Putting the second coming and eschatology back into prominence in preaching. A friend of mine pursued his master’s degree on why preaching on the second coming of Jesus had declined. It is a fact that such preaching has indeed received less attention. Of course, if we are preaching systematic expository sermons through Bible books, the …
Kabul has fallen. We have all seen the heartbreaking images on the news or social media. Behind the chaos and panic of recent days in Afghanistan’s capital hangs a deep despair. The images coming out of Afghanistan now sharply contrast with the early pictures of hope 20 years ago, when American commandos and Afghan militia …
What Went Wrong in Afghanistan, and What Hope Is There? Read More »
“I’m not sure I want to face this all again… I felt quite at home during lockdown…” If you haven’t felt this way yourself, I’m sure you have heard it from someone else. The easing of restrictions and slow return to a semblance of the life we once knew brings a range of responses. And …
Lauded for his scientific discoveries and inventions (e.g., the first mechanical calculator, the syringe, and various geometric and mathematical discoveries), Blaise Pascal struggled to find satisfying answers to the riddle of the human experience. Most crushing to his scientific mind was the lack of certitude attendant to both religion and speculative sciences. Late in the …
“Kuyperians were pluralists before pluralism was cool,” writes James K. A. Smith.[1] Indeed, neo-Calvinists in the tradition of Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920) display a marked fondness for stressing the possibility and imperative of shared cultural labor between Christians and non-Christians in society. Christians can work alongside non-Christians to create God-glorifying artifacts of culture, such as art or music, …
Abraham Kuyper’s and Klaas Schilder’s Visions of Culture Read More »
What’s a pastor to do? It’s a simple question, but it’s surprising how different pastors answer it. Some say they’re here to shepherd. Others say they’re here to teach. None would say they’re here to entertain, but a steady diet of their teaching leaves the listener wondering. I once saw a pastor begin his service …