Faith on the Edge of Reason
In its definition of ‘Saving Faith’ the Westminster Confession of Faith enters a very significant caveat that is all too often overlooked. Namely, ‘This faith is different in degrees, weak…
Mark Johnston
The Heartbeat of Reformed Christianity
What does it mean to be ‘Reformed’? Different things for different people, to be sure! For Arminian Dispensationalists it is an anathema. For some secular observers, it is the religious…
The Myth of Entitlement
We belong to a generation that is obsessed with its perceived ‘entitlements’. From human rights to civil rights, gay rights to children’s rights, the list is seemingly endless as to…
Just as I am, without one Suit
I came across one of those stories recently that are funny, but true. It was in a church on the island of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides – probably the…
Dialogical Monologue
What makes for sermons that are well delivered and readily received? In some ways it is easier to answer that in the negative. There are may examples of Reformed and…
Diversity is not Optional
‘Diversity’ has become one of the buzzwords in evangelical Christianity in recent times. At one level, this is a good thing, but at another its trendy inclusion may come at…
Satan is Alive and Well
The devil made the headlines in Britain earlier this month. On February 13th the General Synod of the Church of England genteelly voted him into retirement. In one sense it…
Graven Images and Children’s Bibles
There has been a long-running debate in Christian circles generally and Reformed Christian circles in particular as to whether or not using images of Jesus in children’s Bible story books,…
The Day the Church Forgot
For some reason – possibly Superbowl Sunday – the past few weeks have seen a flurry of articles relating to the Sabbath being published online. As pastors across the US…
Tempted, Tried, but Never Failing
The temptations of Christ are recorded in three out of the four Gospels, so clearly they are meant to highlight a significant component of Jesus’ mission to save. But, despite…
21st Century Challenges: Displaying Christ as the Essence of Christianity
The last of the four challenges I believe the church is facing in this century takes us to the very heart of what it means to be a Christian and…
Inscrutable Providence
Over a year has passed since my family and I were forced to leave the US and return to Britain under rather unusual circumstances. We had moved to America in…