Justification by Faith Alone

Justification by Faith, Not by Works
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Vain are the hopes the sons of men,
On their own works have built;
Their hearts by nature all unclean,
And all their actions guilt.

Let Jew and Gentile stop their mouths,
Without a mum'ring word,
And the whole race of Adam stand
Guilty before the Lord.

In vain we ask God's righteous law
To justify us now;
Since to convince and to condemn
Is all the law can do.

Jesus, how glorious is Thy grace!
When in Thy name we trust,
Our faith recieves a righteousness
That makes the sinner just.

Audio and Video of J.R.R. Tolkien

If you enjoy literature at all, I am guessing that you appreciate the literary feast that is J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit). Justin Taylor has posted several video clips of Tolkien reading and/or discussing the works in his own voice. View them and listen to them here.

J. Gresham Machen Resources

In honor of J. Gresham Machen's birthday yesterday, Martin Downes has posted numerous resources related to Machen's life and theological legacy. Check them out here.

A Summary of Preaching

The following is taken from the Banner of Truth's edition of the classic Puritan text on preaching, The Art of Prophesying, by William Perkins.

Preaching involves:

1) Reading the text clearly from the canonical Scriptures.

2) Explaining the meaning of it, once it has been read, in the light of the Scriptures themselves.

3) Gathering a few profitable points of doctrine from the natural sense of the passage.

4) If the preacher is suitably gifted, applying the doctrines thus explained to the life and practice of the congregation in straightforward, plain speech.

The heart of the matter is this:

Preach one Christ,
by Christ,
to the praise of Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria
To God alone be the glory!

Daily Preaching the Gospel to Yourself

Tim Challies recently posted an excerpt from Jerry Bridges' book, Respectable Sins, in which Bridges explains the excellent practice that he has made popular in his books - daily preaching the gospel to yourself. This is such a helpful practice, and one that keeps us ever centered on the cross of Christ.

The Morning Star of the Reformation

This has to be one of my favorite pictures of the Pre-Reformation era. It is a portrait of John Wycliffe, who laid the groundwork for folks like Luther and Tyndale. Notice Wycliffe resisting the Roman Catholic authorities and clinging ever so tightly to his English Bible - something for which he eventually would be martyred.

This portrait says volumes about the significance of the time period leading up to and including the Reformation, and about the incredible treasure of having the Bible translated in your own language. Thanks be to God for raising up men like John Wycliffe!

Here is the plaque that accompanies the painting at St. James Clerkenwell.

This Day in Church History

July 25, 325

The Council of Nicaea closes. The first of the ecumenical councils (this one convened by Constantine), it officially condemned the teaching of Arius, who denied the fully deity of Christ.

A Poetic Call to Prayer

An Exhortation to Prayer
by William Cowper, 1731-1800

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy-seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of pray'r,
But wishes to be often there?

Pray'r makes the dark'ned cloud withdraw,
Pray'r climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings ev'ry blessing from above.

Restraining pray'r, we cease to fight;
Pray'r makes the Christian's armor bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side;
But when thro' weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.

Have you no words! Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heav'n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft'ner be,
"Hear what the LORD has done for me!"

Five Marks of Excellence That Could End the Worship Wars

There is a great article by Donald T. Williams in the July/August issue of Touchstone titled "Durable Hymns: Five Marks of Excellence That Could End the Worship Wars" (unfortunately, it is not yet available online). In it, he discusses five criteria that we should use to evaluate contemporary worship music (and these same criteria are the ones that characterize those songs and hymns that have stood the test of time). Here is an excerpt:

"... we cannot find, encourage, and preserve the best contemporary music without knowing those marks of excellence that made the best of the past stand out and survive so long.

What are those marks? There are at least five: (1) biblical truth; (2) theological profundity; (3) poetic richness; (4) musical beauty; and (5) the fitting of music to text in ways that enhance, rather than obscure or distort, its meaning.

These are the marks of excellence in any age. They are not arbitrary but are derived from biblical teaching about the nature of worship (it is to be in spirit and in truth, and it involves loving God with our whole person, including the mind) and from an understanding of the nature of music and how it can support those biblical goals."

In the rest of the article, Williams elaborates on each of the marks and gives specific examples (both good and bad). It is well worth getting a copy and reading it in its entirety.

And though I've said it on this blog before, I'll say it again. If you do not currently subscribe to Touchstone, you are depriving yourself of possibly the best current example of literary excellence among all Christian journals. Click here to subscribe.

Pastors as Poets and Hymnwriters

Readers of this blog will not find it surprising that I greatly appreciated the recent post on "The Pastor & Worship" by Ray Van Neste. Read both the quote and Ray's thoughts below it.

Clarifying the Caricatures of Calvin

The 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth a few weeks ago brought a host of articles and stories in newspapers and magazines across the globe. Unfortunately, many of them were grossly inaccurate and did little more than perpetuate the common (yet misguided) caricatures of Calvin's life and legacy. And as I was reading in Calvin's Institutes this morning, I could not help but be reminded of how terribly misunderstood he has been.

One of the ways you will often hear Calvin described is fatalistic (i.e., since God is sovereign over all things, it doesn't matter what we do and thus things like prayer become meaningless). Of course, those who describe him in this way rarely know anything about him and have probably never read anything by him. But this characteristic is clearly dispelled in the portion that I read this morning from Book III, Chapter 20 - "Of Prayer - A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It."

Does this sound like someone who believes in fatalism?

It is very absurd, therefore, to dissuade men from prayer, by pretending that Divine Providence, which is always watching over the government of the universe, is in vain importuned by our supplications, when, on the contrary, the Lord himself declares, that he is "nigh unto all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" (Ps. 145:18).

The Value of Corporate Silence

Mark Dever has a great post on "Making Silence Together" at the 9Marks blog. It is a reflection on the moments of silence during corporate worship and the value they provide. He concludes the post in this way:

"We silence ourselves exactly because God has not kept silent. We silence ourselves in order to hear God speak in His Word (cf. Deut. 27:9) We silence ourselves to show our assent to God's charges against us (cf. Ps. 39:9). We silence ourselves to show respect and obedience and humility and restraint (cf. Zeph. 1:7; I Cor. 14:34; I Tim. 2:12). We silence ourselves to search our hearts (cf. Ps. 4:4).

... Making silence together builds and unifies the church, witnesses to the majesty of God and tacitly proclaims His greatness to all who hear."

268th Anniversary of Edwards' Famous Sermon

July 8 was the 268th anniversary of Jonathan Edwards' famous (though some would say infamous) sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." There is a great post at "A Divine and Supernatural Light" that helps clarify the circumstances surrounding this sermon. In addition, it sheds light on the fact that a sermon like "Sinners" was not the regular diet of preaching that Edwards gave his hearers.

If your high school literature class was like most, you will appreciate this more accurate reflection of Edwards' sermon.

And to listen to a free MP3 download of Max McLean's powerful presentation of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," click here.

Reactions to "Heresy" Comment

By now, you have probably heard about the comment made by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Dr. Katherine Jefferts Schori, at their General Convention last week. If not, here is what she said in her Opening Address:

The overarching connection in all of these crises has to do with the great Western heresy – that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God. It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of being. That heresy is one reason for the theme of this Convention.

Not surprisingly, there have been a few responses from evangelicals to what Schori called "the great Western heresy."

Here is one from Al Mohler.

Here is one from Richard Mouw.

And here is another from Scott Clark.

The Value of Reading Old Books

Here is wise counsel that ministers should heed from Guy Waters in his interview with Martin Downes in Risking the Truth: Handling Error in the Church.

"...[T]he minister should resolve to study good books - the best books. I am amazed when I survey the Internet at both the wealth and poverty of information available there. The web is a dangerous place for someone who is not cultivating the biblical duty of discernment. It is not the 'go-to' place for most ministers to advance their theological education after Seminary. The minister should be devouring Calvin, Turretin, the British Puritans, the Dutch 'Second Reformation' Divines, the Scottish and American Presbyterians of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and their modern heirs. The minister should read recent books, but read them with discernment. Most recent books are untested. Reading the older writers appreciatively allows us both to remain in the 'old paths' and to read recent literature without uncritical enthusiasm towards the contemporary."

-- Guy Waters

Divine Decrees

All Things Decreed
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

There's not a sparrow nor a worm
But's found in God's decrees;
He raises monarchs to their thrones,
And sinks them if he please.

If light attend the course I run,
'Tis he provides those rays;
And 'tis his hand that hides my sun,
If darkness clouds my days.

When he reveals the Book of Life,
O may I read my name
Among the chosen of his love,
The followers of the Lamb!

Bad (Literary) Company Corrupts Good (Ministerial) Character

I came across this sentence in Martin Downes' interview with R. Scott Clark in Risking the Truth: Handling Error in the Church. It is short and simple, but it struck me as something all ministers should remember.

"A minister should keep good literary company..." -- R. Scott Clark

On Preaching

"The preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God. Wherefore when this Word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully called, we believe that the very Word of God is proclaimed, and received by the faithful; and that neither any other Word of God is to be invented nor is to be expected from heaven: and that now the Word itself which is preached is to be regarded, not the minister that preaches; for even if he be evil and a sinner, nevertheless the Word of God remains still true and good."

-- The Second Helvetic Confession (1566)

The Decalogue (in verse)

Erskine's poetic rendering of the Ten Commandments could be a helpful tool for children (or adults) wanting to memorize them.

The Ten Commandments
Ralph Erskine, 1863

1. No God but Me thou shalt adore,
I am thy God alone.

2. No image frame to bow before,
But idols all dethrone.

3. God's glorious name take not in vain,
For be revered He will.

4. His sacred Sabbath don't profane,
Mind it is holy still.

5. To parents render due respect,
This may thy life prolong.

6. All murder shun and malice check,
To no man's life do wrong.

7. From thoughts of whoredom base abstain,
From words and actions vile.

8. Shun theft and all unlawful gain,
Nor gather wealth by guile.

9. False witness flee, and slandering spite,
Nor wilful lies invent.

10. Don't covet what's thy neighbor's right,
Nor harbor discontent.

Celebrating Calvin

Now that the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth has passed and many of the celebrations are over, the fruit of those celebrations are now being shared with internet audiences. One helpful example of this is the host of talks (in MP3 format) about different aspects of the life and ministry of John Calvin posted at The Theologian.

Ecclesiastical Mad Libs for Those Disillusioned with the Church

The institutional church is becoming so (pejorative adjective). When I go to church I feel completely (negative emotion). The leadership is totally (adjective you would use to describe Richard Nixon) and the people are (noun that starts with un-). The services are (adjective you might use to describe going to the dentist), the music is (adjective you would use to describe the singing on Barney), and the whole congregation is (choose among: "passive," "comatose," hypocritical," or "Rush Limbaugh Republicans"). The whole thing makes me (medical term).

I had no choice but to leave the church. My relationship with (spiritual noun) is better than ever. Now I meet regularly with my (relational noun, pl.) and talk about (noun that could be the focus of a liberal arts degree) and Jesus. We really care for each other. Sometimes we even (choose among: "pray for each other," "feed the homeless together," or "share power tools"). This is the church like it was meant to be. After all, (insert: "Where two or three are gathered, there I am in the midst of you," or "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life," or " we don't have to go to church, we are the church"). I'm not saying everyone needs to do what I've done, but if you are tired of (compound phrase that begins with "institutional" or ends with "as-we-know-it"), I invite you to join the (noun with political overtones) and experience (spiritual noun) like you never will by sitting in a (choose among the following architectural put-downs: "wooden pew," steepled graveyard," "stained-glass mausoleum," or "glorified concert hall") week after week. When will the (biblical noun) start being the (same biblical noun)?

--Taken from Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion, Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

Our Faithful God

I was reminded of the Lord's unwavering faithfulness this morning when I read Joshua 21:43-45. Notice how clear it is that God brought about what he promised (italics mine):

(43) Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. (44) And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. (45) Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Why We Love the Church

Over the weekend, I finished Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck's new book, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. For those of you who have not read it yet, let me offer a few thoughts.

1. It reads quickly and easily, much like Why We're Not Emergent.


2. And like Why We're Not Emergent, DeYoung's chapters are more didactic and Kluck's are more narrative.


3. Both men write with wit and humor, which makes for enjoyable reading.


4. The book provides a realistic and honest discussion of actual problems with the church (problems often posed by critics), but it does so without discrediting the value and necessity of the church.


5. They respond to the church's critics head on but with charity and humility.


6. It is a clear and sound call for believers to love that institution which Christ shed his precious blood for, namely the church.


7. It is a great book to give to all the twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings you know who have become disillusioned with the church.


8. Along those same lines, I would think it would be a very helpful book to give to college students (especially those at Christian colleges who sometimes see little need for the local church).


9. Chapter 6 ("Brief Interviews: Snapshots of Churched People") seemed unnecessary and out of place.


10. There were several typos throughout the book. I'm not sure if Moody Publishers are to blame or the authors themselves, but it needed better editing.


11. On the whole though, I found it to be helpful and would certainly recommend it.


12. And I think it accomplished its stated purpose:

My aim is to present to the body of Christ, and for anyone else who cares to listen, a picture of why we should be in the church. Indeed, being a part of a church - and learning to love it - is good for your soul, biblically responsible, and pleasing to God.

And I don't mean the "church" that consists of three guys drinking pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks talking about the spirituality of the Violent Femmes and why Sex in the City is really profound. I mean the local church that meets - wherever you want it to meet - but exults in the cross of Christ; sings songs to a holy and loving God; has church officers, good preaching, celebrates the sacraments, exercises discpline; and takes an offering. This is the church that combines freedom and form in corporate worship, has old people and young, artsy types and NASCAR junkies, seekers and stalwarts, and probably has bulletins and by-laws.

The church we love is as flawed and messed up as we are, but she's Christ's bride nonetheless. And I might as well have a basement without a house or a head without a body as despise the wife my Savior loves.

--Taken from the Introduction (written by Kevin DeYoung)

Another Hymn in Honor of John Calvin

Sovereign, Reigning Grace
John Newton, 1725-1807

Now may the Lord reveal his face,
And teach our stammering tongues
To make his sovereign, reigning grace
The subject of our songs.

No sweeter subject can invite
A sinner's heart to sing,
Or more display the glorious right
Of our exalted King.

Grace reigns to pardon crimson sins,
To melt the hardest hearts;
And from the work it once begins
It never once departs.

The world and Satan strive in vain
Against the chosen few;
Secured by grace's conquering reign,
They all shall conquer too.

'Twas grace that called our souls at first;
By grace thus far we've come;
And grace will help us through the worst,
And lead us safely home.

Happy Birthday John Calvin

As most of you are well aware, today marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. In honor of him, I have chosen to post a hymn that he would gladly celebrate. I will post another hymn in his honor tomorrow (another one whose message he would find fitting and appropriate).

Christ, Or Else I Die
William Hammond, 1719-1783

Gracious Lord, incline Thy ear;
My request vouchsafe to hear;
Hear my never-ceasing cry:
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Wealth and honor I disdain,
Earthly comforts, Lord, are vain;
These can never satisfy;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Lord, deny me what Thou wilt,
Only ease me of my guilt.
Suppliant at Thy feet I lie;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

All unholy and unclean,
I am nothing but sin;
On Thy mercy I rely;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Thou dost freely save the lost;
In Thy grace alone I trust.
With my earnest suit comply;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Thou dost promise to forgive
All who in Thy Son believe;
Lord, I know Thou canst not lie;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Schedule Released for Upcoming Conference at Union University

You may remember my post from several weeks ago about a conference this fall at Union University on "Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism." Well, the schedule and each speaker's topic have now been released (thanks to Ray Van Neste for bringing this to my attention). To see the entire conference website, click here.

As I said before, this looks to be a very worthwhile few days focusing on a significant subject.

Summer Preaching Methods

Some may disagree with this approach, but C.J. Mahaney offers his thoughts (based on a few decades of pastoral ministry) on preaching during the summer months.

Christ, Our Wounded Victor

Christ's Atoning Wounds
M. Justin Wainscott, © 2009

That sacred stream which ever flows,
Flows from the Savior's wounds,
Does in the souls of saints compose
Sweet, Christ-exalting tunes.

So let the saints in chorus flood
This place with songs of praise;
And sing of Christ's redeeming blood,
And marvel at his grace.

The precious wounds of Christ above -
His hands, his feet, his side -
Stand as a witness to his love
For us, his ransomed bride.

Those wounds which paid our sinful debt
Remove all grounds for pride;
For God's requirements all were met
When Christ our Savior died.

So let us boast in him alone,
And in the wounds he bears;
Since he who sits on heaven's throne
Those sacred scars still wears.

And when before that throne we stand,
And on our Savior gaze;
We'll truly come to understand,
His wounds deserve our praise.

Wendell Berry's Poetic Reflections on the Pain of Parenting

The Way of Pain
by Wendell Berry, 1980

1.
For parents, the only way
is hard. We who give life
give pain. There is no help.
Yet we who give pain
give love; by pain we learn
the extremity of love.

2.
I read of Abraham's sacrifice
the Voice required of him,
so that he led to the altar
and the knife his only son.
The beloved life was spared
that time, but not the pain.
It was the pain that was required.

3.
I read of Christ crucified,
the only begotten Son
sacrificed to flesh and time
and all our woe. He died
and rose, but who does not tremble
for his pain, his loneliness,
and the darkness of the sixth hour?
Unless we grieve like Mary
at His grave, giving Him up
as lost, no Easter morning comes.

4.
And then I slept, and dreamed
the life of my only son
was required of me, and I
must bring him to the edge
of pain, not knowing why.
I woke, and yet that pain
was true. It brought his life
to the full in me. I bore him
suffering, with love like the sun,
too bright, unsparing, whole.

John Angell James on the Weighty Task of Parenting

Recollect what a solemn thing it is to be a parent, and what a weighty responsibility attaches to those who have the immortal souls of their children committed to their care!

-- John Angell James, "Religious Education of Children, a New Year's Address to Parents and Ministers" (1846)

Thabiti Anyabwile on When to Make Changes in the Church

Thabiti Anyabwile has a helpful post over at the 9Marks blog on when to make changes in the church. It deals specifically with moving a church toward an elder-led model, but the principles would apply to most major changes. He offers some wise counsel for pastors and church leaders.

2009 Expositors' Conference

The theme of this year's Expositors' Conference at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, is "The Sacred Desk: A History of Expository Preaching from the Reformation to the Present." Steven Lawson will be joined by Joel Beeke as they explore this fascinating subject (for bios of Lawson and Beeke, click here).

Here is a look at their topics:

"The Preaching of the Reformers: Martin Luther and John Calvin" (Steven Lawson)

"The Preaching of the Puritans (I)" (Joel Beeke)

"The Preaching of the Puritans (II)" (Joel Beeke)

"The Preaching of the Great Awakening: Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield" (Steven Lawson)

"The Preaching of the 19th Century: Archibald Alexander and Charles Spurgeon" (Steven Lawson)

"The Preaching of the 20th Century: Martyn Lloyd-Jones and James Montgomery Boice" (Steven Lawson)

The thought of these topics alone make this a very desirable conference to attend. If you are in relative proximity to Mobile, Alabama (or have the means to travel there), I would encourage you to try and go. The conference is scheduled for September 28-29.

Calvin on the Gospel's Call for Humility

Therefore, if we would make way for the call of Christ, we must put far from us all arrogance and confidence.... Never shall we have sufficient confidence in [God] unless we are utterly distrustful of ourselves; never shall we take courage in him until we first despond of ourselves; never shall we have full consolation in him until we cease to have any in ourselves. When we have entirely discarded all self-confidence, and trust solely in the certainty of his goodness, we are fit to apprehend and obtain the grace of God.

-- Taken from Calvin's Institutes (3.12.8)

Called to be Saints

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, July 5 (Morning):

"Called to be saints" (Romans 1:7)

We tend to regard the apostolic saints as if they were saints in a more special manner than the other children of God. All are saints whom God has called by His grace and sanctified by His Spirit. The nearer a man lives to God, the more intensely he mourns over his own evil heart. The more his Master honors him in His service, the more also does his evil flesh tease him daily. The fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we would have thought him remarkably like the rest of the chosen family. If we had talked with him, we would have said, "We find that his experience and ours are much the same. He is more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he has the same trials to endure."

Do not look on the ancient saints as being exempt from infirmities or sins. Do not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolaters. Their holiness is attainable even by us. We are called to be saints by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation. It is a Christian's duty to force his way into the inner circle of saintship. We have the same light that they had, and the same grace is accessible to us. Why should we rest satisfied until we have equaled them in heavenly character? They lived with Jesus and for Jesus . Therefore, they grew like Jesus. Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, "looking unto Jesus," and our saintship will soon be apparent.

A Corporate Reading for Sunday, July 5

Here is an example of a corporate reading you could use in worship this coming Sunday (feel free to use it as I have written it or adapt it as you see fit). It is meant as a safeguard against much of the confusion among American evangelicals that is on display in our churches during the well-intentioned but often misguided "patriotic services."

Honoring God Before Country

As we celebrate the independence of our great nation, we acknowledge God's bountiful blessings and providential care throughout our history.

We acknowledge the courageous and sacrificial service of so many men and women who fought and are fighting for the freedoms we enjoy and so often take for granted. With deep gratitude, we recognize and remember those who gave their lives defending those freedoms.

We acknowledge those who have gone before us to help shape and form these United States.

And we acknowledge the wonderful opportunities and benefits afforded to us simply by being American.

But as Christians, while still being grateful and mindful of this wonderful nation of ours, we celebrate a far greater freedom today - freedom from sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus on this day it becomes especially important for us to remember and confess that we are Christians first, then Americans.

We acknowledge God before country; the Cross before the Stars and Stripes; and the Bible before the Declaration of Independence. Our primary loyalty is to Jesus Christ and his kingdom, which is made up of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

So we proclaim today that "our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20).

Top 5 Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible

Keith Mathison has compiled a list of his top five recommended commentaries for each book of the Bible.

Authoritative Preaching

Ray Van Neste has a great post on authoritative preaching from Doug Wilson's book, A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking.

God Exposed: Awkward Preaching in a Comfortable Age

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and 9Marks Ministries are co-sponsoring a conference, God Exposed: Awkward Preaching in a Comfortable Age, in Wake Forest, North Carolina (on the seminary's campus) September 25-26.

Speakers include Daniel Akin, Mark Dever, C.J. Mahaney, Thabiti Anyabwile, and Michael McKinley.

God Exposed will call pastors and church leaders to embrace and defend expositional preaching as a means to strengthen and grow the church. Expositional preaching - that which has as its aim to explain and apply a particular portion of God's Word - is especially important in a day when many are abandoning faithfulness to the Scripture in their pulpit ministries. This conference will encourage and train pastors whose primary calling is ministering the Word of God to their people.

New 9Marks eJournal

The July/August 9Marks eJournal is now available.

Monergism Books - Free Shipping During July

Monergism Books is offering free shipping for the entire month of July.

1. Registered users place at least $25 worth of merchandise in your shopping cart.
2. During checkout type the text July2009 in the Coupon or Customer Code box.
3. Select Economy Mail as your shipping method.
4. Shipping charges will automatically be removed from your order.
   

Available to registered users only. Offer good for domestic (within the USA) orders only during the month of July. Offer ends July 31st, 2009 and does not apply to any previous orders. Additional handling fees apply to certain large-volume sets.

Joel Beeke on Responding to Affliction Christianly

Joel Beeke offers an open letter to true believers encouraging us to "Consider Christ in Affliction." May his reminders be of great comfort to us as we endure affliction!

DeYoung and Kluck on the Church

You may remember my previous post from a few weeks ago about Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck's new book, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. Well, it is now available (it was published today). It looks to be a realistic and refreshing look at Christ's church.

In addition, DeYoung and Kluck were the guest voices today in the "On Faith" section of The Washington Post, which can be read here.

Brilliant Brevity

To the Holy Spirit
Wendell Berry, 1980

O Thou, far off and here, whole and broken,
Who in necessity and in bounty wait,
Whose truth is light and dark, mute though spoken,
By Thy wide grace show me Thy narrow gate.