One of the best things about classic Christmas hymns is how good they are at biblical theology, of grasping how the incarnation fits in the story of the whole Bible. Many of these songs are filled with allusions to Old Testament texts which people today often miss, and these songs often connect Christ’s coming with …
Continue reading ‘“Second Adam from Above, Reinstate Us in Thy Love”’ »
As we begin the Advent season, here is a hymn from an anonymous Greek original which captures well our longing for Christ’s return. “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns” The King shall come when morning dawns, And light triumphant breaks; When beauty gilds the eastern hills, And life to joy awakes. Not as …
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Christian Today recently ran an article titled, “Which kind of church appeals to Millennials? It’s not as trendy and modern as you think.” I welcome almost anything that says “trendy isn’t as cool as you think.” That said, the article (unintentionally it seems) illustrates the problem with shaping ourselves based on the perceived desires or …
The Desiring God blog recently posted the transcript of an interview with Tim Keller about his new book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God. I have not yet read the book, but the second question in the interview and Keller’s response captured my attention. I am delighted that Keller is highlighting the value of …
This column by Peter Leithart is a powerful call for pastors to believe in the effectiveness of God’s word, to be reminded of the spiritual realities at work in what they do. Leithart specifically is saying pastors need not entering the realm of politics in order to impact the world. This is true, but don’t …
Happy Reformation Day! This is always a day celebrated in the Van Neste household as we acknowledge the blessings that have come down to us because of this great movement: e.g., having the scriptures in our own language, having our own copies of the Bible, understanding that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone …
How should a pastor think of the members of the church he serves? Too often today church members are thought of as customers or potential workers. This is not the scriptural pattern; nor is it the practice of our forebears. Just today I came back to “The Glory and Ornament of a True Gospel‐constituted Church” …
Continue reading ‘“Your souls, more precious than thousands of worlds”’ »
I am a teacher of Christian theology, and as the principle source book of Christian Theology is a Greek book, and a large part of its literature is written in Latin, I am predisposed to desire that Greek and Latin should have a large place in academic training. I fully recognize, however, that the …
“Oh, brother or sister, God calls us to worship, but in many instances we are in entertainment, just running a poor second to the theaters. That is where we are, even in the evangelical churches, and I don’t mind telling you that most of the people we say we are trying to reach will …
“The Robin and the Sparrow” Said the robin to the sparrow, “I should really like to know, Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so.” Said the sparrow to the robin, “Friend I think that it must be, That they have no Heavenly Father, Such as cares for you and me.” ― Elizabeth Cheney …