A Pastor’s Reading Plan
So you’re a pastor. You might be interested to know that the Schleitheim Confession, an early Anabaptist creed, specified that the first duty of the… Read More »A Pastor’s Reading Plan
Articles
Browse articles on various topics below.
The Lord’s Table as an important doctrinal distinctive
Last week I began a series in which I will show the relationship between worship theology/practice and doctrinal distinctives. I plan to show how some… Read More »The Lord’s Table as an important doctrinal distinctive
Learning From the National Church: What Our Brothers and Sisters Can Teach Us
Jeff Straub I love encountering new cultures. The sounds, the smells, the tastes—pungent, bitter, sweet, loud, soft, ebullient, quiet. What a world we live in!… Read More »Learning From the National Church: What Our Brothers and Sisters Can Teach Us
Worship and doctrinal disctinctives
The watering down of doctrine in evangelicalism, evidenced perhaps most acutely in the minimizing of important denominational distinctives and the growth of the “Nones,” is… Read More »Worship and doctrinal disctinctives
Missions in the 21st Century: Is It a Time to Rethink Our Strategy?
Jeff Straub Throughout my 12-year tenure here at Central Seminary, I have been using part of my time to teach overseas. When I was hired,… Read More »Missions in the 21st Century: Is It a Time to Rethink Our Strategy?
Why music should be central in your homeschool
My goal in this essay is to convince you that it is important that music be a part of your homeschool. My goal is to persuade you… Read More »Why music should be central in your homeschool
Today is why Christmas is on December 25
Have you ever wondered Christians celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ on December 25? A common answer is that Emperor Constantine decided to celebrate Christmas… Read More »Today is why Christmas is on December 25
The Fields Are Still White—Laborers Are Still Needed
Jeff Straub The modern missionary movement is now about 225 years old, if you mark its beginning with the journey of William Carey to India… Read More »The Fields Are Still White—Laborers Are Still Needed
On Associations
Whenever the question is asked whether associations matter in musical choices, people usually fall into one of two camps. First are those who strongly believe… Read More »On Associations
Sweetly Destructive
Sentimentalism would not be high on pastors’ lists of threats to the church, were they to be polled for such a thing. False doctrine, lack… Read More »Sweetly Destructive
An Unexpected Exit in Mark 14:51–52
“And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth… Read More »An Unexpected Exit in Mark 14:51–52
If I Were Young Again: World Opportunities for the Intentional Christian
Jeff Straub Recently, I returned from the Far East after another blessed ministry trip. As I journeyed home, I began to muse on the incredible… Read More »If I Were Young Again: World Opportunities for the Intentional Christian
Do origins matter?
One common argument used today in defense of using pop music styles for Christian purposes is that origins and associations don’t matter. Christians can redeem… Read More »Do origins matter?
The Believer and Carnality, Part Two
Charles A. Hauser The previous essay attempted to show that 1 Corinthians 1:14-3:3 establishes three categories of people: natural, spiritual, and carnal. The latter two… Read More »The Believer and Carnality, Part Two
The Culture of Humanity
One of the cornerstones of arguments in favor of musical relativism is that musical interpretation is culturally conditioned and therefore subjective—one may not expect someone else… Read More »The Culture of Humanity
From Sunday to Sunday: A Summary of the Passion Week
The Passion Week refers to the final six days of Jesus’ life before His resurrection, His one full day in the tomb, and the day… Read More »From Sunday to Sunday: A Summary of the Passion Week
The Believer and Carnality, Part One
Charles A. Hauser All Bible-believing interpreters of scripture agree that doctrine must be determined by the teaching of the Word of God, not by creeds… Read More »The Believer and Carnality, Part One
How Music Naturally Carries Meaning
It is important in any discussions about music to understand how music carries meaning naturally. I highly recommend Stephen Davies’ Musical Meaning and Expression, which clearly articulates… Read More »How Music Naturally Carries Meaning
My Words Will Not Pass Away
When Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mark 13:31), was He somehow saying that the Bible… Read More »My Words Will Not Pass Away
Devotion
Time is limited. Earthly life ends with a period or even an exclamation point, not with an ellipsis. We are granted threescore and ten years,… Read More »Devotion