near – The Grove Church

I Ain’t The One Who Moved.

Having been your pastor for a full 5 1/2 years, I have seen The Lord do amazing things in my life personally and I have seen Him do incredible things with us corporately. Each year I have presented a state of the church message which recounts specifics of each year and share some of the [...]

By Matt Warren|2016-10-21T15:11:44-05:00January 2nd, 2013|Categories: 40 Days of Focus|Tags: 40 days, draw, drifting, Heart, near, the grove church, vision|0 Comments

The Gospel Coalition
Error
Blog Entries – The Spurgeon Library
Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
Alisa Childers - Blog
Teach Me The Bible
Credo Magazine

Making Sense of God’s Sovereignty

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about the mysterious tension between the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. [...]

Peculiar, Yet Not Peculiar Enough: My Reflections on ARC 2025

ARC has created a space where the Christian faith is seen positively. But largely absent were the name of Jesus Christ, the gospel of grace, and the centrality of the church. [...]

The Constantine Question and Christianity’s Future in the West

This event was designed for builders—an epicenter for those determined to make things better in the West, not for those content to navel-gaze or complain. [...]

The God Who Triumphs (Rev. 21:1–22:5)

Don Carson explores the biblical foretelling of God’s final restoration as outlined in Revelation 21. [...]

Preach the (Whole) Book of Psalms

The abundant, Christ-centered richness of the Psalter will not only enhance your preaching but also profoundly bless your congregation. [...]

RSS Error: A feed could not be found at `https://www.9marks.org/articles/`; the status code is `200` and content-type is `text/html; charset=UTF-8`

Just As Near to Heaven: The Death of Annie Dunn

Annie Dunn loved her church. She was the daughter of J. T. Dunn, an elder at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Under Spurgeon’s preaching, it was in the church that she came to hear the gospel of grace and love her Savior. Eventually, she professed her faith in Christ through baptism and joined the church. Now, as a member of the church, she participated in the ministries of the church. She joined a women’s Bible class. She gave generously to the work of the orphanage. And it was in the church prayer meetings that she heard about the growing work of China [...]

Spurgeon’s Love of Hymns and Poetry

Spurgeon’s love of poetry can be seen today in the Spurgeon Library in Kansas City, MO. In his collection, we find over 200 books of poetry and hymnody, occupying several cabinets. So much of Spurgeon’s life and ministry can be traced through these books. Nearly one-third of these volumes are hymnbooks for Christian worship, including Horatius Bonar’s Hymns of Faith and Hope, Anne Steele’s Hymns, Psalms, and Poems, Isaac Watts’ Hymns and Spiritual Songs, and many others. [...]

Sermon Of The Week: “Christ’s First and Last Subject”

What was the subject matter with which Christ bookended His earthly ministry? This subject was His command of repentance to all His hearers, and more broadly, to the whole world. Spurgeon noted that “nothing could set forth Jesus Christ's idea of the high value of repentance, more fully and effectually than the fact that he begins with it, and that he concludes with it.” Repentance is the vital renunciation of sin which the Lord commands to all. Without genuine, active denial of sin, true salvation could not be had. God’s regenerating work in one’s life is demonstrated by their sincere [...]

Sermon Of The Week: “Turn or Burn”

Why is God’s justice such an integral part of salvation? God’s just nature demands that sin be punished, and it is only a result of His mercy through Christ that we can be saved from that punishment. Grace and mercy are attributes of God’s character which ought to be preached in accordance with His righteous justice, not at the expense of it. Spurgeon observes how ministers in his day, as in ours, often preach the mercy of God without also telling of His righteous judgement on sin. [...]

Sermon Of The Week: “A Wise Desire”

Who is it who chooses our portion and reward in life? Surely it can be perceived that we do not simply will and receive that which we always want. No, our eternal heritage does not rest in our own power or choice, but rather lies in the sovereign will of our good and gracious Lord. Spurgeon remarks, “Oh! it is the satisfaction of God's people to believe in this exalting truth that [God] chooses their inheritance for them. […] that verily God does choose our lot, and apportion for us our inheritance.” [...]

Doctrine and Doxology with Jonny Gibson

Come to the Blue Ridge Mountains on January 16-18, 2025, as BRITE is pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan Gibson for their Seventh Annual Winter Seminar. The theme is Doctrine and Doxology: The Worship of Our Triune God. Join Dr. Gibson as he explores the biblical, theological, and historical basis for Christian worship and why we do what we do when we worship the triune God. [...]

Reforming Your Bible Study

By Roy Blackwood There is evidence in early church history and in Medieval and Reformation history of the existence of a particular kind of Bible study. It is prescribed by God in I Corinthians 14. Wherever or whenever Christ was building and reforming His Church, this kind of Bible study could be found. Conversely, when […] [...]

Why We Left the Episcopal Church

By Don Helmandollar Holy Trinity was officially established on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2007 when the rector and the entire congregation formally aligned with the Convocation of Anglican in North America (CANA). Remaining associated with the Episcopal Church USA became increasingly untenable and decision to disassociate from the Episcopal Church was made. However it was […] [...]

I Will Build My Church

By Richard Phillips If you want to really understand something, one of the best things you can do is study its origin, or beginning. This is true of nations. If you want to understand why America is as it is today, what its institutions are about, how its self-identity formed, then you have to go […] [...]

The Exercise

By Roy Blackwood In 1579 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland declared that “the exercise may be judged a Presbytery.” The history of Presbytery is inextricably intertwined with a practice known throughout the Reformed Church as the Exercise. And yet there are elements essential to the Exercise which are almost unknown in 20th […] [...]

Door of Hope (Hosea Study #7)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:15-23 Last time, we stepped into the wilderness to discover that in the Bible, the wilderness is often a harsh and dangerous place God uses to test and refine his people. It is also a place where he provides sanctuary and allows his people to encounter him in powerful ways. Today, were going to go back in time a bit to when Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. Remember the scene? [...]

I Will Allure Her and Bring Her Into the Wilderness (Hosea Study #6)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:14Long before God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, he had another son, Ishmael. God had promised Abram and Sarai a son, and when he didn’t move fast enough for them, they took matters into their own hands. Sarai gave her handmaid Hagar to Abram as a wife and things didn’t turn out so well. Sarai became jealous of Hagar and dealt harshly with her. So, Hagar escaped into the wi [...]

Hedge My Way With Thorns (Hosea Study #5)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:1-13In America, committed Christians are now a “worldview minority” in an increasingly anti-Christian culture. Israel was not just a worldview minority in their surrounding culture but was a tiny speck on the map of a rapidly expanding and violent Assyrian Empire. They were also surrounded by the polytheism and Baalism of the Canaanite culture. But they were called to worship and depend on Y [...]

No, Martin Luther Was Not a Deconstructionist

This article is in response to this piece from The Gospel Coalition. As a past TGC contributor, as an act of good faith, I did express my concerns directly to TGC before posting my article here. **Update** The Gospel Coalition was gracious to publish a condensed version of my article on their site. No, Martin Luther Was Not a Deconstructionist. And neither was Jesus. Many years ago, my Christian beliefs were challenged intellectually by a progressive Christian pastor. It t [...]

Mercy Me... (Hosea Study #4)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 1:8-11More than a thousand years before Hosea, there lived a nomadic farmer who was out in the middle of nowhere minding his own business when God started speaking to him. And what God said wasn’t easy. God put Abraham through a grueling test of faith by asking him to slaughter his only son on an altar of wood. This was set to take place at a location that would eventually become the site of the first Israelite te [...]

You Are Built Up In Christ

Paul’s letter to the Colossians, along with Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and Philemon, was apparently written during Paul’s first imprisonment. If this is the case, the most likely date is around 60-62 A.D. Moreover, Paul’s letter to the Colossians covers much of the same material and uses many of the same themes as his letter to the Ephesians. [...]

Relationship To Jesus Christ & His Body

Paul's letter to the Colossians, along with Paul's letters to the Ephesians and Philemon, was apparently written during Paul's first imprisonment. If this is the case, the most likely date is around 60-62 A.D. Moreover, Paul's letter to the Colossians covers much of the same material and uses many of the same themes as his letter to the Ephesians. [...]

Christian or American

On a wintry day in 1618 Rene Descartes rejected tradition, the church, and the Bible as the source for authority. In his famous conclusion “I think, therefore I am,” he revolutionized the quest for authority. Following Descartes declaration, a new day was sprung. It was called “the enlightenment.”Deeply influenced by enlightenment thought, John Lock provided the world as well as the American colon [...]

Divisions In The Church

Divisions in the church are nothing new; they are as old as the church itself. Unfortunately, we “protestants” are the worst! [...]

If Reformed, then catholic: Revisiting Sola Scriptura

Was sola scriptura the invention of the Reformation? Or were Protestants retrieving the church’s view of scritpure, from the church fathers to the best of the medieval scholastics? At the… Download Audio [...]

Seminary is Not a Time to Create Your Own Doctrine of God

When I began my seminary education, I must admit that I gave very little thought to the Nicene Creed. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that it… [...]

Why is “catholic” in the creed?

Visit TheNiceneCreed.org for more informaiton and content related to the Nicene Creed! On this new website some of today’s best theologians introduce churchgoers to the Nicene Creed. In 12 short… [...]

Learn the Nicene Creed in 12 Videos

Today Credo launches TheNiceneCreed.org! On this new website some of today’s best theologians introduce churchgoers to the Nicene Creed. In 12 short videos churches can contemplate the Trinity. But why… [...]

Liturgy and Ecclesiastical Triage

What should someone prioritize when they search for a church? The answer to this question involves what we might call “ecclesiastical triage.” Considerations fall along the lines of a list… [...]

Baptist & Reflector
Error
Error
Error
Alisa Childers - Blog

SEXUAL ABUSE INVESTIGATION-RELATED COSTS APPROACH $13M SINCE 2021

By Scott BarkleyBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – At last month’s SBC Executive Committee meeting, EC President and CEO Jeff Iorg reported that as of Dec. 24, some $13 million had been spent on investigations related to sexual abuse and related legal costs. He further reported that the EC is pursuing a $3 million loan to cover […] The post SEXUAL ABUSE INVESTIGATION-RELATED COSTS APPROACH $13M SINCE 2021 appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

MINISTRY-MINDED AT AN EARLY AGE

By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorCOLUMBIA — Carson and Andy Prock celebrated their birthdays with a huge party that included cake, candles, games and laughter. There was, however, one element that was noticeably absent from the festivities. There were no presents for the two young sisters. Instead, Andy, who turned 10, and Carson, 7, […] The post MINISTRY-MINDED AT AN EARLY AGE appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

CONFRONTING MENTAL HEALTH

By Randy C. DavisPresident & executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardConfronting mental health; hearing the words spoken together was jarring, and I tried every way I could to advocate for a softer tone. After all, some in Baptist life these days seemingly believe confrontation is a spiritual gift. In the end, I did not get […] The post CONFRONTING MENTAL HEALTH appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

TENNESCENE: MAR. 19

EVENTS Big Hatchie Baptist Association will be hosting a Senior Adult Banquet on April 14 at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Ripley. Kenny Evans will be the special guest. The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team developed a one-day seminar called Sharing Hope in Crisis to prepare people to share the love and hope […] The post TENNESCENE: MAR. 19 appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

COMPASSION IN NUMBERS

Baptist and ReflectorELIZABETHTON — The only antidote to a flood’s devastation is an overwhelming tide of generosity. Don Owen, leader of God’s Warehouse Ministries at the Nolachucky Baptist Association, reports that their warehouse has received an astounding 34.6 million products for disaster relief efforts since Hurricane Helene struck in September 2024. “They’ve not come from […] The post COMPASSION IN NUMBERS appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

RSS Error: WP HTTP Error: cURL error 28: Failed to connect to feeds.christianitytoday.com port 80: Connection timed out

RSS Error: A feed could not be found at `https://alliebethstuckey.com/blog`; the status code is `404` and content-type is `text/html; charset=utf-8`