I recently rediscovered Sojourner Songs, a volume of poems by Ben Palpant. Once again I was struck by the quality of the poetry and the joy of reading it. Here’s a favorite example titled “Shall I Bare My Arms?” What can I offerfor the expiationof a lifetime’s sin? Shall I bare my armsand count the…
As we come to Opening Ceremonies of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games, I am sharing what will be the first of several articles by Joel Kim, President of Westminster Seminary California. Kim is a Korean-American who was born in South Korea before immigrating to America, and has a special interest in Korean Christianity, both its…
There was a time in my teens—a brief time, thankfully—when I dabbled in horror books and movies. In what is probably not an atypical experience for teenagers, I developed a strange interest in the macabre and found pleasure in getting frightened. This led me to explore a few terrifying novels and films before I decided…
This weekly column is devoted to discussing some of the themes that were common topics of discussion among Christians the week before. I often have a lot to work with, but last week there was just one major theme I picked up on, so will provide information on that while also offering a quick personal…
My challenge at a recent conference was to prepare a message that described our church’s experience of finding true Christian unity in a context of wide ethnic diversity. To ensure I was speaking on more than my own behalf, I invited my church to join together for a roundtable discussion. Over a few hours (and…
There are many benefits to living in Toronto, but perhaps none so exciting and fascinating as living in the world’s most diverse city. Over the past few decades the world has come to Toronto so that today more than half of its residents were born in a different country and those who identify as Caucasian…
As one week gives way to another, I like to provide a roundup of the themes that were prominent among Christian readers and writers in the week that was. This week people were discussing John Piper’s thoughts on female seminary professors while also discussing Rachael Denhollander’s remarkable victim impact statement from the sentencing of Larry…
There are lots of ways to qualify what constitutes a “good” Christian book. We might consider the quality of the author’s writing, the originality of the author’s approach, or, most importantly, the faithfulness of the author’s use of Scripture. By those measures, we who speak English and read Christian books here in the twenty-first century…
I have often wondered how Billy Graham feels about having a rule named after him. And it’s not just any rule either, but one that has generated all kinds of controversy both within the church and outside of it. Having a name synonymous with marital faithfulness must be a joy; having a name synonymous with…
As one week gives way to another, I attempt to provide a roundup of the themes that were prominent among Christian readers and writers in the week that was. This week people were discussing Cathy Newman’s embarrassingly terrible interview of Jordan Peterson, the #MeToo movement inside and outside of Christian circles, and the supposedly “sickening…
One of my ongoing studies is of the qualifications of an elder. My church has called me to be an elder (or pastor, if you prefer) and the Bible makes it very clear what a man must be if he is to hold this office. Most broadly, he must be above reproach—he must live in…
As we grow in grace and become ever-more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, we wondrously, inevitably find that sin is loosening its grip on us. Sins that once tormented us are now mere irritations; temptations that once consistently overwhelmed us now arouse little interest or enthusiasm. We find to our delight that God…
As one week gives way to another, I attempt to provide a roundup of the themes that were prominent among Christian writers in the week that was. This week people were discussing a pastor who had been called out for sins committed 20 years ago and they were expressing sympathy for the girl he victimized.…
This year I visited museums—many, many museums. I spent time in world-class exhibits in Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Switzerland. I encountered significant historical artifacts and gazed at world-renowned works of art. I stood face to face with Augustus of Prima Porta, gazed at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and looked with admiration at…
You’ve been told not to judge a book by its cover, right? I understand the sentiment, but we really can’t help ourselves. Covers contain crucial information both in their design and in their words. There is some information on a book’s cover that many people don’t know how to decipher. Let me tell you how…
For good or for ill, 2017 is in the rear view mirror and a new year is upon us. As we set out into 2018, I find myself pondering some of the issues that may be especially pertinent to Reformed Christians in the year ahead. I am no prophet (see number three below), but do…
Welcome to Headlines & Happenings where I try to pick up some of the themes that were popular among Christians in the week that has just passed. This is actually harder than it sounds, especially in a relatively slow week like the one right after New Year’s! Resolutions The Christian blogosphere follows some predictable patterns,…
Sometimes you heard a band’s or artist’s debut album and think, “I’ll keep an eye on them.” Sometimes you hear it and think, “I’m hooked.” There are some artists who take two or three albums to really hit their stride while others make their mark right out of the gate. I was a big fan…
Newsmax recently released their picks for the 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. I’m sure it was no small project to sift through the thousands of possibilities among the millions of Evangelicals to arrive at a mere 100. Their top-ten are Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Joel Osteen, Mike Huckabee, Pat Robertson, Rick Warren, Jerry Falwell…
It’s the time of year for blogs and other sites to provide their annual round-up of the year’s most popular articles. I don’t know why we do this, but it seems to be a tradition. On that basis, let me tell you who visited and what they read in 2017. The site served up well…