Writing
The Lord's Supper Is Already Blessing Your Children
The Lord’s Supper is a great blessing for the church. When communicant members partake, the Larger Catechism says that they “feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their…
Ministry to the Next Generation
I was speaking to a friend recently who was asking how he should prepare his young daughter for the problems she will face as an adult. As complicated as this world is, the answer is simple: catechize her and model…
The Peace, Purity, Unity, and Edification of the Church
When I was ordained as a ruling elder in the OPC I took the following vow “Do you promise to seek the purity, the peace, and the unity of the church?” (OPC BCO XXV 6.b.(4)) This phrasing has always stuck with me…
Fencing the Table
A paper on fencing the Lord's Table: The Pastoral Necessity of Requiring Church Membership for Communion.
Numbers 12: The Authority of Moses, the Lord’s Servant
An exegetical paper on Numbers 12. The rebellion of Miriam and Aaron against Moses becomes the occasion for the Lord to confirm Moses’ authority as His chosen prophet, strengthening His people for the temptations of the…
Love and Contentment in a Consumer Culture
A paper on the Tenth Commandment in a consumer culture, whose economy depends on encouraging people to covet, and on the love and contentment the moral law calls Christians to instead.
Independent Minded: Why the Westminster Standards Are Different in America
A paper on the 1788 American revisions to the Westminster Standards, which turned the civil magistrate from protector of the true Christian faith into protector of all Christian denominations. It argues that the…
The Disruption of 1843: A Principled Sacrifice
A paper on the Disruption of 1843, when an uncommonly large number of ministers left the Church of Scotland rather than accept the civil government's intrusion into the spiritual government of the church. Having given…
The Solemn League and Covenant: The Making and Breaking of a Weighty Bond
A paper on the Solemn League and Covenant, the treaty between Scotland and England that overthrew a king and gave the church the Westminster Standards. It fell far short of its own ideals, and in the end the very idea…