Calvary Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
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August 2, 2026 -
Jonathan Hatt is the campus minister for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) on the campus of Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. He was born and raised in Southwest Florida, but moved to the Mid-Atlantic region to attend Westminster Theological Seminary. Before moving to New Jersey, he served churches in Wilmington, Delaware, and southeastern Pennsylvania.
July 26, 2026 -
Aron Geissinger is the Assistant Pastor at Mercy Hill Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Glassboro, NJ. He grew up in Boyertown, PA and has degrees from Nyack College (Business Administration) and Westminster Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity).
July 19, 2026 - In a world of danger and injustice, we can pray to God for rescue because he listens to the Righteous.
Those who seek God’s rescue and trust in his provision will have assurance of eternal joy.
6/28/26 - The fool who denies God’s authority will face his terror, but those who cry out for rescue will be saved.
In a world of promises we can’t trust, only the true and trustworthy Word of the Lord will provide the safety for which we long.
6/7/26 - Paul’s final instructions to the Corinthians provide ten important encouragements for every Christian.
5/31/26 - Effective gospel witness and church ministry requires generosity of both finances and time.
5/24/26 - The victory of Jesus over death leads to a confident hope, a defiant joy, and a purposeful mission.
Jesus makes it possible for us to know that when he returns we will receive a perfect new body that will never wear out and will always glorify God.
The truth of the resurrection of Jesus and his followers has profound implications for how we live and how we die.
Since Christ has been raised from the dead, all his people will be raised to eternal life and the enemies of God will be defeated.
The truth and necessity of the death of Jesus by crucifixion is the starting point for celebrating the hope of his resurrection.
The risen Jesus offers peace to the anxious, evidence to the doubting, mission to the waiting, and forgiveness to the believing.
Only Jesus has the words of eternal life and there is no one else who can satisfy our greatest needs for truth and joy.
Two controversial truths that emerge from Jesus’s signs and teachings (and that remain controversial today) are, nonetheless, a source of great comfort and thanksgiving for the Christian.
Jesus is the bread of life. Whoever believes in him will have eternal life and never be hungry.
Our needs surpass our resources and the situation calls for Jesus—the one who alone accomplishes our eternal rescue and satisfies our greatest hunger.
David Keddie is a Ruling Elder at Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lawrenceville, NJ. For more than 20 years, he has served on the staff of Princeton Christian Fellowship, a student ministry at Princeton University. He recently completed his Master of Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary.
The evidence is overwhelming to demonstrate the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Multiple witnesses provide conclusive testimony. How will you plead?
People are desperate to find a sense of true, lasting rest for their anxious souls—an eternal “Sabbath of the Soul” for the spiritual insomniac. Where should we look?
One of the core characteristics of a healthy church is the radical generosity of God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ resulting in our radical generosity toward others.
Will anything ever satisfy the deep needs of our heart and answer our biggest questions? Jesus reveals himself to be the only satisfying answer.
The most important question in the world is: Will you believe what Jesus says about himself.
Rev. David Harr (the original Pastor Harr) is the younger, but wiser brother of Pastor Tom. He is a graduate of Lafayette College (B.A. in Physics) and Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv). Since 2005, he has been the pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Medford, NJ. He and his wife, Maggie, have four children.
The frustration of imperfect and evil leaders points us toward a greater promise of an eternal King who arrived at Christmas.
The death of God’s prophet is not the end, but actually part of the plan to rescue God’s people.
All the wealth and power in the world can’t make you clean in God’s sight. He is the only true source of eternal healing and riches. 11/23/25
The experience of the Shumanite woman shows us that if the
resurrection is true, then you have every reason to get (and keep) your
hopes up.
Tim Shorey was in pastoral ministry for over forty years, serving in New Jersey and Pennsylvania until he was diagnosed with cancer over three years ago. He has authored several books, the most recent of which is From a High Mountain: 31 Reflections on the Character and Comfort of God (based on Isaiah 40). He and Gayline, his wife of 47 years, have six children and 14 grandchildren.
Because of Jesus, Christians can (like Elijah), face the end of this life without fear and with confidence that it is the beginning of life with God in our eternal home.
When Israel’s King unexpectedly repents of great evil, we
are reminded of the forgiveness available to even the most wicked
sinners who genuinely submits in faith to the King Jesus.
When God’s servants meet resistance and are frustrated that life isn’t working how we want it to, God assures us that he is perfectly executing his plan.
In times of trouble, Christians must boldly proclaim the
salvation that comes only through the God who brings (and takes) the
fire.
Don’t settle for a god who only promises falsely to provide for your material needs. We need the LORD who sovereignly rules over death.
In a world of famine and drought, God sends his Word to feed and rescue the poorest and most unlikely from their hunger and thirst.
A foolish choice by the son of King Solomon divides the kingdom of Israel and plunges it into conflict and division. But even when they’re foolish, God isn’t done with his people.
When we cry out in faith from the deep, we can rest assured that we are in our Savior’s keep.
When the world becomes hostile for God’s people, the
LORD calls us to resist the temptation to run and hide. Instead, he
wants us to trust in his sovereign rule, perfect justice, and eternal
plan.
Human beings have dignity and significance because they are created and redeemed by the majestic God of the Universe.
God is a perfect and powerful judge who protects us by using what others intend for evil to defeat evil forever.
Because of God’s steadfast love, we can come to him
when we have done wrong and are struggling to find forgiveness and
healing.
David Keddie is a Ruling Elder at Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA)
in Lawrenceville, NJ. For almost 20 years, he has served on the staff
of Princeton Christian Fellowship, a student ministry at Princeton
University. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree at
Westminster Theological Seminary.
Phil Henry is the pastor of Mercy Hill Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Glassboro, NJ, which he was called to start by the New Jersey Presbytery in 2009. He was ordained in 2000 and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Seminary in California and a Master of Theology degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Phil and his wife, Polly, have six grown children.
We come into God's presence to bless him because he first comes into our presence to bless us.
Public worship is God-directed and corporately aware. God commands and directs our worship. Everything we do when we gather should be respectful and orderly.
Jesus removes walls that divide Christians and gives us unity with each other... because his sacrifice first gives us unity with God.
The coming of Jesus began a new era of history where the message of salvation is now explicitly for all nations and languages. The church’s mission is to continue proclaiming that message until Jesus returns.
Love is necessary, permanent, supreme; and it is revealed to us in the character and actions of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
God has designed his church to be a community of individuals—distinct and different, but united and interdependent.
God gives gifts to his church to unite them in celebrating and proclaiming that Jesus is Lord.
Christians are to gather in unity to celebrate and proclaim what Jesus has done. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is our opportunity to display not just our understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice but our trust in it.
God created men and women equal in dignity and worth as
bearers of his image. But he gave them certain different roles in
worship and marriage to highlight different aspects of his character
and glory.
The magnificence and importance of the gospel allows us to willingly set aside the right to do things our way, for the greater reward of following Jesus together.
The most important two-word phrase in the history of human speech is “But God...” We were dead, but God made us alive because of his grace.
The most important question in the world is: Will you believe what Jesus says about himself?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an effort of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children
Jesus is the one who connects heaven and earth. When he finds us, we find the one we’ve always been seeking.
Jesus is the answer to what we are seeking. Our greatest joy will only be experienced when we are living with him.
Here is the Christian message in one sentence: Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
The early Christian church was characterized by certain core principles and practices that help shape our vision for Calvary today.
Knowing God and knowing yourself are inseparably linked. The starting point for knowing Jesus is first knowing you’re not him.
“God became a man to dwell among his people in order to display the grace and truth of his glory.”
Bob Orner has served as the Lead Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Cherry Hill, NJ since 2014. Raised in East Africa, Bob has served churches in North America for over 30 years as a youth minister, church planter, and seminary instructor. He also currently leads Gospel First, a ministry training churches to share the gospel. Bob and his wife, Chris, were married in 1986 and have one adult son, Taylor, who is married to Nicole.
The announcement of the birth of Jesus is the hope to our shattered expectations and there is only one correct response. But it’s not an easy one.
The Lord announces the most amazing event in history to a humble young woman who responds in faith.
When prayers seem unanswered for a long time, belief in God’s promises can grow weak. But God breaks the silence with good news of a promise he intends to keep
Drew Grigg is the Pastor of Youth and Families at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill, NJ where he lives with his wife Meghan and their three children. Originally from Richmond, VA, Drew has been serving at Covenant Church since 2015, following his graduation from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
As God promised, judgement would come on God’s people (Judah) and God’s city (Jerusalem). But God’s plan of salvation wasn’t done. He will bring salvation by faith in the eternal King.
In our moments of uncertainty and pain, God’s eternal covenant to rescue and restore his people stands firm. There is no ultimate despair for a Christian because Jesus is the promised king and the perfect priest who keeps God’s promises.
Earthly kingdoms and nations rise and fall, but our greatest need is a covenant relationship with the God who made the world and everything in it. God gives us the promise that such a relationship is possible and shows us how to obtain it.
When God’s people live in a hostile land, God commands them to love and seek the peace of their enemies. And he provides the example and the resources to do that because he did the same for us.
When God’s people live in a hostile land, God commands them to love and seek the peace of their enemies. And he provides the example and the resources to do that because he did the same for us.
God’s wrath is described as a cup of bitter wine that is terrible and deserved by all. But Jesus drinks this cup and offers a new one to everyone who trusts in him.
Submitting to the sovereign hand of “the Potter” leads to lasting hope and freedom because Jesus willingly became clay and was smashed on the stone for us.
God welcomes our honest questions about suffering, but calls us to trust in his character and his work… even when we don’t understand the details of his plan.
Worshiping anything other than God is dumb and won’t make you happy. When you have Jesus, you have all you need.
A church can believe and do all the right things and still be far from God. Jesus desires a revival of passionate love among us.
It is possible to find false comfort in religious practice. But outward observance by itself won’t change the untransformed heart. We need a Temple that will actually save us.
God exposes the sin in our lives as being not just simply a broken rule, but as an adulterous affair. And yet, it’s in the image of a marriage that we truly see how much he loves us.
God gives us a message to proclaim to our times. Sin has serious consequences, but there is hope for the broken.
In a world of conflict and suffering, the flame of hope may appear to be just a ‘flicker’ that may fade. But because God rules history, it is a ‘glimmer’ that will grow.
In a dangerous and hostile world, God invites us to remember who he is and what he does.
Santo Garofalo and his wife, Mary Ellen served as MNA church planters in Atlantic City for 13 years and are now MTW missionaries at Nuova Vita in Salerno, Italy. He grew up in Point Pleasant and first came to faith through the ministry of Calvary.
How can you get a good night’s sleep when your life seems out of control? The Lord hears you and is your only source of safety.
The enemies we face are real and dangerous. But the Lord is our Warrior King who rescues us and gives us rest.
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an effort of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children
In response to a world in rebellion, God gives us a promised Messiah, a powerful King, and a beloved Son.
There are two ways to live. To know and love God is the only one that will lead to eternal blessing.
God is perfectly holy and loving at the same time. He wants us to be both too. He helps us to make decisions about how to live by telling us and showing us.
Worship is entering into committed fellowship with something or someone. But God demands total commitment and Jesus died and rose to make it possible.
Experience and history show how misplaced desires and discontent hearts are the reasons we don’t love our neighbors or our fellow Christians well. But God is faithful.
Jonathan Hatt is the campus minister for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) on the campus of Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. He was born and raised in Southwest Florida, but moved to the Mid-Atlantic region to attend Westminster Theological Seminary. Before moving to New Jersey earlier this year, he served churches in Wilmington, Delaware, and southeastern Pennsylvania.
How do you live a life of eternal purpose and abundant blessing? It will require you to have a singular focus on a great goal and a willingness to embrace restriction as the path to greater freedom.
The magnificence and importance of the gospel allows us to willingly set aside our rights for the greater reward of Jesus.
There is freedom for Christians to have different perspectives and views in the nonessentials of faith and practice. In those cases, our love for other Christians is more important than being right.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry. Craig currently serves on the Board of Directors for Oakseed Ministries International, a Calvary-supported missions organization that serves the world’s poorest and most neglected urban communities.
Each Christian can serve God in whatever situation assigned to him or her. Striving with contentment is possible because Jesus showed us what trusting the Lord’s assignment looks like.
Singleness is a high calling for some that points to the ultimate marriage that awaits every Christian.
Paul gives practical instructions to Christians in different types of marriages. We are empowered to obey because we have a faithful husband, Jesus Christ, who pursues us and reconciles us to God.
The Bible’s view of sexuality in marriage is as radically counter-cultural in the 21st century as it was in the 1st century. And it is very good.
The world (and often the church) sets the goal of sexuality far too low. Far from being ashamed of the topic, Christians should celebrate the better story of sex that leads us to God.
Proclaiming the gospel message is used by the Holy Spirit to highlight the power of God in our salvation. This unifies the church by giving the glory to God and giving his people confident assurance.
Our response to the crucifixion and resurrection reveals where we find our security. True safety is only found by surrendering in faith to the crucified and risen Jesus.
The history of Israel and Judah reveals the futility and hopelessness of trusting in earthly kings. Even the best of political leaders are temporary and have no power over people’s hearts. But recognizing this reality refocuses our hope to where it should always have been—toward a greater promise and an enduring victory that comes only through an eternal King.
Real reform must end in a tomb one way or the other.Either it leads to futility where good intentions go to die. Or it leads to resurrection hope.
Summary: In whom do you trust when your security is threatened? Ultimately, neither your own effort or the strength of your friends will save you. God must act.
David Keddie is a Ruling Elder at Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lawrenceville, NJ. For almost 20 years, he has served on the staff of Princeton Christian Fellowship, a student ministry at Princeton University. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary.
The Kingdom of Israel collapsed because of its ongoing rebellion against the LORD. But the lesson of Israel’s exile can be our hope if we turn to the true king they rejected.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions.
Even when it seems like God’s promises are in danger, He is always at work. The true and rightful King reigns even as we wait for his full revealing and reign.
Many people say they want the truth, but really don’t. However, if truth is truth, you can’t actually escape it and make it untrue.
The mission of the church is to celebrate and proclaim the good news that though separated from God by sin, we have been reconciled with God by Christ and will be presented to God as holy.
An obscure king of the northern tribes of Israel is an example of how God judges sinful leaders and offers grace in the midst of evil.
Faced with the question of what it means to be a leader, Solomon’s son chooses foolishly and divides the kingdom of Israel. But God rules even over the stupidity with a plan for a perfect Servant King.
You think you have problems? King Solomon had problems—most of them of his own doing. His personal life was a mess. The united kingdom of Israel was in its last days. And he’s about to die. But God wasn’t done with his people and he’s not done with you.
Bob Orner has served as the Lead Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Cherry Hill, NJ since 2014. Raised in East Africa, Bob has served churches in North America for over 30 years as a youth minister, church planter, and seminary instructor. Bob and his wife, Chris, were married in 1986 and have one adult son, Taylor, who is married to Nicole.
The eternal God became a man to dwell among his people in order to display the grace and truth of his glory.
In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul has reviewed the gospel. He’s challenged and encouraged. And now he summarizes his message.
Life decisions can be complex and filled with uncertainty. But God has made certain parts of his will very clear. And he’s given us the way to know certain things for sure.
We prepare to meet Jesus (either in death or when he returns) by pursuing peace in this life through the respect of leaders and love for one another.
For all we don’t know about the return of Jesus, what we do know is enough to sustain and encourage us until that day.
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an effort of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children
Christians simultaneously take personal responsibility for their actions and humbly depend on others in community. Only Jesus perfectly brings independence and dependence together at the same time.
God commands sexual holiness because he wants something better for us than the world’s second-rate pleasures.
A Christian life results in the joyful pursuit of holiness and overflows in love toward everyone. When we love someone, we are concerned for their spiritual condition, we desire to be with them, and we pray for their love and holiness.
Christian leaders should relate toward those under their care with deep concern and a singular goal.
The grace of God transforms us into people who now live, suffer, and serve for his glory.
What motivates a Christian to share the good news about Jesus and what should their life look like?
A Christian Church is a community that is characterized by joy, mission, repentance, and hope.
Confidence in our eternal future is built on a relationship with a loving God through Jesus Christ that is observable in the outward evidence of inner change.
Santo Garofalo and his wife, Mary Ellen served as MNA church planters in Atlantic City for 13 years and are now MTW missionaries at Nuova Vita in Salerno, Italy. He grew up in Point Pleasant and first came to faith through the ministry of Calvary.
In the midst of misery and defeat, we find hope in the victory provided by God through a Shepherd-King and in fulfilment of a covenant of grace.
God is not absent in adversity and opposition. He is creating the opportunity for us to patiently wait for rescue.
The Lord cares so deeply for his people that he calls them to account for their sin before the court of perfect justice.
A promised King will come from the most unlikely of places to establish lasting peace through a fierce opposition to all that harms us.
Despite the rebellion of God’s people and the resistance of God’s enemies, the Lord is bringing a day when peace will prevail and people from all nations will enjoy his loving rule.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions.
God stands against the bully. He will not let injustice stand. He is the shepherd-king who triumphantly breaks his people free and leads them in eternal victory.
The whole world is under the Lord’s authority and all are called to account for their rebellion. The prophet Micah is our model as he warns of coming judgment and mourns over sin’s consequences.
Joe Fischer is a campus minister with Reformed University Fellowship at Rutgers University. He was born and raised in New Jersey and, along with his wife Kiana, is a graduate of Rutgers. After completing his degree at Rutgers, Joe attended Westminster Theological Seminary and was ordained as a Teaching Elder in the PCA. Joe and Kiana are the parents of a son and a daughter.
Everyone places their hope for the future in something. Christians trust in unmerited grace demonstrated in a Savior who rose from the dead.
Something is wrong with the world because there is something wrong with us. But Jesus acts radically and decisively to solve the problem.
The identity and mission of Jesus defines our identify and mission in a far more satisfying way than any internal aspiration or external expectation.
The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is both the testimony of what God has done and the enabling power for the mission he now commands.
Most of life is spent “in the middle.” Between the Ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus show us the pattern for faithful living between the big, dramatic moments of life.
The triumphant return of Jesus to heaven leaves his followers with a sense of completion, anticipation, and contentment.
The resurrected Jesus provides everything we need most and everything for which we strive.
Life’s profound disappointments tempt us to despair, but the resurrection of Jesus brings hope. We see that hope in a group of women who go to the tomb of Jesus and return with the greatest news ever.
David Keddie is a Ruling Elder at Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lawrenceville, NJ. For the last 18 years, he has served on the staff of Princeton Christian Fellowship, a student ministry at Princeton University. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary.
Life’s profound disappointments tempt us to despair, but the resurrection of Jesus brings hope. We see that hope in a group of women who go to the tomb of Jesus and return with the greatest news ever.
The crucifixion of Jesus was not a tragic accident or mistake. It was the climax of a long-planned rescue that points to the justice and mercy of God.
The innocent Jesus is condemned in place of the guilty. Our "Passover Pardon" is secured with his blood.
When we accept the claims of Jesus, his identity becomes the basis for ours, and prevents us from treating him as an amusing curiosity.
Will you align yourself with Jesus? Some will attack him and others run from him. But you can not avoid his gaze. (Nor do you want to.)
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions.
Our salvation hangs in the balance as Jesus prays about the painful trial that awaits him. His victory over temptation is the source of our eternal hope and a powerful example for how to live faithfully.
The Passover meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples on the night of his betrayal is a pivotal lesson about who he is, what he came to do, and how we must respond.
Jesus warns and encourages us that his return will make everything right and secure the ultimate redemption of all those who trust in Him.
We all live to honor something that we believe is most
important. Whom do you seek to honor with your life?
There are few Christian beliefs more controversial today than Jesus’s claim to be the exclusive way to life, hope, and joy. But this is what we celebrate and proclaim—because it is true, and it is loving.
Is there something after this life? It is a question everyone asks. And how you answer matters now and for eternity.
Jesus does not simply make suggestions or give advice. He claims to be in charge. In response, he calls us to submit to his religious authority, recognize his political authority, and trust his sacrificial authority.
Jesus arrives on the scene and makes a clear claim of rightful rule in our lives. But he’s a different King than many people expect. And our response to his claims are eternally significant.
What can be done with the sense of guilt we all feel? God's Servant sees the severity of our guilt but frees us from it through his suffering.
Jesus is the Servant of God that the people of ancient Israel failed to be. And the rescue Jesus provides offers the world a freedom far beyond anything we imagine.
Hundreds of years before his birth, the Messiah Jesus is described as a servant. The Prophet Isaiah introduces us to him and explains his mission.
Dr. Stephen Estock is the Coordinator for the Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM) of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He currently lives in the Metro Atlanta area with his wife, Susan. Together they have three adult children.
Christians fight alongside each other in a great battle of eternal significance. The struggle is real but the victory is assured.
The equal dignity before God of masters and servants that is grounded in Christianity transformed their relationship in the ancient world and continues to impact how we understand work today.
God's glory and goodness are clearly seen when the relationship between children and their parents works as designed.
The central love story of human history will conclude with an ending so satisfying that it could only have been written by the Author of the universe.
To take advantage of the opportunities to proclaim Jesus provided by our cultural moment, we must draw our strength and wisdom from the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the light that exposes the darkness so we are able to do what pleases God and live as we were designed. In other words, we can now walk in the light because, in Jesus, we are the light.
We are to imitate God and not the idolater, because we are loved by a sacrificial savior.
In order to live and love like Jesus, we must understand who we are and what we have been given through the working of God’s great power.
The Bible (specifically in Paul’s writings) uses the image of a “body” to teach us that the church has a head (Jesus) who enables each member through his/her union with Him to fulfill its purpose in coordinated harmony and joy.
David Keddie is a member of Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lawrenceville, NJ. For the last 18 years, he has served on the staff of Princeton Christian Fellowship, a student ministry at Princeton University. He is currently pursuing his Masters of Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary and ordination in the PCA.
The story of humanity is a “collision of kings” as we attempt to rule our lives and claim glory for ourselves. But this arrogance leads only to a spiritual imprisonment from which only God can save us.
Followers of Jesus were first called Christians in Antioch. And in that ancient city we see the characteristics of the church take shape.
Because Jesus decided to intervene to rescue us, we are transformed to preach the gospel to those who haven’t heard... and they are transformed to believe.
The acceptable sacrifice of Jesus makes it possible for the unclean to be forever welcomed into God's house.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions.
After being confronted with and believing the truth about Jesus, the Christian asks, “What shall I do now?” Following Jesus involves both the right knowledge and faithful obedience.
We will never understand the true nature of conversion or be able to desire it for others until we understand that we are like Saul, in need of the forgiving grace of God.
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an outreach of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children.
God guides the witness of his followers to bring people to faith in Jesus and fellowship in His Church.
We can test the genuineness of our faith in Jesus by looking at our lives, our loves and our Lord.
Christians take the message of Jesus wherever they go. The results are changed lives and much joy.
The love and peace of God's people is based on the love and peace that exists eternally in God.
The blessing of God comes to us not just in spite of our pain and suffering, but often–very intentionally–through it.
To all of his people and through the mediation of his priest, the Lord offers the blessing of his comforting presence and the peace of his loving favor.
Solomon’s sin had significant consequences which would impact the people of Israel for the remainder of its national history. But God isn’t done with his promise. And that means that when we sin and when loving discipline comes to us, God isn’t done with us either.
The goal of our hope for the future is the salvation of our whole selves. This amazing salvation is the fulfilment of past promises that transform us forever.
Our hope in the midst of life’s struggles is founded in God’s purposeful use of suffering to secure the promise of eternal resurrection.
If you could ask God one question, what would it be? Those who honestly seek the truth will discover it’s even better than they had hoped.
As King Solomon stands at the summit of all that he has built and all the blessing he has received, God presents him with a promise and a warning. What will he do with what he has been given?
At the end of the long description of the Temple’s construction and dedication, King Solomon reminds the people of Israel (through his words and actions) of God’s goodness and grace.
After centuries of wandering, much uncertainty, and hard-earned peace, God keeps his promise to live with his people forever.
How does God's house relate to our house? The LORD reigns over both and we encounter his presence through what he says and what he does.
While everyone enjoys the beauty and comfort of a completed building, very few enjoy the tedium and details of the project itself. But the rest found in a project's completion is only possible because of the planning and work done before.
Solomon will prove to be an imperfect king. But his rule points us to the promised prosperity of God’s people in his eternal kingdom.
Wisdom doesn’t come “poof” from a genie. It comes from knowing God, walking with him, and learning from him. And that’s only possible because wisdom is ultimately embodied in a person.
When the rightful king assumes power and establishes his kingdom, he fulfills the covenant promises through obedience to the law and he defeats the kingdom's enemies.
God's steady hand guides history as he continues to work out his plans for an eternal King to whom we must bow.
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an effort of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children.
Are you willing to give up everything and turn your life over to a Savior who, by asking you to forsake everything you have, offers you far greater in return?
God comes to a rebellious and divided people and promises forgiveness, transformation, and his eternal presence through a Messiah King in the line of David.
We all long for a sense of satisfaction, joy, and strength that can only be found in Jesus. Though we search for those things in ways that can never satisfy, God calls us to come and experience true and lasting satisfaction in Him.
The moment when life seems bleakest is the perfect moment to proclaim the certain promises of God to rescue and restore. There is no ultimate despair for God's people because Jesus is the promised king and the perfect priest who keeps god's promises
Do you ever feel as if you’re going through life carrying more than you can bear? Only Jesus—completely, perfectly, and permanently—can remove the burdens of our lives and provide the freedom and rest for which we long.
Paul lists several specific areas in which Christians are to live. In some ways, these commands to tell the truth, not steal, speak kindly, and forgive sound a lot like other moral or religious systems. But the gospel makes a Christian’s approach to moral living completely unique.
Are you content with who you are? If we’re honest, the answer should be no. What would you like to change and how do you do it?
Ministry is accomplished by God’s equipped people empowered by the work of Jesus – our ascended and descended Lord.
Christians are to conduct themselves in a way that enthusiastically reflects the reality of what God has done for them.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions.
The primary prayer need of every Christian is to know the power, love, and fullness of God.
We live boldly and serve sacrificially in proportion to our understanding of the gift given to us. As a result, the gospel we proclaim to others will be determined by the gospel we have personally believed.
The revealed mystery of the gospel is that God intends to bring all things under the reign of Jesus Christ. A specific application of this is the inclusion of non-Jews in the community of God's people. At first glance, that may not seem as radical today, but understanding this truth matters greatly to the contemporary church.
John Hanna is the New Jersey Capitol Minister for Ministry to State, an effort of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to care for those serving in government through prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. He lives with his wife, Nevine, in Ramsey, NJ and has five children.
We come into God's presence to bless him because he first comes into our presence to bless us.
The peace of Christ destroys walls that divide Christians and gives us unity with each other...because the blood of Christ first brings us near to God and gives us unity with Him.
Rev. Dave Lindberg - Church-planting pastor of Immanuel Church in Burlington County, whose focus is Moorestown and the surrounding townships.
On life's journey, there are times when we are caught between the transformative moments of the past and a promised (but not yet realized) future. What do we do when we doubt that the past was real and the future is possible?
Christians are forgiven sinners, whose certain hope for rescue comes only from the Lord of mercy.
August 1, 2021
With a history of oppression and with the constant threat of more, the people of God appeal to the God of Rescue and the God of Justice.
July 25, 2021
People strive relentlessly after a sense of rest and peace that always seems just beyond their grasp. But without God, our efforts will be neither eternally valuable nor eternally productive. To find true rest, we must learn how we can be truly useful and truly fruitful.
The Lord’s promise and presence to protect and defend his people is all we need to face the anxieties of life as we journey toward the eternal perfect presence of God forever.
The purpose of sexuality is something far greater than we typically think. While others consign it to lesser goals, sex is a signpost that points us to the God who made us and how he chooses to have a relationship with his people.
Craig DiBenedictis faithfully served as Calvary’s pastor for over 33 years, from 1985 to 2018. He lives in Brick with his wife, Linda, and remains active in ministry through the encouragement of local pastors and involvement in global missions through Oakseed Ministries International.
Beneath the cultural controversies and beyond the emotional arguments, what does the Bible actually say about homosexuality? God offers more than rules about our sexuality. He gives us a better story.
Even though everyone strives after various things in this life, in contrast, the Christian is commanded to excel only in a few things. The Christian is commanded to excel in the building up and encouraging of other believers. To edify, to build up, encourage other believers, it takes work and intentionality.
Sin deceives us with empty promises, but God transforms the consequences into an eternal inheritance
The quest for satisfaction is a universal human experience. But is there anything in the world that can satisfy the human heart? All of the answers prove themselves to be worthless… except one.
When Christians can’t reconcile differences among themselves they slander the gospel’s power. If (relatively small) disputes among God’s people can’t be resolved, then what hope is there for the infinitely deeper dispute between us and God? Thankfully, God lives out his own counsel.
Sin is serious because it removes us from God’s presence and the safety of his community. But forgiveness and restoration are available through the work of Jesus.
At a time when Christians are continually being tempted to splinter into factions over almost any issue, Paul confronts disunity in the Corinthian church by appealing to a unity that can be found only in Jesus.
- Appeal to Unity
- Need for Unity
- Source of Unity
In his last words, David gives us the ‘key takeaway’ of his life: God’s secures for his people an eternal ‘home’ that is guaranteed by his covenant promise and the righteous king Jesus who ultimately fulfills it.
God proves himself faithful to his promises by rescuing us from a place of danger and delivering us to a place of eternal safety. This great deliverance leads the King to celebrate and proclaim God’s greatness to the world
The end of Absalom’s rebellion is sad and complicated. All of the main characters represent some aspect of truth. Yet none are without significant blame. We need a better character and we long for a more satisfying ending.
The path of Absalom to rebellion against his father, David, the King of Israel, teaches us to recognize the signs and sources of rebellion against God in our own lives. But David’s path of exile ultimately leads us to our rebellion’s cure.
Drew is the Pastor of Youth and Families at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill, NJ where he lives with his wife Meghan and their two children.
In his encounter with the intellectual elite of Athens, Paul’s teaching about the resurrection of Jesus is the source of both curiosity and controversy. But the resurrection is also the proof of God’s control over all things, his right to judge sin, and his grace to forgive it.
Good Friday Service
In the upper room, Jesus counsels and prepares his disciples for the trauma of the coming hours by giving them the context for what was about to happen and a command to love one another.
The resurrection of Jesus is the hinge and climax of a larger and beautiful story to rescue a people for himself from every nation and ethnic group; and unite them in one community that celebrates and proclaims that good news.
We are beggars and murderers in need of healing. Peter offers it the name of the resurrected Jesus.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our only hope for life out of death, comfort out of grief, and joy out of despair. It is a very intentional act of God that is planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Spirit.
The characters in this tragic narrative show how avoiding God’s presence leads to predictable suffering and conflict. But our hope is that God still speaks.
When David is confronted with the depth of his sin and its consequences, he finds restoration through the work of God. To experience this same forgiveness, we need to understand the nature of sin and how our wrongs are removed from our record.
David’s sin is a reminder that each of us is capable of far worse than we often think. But properly understood, this accentuates how good the good news really is.
God renews his covenant with his people by promising that a king will rule from David's house. This promise has short-term, long-term, and local implications.
Calvary Presbyterian Church exists to celebrate and proclaim the eternal life, transformative hope, and unshakable joy that is found only in Jesus. This year, on Vision Sunday, we examine the second of these three principles: transformative hope.
The presence of God is the unifying and sustaining characteristic of God’s Kingdom. In the Ark of the LORD, we see both the holiness of God and the blessing of his presence.
God often seems obscure and remote from daily circumstances. But he comes with authority and his sincere offer of peace should not be rejected.
The different responses to Jesus' birth (worshipping wiseman vs. the killing king) are the same responses to the message of Jesus we see in our own lives. And it tells us a great deal about ourselves, our needs, and God's provision for us in Jesus.
In Hebrews 2:11 we see a bold declaration to us in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ that he is not ashamed to call us brothers! This is good news and it empowers our life in Christ.
Brent Kilman is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) who currently serves as the Campus Minister of Reformed University Fellowship at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.
Christmas is the launching of God's eternally conceived rescue plan to end affliction through Jesus.
What good is a baby in a manger while the world rages around us? Not much if that is all Jesus is. But the Jesus of Christmas is the eternal Son of God who rules over the world's rage and provides refuge to the weary. In response to a world in rebellion, God gives us a promised Messiah, a powerful King, and a beloved Son.
The church is built of redeemed people from different backgrounds, on the foundation of the gospel, for God himself to occupy, and at the cost of the blood of Jesus. When it comes to any building you have to consider four things:
Jesus reconciles us to one another as he reconciles people to God through the cross. The destruction of the barrier between God and humanity is inseparably linked to the destruction of the barriers that exists between people–particularly barriers of ethnicity and race.
The problem of separation among people (as terrible as its effects can be) is only a symptom of a larger problem, which is our separation from God. As a result, there is only one solution to both problems.
If we are saved by grace, then does it even matter what we do? Yes! But what we do is not the basis of our salvation. It is the result. We are saved...
The most important two-word phrase in the history of human speech is "But God..." Despite what we are and what we deserve, God's love compels him to give his children new life and eternal hope that begins right now.
Sin is a misunderstood and uncomfortable topic. But if we're going to full appreciate the grace of God, we must understand the seriousness of sin, where it comes from, and where it leads. There is good news because sin is no match for God's power.
God's power is used o behalf of those who follow him. It is based on (and demonstrated in) the work of Jesus Christ.
Our amazement at what God has done leads us to seek the spiritual growth of others. What are the three foundational truths Paul prays Christians would more clearly see and understand?