mercy. This becomes the center of biblical theology.

SHOW NOTES:

Chart: God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment, by Jim Hamilton, p. 133–137. Shared with permission.

Image: Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law, by Rembrandt (1659)

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Though the question of what it means to do your own work in the pulpit has been raised a lot recently, Dave Helm, Ed Copeland, and Jeremy Meeks had a conversation months ago about this perennially important topic.

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Recently, there’s been lots of conversation about what constitutes plagiarism in the pulpit.

So Jonathan Leeman chatted with Mark Dever and Ben Lacey about the topic.

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In Exodus 26–31, Moses is on the mountain talking with God. While that was happening, what were God’s people up to?

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Exodus 32–33, in which God’s people “worship” God in terribly destructive ways.

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Image: The Adoration of the Golden Calf, by Nicolas Poussin (1633)

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When we get to Exodus 26–31, we’re tempted to let our eyes glaze over what seems to be an overly long list of the Tabernacle furniture and its accompanying details. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi what these chapters tell us and why we as Christians should care about them.

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Why is the Lord’s Supper so important? What should ordinary Christians know about it?

Jonathan Leeman interviews Aubrey M. Sequeira and Sam Emadi about this question.

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Book: Why Is the Lord’s Supper So Important?, by Aubrey M. Sequeira

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God’s Word is for everyone. But how do we preach to people who are quite different from our ordinary audience?

In this episode of Preachers Talk, Jeremy Meeks, Ed Copeland, and John Onwuchekwa tackle the challenging topic of cross-cultural preaching.

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In Exodus 24–25, the summit of Sinai becomes the floor of heaven. Through Israel, God is once again establishing a connection between heaven and earth. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about what all this means.

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Article: On Earth as in Heaven: A (Very) Brief Biblical Theology of Heaven, by Sam Emadi

Image: Moses on Mount Sinai, by John Martin (1789 – 1854)

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Have you ever asked, “How can I find someone to disciple me?”

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever, Garrett Kell, and Mike McKinley about that common question.

SHOW NOTES

Book: How Can I Find Someone to Disciple Me?, by Garrett Kell