George Washington’s Advice to Young Men
The following is a letter from George Washington to his nephew, George Steptoe Washington. While written to a single individual, it contains advice that would be valuable for many young men. Washington wrote in an eloquent (we would say ‘unnecessarily…
‘The Way’ in Mark’s Gospel
Mark, the shortest of the four Gospels, is a remarkable literary creation. As it follows the life of Jesus, the ‘Son of Man’ is gradually revealed to be the ‘Son of God’ with an extraordinary power over the physical and…
John Owen’s Approach to Contrary Views
In this selection from John Owen (1616-1683), the Puritan theologian describes how he approached theological viewpoints different to his own. While this example uses the question of church governance (‘presbyterian’ versus ‘independent’), Owen’s approach is useful whenever we find ourselves…
Paul Visits the Modern Church
What would happen if Paul visited the modern American evangelical church? This brief excerpt from No Place for Truth: Or, Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology by David Wells presents one possible scenario: “We can only guess how well the apostle Paul…
Mark: An Introduction to His Gospel
The shortest of the four Gospels, Mark, is also perhaps the earliest. It contains a fast-paced narrative of Jesus powerful works, presenting an intensely human Messiah who wields remarkably divine power. Surprisingly, Mark is also one of the most neglected…
The Three ‘P’s of American Exceptionalism
One day, I decided to answer the question: “What makes America different?” Do we have any distinctive viewpoints or characteristics that we can offer to the world? In other words, what makes America more than a place on the map?…
What You Think About God Determines Who You Are
Whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, or anything else, the statement holds true: what you think about God determines who you are. Just by knowing your theology (beliefs about God), I know plenty…
What Is Revival?
The following is an excerpt from Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his lecture ‘Revival: An Historical and Theological Survey.’ It provides a simple and excellent answer to a question that many Christians are confused about. “It is an experience in the life…
The Christian’s Mindset: Seven Characteristics
One of the most prominent and under-noticed themes of the New Testament is thinking. From the Gospels to the Epistles, all people in general – and Christians in particular – are urged to use their minds, to think, and to…
Five Simple Ideas for Family Worship
Let’s face it: family devotions can be challenging. For beginners, the discipline of gathering as a family each day can be daunting; even those who have done it for a while may weary of the same routine. Fortunately, each family…
