“Join or Die?” The Necessity and Gift of Church Membership
In 1754 Benjamin Franklin published a cartoon called “Join or Die.” It pictured a snake cut into eights representing the British colonies in the New World. Franklin argued that unless…
William Boekestein
William Boekestein (M.Div., Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary) is the pastor of Covenant Reformed Church in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He has authored several books including Ulrich Zwingli, and Why Christ Came.
8 Marks of True Reformers
The reformation anniversary confetti has all been swept up. Some of us have heard a lot lately about the reformers and how God used them to help move the church…
Do They Know You By Your Suit?
Speaking on the matter of Christian freedom John Calvin said, “This is a slippery place, and there is great danger of falling on either side.”1 Too true! Christians face the duel…
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
“They don’t write songs like that anymore.” It is not uncommon to hear an elderly man or woman utter these words whenever he or she thinks back on the “good ol’…
Delighting in Deacons
How do church deacons help establish God’s kingdom? Many of us might struggle to answer that question. For a number of reasons, the diaconate is often viewed as a non-spiritual…
Welcoming Your Minister
When Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to minister the gospel he told them how they should conduct themselves as kingdom servants (Matt. 10:5–15). But he also spoke of the…
Resisting Traditionalism
The woman had conspired with her husband to commit a slew of treasonous murders. Now, as she looked at her hands, she wondered if she would ever again have a…