The “Hate Speech” Card
Western society, as it slips inexorably into greater unbelief and alienation from God, has created new laws–both written and unwritten–concerning what is and what is not permissible to say in…
Matthew Holst
The Extra-Ordinary
What makes the church special? I don’t mean what makes a church special, there may be many answers to that question. What makes the church, the church of Jesus Christ truly special? The answer…
8 Marks of a Spiritually Healthy Christian
What are the marks of a spiritually healthy believer? In 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 we find Paul’s thanksgiving to God for spiritually healthy Christians. He tells the Thessalonians–who were relatively new…
How Not To Ask for Forgiveness
We all fall short. We all sin, sometimes appallingly. At different times in your Christian life, you will inevitably need to confess your sin to someone and ask them for…
10 Ways to Resolve Conflict with Your Pastor
Regrettably, conflict is a reality in the church. Often that conflict is between a congregant and the pastor. After all, he is–in many ways–the focal point of the church’s public…
A Note to Christian Men
As I sit in Starbucks, Bible open, commentaries next to me, trying to focus on the rich theological contours of the Tabernacle–the world is bustling all around me. Music (pretty…
The Anatomy of Sexual Sin
In every genre of Scripture, whether it be narrative, Psalms, wisdom or the Gospels and Epistles, warnings against sexual sin are prominent. From Genesis to Revelation, every book of Scripture…
Praying Most For What You Love the Most
Your prayer-life is a measure of your spiritual maturity. Just about any decent book on prayer will tell you so. Your prayer lives exposes you to the reality that what…
Christological Ultrasounds
One of the great difficulties we encounter when we seek to preach Christ from the Old Testament is the challenge of being able to rightly apply the text–both in its…
10 Wisdom Principles on Hearing and Speaking
1. “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27-28). Restraint in speech, both in content and manner, is…
A Baker’s Dozen of Pastoral Lessons
As I approach the fifth anniversary of my ordination to pastoral ministry, I confess that last five years have been a maelstrom of emotional highs and lows–as well as a…
For Everything, A Season
“For Everything There Is A Season…” So says the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:1. Our God has ordained whatsoever shall come to pass, according to His most wise and free counsel. He…