We’ve been working our way through Article 29 of the Belgic Confession which gives much encouragement about local churches and our membership in them. Article 29 gives the three marks of the true church—the pure preaching of the gospel, the pure administration of the sacraments, and church discipline—and the says: In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head. By these marks one can be...
Tag - Belgic Confession Article 29
You may have heard the horrific news story about the 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner. School employees say that Zwerner asked for help with the boy several times earlier in the school year. [1] According to Diane Toscano, Zwerner’s attorney, multiple concerns about the boy were reported to the administration that day before the shooting. Allegedly, Zwerner reported to an administrator that the boy threatened to beat up another student. Another teacher searched the boy’s...
Months ago, I got reclaimed white oak wood from Creekside Lumber in the small town of Ephrata, PA. I’ve been making a three-foot by 12-foot tabletop, and it’s turning out beautifully. To fill in the knots, deep grooves, and holes, I used a two-part epoxy resin. In order for the epoxy to be effective, to get hard and clear within the open spaces, you need both the base resin and the curing agent. You mix the two substances together and you get a hard and clear epoxy filler. If you simply...
In March of 1997 during my senior year of high school, Paula Cole released her song “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” which became her only top-ten hit. It’s a sad song of a failed relationship and an unfulfilled dream of western-style romance. The song repeats the fretful question, “Where have all the cowboys gone?” If the church in the US was to write a sad song about lost love today, perhaps it would be titled “Where have all the preachers gone?” Much preaching in the US is...
What do Ferdinand Demara, the church, and Belgic Confession Article 29 have in common? I’ll try to explain. Have you heard the name, Ferdinand Demara? He was perhaps the greatest imposter ever. He dropped out of high school, ran away, and became a monk. He went AWOL from the Army and Navy. As an imposter, he was a college instructor, prison warden, law student, and more. This part is really amazing. Demara stole a doctor’s credentials and posed as a Royal Canadian Navy surgeon. On one...
It’s been a while since I released a regular episode. I’ve struggled to devote the time. I don’t want the podcast to distract from my calling as a pastor. The show contributes a bit to our congregational life at Jerusalem Church, however, the podcast can be distracting for me, and I’d rather be a faithful shepherd to my congregation than a successful podcaster. Pray that I would repent of any lust for approval or renown and be strengthened by the Spirit to give Jerusalem Church my...