“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39, English Standard Version). It is a cardinal commandment of the Christian life and, at first glance, a simple one. But what should we make of Jesus’ comparison to self-love? Most children, whether raised in a Christian home or not, are taught that selfishness is bad. So […]
Have you ever noticed a change in your church’s youth group right after attending a Reformed Youth Services (RYS) convention or participating in a Reformed Mission Services trip? In addition to gushing with enthusiasm for their favorite memories of the week or the countless new friends they made, there’s often a euphoria that’s harder to […]
Why do you go to church? All right, this may be a silly question. There are plenty of obvious answers: to worship God, to strengthen your faith, to fellowship with other believers—all good motives. If you’re honest with yourself, maybe there are other reasons too: because the rest of your family does it, because it’s […]
The familiar words of the Apostles’ Creed have embedded themselves in the minds of many Christians: “The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” The orthodox faith has always affirmed Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, so these truths are familiar […]
As I write this, two important ecclesiastical assemblies have just met: the ninth synod of the United Reformed Churches in North America in Visalia, California (June 3–5), and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s eighty-first General Assembly in Grand Rapids, Michigan (June 4–9). Both assemblies included a vote regarding the final collection of psalm settings for the […]
Do you plan to go to college? If you’re in high school, your search for the place to continue your education has likely already begun. Maybe you’ve already visited a few campuses and experienced the typical sales pitches from tour guides and admissions counselors. Maybe your mailbox is starting to sag with the weight of shiny brochures […]
A master builder crafts a carefully organized cosmos, places people within it, and provides complete instructions for them to live happily. He declares his creation very good—until his creatures begin to challenge his restrictions. When they rebel, he divides them into separate continents and worlds, withdraws to a distant throne room, and develops a plan […]
“The worship wars.” The very term sends shivers down many a church member’s spine. Although the phrase was probably coined with tongue in cheek, “war” is too often an apt description for the grim struggle many congregations have been facing in the past few decades. At the heart of the confrontation lies a debate over […]
In the last issue of The Outlook I wrote, “At what point does a faith that calls us to ‘seek the things that are above’ become irreconcilable with a vocational environment whose chief end is the things of this earth?” The following article, adapted from a class paper I wrote this past spring, attempts to […]
Recently a URC minister shared with me some fascinating comments on a cappella worship. On the way home from synod he had visited a congregation that sings psalms exclusively and without musical accompaniment. Comparing it with the norm of organ- or piano-accompanied singing across our own federation, he observed that the non-accompanied congregational singing at […]