Topic Archives: Pastoral Theology/Pastoral Helps

MY SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE FROM THEISTIC EVOLUTION TO CREATION I still had no answers to the really important questions that nagged me; questions such as: What is the purpose of everything? A. J. Monty White In Autumn 1963, at the age of eighteen, I found myself a fresher student at the Aberystwyth campus of the University […]

Greenville Seminary Theology Conference Focuses on ‘Communing with Our Glorious God.’ In Taylors, South Carolina (March 12-14, 2002) Reformed Spirituality was the theme for Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s Spring Theology Conference. The three-day event, which focused on “Communing with our glorious God,” challenged the participants with regard to personal piety, including Sabbath observance; and also […]

MODERN DISPENSATIONALISM AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITY OF SCRIPTURE the rejection of the Old Testament, in part or in whole, was one of the numerous errors of the Gnostics by Oswald T. Allis   No doctrine concerning Scripture is of more practical importance to the Bible student than that which affirms its unity and […]

DO GYPSIES SPEAK IN TONGUES AND PERFORM MIRACLES? If we doubted what we saw or seemed to question authority, we were seen as rebels, unsaved, or just plain unspiritual by Gary Nixon As a Christian brought up in a Pentecostal church, recognised as an evangelist, combining work in Romania and planting my own church in […]

HOW OPEN THEISM HELPS US CONCEAL OUR HIDDEN IDOLATRIES Open Theism implies, therefore, that we should not think about the wisdom of God’s purpose in causing or permitting our calamities by John Piper Open theism may help conceal deep idolatry in the soul. One of the great needs of our souls is to know if […]

WHY DO WE DO CONTINUE IN OUR MINISTRIES? “The ministerial work must be carried on purely for God and the salvation of souls, not for any private ends of our own. A wrong end makes all the work bad as from us, how good whatsoever it may be in its own nature. It is not […]

THE ORIGIN OF THE CLERICAL COLLAR When did Anglican ministers start to wear “dog collars” on a regular basis? In 1976 the Church of England’s Enquiry Centre produced an A4 sheet concerning the use of the “dog collar” among the clergy. Apparently, it had been invented, they said, quoting the Glasgow Herald of December 6,1894, […]

MEDIEVAL MISTAKES We could well do with a Luther redivivus today Sinclair Ferguson Althought provoked by the indulgences peddled by Johannes Tetzel, the very first proposition which Luther offered for public debate in his Ninety Five Theses put the axe to the root of the tree of medieval theology: “When our Lord and Master, Jesus […]

The Church of Jesus Christ has been entrusted by God with the very words of Scripure, and all those who disseminate that Word, whether from pulpits or printing presses, hold a sacred trust. On May 27, 1997, twelve men meeting at the headquarters of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs issued a statement that […]

THE CAREY CONFERENCE: January 8 – 11 Swanwick. God uses that which the world despises to know God through his Son Over 100 people gathered for the annual Carey Conference at Swanwick from January 8-11. The first evening speaker was Earl Blackburn of Los Angeles who spoke on the Theology of the Cross. Earl Blackburn […]

The question is not whether Christians have a task in this world or not, but what this task consists of and what is the Scriptural basis and warrant for it Cornelius Pronk is a graduate of Calvin Seminary and pastor of Brantford Free Reformed Church, Ontario. He is radio pastor of the Banner of Truth […]

DON’T STOP PREACHING Where are the preachers of the gospel in our land today? There are plenty of performers, but where are the proclaimers? From two different sources this week we received exhortations about continuing to believe in preaching. I was struck with these words of Phil Eveson, the Principal of the London Theological Seminary, […]

PREACHING THE MORAL LAW – REFORMERS AND PURITANS There is the importance of understanding the biblical antithesis of law and gospel The annual Westminster Conference was held at Westminster Chapel London on December 11 and 12. The usual number of men and women were present, over two hundred, and mainly men. As we walked to […]

THE DAYS OF GENESIS: 24 HOURS? DAY-AGE? FRAMEWORK? The publishing of the book will not end the debates in the church. Perhaps it will lead to greater clarity in thinking and help provide an atmosphere where calm discussion can take place. A new book has appeared entitled “The Genesis Debate – Four Views” edited by […]

SIX DAY CREATION CONFERENCE EVOLUTION HAS EXPLANATORY STORIES BUT DESTROYS THE CAPACITY TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING ‘In the beginning the Word of God was formidable and void of error. Then Sci-Man said, “Let the book of Genesis be an inspiring story of the creative power of the universe over billions of years. “And there was grieving, […]