The stark contrast between 19th-century preaching and contemporary pulpit ministry reveals a troubling trajectory in modern Christianity. Where once the Word of God was proclaimed with uncompromising clarity and theological precision, today’s sermons often reflect a diluted gospel that accommodates cultural sensibilities rather than confronting them. The Uncompromising Nature of Historical Preaching Nineteenth-century preachers possessed an unwavering commitment to…
We live in a world that has a “broken” default state. This is the Christian point of view, if one were to align our view with the Bible. There are (of course) many Christian believers who may not believe in this – but if one is to source their belief from the authority of…
The parable of the sower or soils is the first parable that is recorded for us in the Gospels – this is consistently recorded for us in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s gospel. What makes it the “chief” or most important of them all is not just the chronological introduction of it but the fact…
One of the joys of having regular bible studies as a family is the non-stop questions from my children. One topic or issue can easily bring up loads of questions that are sometimes relevant to the passage we were reading, or spin off into deep theological territory. This is pure joy – a wealth…
This is an intriguing movie. Message is certainly not something that is foreign to me, but the tone of the movie is worth exploring. Is this something effective to be used in evangelism and in seeking to share the biblical Gospel in a post-modern world of hyper-connectivity? Will consider this at length in a…
One of the most unpopular topics (taboo) in this part of the world (South East Asia) is talking about the way we were brought up. Very few have a pleasant and good upbringing – it is hard to be honest about something so personal. I had an excellent childhood and upbringing – not perfect,…
It is often something that is not talked about publicly, but something that is frequently talked, whispered in private – that there is something disturbing in certain types of preaching. Coming from a conservative, evangelical, Reformed Christian persuasion there are things that are plainly obvious but are considered taboo to be talked about (at…
The psalmist proclaims the blessedness of walking upright before the LORD in the opening verses of the poetic magnum opus of the Bible. If we were to read it with a liberal mindset that is saturated with modern inclinations and belief, we would find the first verse offensive: how can the psalmist have an…
And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? Matthew 21:23 (NASB) The question posed by the Jewish leaders actually captures their religious mentality…
History is one of those subjects that are vital in developing our thought processes and our character but is commonly hated by many. There is a prevalent notion among the newer generations that the only history that we should be bothered with is the history that we make. Such responses aptly summarise the key…