Church History
Church History
The Preaching of the Word
“Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2), Paul charged Timothy. The Puritans took this charge seriously. The insistence of the Puritans on the primacy of preaching in the church was rooted in their conviction of the divine inspiration, authority, power, and purity of the Word. Being deeply convinced that God builds...
Resources
Swearing an Oath Christianly
For sin’s sake; For truth’s sake; For God’s sake....
Church History
The Reading of the Word
The Puritans believed that the Bible should be the Christian’s daily companion. The Scottish, puritan-minded Thomas Boston (1676–1732) said, “The reading of the word is an ordinance of God, and mean[s] of salvation, of God’s own appointment. The Bible is this word, and God has given it to us, and...
Church History
All of Scripture for All of Life
Sola Scriptura, one of the five “solas,” or watchwords of the Protestant Reformation, asserts that Scripture alone is the supreme, infallible authority for Christian faith and life. Known as the “formal principle” of the Protestant Reformation, this watchword summarizes the truth that Scripture is the ultimate criterion for all that...
Christian Living
Five marks of a faithful member of Christ’s body
Ephesians 4:10–16 shows us five marks of a faithful member of Christ’s body. A faithful member receives Christ’s Word, unites with Christ’s person, connects with Christ’s people, serves others for Christ’s sake, and grows into Christ’s image. In every respect, church membership depends on the church’s living Head, Jesus Christ....
Christian Living
We engage in meditation
One practical dimension of growing in Christ is meditation. This does not mean emptying your mind of rational thought by repeating a syllable or contemplating a conundrum, such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” In Christian meditation, your mind hovers over a biblical truth like a bee...
Resources
How Christ Matures Faith in Himself
Granting Faith; Strengthening Faith; Providing Faith....
Christian Living
We faithfully attend prayer meetings
In addition to private intercessory prayer, we reveal our quest for spiritual growth by participating in prayer meetings of the church. Acts 2:42 says of the first Christ followers, “They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” The early church gathered...
Christian Living
“Walk over the vast ocean”
William Gurnall (1616–1679) asked, “Is there none, O man, that needs the mercy of God besides thyself?” In contemporary language, is there no one else that you want to be saved besides yourself? God gives us permission for our love to begin at home. So pray for your family. After...
