Reformation and the Care of Souls

Happy Reformation Day! I was privileged to speak in chapel today at Union University for our Reformation Day chapel and chose as my topic, “The Care of Souls: The Heart of the Reformation.” My main point is that the Reformation was not simply an academic or abstract discussion but arose from the pastoral care of …

Continue reading ‘Reformation and the Care of Souls’ »

Video of Messages at Charlotte Chapel Conference

Earlier this year I mentioned The Call conference for pastors to be held at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was blessed to be apart and benefited from all the messages. I have mentioned some of them along the way but just recently noticed that video of all the messages has been posted online. So, …

Continue reading ‘Video of Messages at Charlotte Chapel Conference’ »

Do You Desire the Office of Overseer?

In expounding Paul’s comment on people desiring the office of overseer (1 Timothy 3:1), Calvin deals extensively with sinful (arrogant) and proper desire for such a position. He notes the difficulty of the work and that in Paul’s day as in his own, a man could not be a Minister of the word of God …

Continue reading ‘Do You Desire the Office of Overseer?’ »

“The Saving of Souls,” Calvin on Pastoral Duty

“The Holy Ghost called them also Bishops, that is to say, watchmen over the flock, to show that it is not an honor of idleness to be called to this state, and therefore that he must not be idle, but know that he is sent to go about the saving of souls, and therefore must …

Continue reading ‘“The Saving of Souls,” Calvin on Pastoral Duty’ »

Self-reliant, High-Pressure Evangelism Illustrated

If you have read Mark Dever’s good little book on evangelism, then you have seen an excerpt from C. S. Lovett’s Evangelism Made Easy used to illustrate the overly pragmatic approach to evangelism which relies on psychological pressure and aims simply at “decisions.” Now Tim Challies has more quotes along with the illustrations from Lovett’s …

Continue reading ‘Self-reliant, High-Pressure Evangelism Illustrated’ »