The Dangers of Jealousy
Have you considered lately what Scripture says about jealousy? I was recently struck by how serious this sin is in the eyes of God. Consider Proverbs 27:4: “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” The idea is that wrath and anger bring destructive consequences, but jealousy is far worse. It is dangerous—don’t toy with it. The passage that especially grabbed my attention is Acts 5:17: “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.”
Songs Matter: Doctrinal Discernment in Congregation Singing (Part Two)
In this article, we are going to look at the New Testament’s instructions for us in the realm of congregational singing. If God himself sets the standard, then what is it? We live in an age where there is a very wide range of singing that happens in the church on any given Sunday morning. On one hand, this is great! We
should be very thankful for the many people that are writing songs for the church. On the other hand, this can be concerning.
Burden or Blessing? The Sovereignty of God in Evangelism
To put it simply - who does the saving? Is the eternal soul of the person on your plane flight held in your hands? Will they be lost forever if you don’t open your mouth? The answer is no. The burden is not on you to save them, however the Lord may bless you with the opportunity to speak the truth of the gospel.
Songs Matter: Doctrinal Discernment in Congregational Singing (Part One)
Brothers and Sisters, we are blessed. Since the mid-1970’s, the western, English-speaking church has been blessed by a plethora of new music. From the simple choruses of Integrity’s Hosanna Music in the 1980’s, to the prolific output of Chris Tomlin, to new hymns written by Keith & Kristyn Getty, we are not in short supply of new songs to sing. The number of songs available multiplies exponentially when you factor in the massive impact of Hillsong, Bethel, and Elevation Music.