In responding to this question posed in a letter-to-the-editor, British writer G. K. Chesterton wrote this answer: “Dear Writer, I am. Sincerely G. K. Chesterton.” Do we have a sense of our contribution to the notion that all is not right with things? The Bible says that God is merciful and gracious, but it also says he won’t clear the guilty. God is just. The idea of an absolute, compr…
The Elders and your Pastors gathered together on Monday evening to exercise their faith-muscles in shepherding and leading the church. Exalted and Humbled in Christ: Pastor Scott led us through James 1:5-11, encouraging us to reflect on how Christ both exalts and humbles us. We were reminded to boast in both, as Christ is always lifting us higher than we could reach on our own while calling…
A pastor’s sermon on the life of Joseph drew my attention to something that I had not noticed before. It’s important to remember that the first audience of Genesis were the people who had been slaves in Egypt. When they heard of Joseph as a slave in Potiphar’s house, they would know that they weren’t the first Hebrew slaves in Egypt; Joseph was. They would also know that Joseph was delivere…
Loving the Place: God’s providence has placed us in Decatur, calling us to love our city and neighbors. Flourishing begins where we are as we seek the welfare of the place He has chosen for us. Throughout Scripture, we see the importance of place. When God called Abram, He sent him to a specific land (Genesis 12:1). When Jesus wept over Jerusalem, He grieved for the people of a particular c…
True Worshipers Sing (from Bob Kauflin’s Seeking What Matters to God) So why do we sing? One reason we sing is that God tells us to. There are more than four hundred verses in Scripture that reference singing, including almost fifty direct exhortations to sing. Psalm 47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! Another reason singing plays a…
Peering into the future, Psalm 77 asks some relevant questions and provides the answers in reflecting upon the historical works and ways of God toward His people. What better way for the Elders to launch into 2025? These men and your pastors gathered together on Monday evening to exercise their faith-muscles in shepherding and leading the church into the new year, according to the BCO and our gosp…
It’s a New Year, and for most of us, the new year acts as an organic starting point to crank up some habits or projects. Some of us will start a Bible reading plan, some of us will pick up a reading habit, and some of us will put together a fitness goal, but all of us approach the new year with a fair amount of anticipation and hope for what’s coming in this season. Now, whether your attitude towa…
Psalm 136:1-9 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. To him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. Who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. Who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever….
My first job was bussing tables at a restaurant. I started in late November, about one week before the managers decided it was time to start Christmas songs as background music. They had a short playlist that played on a continuous loop, just long enough that none of the patrons heard repeats while they ate. The staff, on the other hand, heard the same songs several times a night for many night…
The Book of Acts is full of narrative depicting the benefits of the “plurality of leadership” in the church (e.g. Acts 2-6). Your Elders and Deacons at DPC reflect this pattern of church government. These men recently gathered to exercise their vows to shepherd and care for the church (elders), and to administrate and care for the church (deacons), according to the BCO and our gospel-driven missio…