Kevin DeYoung's Blog, page 204

Lloyd-Jones on the Mission of the Church

Here is Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the great Welsh preacher and longtime pastor at Westminster Chapel in London, explaining what Acts 6 can teach us about the mission of the church and the pastor:

But, and in many ways the most interesting statement of all, I sometimes think in this connection, is one that is found in the sixth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles where we are told that a great crisis arose in the life of the early Church. I know of nothing that speaks more directly upon...

A Quibble With Spurgeon

I don't read many books more than once. I read even fewer more than twice. But Lectures to My Students is one of those books I come back to over and over. These lectures, on everything from public prayer to posture to illustrations, capture Spurgeon at his wise and whimsical best.

There is, however, one point which I've never found convincing. In his lecture entitled "The Call to the Ministry," Spurgeon says "The first sign of the heavenly calling is an intense, all-absorbing desire for the...

There's Something Worse Than Death

We will never make sense of the Bible, the church's mission, or the glory of the gospel unless we understand this seeming paradox: Death is the last enemy, but it is not the worst.

Clearly, death is an enemy, the last enemy to be destroyed, Paul tells us (1 Cor. 15:26). Death is the tragic result of sin (Rom. 5:12). It should be hated and despised. It should arouse our anger and mournful indignation (John 11:35, 38).  Death must be defeated.

But, on the other hand, it must not be feared...

Around the Web

I don't usually do a lot of links on my blog. There are others who do that much better than I could (e.g., JT, Challies), and I usually just end up stealing there stuff anyway. But here are a few things worth checking out:

Marriage and the Seinfeld Effect. Do more and more people really approve of homosexuality? Or do more and more people just think they should approve? If it is the latter, this is one more reason why the church must not be silent on this issue–winsome and gracious, but not...

August Book Briefs

Ah real life. It does not afford as much time for reading as vacation and study leave. Go figure.

1. Robert L. Plummer, 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible. I'm intrigued by this [image error]series (especially looking forward to Tom Schreiner's forthcoming 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law). It's a nice concept–clearly laid out chapters, easy to use, and after each question there are reflection questions and recommended resources for further study.

I admit I have not carefully read...

Monday Morning Humor

With the Labor Day holiday coming up, you'll probably want to make an effort to work in this question at some point. Your company will be delighted you asked.

New Parish Psalms

[image error]While in Colorado Springs this summer I had the privilege of preaching at Village Seven Presbyterian Church (a fine PCA congregation where some of my wife's family attends). On that particular Sunday Nathan Clark George was visiting and helped to lead worship using some of Greg Wilbur's new parish Psalms. Even though I was singing the songs for the first time Nathan did such a good job leading and the songs were so rich and singable that I knew I wanted to hear more.

Greg Wilbur is the Chief M...

Theological Acumen from the IRS

[image error]In a day where popular ecclesiology (so-called) boils down to slogans like "we don't go to church, because we are the church" and some believers argue that anywhere you have two Christians talking about spiritual things and trying to follow Jesus there you have a church, it's nice to know the Internal Revenue Service still has standards.

The U.S. Court of Appeals recently ruled that religious groups who primarily offer radio and internet worship services do not meet the IRS definition of...

A Lost Letter to Wormwood (conclusion)

We pick up the letter with Screwtape's instructions on how to keep his nephew's college-aged subject away from church and perfectly wretched…

At the risk of insulting your diabolical intelligence, allow me to remind me of your course in Youth Misery. Recall the Three S's of Satan, our Sinister Snake (I know, he sometimes gets carried away with alliteration, but it does help jog the old memory). The Three S's of youth misery: Keep them separate. Keep them selfish. Keep them searching. Allow me ...

A Lost Letter to Wormwood

Tis the season for the great migration of students to our institutions of higher learning. This week, next week, and into September, thousands of young adults will leave home and head off to college ("University" if you want to sound European). Many of these students are Christians. Some will look for Christian fellowship in their new home. Fewer with commit themselves to a church. This "fewer" is just as the devil likes it.

At one time or another every Christian writer tries his hand at a...