All Posts

Dear Church Family,    In the adult Sunday school class, we are in the midst of the final lesson of the “Church Membership 101” series. Having examined and discussed the five vows of membership, we are briefly discussing two additional topics of predestination and paedobaptism (the practice of baptizing infants). These lessons are introductory and, therefore, not exhaustive. Here, I thought it might be helpful to simply offer a  very  brief exegetical explanation of the doctr

Dear Church Family,   In our sermon this past Sunday from Ephesians 2:8-10, “Gratitude: Walking in Good Works,” we noted that the Apostle Paul speaks of “works” (or deeds) in two very different ways. In verses 8-9, he declares that we are saved by grace through faith, “not as a result of works.” Then, in verse 10, he also declares that we are created in Christ Jesus “for good works,” which God has prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them. So, the question is: how ca

Dear Church Family,   In the past two weeks, I shared the first two of three in a series of articles written by Carl Trueman regarding the importance and benefits of confessionalism. In the first article, “ I Confess (Part I) ” Trueman argued that confessions stabilize and regulate the public teaching of the church. The emphasis of that article was to say that disciplined confessionalism regulates and informs the preaching and teaching of her officers. In the second article,

Dear Church Family,   Last week, I shared with you the first of three in a series of articles written by Carl Trueman regarding the importance and benefits of confessionalism, “ I Confess (Part I) .” In that first article, Trueman argued that confessions stabilize and regulate the public teaching of the church. The emphasis of that article was to say that disciplined confessionalism regulates and informs the preaching and teaching of her officers.   Confessions and Christian

Dear Church Family,   Last week, I referenced and quoted from Carl Trueman’s article, “Why Christians Need Confessions.” If you haven’t yet read that article, I commend it to you again.   I believe that confessions and catechisms are useful – essential, even – to better understanding the teaching of Scripture, for discipling believers in the faith, and for growing in the wisdom of the Lord. I recognize that the “essential” nature of confessions and catechisms might require s

On the final day of my Army Reserve duty at Fort Hood, TX last week, I had to complete some paperwork and administrative duties before I could depart. Once finished, I decided to make my rounds and check in on some of the other soldiers in my unit.

Dear Church Family,   In the sermon this past Sunday, I related how a friend of mine was killed in Iraq in 2003. In seeking to illustrate how Jesus is a “wonder of a counselor,” I also quoted from the conclusion of a book written by his fiancé more than ten years after his death. By way of recommending that book, Letters to Ernie  by Michelle Blanco  (published in 2016), I want to share a little of the background.   When I first read Michelle’s book, I began to read and could

Dear Church Family,   This past Sunday evening at the PWPC Christmas party, we enjoyed much wonderful food, conversation and fellowship, songs from the children of the church, and the corporate singing of some Christmas hymns. My wife and I also want to thank you for the surprise Christmas present and card which was given to us at the party. We are very grateful to the Lord for guiding our steps to the home that we have found here at Park Woods. May the Lord continue to bless

Dear Church Family,   The overarching theme of our current sermon series is the glorious blessings and promises which are foretold in Isaiah and realized in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Isaiah 9:1-7). This coming Sunday, we will be looking at how Isaiah describes the coming of the Messiah as being akin to the battle of Midian (Isaiah 9:4-5):   4  For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the batt

Dear Church Family,   In our current short sermon series in Isaiah, From Gloomy to Glorious, we’ve reached the halfway mark. So, I thought this might be a good time to summarize where we’ve been so far as we prepare to transition from Isaiah’s gloomy prophecies to his glorious promises of the coming Messiah.   The Gloomy Prophecies   In the first half of our sermon series, we found that Isaiah’s ministry, at least initially, was a gloomy one. While holding out hope for those

Dear Church Family,   In our continuing Sunday school lessons on church membership, this past Sunday we began our lesson on the third vow of church membership: “Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?” A promise to endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ entails the believer’s pursuit of holiness and growth in sanctification.   And so, we considered the

Dear Church Family,   In the most recent adult Sunday school class, we surveyed some of historical Christological heresies, ways in which people have sought to understand the teaching of Scripture regarding the second Person of the Trinity. Yet, in the end, their conclusions were determined by the greater church to be heretical, or at least unorthodox.   Theological Triage     During our discussion, in an effort to answer questions regarding the importance of doctrines that s

Dear Church Family,   In the adult Sunday school class this past Sunday, we devoted the time to answering two questions that had arisen the previous week.   1. In WCF 8.3, what does “harmless” mean?   First, we sought to answer the question regarding the definition of the word “harmless” in a particular portion of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) that we had studied. The Lord Jesus, in His incarnation, is described as being “holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of gra

Dear Church Family, This Friday, October 31st, is Reformation Day – a day to remember the Protestant Reformation over 500 years ago. This weekend also marks the end of Day Light Savings Time, so don’t forget to set you clocks back one hour on Saturday! Anyway, I thought this would be a good opportunity to address the question, “What does it mean to be Reformed?” In a general sense, all Protestant denominations may trace their roots back to the Reformation; however, not all Pr

Dear Church Family,   In the adult Sunday school class, we just concluded our study of the first vow of church membership in which we confess that we are “sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy.” One of the best ways to perceive and understand this Biblical truth, indeed one of the best ways to perceive and understand the overarching outline and teaching of Scripture, is by understanding the difference and r

Dear Church Family,   This past Sunday, I began the adult Sunday school class by saying that we, as Reformed Christians, do in fact believe in free will, and that human beings will always choose to do  that which we most want or desire to do. Unfortunately, many people outside of the Reformed faith – and even some within – do not understand or believe this truth.   In his book The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes , G.I. Williamson helpfully introduces this to

Dear Church Family,    In our most recent Sunday school class, I mentioned a song by the alternative rock band, Weezer. That’s right, I said Weezer. The song is over twenty years old, and it’s called “Undone – the Sweater Song.” Here’s the chorus:     If you want to destroy my sweater Pull this thread as I walk away (as I walk away) Watch me unravel I'll soon be naked Lying on the floor, lying on the floor I've come undone    I know, it may seem odd, but hear me out. Without

Dear Church Family,   In the adult Sunday school class, we have just finished the introductory portion of our series of lessons entitled “Church Membership 101.” This coming Sunday, we will begin our study of the five vows of church membership with the first of five vows in which we confess that we are “sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy.”   In our final introductory lesson, we talked about how followers

Dear Church Family,   One of the topics that we discussed in the adult Sunday school class this past Sunday was a doctrine known as “the spirituality of the church.” In a short and accessible article, “ Two Cheers for the Spirituality of the Church ,” Kevin DeYoung offers this succinct definition:   “In general terms, the spirituality of the church teaches that given the nature of the church under the mediatorial reign of Christ there are limits to church power and that this

Dear Church Family,   In the adult Sunday school class this past Sunday, we reviewed the vows which officers (ministers, elders, and deacons) take at their ordination, as well as the vows of church membership. One of the things that we discussed was how many today do not take seriously the oaths or vows that they make. Unfortunately, this lack of solemnity regarding the promises that we make can even sometimes creep into the church.   Yet, as Christians the Word of God comman